Wednesday, August 20, 2008

If I Could Ever Build A New House

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of having a new house built to look like the house my maternal grandparents lived in from 1936 to 1948.   My parents were married in the side yard of this house and after my dad left to join the U.S. Army in July of 1942, my mom moved back there (with 6 month old me) for about a year. Then she moved into Yakima & lived in a basement apartment of a house where a nice family lived.  The lady took care of me during the day while mom worked as an RN in the Newborn Nursery at St Elizabeth's Hospital. 

This house was located outside the city limits of Sunnyside, Washington.  To the side of the two lane concrete Emerald Road...over on the left, just after you crossed the railroad tracks.   Yes, the tracks went right thru my grandfather's hop fields.  During the depression, men would jump off the slow moving train looking for work and a meal.  The word was out that John Stern was a good man, you could always get a few days work, a cot in the barn to sleep on and 3 meals a day.

When I was 6 years old, grandpa retired from farming and they sold the house and farm and moved to a smaller place in Mabton.  Even though I was very young I can remember this place like it was yesterday. I remember going out with grandma to feed the chickens, I remember grandpa giving me his empty Prince Albert tobacco cans to store my little girl treasures in, and I can remember being tucked into bed with one of grandma's hand made quilts covering me.  I remember eating breakfast on summer warm mornings with grandpa out on the screened in porch.  I remember the night that there was a fire down the road.  I believe it was a store that caught on fire.   The whole sky was lit up.  Grandpa got in his old car and drove down to see what was going on....while we looked out the window at the flames shooting up in the air.

Across the concrete two lane road you could look up and see the rolling hills of eastern Washington.  From grandpa and grandma's front yard it looked like there were caves up there.  I can remember asking grandpa over and over if he'd take me up there to those caves, I wanted to see what was in them.  Finally, he came up with an answer that stopped a little grand daughter's nagging "Lindy, there are big giants living in those caves and we can't go bothering them."        I don't think I ever asked again 

If it ever happens that I can build a new house, I want it to look exactly like grandpa and grandma Stern's house on Emerald Road.         

                            

Out in front, grandma & grandpa Stern and their little black & white dog Midge.

 

 

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

What beautiful memories and a keepsake of a picture.  Hey why not check out those so-called "caves" and see if those giants are still living there lol?  I can picture how it all must've looked to your little-girl eyes.  xoxo CATHY

Anonymous said...

I have fond memories of both of my grandparent's homes as well.

Jimmy

Anonymous said...

I do not blame you, lovely old photo, lovely home.  I enjoyed this entry.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/

Anonymous said...

I'd say you have built your house within your wonderful memories and now your sharing your house with us and we're ever so appreciative of it. What a magical time is must have been for you growing up there.
Nancy

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the perfect place to call home...I wish you could build one just like it for your very own!

Anonymous said...

what a neat house and great memories!!! your grandmother/grandfather sound like they were very wonderful, courteous, kind, and compassionate people!!

that would be an awesome house to own! do you know what happened to it? I'm assuming, as seems to be the case in a lot of similar situations, that the house got torn down for "progress"

betty

Anonymous said...

Linda thankyou for sharing those memories with us ~ I could picture it all ~ even the Big Giants :o) ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

Linda, this is a beautiful story.  I hope you get that house someday.    DB

Anonymous said...

Wonderful  memories Linda.  The house looks comfortable and cared for.  I hope you get your dream.
Hugs, Joyce

Anonymous said...

I love stories like that.             Marlene
      http://journals.aol.com/domsmom27/one-day-at-a-time

Anonymous said...

You just never know; dreams can come true :).............alice

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful post this is, I really believe remembering our past brings us so much closer to the ones that we have loved. Memories are so special..and this one of yours certainly is....love, Sandi

Anonymous said...

What great memories to share!!!  Have you ever seen the house since then, been by to see if it's still there?  That might be fun!!  I go by our old house once in awhile, and my grandparents old house, too.  

Joann

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed reading this entry Linda.  My sister and I have always wanted to build a house that looks just like our great grandparents as well.  I have fond memories of my grandfather's house, but the people that bought  it after my grandparent's died, changed it all around.  It used to be white and now it is dark grey and the beautiful veranda that it had is long gone.  It doesn't look like the same house at all anymore.  Sad.
Marie
http://ayearatoakcottage.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed hearing about your grandma and grandpa......
Linda :)

Anonymous said...

If home is the journey we travel it seems to me that you are building a wonderful house right here.
Best wishes from across the pond, Liz

Anonymous said...

What wonderful memories!  Linda

Anonymous said...

hi linda, beautiful house and memories, thanks for sharing. take care mrs t xx

Anonymous said...

Ya gotta love Grandpa for that answer!
Traci

Anonymous said...

That was a cute answer your grandpa made. I remember my grandparents tell me some cute ones in order to keep me from bugging. Thanks for sharing the picture...hugs, Christine

Anonymous said...

Lovely memories, I can see why you would like to duplicate that home.  I hope one day you build your house.
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Absolutely fantastic entry of your memories of days gone by. I love the picture...it is priceless. I really enjoy reading past memories like this, so so much. I dont know if I could have done without air conditioning, but I often wonder what it was like to live in a simpler, maybe happier time? Hard times too, I know, but still, I wonder. Kelly