Do I Ever Need to Catch Up...

If you are a new follower of this blog, let me just say that all the entries dated 2017 were actually written over a period of years and were transferred here in 2017. But I am behind! The last years of Grammie Ruth's life were largely taken up with concerns and cares of her. So this blog was set aside for more pressing issues. In health care, we call it "triage". That is, things are done according to the urgency. But life doesn't stay on hold waiting for us to finish what we are doing before the next event happens. So I need to catch up, for sure.

Let's look at some great grandchildren who have joined us over the past SIX years --

This picture of Isaac and Grammie Ruth is one of my very favorites.

Isaac is Erika's son. This photo was taken at Emily's baby shower when she was expecting Calvin. I wanted to get a "generations" picture, which I finally got. But Isaac and Grammie were having so much fun with each other that it was hard to get them to look at the camera. But we love that picture of what "family" is about!

The next Great grandchild to join us was Justus, Scott's and Kelsey's son. We were so happy to be in Wisconsin when he was born on the day after Christmas in 2016.

In this picture Grampie is holding him. This grandfather (and grandmother) surely do love the little ones that the Lord has sent into this family. We pray that they will grow up to be men of God.




And now I need to get more pictures and add to our great grandson collection!
We now have Callen, another Isaac, and Henry. In another month or so, we are adding Dallas.

That will make 7 great grandsons so far.

The Bible teaches us over and over about the blessing of having children. See what it says in Proverbs 17:6 - "Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Well Drills and Romance

This page tells us how our Grampie Ellery met the love of his life! I don't suppose your great grandfather set off to drill a well for the Nasons thinking he was going to meet the woman who would become his wife!

God's purpose and God's plans are always amazing to me. Wouldn't you like to hear more of this love story? We do have some interesting and beautiful old letters that can be shared in this blog someday.

The well drill shown here was an early one, but not the original one. This is the updated version from the 1940s and 50s.
It was a percussion drill and, oh was it noisy! Grampie worked very hard pulling the bit out and "sharpening" it with a sledge hammer over hot coals.

It is said that the original drill had iron wheels like a railroad train and that it was powered by coal. Can you imagine that monster going up and down the road belching coal smoke? It must have been a sight to behold.

Grampie Ellery took his family on drilling jobs whenever he could and they slept in a tent on a wooden platform that he had constructed for that purpose. Likely the platform was to help keep the inside of the tent dry.

Here you can see the back of what Grampie called the "Chuck Wagon". I remember seeing different stages of it's construction. It was a major leap from tent living to have the house built on the back of a farm truck. It had bunks, cabinets, table, stove, and the ability to run an electric cord to power the lightbulb inside. No refrigerator and no water, but several of us spent some happy days and nights on the job with our Grandparents.  Many of us enjoyed it at Cary Lake after our grandparents retired. It became a guest house of sorts at Grammie Muriel's request. What memories!

The Watson Family Enters Littleton

While Heather was living with Grammie Ruth, she wanted to learn some family history and so she began to ask and to record what my mother told her.

It is nice that Heather wrote the story verbatim. Anything in parentheses will be Heather's words. Otherwise, these pages are as Grammie Ruth spoke them.

What a great idea!

I would like to add that the Watsons thought they were the first settlers in what is now known as Littleton. However, the town is named for the Little family, who bore the honor of being first.

The year of my grandfather's birth will be on the next page of Heather's journal. He was born on December 17, 1895.

Grammie Ruth is in Heaven

                                                                                                                                                                      So much could be said about my mother -- your great grandmother.                                                                                                                                                                

Her Last Mother's Day With All Four of Us

On May 25, 2018 Carla and I were by her bedside as she slipped very peacefully from this life into the eternal presence of Jesus.

This was the whole focus of her life, really. It was to live for Jesus here and then to abide with Him forever.

She had a full life here, but she also had difficulties that are part of living in a troubled world. She tried to make the best of them and I remember saying to her many times over the years, "Mom, you are a survivor!"

She was a hard worker and was always ready to serve the Lord and others. She was a multi-tasker and was in charge of almost everything she did, as others admired her gifts and abilities. She taught Sunday School, played the Church Organ, and held various offices in her Church for over 60 years. She taught elementary school during WW2 in one room school houses, and worked for the Clerk of Courts in Houlton. Working for Uncle Merle Nason, she supervised children picking berries, beans, and other crops. She did volunteer work: she served as president of the PTA, was on the board for an after-school outreach to teens in Houlton, and served for many years as a Camp Chief at St. John Valley Bible Camp. For many years, she did book keeping and did income tax accounting for individuals and businesses. She was office manager in a doctor's office, and also managed the office for Watson Well Drilling for a number of years until illness forced her to retire at the age of 85. All that, and more.

If she could speak to all of you today, I am sure she would say something like this:
"Of everything that I experienced in the world, there is one thing that remains the most important. That is my relationship with Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I have prayed for all of you that you would know the Gospel -- the Good News that Jesus offers salvation and eternal life to all who will believe.
There is nothing as important in all of life as knowing and serving the Lord. Jesus said, 'seek first the Kingdom of God...' and I pray that you will."

I am going to be posting some stories on this blog that Grammie Ruth told Heather. I know you will enjoy them!