The Farmhouse Shelf

My mom is descended from a long line of dairy farmers based in eastern Connecticut. Her maiden name was Gallup and the farm where she was born has been owned by the family since the 1600’s. Whenever I get the chance to visit the farm, I am always very aware of it’s rich history.

I loved visiting my Uncle Benny who worked the farm up until he passed in 2014. My uncle had many wonderful stories to tell and led an interesting life. He had an airfield on the farm and built his own plane which he piloted. I was also impressed by how many people he knew – and who knew him. When he was hospitalized, the staff commented that the long line of people who came to visit made them feel like they were caring for a celebrity. I realized that long before there was an internet and social media, my uncle had built a strong network of family and friends who genuinely enjoyed spending time together.

Once when I was visiting him in the kitchen of the farmhouse, I noticed an interesting collection of items on a shelf above his head. Years later I decided to paint the scene with watercolors. There was a colorful tin that held black pepper, some interesting old lanterns and even a homemade arrow that a friend had given him as a gift. I hope this collection of memories will bring to mind some of your own.