The day we went to Woodside began with a walk to the stop sign with Lise, Toke and neighbor Joyce. We had commented on the mist on the mountains behind us.
Toke, Lise, and Joyce
I liked the group photo of everyone at the Woodside table – Nate's Sarah, daughter Lise, grandson Nate, Rick and Myra, and Lise's Toke. For those of you who like relationships defined, Rick is my brother's brother-in-law whom I've known for about 60 years.
Nathaniel was helping himself to watermelon, and I took a picture to show him and the watermelon platter and knife.
Out of the kitchen window, we could see a fallen pecan tree. Myra said they had never picked up more than a few measly pecans from it, so the tree will not be mourned. I don't think Rick's broken finger shows in any of the photos. One of the branches he was cutting snapped back and hit his finger.
I liked two group portraits – Nathaniel with Sarah and Lise and our fabulous hosts Rick and Myra.
Nathaniel, Sarah, and Lise
Rick and Myra
Our conversation was non-stop. Toke and Nathaniel enjoyed talking about cooking, while the world travelers Myra, Rick, Lise, and Toke compared notes on places they had been. Sarah and I were not mute by any means. We all enjoyed the tour of the house done especially for Toke. I learn something new every time I hear Rick talk. He spoke quite a bit about his great uncle who carved most of the furniture in the house. There is now a photograph of that man in the stately living room.
Many of the larger pieces of furniture have secret hiding places. Toke was delighted with that. He later told us that when he was young, he built a secret place that would open when you touched a button hooked to a rubber band. Toke also practiced magic tricks in his younger years. Rick told us that long ago thieves dug up bodies in the graveyard and cut off the fingers to steal rings they were wearing. He borrowed a ring from Sarah, made it disappear, and showed it to us in a box on the finger of a "dead" person. Things are truly magical at Woodside.
Rick showing Nate, Sarah, and Lise the ring
I was able to go on this marvelous jaunt, thanks to neighbor Shawn. I left Kacey on the front porch, and Shawn came over to check on her and pet her from time to time. I was most concerned that the dog would bark a lot and bother everyone in earshot. She was content most of those ten hours and didn't bark all the day long.
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