This is going to be my 4th try to get this posted. I think I know what I did wrong each time when I lost the post. You can't hit the back button on the site.
My sister and I had a great time in The Ozarks visiting with our families on both sides of the family.
The first picture is of my sister Debbie on the left, our cousin Helen on the right and me in the middle. We are at Helen's in this picture. We went over on Friday after we arrived. We took our cousin from Dad's side Ann with us at Helen's request. Helen is 91 and sharper than a tack. She's the most amazing lady I know. She never married. She grow up on a farm and lived with her parents until they passed away. When it got to hard for her parents to keep the farm going they sold it and moved to town. Helen was an only child and I have no idea why. I also don't know how old she was when she was told that she wasn't allowed to date or get married that she was to take care of her parents when they were old. That really amazes me that a father could do that to his child. Helen isn't angry or bitter about it. She accepted it and went on. She did work for the school in Republic for 15 years before she had to quit and take care of her parents. Anyway when we arrived she had a nice dessert for us. She made homemade angel food cake for us with a wonderful glaze on it, ice cream and sweet tea. Not of which was on my eating plan but I wouldn't say no to her for anything. Then she told us she wanted to show us her quilts.
This is the quilt she showed us. Its made of thousands of small yo yo's. They are about 1" each. Helen told us it took her 10 years to make this quilt. The fabrics are all from the 30's. Helen also has a doll collection of over 200 dolls. We assumed that she purchased dolls through the mail or in stores but we were wrong. She purchased dolls at garage sales and thrift stores and restored them to how they looked brand new. She made all their clothes. If they needed new hair she bought wigs for them. She dressed dolls for many ladies in the area. I think she probably made extra money doing that.
This is Blades Chapel. Helen grew up in this church
and still attends to this church today. The church was started by my our family on my Mom's side in the 1880's (I believe). We went to church there on Sunday morning. Its pretty small now days with 28 members. I was really worried to attend a little church like that but it was wonderful. Everyone spoke to us. A lady also came to meet us who is related to us on our Grandpa Britain's side of the family. So we are now in contact with her also. My Mother also grew up in this church. After church we drove back to Helen's and she fixed lunch for us. She wouldn't let us help her at all. After lunch Helen told us again she wanted to show us her quilts. We talked about quilts for quite awhile and she showed us lots of them. Many that our great grandmother Blades made. Some that our great grandmother made and Helen and her mom finished years later. After talking for awhile she opened the closet and brought out 2 bags. Inside were the 2 quilts below. She told us she wanted us to have them that they were made by our great grandmother Emma Blades. She told us we could decide who got which one. My sister then told me that I could pick the one I wanted since I quilt also. I chose the red, black and white quilt on the left. My sister got the 30's quilt on the right. Helen also gave us several things that our great grandmother crocheted with thread. I'll post pictures of those later. We had a great time with both sides of our family. Can't wait until we go back again. Hoping it won't be 4 years again.
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