Comes with the Territory

While going through some things in preparation for a garage sale, Brooke found some old letters from her Mother, Gloria.  Her Mom was writing to keep her daughter up to date on what was going on in the family.  I was already in the picture at that time and Brooke had been hired in Battle Creek.

One particular item of interest was the fact that a groundhog had taken residence in Percival's(an old neighbor)barn.  The animal was wreaking havoc on the garden and Brooke's parents were trying to get rid of it.  Ray(Father)and Mr.Percival were taking turns sitting out at the picnic table with their shotguns.  Brooke's brother Matt was involved also. I don't know if they were ever successful...like Luke and I were.  

When we moved in this house, Percival's grand daughter was living in his old house.  She and her husband were restoring the "barn" and that's when the current groundhog moved over to our yard.  First, the critter dug a den under the grape vines. (Maybe that's why some of them died off?) Then he moved to a fabulous place, under the shed. 

It was a lot of fun to read the accounts in this connection to the past.  Gloria's personality shines through and will be shared with family members.  Wish she could still be with us in person.  

It might be a good idea to send a letter now and then to a friend or family member.  It is something they are more likely to keep and maybe years from now it will be reread and appreciated in a much different way than it was originally intended.