Reading - Hobbies

With this really cold and snowy weather it affords Lou and I more time to read. A hobby that we both share. I had finished the series that I had started several months ago and was talking about what I wanted to read next and Lou suggested that I might enjoy a book that his Grandfather Kemp wrote in 1960 at the age of 91. It commenced in 1868 on Farmington Hill in Tioga County. He tells of the first election held in Farmington where his grandfather built the ballot box.

The story goes on to tell of his many adventures in growing up with much hard work, the love of the forest, and the ways and mysteries of nature. He was artistically endowed, and studied at a Normal School in Minnesota and at the State Normal School in Mansfield, PA; however, out of a family necessity as well as his personal choice he turned to agriculture.

I loved his stories of gathering sap and making syrup, as many as 150 gallon a season, which he sold for the highest price of $2.00 a gallon. He planted potatoes, and dug 1500 bushels that he sold for one dollar a bushel. He had 100 head of sheep and sold his wool for $.50 a pound, at a local wool pool . Surprising was the fact that he sold wool for the same amount that I sold wool for, one of the reason, I am no longer in the sheep business.

Lou and I tried to figure out how many houses and barns his grandfather built, some were tragically destroyed by fire and rebuilt. For a gentleman that grew up in the country he did a lot of travelling, sometimes by train, some walking, and driving his own team of horses and in later years his own

Overland 90 in 1918

To you local people this was also the grandfather to Wellsboro's Judge Kemp. This remarkable man continued to build houses and help wherever he was needed until he gave up his driving privileges at the age of 91.

Today we awoke to snow and knew we needed to take Krista to Williamsport for her "dry run" for radiation. Kris came down and helped us shovel out and we were off. Lou had told us he was afraid we would get into worse weather as we went along and once we got outside of Williamsport, it was almost a "white out". Thankfully, we made it down in time for her appointment and they finished quicker than scheduled, so we stopped at Hosses for a late lunch and on to Sam's Club. We drove Lou's car, the first time it had been driven since early November. Now, we have my Cobalt all cleaned up for spring and have it covered and in Lou's garage. One thing off our list before going south.

Tomorrow must be a cleaning day, with going to Williamsport each week, will need to make some modifications to our schedule. All in all it was a nice day and a chance to get caught up on what is going on in other worlds.