We visited my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Konnie today. Dad, Mom, Drew and I. Aunt Konnie is my dad’s twin sister. They live just up the hill from a teeny tiny little town called Rubio. I have always loved visiting here. They have a beautiful farm and farm house. Aunt Konnie has such pretty flower beds and Uncle Jerry always has different fun animals to see. I remember staying with them for a few days during the summers. My sister and I and our cousins Terri Jo and Todd would spend a couple days with Grandma Ward in Richland and then a couple days in Rubio at Terri Jo and Todd’s. It was like a different world to me. Aunt Konnie didn’t work and Uncle Jerry was a farmer. He had crops and cattle and hogs. We would walk down to Rubio and get an ice cream cone and visit the Post Office. There aren’t any buildings left in Rubio besides the train depot and houses. The train depot has been kept up and we have attended many a family reunion there over the years.
For years we would celebrate Thanksgiving at Jerry and Konnie’s. Aunt Konnie is the best cook – everything was always homemade and delicious. We would have a turkey Uncle Jerry had hunted and all the traditional fixings and the most wonderful desserts. Then the men would spend the afternoon hunting pheasant and the women would make a craft. Usually something Christmas related. I can remember making Christmas tree pins out of cinnamon sticks one year and Christmas tree sweatshirts out of fabric yo-yos. Then we would watch the men clean the pheasants they brought home. Thanksgivings at Uncle Jerry and Aunt Konnie’s are some of my favorite holiday memories.
The weather was windy and warm but comfortable. We wandered around the yard and Drew got to see some of the animals. He played with the kittens and found an egg in the hen house. He got to pet their pet goose that follows them around outside. We checked out the flower beds and the garden then sat on the deck and visited and had root beer. It was a perfect afternoon and something we need to do more often.
