THE DUST WILL WAIT

Great Aunt Naomi was buried today. For the past year I have promised myself that I would get up one morning and drive to see her. I heard she had wonderful stories. Everyone said that her long term memory was intact. I’d spoken to her over the 33 years I’ ve been married into the family, but our conversations had always been superficial. I learned some interesting things about her today at the celebration of life . *Her close family pronounce her name, Nay- O- muh . *She knew the name of every wild flower that grew in the arid hills and ravines, and where to find them. *If you wanted to know what animal left its tracks or scat, Nay-O- muh was your gal. *Nay-O- muh never yelled or was cross to anyone. Ever. In fact, one of her nephews who spent summers on the ranch said that he practiced his swear words out by the harvest equipment. Nay-O- muh never chastised or corrected him. *Although she was a petite woman, her hands were as strong as a man’s … the hands of a wheat rancher. *N...

Octogenarian club, perhaps? Grand Auntie Fern will be 100 on April 3. I’ve written about her several times. Sitting to the left is her sister-in law Naomi, who is also our Grand Auntie. That is because Roy, the brother of Gram and Fern, took the beautiful Naomi to be his bride in 1921. At 104 years old she still lives in the house in which she and Roy raised their children. She maintains a certain level of independence with the help of her 86 year old daughter. The lovely lady in the center is Roberta. She is Naomi’s younger (almost 97 year old) sister. She is also a sister-in law to Auntie Fern because Ferns husband was her husband's brother. I hope you read this home town newspaper article about her published on Tuesday. I guarantee that you will be impressed. These three ladies preside over the Wednesday lunch gang. I was pleased to join them recently. There are around 12 people who make it part of their weekly routine. You never know for sure what other relative...