Portrait of Grandma

Last month I lost my last grandparent.  My father's parents passed away before I was born so I grew up with one set of grandparents.  They lived in a different state so we visited them most christmas vacations and every summer...we loved going to grandma's house!

Grandma made the best waffles, had the biggest selection of dry cereal in her cabinet, and gave us plenty of soda pop (that is what she called soft drinks).  My grandparents lived in a log cabin style home with a porch that was high off the ground.  When arriving, we would find them sitting in the rocking chairs waiting for us with arms ready for hugs.  

My siblings and I have so many fond memories at "Grandma and Grandpa's house". We walked over the mountain to to the old country store where you could still get candy for a penny.  I can still close my eyes and hear the wood planks of the floor creak as we would walk throughout the store.  Beside the store was an old post office where we would fetch the mail for my grandparents (no mailboxes in that small town...not even house numbers).  If we were not walking to the small town store or post office, we could be found walking on the rail road tracks smelling the coal and tar that radiated from the tracks as a result from the hot sun.  Those were simple days... Hide and go seek, Simon Says, Mother May I, and Red Light Green Light kind of days.

My grandmother was 97 when she left this world.  She out lived my grandfather by 18 years, but is now with him, her daughter, and most importantly; her Savior.  She left behind two sons and a daughter (my Mom) along with many grand children and Great grand children.  We will miss her, but we are comforted to know that we will see her again!

Grandma Burchett

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Beverly Gurganus