Another spot on our farm that has an alternate existence in Elizabeth Goodweather's world is The Blue House, directly across the branch from the corn crib I wrote about yesterday.
But first, the real world story. In 1975, The Blue House, was the only inhabited dwelling on our hundred acre tract. And it was white, not blue. It had replaced a two-story house, destroyed by fire in the fifties, that had been the childhood home of Louise, who with her husband Clifford now owned the farm.There was a simple plank bridge with a locust pole for a handrail and several straight backed wooden chairs on the front porch. The interior was spartan. When Clifford and Louise moved away to be nearer their grown children, the house was leased to a series of tenants -- one of whom built the pretty arched footbridge. And now our younger son is the tenant -- and every bit as useful as Julio.
In Elizabeth's world, this is the location of Little Sylvie's family's house -- a two-story house that is gone by Elizabeth's day -- replaced by what is Julio and Homero's house. We haven't seen much of these fellas -- but I felt they were necessary to reflect the real-world experience in our county, as well as to provide Elizabeth with help in running her farm. (I'm pretty sure they have their green cards, if any of you were worried.) I hope to explore their story in another book.
Another taste of Elizabeth's Full Circle Farm.
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