The Vast Violet Veranda

My Aunt Beatrice grew violets.  So many violets that her Northeast Texas front porch was a Vast Violet Veranda.  One summer while visiting her, I decided I wanted to be a Violet Grower, too. 

Before I get into  'Growing Violets in Cactus Country', let me tell you about Ruth Beatrice.  She was my Daddy's second sister, and the aunt I knew best.  Daddy called her Bea, so we all did, too.  The only person I ever heard call her Beatrice was her husband, Red. 

Yep, Red and Bea were quite a couple,  and visiting them was like a trip to 'Keepers Paradise'.  Like her sister, my Aunt Irene who you met in the previous post, Bea kept EVERYTHING.

 She even offered to keep forever my Second Sibling Sister.  You see Bea and Red were childless and so wanted a child...obviously any kid would do...even one as mouthy as my Second SibSister.

 I voted Yay...Mom and Dad said Nay, but let her stay a couple of weeks with them that summer.  Best I remember, Aunt Bea was mighty glad for her to remain my SecSibSister ....instead becoming my SibSisCousin. 

Something about...with the 'mouthpiece' around there wasn't any need to turn on the radio, and getting a word in edgewise was like having a conversation with the six o'clock news caster.

Second SibSister retired a fews years ago from a national network news station to become an auctioneer.  Just kidding, ya'll.  She really did get a degree in Speech Commmunication, though!!!

Now about Violets. 

Aunt Bea selected a nice group of violets for me and, I carefully dragged the

Violet Starter Stash from Violet Country East Texas back to Cactus Country West Texas. 

 I soon had Violets in every appropriate light spot; read every 'How To Grow Violets' book;

 bought Violet Pots, Violet Potting Soil, Violet Food, and More Violets!

Who knew one could grow Violets in Cactus Country! 

 However, my Violets did Shrink over time and after a couple of moves

 I became a

Shrinking Violet Shirker

 and gave up on my dream of having a

 Vast Violet Veranda.

She's A Keeper...I'm A Keeper...We Are Keeper's

OF IT ALL....

My Aunt Irene passed the 'Keeper of Family History' to me many years ago when she learned I was interested in our Family Geneology.  Irene was my Daddy's oldest sister and I thought her quite eccentric.  You see she lived in California and was a recycler before 'GoingGreen' had even hit the EcoMinds of today. 

 I remember my Daddy receiving her letters in large manilla envelopes with marked out magazine return addresses and Irene's California address written under them.  If I was the one who went to the Post Office and one of her 'Novels' had come, I got to give the PostMistress the card and sign for the too big envelope to fit in our box.  How Eccentric!!!! 

The letter was a 'Time Capsule' with a page or two written one day, another paragraph or two a day later, and a month later....signed and mailed.  Her letters were a combination of hand written and typed pages on the backs of homework notebook paper or junk mail.  How Eccentric!!!!

Of course back then we didn't call it 'Junk Mail'.   Mail from Sears and Roebuck, JC Penny and all Bills were read and re-read then filed in the Letter Keeper next to the black Rotary Phone.

I know, you are eyeing this photo and thinking, "Who 'Keeps' this stuff???".   My Mother!!!  She's a 'Keeper', too.

Yep, it's the envelopes from Irene with her collection of stamps.  These from December 1980 when it cost 67 cents to send a Novela, and March 1985 when 'Domestic Mail' stamps were priceless.  Even more priceless to me is the figuring my Dad did on his sisters envelope....he was a recycler, too!  How Eccentric!!!