Friday, June 1, 2018
Many of you may know my grandpa as, "Harvey", "Dad", "Brother" or "Uncle". To me, he was my Poppy.
In Poppy's 93 years he taught me so much. I will miss him dearly and I am honored that he gave me the memories and life experiences to reflect on and hold dear to my heart.
Poppy taught me Patience and Relaxation through:
⦁ Fishing - Poppy would take grandma and I fishing down on Lake St. Clair. We would collect nightcrawlers from Poppy's own nightcrawler growing tub he had in the back yard by the barn. We would be out on the lake trolling for hours. This was the only way Poppy would fish. Going around and around in the hot sun. The funny part is, a young kid in elementary school does not want to sit in a boat for hours doing nothing but trolling. No fish were biting, we just went around and around. I tried talking and singing. I was told, "Tammie Lynn, be quiet you are scaring the fish". I tried moving around looking at different things. I was told, "Tammie Lynn, sit still you are scaring the fish". Sitting still and not talking for hours was not my kind of fun. I even asked to go to the bathroom and I got handed an old metal coffee can & was told to go up front between the seats and go. Once you were on the boat, there was no getting off until the fishing day was over. How boaring! If the fish arn't biting, why are we doing it?
⦁ Looking back on it, sitting quietly in a boat trolling around a lake was about patience and relaxing, not just about the catch.
Poppy taught me how to Work Hard, drive a vehicle and have a good work ethic and take pride in it:
⦁ Baling Hay - Summertime for most people was the fun time of the year, to enjoy warm weather and fun times. On the farm, it was all about hard work. Baling Hay was the chore we had to do to provide for our cows and horses. We all had our roles and assigned jobs to do. I was given three different jobs as I grew up.
1. Poppy put me in the barn hay mow and handed me a metal can full of rock salt. My job was to sprinkle each hay bale with the salt, as this would help draw out the mositure and prevent heat build up in the hay.
2. As I got older, Poppy put me to work in the field. It was my job to roll the bales of hay near the path of the tractor and trailer that would be used for the men to pick up and stack the hay. Mind you, hay season was the hottest part of summer, sticky and sweaty. The hay stuck real nice on your skin, in your shoes and everywhere. Not to mention, those of you who were affected by hay allergies.
3. Poppy finally gave me what I think was the coolest job of all, I got to drive the tractor through the field pulling the trailer that the men were stacking bales on.
⦁ Fence Building - Poppy was critical when it came to building fence. If the fence line was not straight, he would make us start over. We all had our roles in fence building too. My job was to follow Poppy around holding his tools and carring around a metal can full of fence staples & fasteners. Poppy said a person was judged on how straight your fence line was. As you all pass our places you will find straight fence lines.
Poppy taught me Caring and Nurturing by carring for animals and people:
⦁ Poppy started my love for animals. I got to be in the barn helping assist cows giving birth. I held the towels in the event we had to help the momma cow clean off the baby calf. If the baby calf was not doing well, Poppy let grandma and I bring the baby in on the back porch of the house to bottle feed, splint legs and help them learn to walk.
⦁ Poppy taught me and our family all we know about cows and horses, from feeding, cleaning, birthing, and braking horses to ride. He did it all, A true old fashioned cowboy and Farmer. Poppy helped my mom brake my first horse, "Sparky". That horse took me everywhere.
⦁ As an adult, my daughter (Taylor) and I began rescuing mini horses. Poppy came over and gave me his horse trimming tools and showed me how to trim them myself.
⦁ To this day, taking care of animals is in my blood.
⦁ Poppy also cared and nurtured my son, who he and grandma watched while my husband and I worked. Brandon and Poppy would sit in his recliner cracking open and eating nuts.
Thanks Pop, for giving me these life long lessons and memories that I will charish forever.
I will miss you and love you. Enjoy your journey and say, "Hi" to all of our family and friends you went to meet. We will all meet again someday.
Love your granddaughter, Tammie Lynn.
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