A Lonely House

This little “house on the prairie” – now looking so forlorn (and tiny), was – in the past – such a wonderful part of our lives. It was a virtual castle! It was a little paradise wherein we experienced so much joy over so many very important years – it was - Uncle Art and Aunt Armeline’s farmhome.

First of all, where the machinery is now parked, Flagg and Flicka (in 1944-46) were parked on snowy wintery nights when we used our “stone boat” to fly over the snow – from our house, about 2 miles from here - to Art and Armilene’s farm house on a wintery night. Dad would park Flagg and Flika in a sloping barn or hitched to a tree right outside the door of the house. Because the mile long driveway (road) was deep in snow, we had to go cross country – on the “stoneboat” under blankets to “Art’s” for a night of “Whist” – a French card game of chance – like Bridge - and peering over the shoulders of out parents at what was going on at the card table. The essence of the evening was to have a highly “sugared” coffee as our “snack” – while we looked on at our parents playing endless sessions of “whist”.

We all had an image from a piece of artwork in Aunt Armalene’s “trunk” of a baby being thrown to the wolves to ward off disaster to the survivors on the sled – as we raced back home. The wolves would be slacken with the baby (Maybe Jack – we always wanted to throw Jack to the wolves!) so that they wouldn’t get us.

In the summer, we would have celebrations with a beer barrel – always and in the fall – at Halloween; we would be surprised by Uncle Art in the woods behind the house. There were two graves there and on Halloween, Art would be hiding in the trees and jumping on us (from trees and on big springs) to scare the very shit out of our little bodies. Some big events here”
- Wally and Darlene’s wedding reception ( I was so in love with her)
- Parties with the Myerchins, Bellands and Lorangers (20 plus people all summer long)
- Robert and his dog “Rex” who lost a foot and had to be destroyed
- Florette bitching about having to do all the work in the “creamery” shed
- A turkey willing to bite anyone who came within 100 feet of him(her) self.
- Art’s horses who were willing to compete with Flagg and Flika about any capability unamanageable on earth.
- Gun cases and handling the precious items with great “trust”
- Visiting Uncle Pete’s shack (hidden by woods behind the house)
- Dad and Pete building the Stairs to the entrance of the kitchen
- The view…… right window – the kitchen, left window – Art and Armalene’s bed room, upper window, “Robe” and his dog Rex” and behind – upper Carmen and her “dolls’

Later, when we moved to Grand Forks, REA (Rural Electrification Association) provided electricity to these farm homes.

The rural farms were changed forever. Later, as we visited from our new home in Grand Forks to the Lorangers farm house (the little one in the picture), we would gaze at TV screens instead of “whist” hands of cards. The commardie was never the same. Everyone was “in their own head”. The old fantasy was over – as much as the forlorn look at the withering farmhouse is today (gone forever).

A little piece of our history to enjoy…….Tom