More News of Suches...

Hastle Parker died in June. Brittany, Emily and I visited with Florine and Hastle shortly before his death. His daughter Irene was there, his son Jerry came down for a while, and for a short time Marty and Leslie (daughter-in-law and granddaughter). It was so good to see them again. Florine was the same as she has always been, full of life and ready to catch us up on all the goings on in Suches (maybe like Rachel and Avonlea, Brittany?). Hastle, however, had little to say, but sat quietly enjoying being outside on the porch and watching Emily with a smile. You could tell he wasn’t long for this world.

I always enjoyed visiting with the Parkers, having Florine’s fried chicken, chicken and dumplings (made like no one else can make them), her strawberry pudding and her very sweet iced tea. Sometimes we’d sit in the living room after Sunday lunch and talk, but many times we’d sit on the front porch which looked out over the valley. Their house backed up against the mountain with a little stream running through the yard. Across the road (which isn’t much wider than a driveway) is the pasture and barn, the cows, down the hill to the fields, the river at the bottom and the mountains in the background. It was always a little like going back in time to visit there on Sundays.

It makes me sad to think of the ones who have gone on since our days up there, Corena Harkins, Jimmy and Minnie Watkins, Ella Watkins, and Hastle Parker. They were all good people, salt of the earth as it were, and they are all missed.