Remembering a friend during her favorite season
She loved the fall of the year, and each of these cool, crisp days finds me thinking of her more and more. Several other close friends must be having the same thoughts.
Even though October was Barbara Lehman's birthday month, that wasn't the reason she liked fall. Other than Christmas, it was a favorite time for her to decorate with fall colors, pumpkins, bittersweet and mums.
As with many of us, it was also the fun of attending fall festivals including the pinnacle of them all, the Covered Bridge.
At the crack of dawn on the first day of the festival, she would pick up two or three friends (she liked to drive) to join her for an all-day trek to Mansfield.
Our legs ached trudging the hills making sure we didn't miss a vendor's booth.
Most of us scanned items and walked away, but Barbara, with her artsy eye, would spot the most unique item tucked in some corner of a booth and display it in her yard or home in the most creative way looking as though it came from a picture in "House and Garden."
As evenings grew cooler and the Harvest Moon dipped low in the sky, there was the traditional Lehman wiener roast. However, it wasn't the ordinary fare of hot dogs and marshmallows. Barbara served a four-course meal that began with several flavors of steaming, hot soup.
As the fire died to smoldering embers, the evening came to a close with a sing-a-long ending with one of her favorites, "Sentimental Journey."
When we decided to move here from another state leaving family and friends, I knew it wouldn't be easy.
Barbara helped with the transition by introducing me to her friends, showing me her favorite shopping spots, and inviting us to Christmas parties, corn roasts, Father's Day brunches, etc. With deep regret, I don't think I formally thanked her for those kind gestures.
Last October I invited a few friends to celebrate her birthday (the last time she was in my house). I didn't see her place it there, but when everyone left, I noticed a magnet on my refrigerator. I knew instantly it was from her, and I will never remove it. With a picture of a cup of tea, it reads:
Sit down my friend and talk with me,
Let's share our thoughts over a cup of tea.
Those were the times I treasure most, the times we spent, just the two of us, talking and sharing, whether it was happy conversations with lots of laughs or deep concerns.
For me, true friends are difficult to find, difficult to lose and difficult to forget, but even though people we love pass away, in some way, they are always with us.
In addition to the many gifts she gave me (several handmade) that are placed in every room of our house, I will always think of Barbara when catching a whiff of a cinnamon candle, seeing a sprig of bittersweet, hearing of fall festivals or sitting alone with a cup of tea.
Jo is a staff writer for the Greene County Daily World. She can be reached by email at tojo631@sbcglobal.net .
- -- Posted by lintonpatriot on Wed, Oct 16, 2013, at 11:45 PM
- -- Posted by sld6353 on Thu, Oct 17, 2013, at 10:52 AM
- -- Posted by AlanaMR on Thu, Oct 17, 2013, at 8:25 PM
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