Among Friends

[YorkieonmyPillow]

"I feel very blessed that a friend introduced me to a wonderful 88 yr old woman who has lived "off the grid" since 1960. She lives in an old log home her father built 83 years ago. There is not any electricity or running water. She has a cellar for her fridge. The front door was homemade and she re-did the chinking on the logs herself. Her bathroom is outside on the hill and family ran water from a spring to her tub which she proudly showed me. She cooks on a wood stove and served me sassafras tree she made from the mountains. (Very good) she gave me a bar of her lye soap she made and showed me how she makes dish soap from wood ash and water, also good for cleaning dogs. She washes clothes in an old tin tub. She made. Church in her barn and she goes there often to lie down. The pews were homemade. Her 60+ yr old brother died this week and she showed me pictures of him. The coroner came and pronounced him and family made the casket and washed and clothed him, no funeral home ow embalming. This is a woman who is happy and feels so blessed. She does not live off the system whatsoever and draws no food stamps or social security. In all my 60 yrs I have never been so in awe as well as impressed with a person's independence and faith. Bless this sweet lady and may I learn and remember how to feel thankful and blessed as this sweet woman is."

Sitting on her front porch with her Bible. She was raised in this house from the age of 3. She is 88.

Front of the old log home.

Living room as it looks today in the old log home

Homemade front door

Pouring me out some sassafras tea from her wood stove.

Look to the right above the tub, this is her water coming in the wash house for her bath, comes from a spring.

Chinking done by the elderly lady on her home.

Cellar that is the only 'fridge' for her.

Showing me her wash tub.

Clock that she made that shows all the family (17 kids) in her family.

Giving me a bar of her homemade lye soap.

Where she makes soap for her kitchen and to clean the dogs with...made from wood ash and water.

Quaint little church that she had put in her barn. Homemade benches came from an area church, they were made by a relative. She goes here to rest and reflect.

[mollymaggie]

I dont know when I enjoyed a story like I did this  Thank you for sharing  Im just in awe  I didnt think anyone lived like this  You are blessed  Take advantage of every minute with her No book could teach you better than real life  Will you share more

[jubilant]

What a privilege for you to have entered into her world for awhile. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. You have to really admire this woman's ability to do for herself.  I'll bet we could all learn a thing or two from her! I really enjoyed this so much.

[hatetoiron]

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@mollymaggie wrote:

I dont know when I enjoyed a story like I did this  Thank you for sharing  Im just in awe  I didnt think anyone lived like this  You are blessed  Take advantage of every minute with her No book could teach you better than real life  Will you share more

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I couldn't agree with you more.  This is a wonderful story and what a lady she is!  

[DoneTryin]

Great story - thanks for posting!  

Now I really feel stupid about all the "things" I have, none of which really create any kind of joy or happiness in me.  You've given me a lot to think about. 

[hatetoiron]

You truly were blessed to be able to spend time with her.  I'm sure you must have heard some wonderful stories.  I loved the pictures of her and her home (especially her with her Bible).  Thank you so much for sharing.

[circles]

What an amazing story and amazing woman...thank you for sharing ....

[Julie928]

How cool is that?  She seems like such a great, interesting lady.  Definitely one in a million!  :-)

[KentuckyWoman]

What a wonderful, heart warming story.  Thank you so much for sharing.  In a world where we are bombarded with bad, sad, news your story touched my heart and made my soul smile.

[Yardlie]

@YorkieonmyPillow ... What an amazing story and an amazing lady! I was absolutely fascinated by this story. It sounded so much like the way my father grew up. His father owned a logging camp. My grandmother did all the cooking for everyone in the logging camp on a wood stove. My father died 5 years ago. I miss him telling me stories about his childhood, so I especially enjoyed this. How lucky you were to meet this lady!