This is what 60 years of
Marriage looks like
She used her hands to wash clothes in a wringer washer, and hang them on a clothesline. When she and my dad were first married, she used her hands to help him milk cows and to pump water because their first home didn't have running water. She helped plant gardens with her hands. She harvested those same gardens and then used her hands to bottle peaches, pears, apricots, apples, tomatoes, beans, corn, jams and jellies. She used these hands to mix and knead batches of bread.........3-4 batches a week.......for years.
These hands prepared special treats for her father, who came and stayed at her home some nights. These hands would page through pattern books and hold up and feel material. When the right pattern was paired with the right material, she would use her hands to cut and sew beautiful clothes for her daughters.
These hands rolled out countless pie crusts. These pies would be sold to raise money to help build a place of worship. These hands were used on a job to lift items from a grocery cart and bag them for customers.
These hands helped and cared for her husband's Mother when she was sick and near death. These hands took care of her mother when she became frail, and near the end. They were kind and loving and worked tirelessly.
These hands made a wedding dress and hugged the bride and made her feel special. These hands held her 1st grandchild with pride, and because his mother was afraid, these hand gave that same grandchild his first bath.
These hands started a business, they made and sold pies, cookies, rolls, bread and doughnuts. These hands helped sons and daughters and their spouses.
They are still working today, taking care of her children's Father, lovingly making meals, assisting in his grooming, caring for his needs. They will continue to work for as long as they are needed.
His hands are big and meaty and strong. They recognize hard work because they spent years doing it.
His hands are the hands of a farmer. They milked cows, planted hay, operated farm machinery, took care of sick animals, worked from before sun-up to sun-down. They worked 7 days a week.
These hands shoveled tons of dirt and picked up Indian artifacts when there was an afternoon available for recreation. They tied flies and they fished with his sons at "The Gulch". These hands showed sons how to shoot and to hunt.
These hand volunteered in the town where he lived, these hands helped the Lions
These hands delivered produce and they groomed golf courses.
These hands turned the pages of seed catalogs, they planted beautiful gardens, they weeded them and provided food for his family.
These hands walked daughters down aisles. They held grandchildren and called the funny names.
These hands have been working for 60 years together. They have made their children proud, and have given their grandchildren a loving legacy.
