Words from a Reader

The “Writing Life Stories” e-mails I receive are such treasures. As soon as I see there is one in my inbox, I read it immediately. I look forward to them and never know how they will touch me. They can be interesting, informative, humorous, and/or touching.

Friday, February 7, 2014

A Trip to Palmetto, Florida and family history

You know it is Florida when begonias are blooming in February


Monteen, 99 years old, in a lobster bib, and Beverly, her lovely daughter
Cousins, two resilient Council family women, took me on a tour of their home town, Palmetto, FL.  Monteen celebrated her 99th birthday in January, 2014. I enjoy talking family history with her. I asked that I be invited to the 100th birthday party next year. She asked me for a copy of Profiles and Pedigrees, Tom Council and His Descendants, to give to her son. I was glad I had one with me.

Beverly lives at Shady Acres, her mother's peaceful and beautiful home, where the moss drips off the old oak trees and a swing awaits her to sit and watch the sunset. She recently lost her beloved husband Tom. My heart aches for her pain on this grief journey. I'm happy she still has her mother. I remember how much I wanted my own mother when Barry died, but she was no longer with us. I wonder if we ever get too old to want our mothers when we hurt.

Charlie, Tiger's first person, treated me and others to a delicious meal at the Crab Trap in Palmetto. I kind of like his new beard. He is now a great grandfather of twins, Cash and Cabot! Charlie always picks up the tab. He won't let anyone else pay a cent. He has a kind and generous spirit. Quiet and soft spoken, he makes me smile with his dry humor. He is with his family where he wanted to be for a long time and they are seeing that he has the best of care. 



Second cousin, Diane, recently lost her mother who was 92. Diane was a devoted caregiver for her parents. She lives on the land that her grandfather, my uncle Charlie Council, bought many years ago in Manatee County. Charlie and other Council family members settled in the area in the early 1920s.
Diane is Monteen's niece. They are a close and loving family much like my own in south Georgia. 

Pelicans rest along the Manatee River

The mossy trees, the quiet river and the stillness of a winter day

Any angle of the Skyway Bridge is an artist's delight. This was a foggy day, no sun.




7 comments:

  1. I spent two days with my sister in Zephyrhills, which looks similar to Palmetto. They must be close together. It was such wonderful weather, so warm and with the flowers all blooming. I love your pictures and stories. Thank you for sharing. :-)

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  2. I'm so glad you had a good visit with the family and was so happy to see pictures of Monteen and Charlie, Diane and Beverly. Monteen hasn't changed at all. An amazing woman. Love the pictures of scenes there in Florida. Good post.

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  3. DJan, I had an aunt and uncle in Zephyrhills for many years.Yes,you were not too far from Palmetto which is a sleepy little town on the Manatee River not far from Bradenton. Wish I had a winter home in the area, but I have had the loan of a condo for a few years now by some terrific friends.

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  4. I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed our time together yesterday. I stayed up until 2 am reading your blog and had to make myself turn off my laptop! Thank you for sharing about it and posting those great pictures on your blog. It was wonderful to discover that we had much more in common than just our ancestry. Thank you for sharing in my deepest sorrow. I am so thankful for my amazing mother and the privilege of being her care giver as well as her daughter. I look forward to your next visit and hope that you will stay with us at Hayman's Shady acres.

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  5. You know you're in Florida if you're sitting in the back yard in December. That's what I did when I spent Christmas with my brother and his family in Jupiter. This is an interesting post.

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  6. Beverly, thank you for reading my blog and for your comment. I feel fortunate to find that I have a cousin I feel so close to after just a short visit. thank you for your invitation to come and stay at Hayman's Shady Acres. I couldn't open the pic of the little dog. Please send again in an email. I want to see him.

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  7. Abbie, I looked for Jupiter FL on the map and see you were on the east coast and I was on the west. Isn't that the home of Burt Reynolds and Joe Namath?
    Now I am back to the cold and snow. How about you?

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