Looking Back

This is a picture of my Grandparents house that they lived in for over 60 years. The house my father was born and raised in. Although this picture was taken a few years ago, the house looks completely different than I remember as a child. The big front porch is missing and the joining glass sun porch is gone as well. The colour use to be white with gray trim and the lower left windows use to be one. After my Grandfather passed away, my Grandmother stayed for several years and maintained this 5 bedroom, 2 kitchen, 3 acre house by herself until the day came when she could no more.
New owners now occupy the house and on this day that these pictures were taken, I had a chance to meet the them and was welcomed to take as many pictures of the house and gardens as I liked.
While wondering around the yard I found it very emotional, and to see different curtains hanging in the windows and a different car parked in front of the barn brought me to tears. The apple trees were still out back and the new gardens replaced familiar ones, and the rose arbor was as beautiful as ever.
I hadn't been back to this house for more than 20 years until this day and I was pleased to know that a wonderful family had chosen to raise their children here. Despite all the differences I saw, the one thing still remained untouched. The big old tree sitting on the front lawn next to the gravel road was exactly how I remembered it.

Recently I have had news that the wood stove inside this part of the house had caught fire a few moths ago. The family escaped in the night and were found running down the road calling for help. Everything is now gone, and I feel such sadness for this family who has lost everything, along with the years spent in making this house their home. The land is just an open field now filled with tall weeds and left over bits.
Somehow the loss of this house fills me with sadness as well. Memories of most of my early life was spent on this farm and I remember every inch of it of how it looked then.
Still, even now, after everything is gone, the one thing remains untouched.....the big old tree sitting on the front lawn next to the gravel road still stands unharmed. How I wish trees could talk....imagine the stories they would tell.