"Butternut Creek must be a gentle, quiet, flowing stream". How wrong you are! Don't get me wrong... it used to be that way. Butternut Creek is in my backyard. The creek could generate enough power to run a sawmill. This sawmill produced the wood to build our store in the 1880's. Ah, Geauga County Pine...beautiful, but harder then hockey sticks to nail. In 1924, the Creek gave a proud 12 year old Boy Scout, new to the neighborhood, a business venture opportunity. Minnows!! Dad was on his way in the business world.
"EGADS...Girl", mother shreiked as I deposited a water snake on the kitchen table. I will not touch a snake today! Changes.
Today, there is no water in Butternut Creek, at least not in the immediate backyard. I did plant some Iris on the bank in the midst of the black walnut , elms, and a few pines. I noticed deer track in the creek bed. Should we put out a salt lick??? My neighbor buys apple seconds and has a steady following of deer. She always could draw a crowd for lunch...they had a little neighborhood diner in a building in front of their house. Great burgers by the way! Mr. I. has passed away ...the diner is closed..Changes.
Across the road from our place,is a Sunoco Gas station. Once upon a time, a school stood there. Anna Spencer Richardson was the teacher. My dad was always the last one to school. Our store was popular after school! Grandpa and Grandma made sure there was plenty of candy and ice cream at the soda fountain.
The school building has been moved up the road. Mrs.Richardson has passed away. By the way, she lived at the house diagonally across from our store. The house was torn down 3 years ago.
On the other corner, was the Spencer/Tracy farm. I think it was sheep that pastured next to Butternut Creek. Today, owned by the same family, it is a very large car dealership. Butternut Creek has a culvert over it...Changes.
My home and store are in the same building. My Mom and Dad worked side by side in the store; raising their 4 daughters, "on the store counter". Dad died in 1970. Mom in 1996...Changes.
Today, the store is my canvas for all thing Primitive. I make my dolls and sell them sometimes. I never played with dolls while growing up...Now they are my WORKS-PLAY. Changes!
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