Self-Sufficient

Written by Elnora Merrill Pace.



Growing up on a farm had many benefits. One benefit for sure was we pretty much made, grew or raised what we needed to survive. We had a HUGE garden. I remember having rows assigned to us kids to weed. I also remember shelling peas, the lettuce with the yellow dressing, and Elena eating fresh tomato sandwiches. One time we even had a moose come down into our garden. This was the only time we saw a famous Maine moose up close and personal! Seeing Grandpa in the garden with this little pan brings back the memories!

My mom would can vegetables every summer and then they would be kept in the cellar to be used throughout the winter. I hated being sent to the cellar to bring up vegetables. The cellar had a mud floor with wooden planks on the ground, lots of spider webs (and therefore, probably lots of spiders!) and a little light bulb in the middle of the room that you had to turn on by pulling the attached chain. Although this provided ideal storage for vegetables, it also provided a great backdrop for an overactive imagination!

Besides the vegetables from the garden, we had eggs from the chickens, milk from the cows, meat from the chickens and the cows and my mom always made homemade bread for us every week. Sometimes we even had honey from having our own bees. (This picture of my grandparents was labeled 1957 and it appears that my grandfather is in a bee suit so apparently, my father learned how to work with bees from his father.) We didn't have fresh fruit although my father tried several times. He would put nets over the fruit trees but the birds still seemed to find a way. Before my time, my grandmother used to even make her own butter as well.

We didn't make our own ice cream but we were customers of the Schwann's ice cream truck and ice cream drumsticks, large containers of mint chocolate chip ice cream and chicken patties were frequently the purchases selected.

I'm sure we had to make trips to the grocery store from time to time but they had to be a lot less frequent than my weekly and often biweekly trips now! Those were the good old days!!!

Simple Times

Written by Elnora Merrill Pace.


I've always said "I come from a long line of sitters!" Our family enjoys sitting and visiting and it seems we always have. My most constant memory of my grandparents is of visiting them in their trailer with Grandma in her chair and Grandpa across from her in his chair. We would visit quietly, or read the newspaper (actually just the comics), or watch Little House on the Prairie or The Price is Right with them. (My grandparents had a television and we did not so this was a luxury!)

My grandparents were 70 and 74 when I was born so they really weren't up for too much more than this. Although my memories are quiet memories of my grandparents, they were wonderful memories all the same. I am so glad they lived next to us and I had the opportunity to visit with them daily.

Grandpa was quite the tease--just look at that twinkle in his eye! He also used to sit there with a toothpick in his mouth (he might have one in his mouth in this picture--hard to see) and pull on his eyebrows. They would get quite long and grandma would have to trim them. Grandpa would also sing silly little songs to us. One song he used to sing would result in him "rattling our ears".

There was a little man
and he had a little gun
and his bullets were made
of lead, lead, lead.

He went to the brook
and shot a little duck
right through the
head, head, head.

Took it home to his wife Joanne
Told her what he had done
She beat him with a ladle
as long as she was able
and rattled his ears like
a drum, drum, drum!

Nichole remembers a birthday where she opened a present from grandpa that was a glass bottle with bailer twine wrapped all around it. He was so serious that she thought it was an actual gift so she said "thank you" which resulted in grandpa laughing. Always the tease!

Seeing them in their chairs takes me back to yesterday and I can almost picture myself sitting on the couch between them "hearing" what was always felt but never said, "I love you!"

(Note: The room is flipped in Grandpa's picture. )

Death Had Lost it's Sting

Written by Elnora Merrill Pace.




Dora and Jesse Merrill were married in May 1917. A little red-haired girl with big brown eyes was born nine months later on February 5, 1918. The young parents (Dora was only 18 and Jesse was 23?) were excited to have this little girl join their family. She loved to sing and after hearing a song only one or two times, she could sing the song herself. She was a good little girl and was a delight to her family. However, her life was cut short when she became sick with bronchial pneumonia and one month before she was to turn eight on January 1, 1926 she slipped away. Her sickness lasted for only one day but a winter snow storm prevented the doctor from reaching the family in his horse-pulled wagon.

The death of Elnora Violet devastated Dora and Jesse. They were told that because she had not been baptized, their precious little girl was dammed. This teaching didn't seem right. How could a just and loving God dam an innocent child. All pictures of Elnora were removed and her name was never mentioned. The thought of not seeing their daughter again, was too much for them to bear.

Years later Dora and Jesse were introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Two sons, Clint and Jesse, had joined this religion and their daughter, Shirley was also investigating it. When they were taught that little children who die before the age of accountability or eight years old were saved by the grace of our Savior, they knew they had found the truth they had always felt. Both Jesse and Dora joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In ? they made the journey to the Salt Lake LDS Temple where they were sealed together as husband and wife for time and all eternity and Elnora Violet was sealed to them.

Death had lost it's sting. The healing process was started and in 1970 when Jesse Jr. had his first baby girl, Dora and Jesse asked their son if he would name her "Elnora" in honor of his sister.

Today is Easter Sunday. I have always been proud of my name and the meaning behind it. I am thankful to know that my namesake, Elnora Violet, will live again. Death is not the end!

(Note:  While in Salt Lake, Jesse and Dora both received their Patriarchal Blessings from the head Patriarch of the Church.)

Summers Are For Barbecues!

written by Elnora Merrill Pace.



I don't think I ever remember a summer going by where we did not have a barbecue. Apparently, this tradition started way before I was born. These two pictures make me smile for several reasons. First of all, check out who is manning the grill! Way to go Grandma! (My dad said he never remembers his father cooking. Grandma always had the meal on the table when they came in to eat.) Second, this seems to be a funny place to set up the grill--right in the middle of the lawn--but it works! Third, picnic tables are highly overrated! All you need is an ironing board--you can even adjust the height! Fourth, Dad and Grandma are using a fork but Grandpa is just digging right in! And fifth, when I look at this photo up close I can see fig newton cookies on the table! Those and the vanilla wafer cookies were always staples at Grandma and Grandpa's house!

These picture had to be taken before 1969. It looks like it must have been one of the first warm days and they were anxious to get outside to celebrate since they all have a sweater or light jacket on. I'm not sure who was taking the photo. Maybe Shirley was still home and since she had these photos maybe she is the one that took the pictures. (However, I do not see a place setting for a fourth person??)

(Pictured: Dora Agnes Merrill; Jesse Albion Merrill Jr. and Jesse Albion Merrill Sr.)