Family Gathering

It has been some time
since we gathered...
4 children, 9 grandchildren
in-laws..only one missing.
Gathered
on top of Boulder Mountain
cabin, partially built...
no electricity
no working cell phones
no computer
there...with ourselves
and each other...
to entertain ourselves with
stories and song
ATV's and hikes..
to Lower Calf Creek Falls
to Coyote Caves and Money Cave
on Thompson Ledge
I try to make them understand
how my childhood differed...
how our land reached
all the way to the ledges.
three Ranches - so much work.
The potato patch was a field, not a garden.
Dad had us grub thistle on our cabin land..
feed cattle all winter on the hay we grew all summer
the weeding, the watering, the mowing, the cutting
the baling, the branding, the dipping, the shots,
we escaped work by running to the top of
Thompson Ledge.
My grandkids play games by
the hours on computers and ipods,
watch movies,
text friends...everything with a phone.
I shared a trip to Europe with my granddaughter
and her cell phone.
My phone number was three shorts and two longs.
I could call a friend when everyone in town
quit talking...
I want them to know somewhat my life.
I want to know each child's life
and somehow bridge the past and present
with strong bonds of family
strong bonds of love
tying past, present, and future
together...forever!