There is nothing like a Saturday afternoon drive down a country lane, in the fall, even better, in a convertible, better still. With someone you love, well it’s just peachy.

Kevin and I drove north to Falls Mill. The last time we’ve been here together the boys were about 4 and 6 and we had a picnic with the grandparents. We waded and skipped rocks. Today the boys are 16 and 18 and were playing football with friends. Such is life.

The Miller”s Farm. Mary Miller was my mail lady years ago. We gave her a cat. Fair trade.

We took the back roads and Kevin patiently stopped several times for me to jump out of the car and take some pictures. The day was warm. The sun was welcoming. 

The mill was built in 1906 and rotates 3 times every minute. It is used to power millstones to ground corn. Our school class came on a field trip when I was in the 4th grade and we all received a small bag of cornmeal that was ground at the mill. I was so proud to give it to my mom. She made cornbread that night for supper and I ate it. Though it wasn’t my favorite. (It is now.) I remember my parents bragging on how good it was. This day I bought a big bag while at the mill and also made cornbread for my family. Such is life. 

A field trip was going on and I could hear the owners telling the children how the first thing the new mill bought after it began was a town clock so that the workers would know how long they worked and when it was time to start and time to quit. That was just over 100 years ago. Imagine. 

As we walked to the bottom of the edge of the water, families were picnicking and taking family photos. I was busy taking pictures and I heard little girls talking to Kevin. I looked back and there were two little girls squatted beside him and he was pointing out a big crawdad. Kids always like Kevin. And a thought flitted through my mind. He is going to be a great, Granddad.

And it didn’t hit me until our quiet ride home, that this was the first time I had really thought about him that way. It’s always been as a dad. Yes, the seasons are changing. Such is life. 

There are places all around us that we neglect to revisit. Falls Mill is one of them. I hope to make time to see it in the spring. I hope you find time to revisit a beautiful place that holds memories for you and create a few more to add to your story.

Katey