Patty left many gifts to me, her friends, her family, her animals, and to Pleasant Rise Farm. Her gardens still flourish………
…..and her carvings, paintings, and writings are still enjoyed by many.
But most of all, her spirit lives on. For me that means that her love provides me with the foundation to continue living the life we started here at Pleasant Rise Farm, even though it is quite different without Patty and my mom (who died 12/25/2015).
The workshop that we built where Patty did her carving and I did my wood turning, is now a place where I pursue my latest hobby of roasting coffee (thanks to the inspiration provided by my good friend, Tom). I haven’t been able to get myself back to wood turning but I know Patty would like me to do that so I probably will. Most of the pets we had together have died but our cat, Riley, lives on. (Patty nursed him back to health through a feeding tube when he was a kitten.)
And, I’m grateful to have a new partner in my life, Elizabeth, who seems to carry Patty’s spirit in her and who unselfishly allows me to continue my relationship with Patty. I sometimes think Patty sent Elizabeth to me. That is something Patty would do.
And finally, I’m indeed fortunate to have a loving family including my children, Andy and Jenny and their families; my brother Dan and his family; Patty’s family; and now Elizabeth’s mom, Hannelore.
