A Sad Visit Home

12/30/2010

My father passed away on the shortest day of the year, December 21st. His funeral was on the morning of Christmas Eve. The Amana Colonies in Iowa, where I grew up and my Dad still lived, were transformed into the beautiful and picturesque villages of my youth, with the help of heavy snow that fell throughout the day on Christmas Eve. The combination of a fresh blanket of snow and the simplicity of the Amana Church at Christmas-time was the most perfect way to say good-bye to my Dad.

9 Comments

kathy

12/30/2010 12:43:25 am

Thank you for sharing these Eileen. Beauty and loss side by side. Your dad was an amazing and loving father, grandfather and great grandfather. I know he will be missed dearly by all those who knew him. Take care.

stacey snacks link

12/30/2010 01:15:59 am

Eileen,
So sorry that you lost your dad.
You are lucky you had him in your life for so long.

What a beautiful place in Iowa, it looks like New England w/ the Shaker benches in the church and the scenery. I never knew Iowa was so beautiful.

Have a happy new year. I look fwd to your beautiful posts in the new year.

Michelle link

12/30/2010 04:28:07 am

Very sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing the beautiful photos.

Kate

1/1/2011 09:36:19 am

It looks like the scenery on the trip home was prepared to grant you some reflective peace and quite; coupled with restorative inspiration and awe. God is good to us in ways that never cease to blanket us under His wings of love.
Thank you for gorgeous photos.

Tom link

1/2/2011 09:11:35 am

Eileen, your loving words and dream-like photos linger on the page with quiet beauty, beauty that transcends these pages and celebrates a wonderful soul I wish I would have known.

Vanessa

1/3/2011 02:39:54 pm

What a lovely tribute to your father. Thank you for sharing the photos of the snow and of your father, what a smile!

Ruth Andrews

1/4/2011 06:07:53 am

Dear Eileen,
So sorry to hear about your Dad. He was welcomed by friends and family on the other side. It will be a void in your life, but be strong as he taught you. My Mom just passed Dec 13, it still does not feel real. Ruth

Margo link

1/6/2011 10:53:04 pm

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you mourn your loss. What a wonderful life Ralph had. We should all live so long and be so lucky. Loved your pictures of our hometown, and I'm encouraged to see you're back in your kitchen!

Merisi, Vienna link

1/10/2011 12:57:35 am

Your father must have smiled when he saw you taking those pictures, they are such a reflection of beauty.

Mother Nature can be quite a comfort, even on a sad day. The church looks so pure and peaceful inside. My sister's funeral was on what seemed the brightest September day imaginable, she too is buried in small cemetery surrounded by woods.

A Sad Visit Home

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