“On Whirlwind Hill” is about the place I lived in for the first year of my life (my parents and I stayed in my grandparents’ farmhouse until our own house was built about a mile away.) Even after we moved to our own house, this family farm felt like home. Memories of the happy hours I spent there have filled my adult years with a yearning to know more about its past.
My mother’s family (the Halls of East Wallingford, Connecticut) farmed their land on Whirlwind Hill for over three hundred years. The journals and documents and letters and photographs I’ve collected from those years inspired me in 2012 to start writing down the history and stories of my ancestors’ lives. For the next year I’ll post my writings about the farm here in this space.
As an artist – you can see more about me and my work at carolcrumpbryner.com – I have what some might call a romantic vision of farm life. But I love this farm and am grateful to my parents, brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who, by their presence, enrich my connection to Whirlwind Hill. I hope that my telling of its many-layered history will bring it to life for the reader.
The Lane, Carol Crump Bryner, colored pencil
Starting on April 7, 2014, please join me Mondays, Wednesdays, and the occasional Friday here “On Whirlwind Hill.”
Thanks so much for sending me the link. This is really wonderful, and looking at each sketch and reading the first entry, my mind is filled with how completely charmed Marge would have been to have shared this.
It would have been great to have been able to share this with Marge. I’ll be thinking of her.
Oh boy! I came here looking to copy the address – and find you are launched! Very excited for tomorrow! Boy Voyage into Blogosphere – going to be great!
What a delight sharing your blog and paintings with my 99 year old mother! Please email me when you come to visit and maybe we can get together again. How wonderful that you still have the property even though you have not lived here for years.
Lyvia
I think it’s great that you’re sharing this with your remarkable mother. Much of the farm property belongs to cousins, but still all in the family. I’ll be in touch. Thanks for reading, Lyvia.