Sisters, sisters.

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.

~Marion C. Garretty

Shirley, holding, Carol Lee, Jeanette, Lucy.  1942

Verla and Carol Lee in the sandpile.  1947.

Carol Lee and Verla.  About 1951

Shirley, Jerry, Lucy.  Back:  Jeanette, Verla, Carol.  Jerry loved to stop by and giggle with the girls.  SunRiver 2012

Jeanette, Shirley, Lucy, Verla, Carol.  2012 New Castle

I wish I lived close to my sisters

All of them.

I wish I could share our flawless tomatoes with Shirley.

She tries every year to raise them in New Castle

And every year the blithe gets them.

So sad.

Then together we could make her a batch

Of Chunky Ketchup.

She and Amy J. don’t eat much.

One triple batch will do.

Verla loves tomato sandwiches.

Why should she buy tomatoes

When we have ample?

Carol has a garden but I could share fresh peaches with her.

We always had a crowd when we bottled peaches

When we were growing up.

The room was full of family and friends peeling peaches.

Visiting.

How desolate it is to stand and peel peaches alone,

Even though I now scald them to skin them.

I wish I lived close to my sisters.