The Walworthians: Klingsing
The Walworthians
A collection of telephone interviews published in the Wayne County STAR Newspaper and Wayne County MAIL Newspaper, 1994-209
by Kate Chamberlin
“The most enjoyable aspect of gathering information for my weekly column “Cornucopia” for 15 years was conducting telephone interviews with People living in our community who put the accent on worth. Although these have been published in public domain newspapers, Thank you, again, for sharing your hopes for our town, dreams for its future, disappointments with government issues, the early history of our town and their families, and the experiences of entrepreneurship to establish businesses in our small, rural town in upstate New York.
Kate Chamberlin
Fern Carrie Ida Fraass Piper MacUmber Klingsing
February 16, 1995
Fern Klingzing died on February 3, 1995 at the age of 94.6. Warm, friendly, talented, intelligent, ahead of her time and fiercely independent are some of the words that describe my friend.
About three years ago, the mail carrier stopped in to ask me what things might be helpful in filling Fern’s days with her new “physical challenges”. She was hard of hearing and going blind. She had to shuffle along using a walker.
That afternoon, Fern and I had our first of many “phone visits”. We realized right away that we were kindred spirits. She would end each of our conversations with, “See you in church.”, even though she never did go to church.
Fern’s father died when she was rather young. Her mother opened a shoe store in their home on the old south side of Rochester. All four daughters were expected to help. Fern’s business acumen, competency, and drive made her a success. She eventually became the shoe buyer for McCurdy’s Shoe Department.
Circumstances left Fern as the sole support of a two-year old son, Don. In 1947. They moved into the home on Maple Avenue. Walworth, with her second husband Karl Klingsing. They did extensive remodeling to the old farm house she’d fallen in love with. She insisted on a wood burning stove in the kitchen, indoor bathroom and several other modern touches. The American flag always flew proudly over her new homestead.
She began collecting antiques and to paint with oils. She has 115 paintings scattered throughout 11 states.
When Karl died, in 1973, she bought a piano. Her home was filled with music and friends.
Classical music and opera were her favorites to listen to as she reclined in her heated, vibrating leather chair. Two of her favorite TV shows were wrestling and Jeopardy. I would often call her at 8:00 P.M. to see which of us had gotten the correct question for final Jeopardy.
She played Lottery by mail. I don’t think she ever won much.
“Don’t live to be 90. You won’t like it.” was her advice to everyone. Her body was wearing out, but her mind and memory were sharper than most of ours. She could recall poetry stanza by stanza by stanza. I swear, she had the entire series of McGuffy’s Readers memorized by heart.
When we talked, I taped the poems she’d quote. She was so enthusiastic and pleased that I was using her quotes for this (“Cornucopia”) column in the “Guess What Fern Says…” I would often get a phone call from her whenever she’d remembered another tidbit for this column. She was very concerned that I’d get jailed for plagiarism!
Fern was always interested in what we were doing. She felt genuinely proud of me when I let her hold the first issue of ‘Good Dog! Magazine’ containing my first article about my guide dog in it. Neither one of us could see enough to read it, but it was enough to hold the magazine and know it was about Future. Her beloved dog, Silver, had died several years prior to this. She gave me Silver’s brush for Future Grace.
Sometimes she would say something very un-refined, then quickly say, “Did I shock you?”
Nevertheless, she was a great lady through and through. Knowing Fern was an honor and a pleasure. I feel very blessed. I shall miss her.
**Fern Carrie Ida Fraass Piper MacUmber Klingsing, August 14, 1900 – February 3, 1995.
There’s a new angel amongst the host,
God has granted the wish Fern wanted most,
She is at home in His embrace.
A new star marks her heavenly entrance place.
Some angels are bold and brassy,
A few are loud and sassy.
My Fern is full of quotes witty and classy
That she memorized as a wee lassie.
Good Bye, Fern. I love you.
7/27/2017 Up-Date: We often drive by Fern’s former home on our way into Palmyra. The new family built a small barn in the back and installed children’s play equipment. Ye ole homestead looks well-kept and happy with beautiful roses on the split rail fence.
The Walworthians
Copyright (C) July 20, 2017
By Kate Chamberlin
The Walworthians, Allen, Joan and Doug
The Walworthians
A collection of telephone interviews published in the Wayne County STAR Newspaper and Wayne County MAIL Newspaper, 1994-209
by Kate Chamberlin
“The most enjoyable aspect of gathering information for my weekly column “Cornucopia” for 15 years was conducting telephone interviews with People living in our community who put the accent on worth. Although these have been published in public domain newspapers, Thank you, again, for sharing your hopes for our town, dreams for its future, disappointments with government issues, the early history of our town and their families, and the experiences of entrepreneurship to establish businesses in our small, rural town in upstate New York.
–Kate Chamberlin
The Walworthians
Copyright (C) July 20, 2017
By Kate Chamberlin
Joan and Doug Allen
August 31, 1995, Wayne County STAR Newspaper
Nothing tastes more like summer than tender, juicy corn on the cob. Many people like it salted, peppered and dripping butter on each succulent kernel. I prefer mine au natural!
Joan and Doug Allen have set up a self-serve produce stand next to Quik-Fill on Route 441. Beware, though. The early shoppers get the corn on the cob!
“If the corn is absolutely perfect with no bug or worm traces,” Joan explained.” then the farmer has really drenched the corn with chemicals. We try to find a happy medium between keeping the worms out and a safe-to-eat ear of corn.”
Joan attended Pal-mac Schools while growing up on the farm her grandfather, Arthur Lawrence, began in 1927. Joan’s dad, Harlan, took over working the farm in 1951.
“They were doing a lot of muck farming,” Joan said. “My dad got into dairy cows until ’68. Then he went to snap beans and a variety of other crops for large processors.”
Joan has a degree from Wells College in Math and Physics, but when she and Doug were married in 1983, they knew they wanted to stay in farming.
Doug attended Brockport for several years. He’d been raised on his parent’s farm and worked on several other farms. It was in his blood, too.
While Joan worked in the telephone industry for several years, Doug worked on her father’s farm. They became partners with Harlan and Joan’s mother, Charleen. (Harlan passed away this April.)
In 1988, they set up a road-side produce stand on Route 350. (It was just north of the flat area right near where 350 takes a sharp turn toward the west; where the road slicks over with ice in the winter.) It was a very nice stand with a semi-circle drive-in area and, of course, the best corn on the cob in town! When the wind blew it down in ’92, they began another one on Eddy Road.
“My nephew wanted to sell something,” Joan laughed. “So we put up a card table and gave him some corn and other produce. It was on the corner of Eddy Road and Gananda Parkway. He named it Joey’s Sweet Corner. A lot of people still remember it!”
One thing led to another and the Allen’s put up a Quonset hut across from Joey’s to continue selling directly to consumers.
While they own the farm, they lease space from Stevens and Stanton for the Rte. 441 produce stand.
Joan calls her husband a Man of Vision. He not only has to try to out-guess the commodities market to support his family, but he has come up with a lot of fun ideas to share the farm with others.
In October, the farm is transformed into a Pumpkin Village. Life-sized Pumpkin people are put up in storybook settings. Visitors are challenged to identify the story.
On weekends, a hay ride is available to take you through the Pumpkin Village.
A maze is constructed out of 900 bales of straw. It is a fun challenge for visitors of all ages.
This year’s new challenge is a living maze carved out of grasses that are nearly 6-feet tall.
“The kids do just fine,” Joan chuckled. “It’s the adults who get lost in the maze and can’t get out! I send in my kids to bring out the bewildered bodies.”
Their children Linsey (9), Sarah (7) and Audrey (2) are integral parts of this family farm. An old “hit or miss” engine #27 is hooked up to an ice cream maker. Doesn’t a hay ride through the Pumpkin Village as you savor home-made ice cream sound good?
The Allens sponsor a Pumpkin Carrying Contest. For a nominal entrance fee, the two-person team that caries the most pumpkins, can keep them. The money raised is donated to Gananda’s Dollars for Scholars.
“We have farm implements for kids to climb on and have their photo taken, or they can enjoy the animals in our petting pen or just soak up the feel of living on a farm like grandma did.” Joan remarked.
Families, school groups, scout groups and church classes are always welcomed. It cost a dollar each for the hay ride and the maze, but everything else is free.
Long Acres Farms is located at 1432 Eddy Road, Macedon. Phone: 986-7730 or 986-4202.
In the meantime, watch for the sign on the Rte. 441 road side stand that says “Corn today.”
You’ll be second in line!
kgc Up-Date: Long Acres Farm is still going strong. Of course, the children are all grown-up, but they often return to help out during the open season. They’ve enclosed the former covered patio area which opens up the fresh produce displays. The ice cream is available inside or at the outside window. I like to take my extra thick, double malted milk shake to the open gazebo to enjoy it along with my family and the sounds of the children on the bounce pillow, naaing of the goats, and camaraderie of a close community. Okay, okay. Tasting their new line of wines in the wine tasting room is also enjoyable for the adults.
Thanks again, Joan and Doug, for being Walworthians with the accent on worth.
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“Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?” 53. TOC, posted dates
Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?
By Kate Chamberlin
As Grace grows up, some of her stories are happy, some trying, some enlightening, and a few themes are sad, but, they’re all the warp and woof of what goes into the tapestry of life we call Family. The daily living skills and techniques demonstrated by the fictional characters in these stories are valid, tried and true.
Book IV: Grandma Grace
#43. Charles and David
#44. Grandma Grace’s S’mores
#48. So many Flowers
#51. Grandma Grace’s Spring Planting Time Tips
#52. Acknowledgements:
#53. TOC, posted dates
posted October 19, 2016
Posted October 27, 2016
#3. The Night Search For A Missing Puppy. 4
posted November 3, 2016
Posted November 10. 2016
#5. Morton, The Mockingbird. 8
posted November 17, 2016
#6. Grace, Martha, and The Sleep Shirt Solution. 9
posted November 18, 2016
posted November 24, 2016
posted December 1, 2016
.#9. Hey, There’s A Dog In Here! 18
posted December 02, 2016
posted December 17, 2016
posted December 22, 2016
#12 Knight With Shining Flatware. 24
posted December 29, 2016
posted January 5, 2017
posted January 12, 2017
posted Jan19, 2017
posted Jan26
posted Feb3, 2017
posted February 09, 2017
posted February 16, 2017
Posted February 23, 2017
posted March02, 2017
posted March 8, 2017
posted March 15, 2017
posted March 15, 2017
#25. Guide Dog Chronicles: Puppy Raisers. 43
posted March 16, 2017
#26. Guide Dog Chronicles: The Training Center 45
#27. Guide Dog Chronicles: Grocery Shopping. 45
posted March 23, 2017
#28. Guide Dog Chronicles: Hit by a Car 46
posted March 23, 2017
#29. Guide Dog Chronicles: Smells like A Church. 46
posted March 28, 2017
#30. Ken’s No Strings Attached. 47
postedMarch 29, 2017
#31. A Walk through History. 48
posted April 6, 2017
posted April 12, 2017
posted April 13, 2017
#34. The Honeymoon: Lake Pocotopaug. 56
posted April 20, 2017
#35. The Honeymoon: Freedom Trail 57
posted April 26, 2017
#36. The Baby Can’t Go Home. 59
posted April 27, 2017
posted May04, 2017
#38. And Then There Were Two. 61
posted May 11, 2017
posted May 18, 2017
#40. And Then There Were Three. 63
posted May 25, 2017
posted June01, 2017
posted June 06, 2017
posted June 08, 2017
#44. Grandma Grace’s S’mores. 68
posted June 15, 2017
#45. Green Trillium In May. 69
posted June 21, 2017
#46. Search For Boy And Dog. 70
posted June 22, 2017
posted June 26, 2017
posted June 29, 2017
#49. Drumlin Woods A-Flame. 75
posted July 08, 2017
posted July 12, 2017
#51. Grandma Grace’s Spring Planting Time Tips. 77
posted July 13, 2017
posted July 13, 2017
- TOC, posted dates
posted July 13, 2017
Author Contact information:
Kathryngc@juno.com
“Dream it! Write it! Read it!
Copyright © July 20, 2016, January, 2017 All Rights Reserved
by Kate Chamberlin
Walworth, NY 14568
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“Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?” Acknowledgements
Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?
By Kate Chamberlin
As Grace grows up, some of her stories are happy, some trying, some enlightening, and a few themes are sad, but, they’re all the warp and woof of what goes into the tapestry of life we call Family. The daily living skills and techniques demonstrated by the fictional characters in these stories are valid, tried and true.
Book IV: Grandma Grace
#43. Charles and David
#44. Grandma Grace’s S’mores
#48. So many Flowers
#51. Grandma Grace’s Spring Planting Time Tips
#52. Acknowledgements:
So many of my inspirations for stories were generated by family members, whether they knew it or not. Some of the times were happy, some trying, some enlightening, and a few themes are sad, but, they’re all the warp and woof of what goes into the tapestry of life we call Family. The daily living skills and techniques the fictional characters demonstrate are valid, tried, and true.
Cover photo:
Blind teacher Kate Chamberlin photographed by Kevin Rivoli for “Blind Ambition” written by Michele Locastro Rivoli, Democrat and Chronicle Newspaper, December 30, 1998.
Author Contact information:
Kathryngc@juno.com
“Dream it! Write it! Read it!
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by kate
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“Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?” Book IV: Grandmother 51. Grandma Grace’s Spring Planting Time Tips
Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?
By Kate Chamberlin
As Grace grows up, some of her stories are happy, some trying, some enlightening, and a few themes are sad, but, they’re all the warp and woof of what goes into the tapestry of life we call Family. The daily living skills and techniques demonstrated by the fictional characters in these stories are valid, tried and true.
Book IV: Grandma Grace
#43. Charles and David
#44. Grandma Grace’s S’mores
#48. So many Flowers
#51. Grandma Grace’s Spring Planting Time Tips
`First plant five rows of peas: preparedness, promptness, perseverance, politeness and prayer.
`Then plant three rows of squash: squash gossip, squash anger, squash indifference.
`Then plant five rows of lettuce: lettuce be faithful, lettuce be loyal, lettuce be unselfish, lettuce love one another, lettuce be truthful
`No garden is complete without turnips: turnup for church, turnup for community activities, turnup with a smile, turnup with a new idea, turnup with determination.
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by kate
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“Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There? Book IV: Grandmother #50. Tragedy Strikes
Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?
By Kate Chamberlin
As Grace grows up, some of her stories are happy, some trying, some enlightening, and a few themes are sad, but, they’re all the warp and woof of what goes into the tapestry of life we call Family. The daily living skills and techniques demonstrated by the fictional characters in these stories are valid, tried and true.
Book IV: Grandma Grace
#43. Charles and David
#44. Grandma Grace’s S’mores
#48. So many Flowers
Tragedy struck in mid-winter when Granddad, Grandma, and Peyton were killed by a drunk driver on icy roads.
Liam’s aunts and uncles gathered in the big, farm kitchen for the last time.
“Liam, you know that we all agreed that none of us would be able to come live on the farm,” Mom said putting her arm around Liam’s shoulders, which he promptly shrugged off. “Granddad and Grandma knew that, too, and have donated everything to the Land Preservation Society. The bog and drumlin woods will be available for everyone to share in its beauty. The care-taker will live upstairs and groups can hold retreats downstairs.”
“While we finish packing, do you and Sarah want to take a hike to see the wildflowers?”
“Sure,” he muttered, picking up his Granddad’s binoculars and heading for the pond with Sarah close on his heels.
“It’s not fair,” he complained fighting back tears. “Why can’t we stay here? I’m going to be a botanist when I grow up. I can take care of the farm.”
“Mom may have grown-up here, but our folks are city people now, they only like to come for visits. Wow,” she said. “Look at those Marsh Marigolds. It looks like a huge pot of gold. Let’s check out Trillium Heaven.”
Liam stood at the edge of the trillium patch and looked up to the trees through the binoculars and then swept them down toward the wildflowers. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Sarah, look at this trillium,” he said in a shaky voice, kneeling next to a small plant shading a toad that didn’t hop away at his approach.
“So, it’s a green trillium in a circle of a lot of other Green Trillium,” Sarah said.
“Not just a green trillium,” he said. “It’s a double green trillium don’t you remember what Grandma said about doubles?”
Sarah’s eyes filled up and brimmed over, as he said, “Grandma said, when two people are true soul-mates , they’ll come back to the place they both love.”
…Thus, the circle of life continues…
NOTE: adapted from “Green Trillium” by Kate Chamberlin, Illustrated by Mia Surakka, published 2010, available from Trafford Publishers.com.
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“Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There? Book IV: Grandmother #49. Drumlin Woods Aflame
Hey! You Got Eyeballs In There?
By Kate Chamberlin
As Grace grows up, some of her stories are happy, some trying, some enlightening, and a few themes are sad, but, they’re all the warp and woof of what goes into the tapestry of life we call Family. The daily living skills and techniques demonstrated by the fictional characters in these stories are valid, tried and true.
Book IV: Grandma Grace
#43. Charles and David
#44. Grandma Grace’s S’mores
#48. So many Flowers
“I’m ready to go,” Liam announced.
“Do you have warm clothes and a coat?” His mother asked.
“Check,” Liam said.
“Do you have your hat and hiking boots?” Sarah asked.
“Check,” Liam said again, resisting the urge to add: If it’s any of your business.
Liam woke up in the car as they crested the last ridge to Grandma’s farm and looked out the window.
“The woods is on fire!” Liam exclaimed, instantly awake and alarmed.
“Look again,” Sarah said. “The sun woke up before you did and has lit all the tree tops.”
“It does look like the woods are on fire,” Mom said. “The Maple and Beech tree
leaves are just at their peak color now and that sun sure does light them up.
“What was that poem Granddad used to say? …Something, something…before the foliage flies, there’s brightness in the trees and fire in the leaves.
“Oh, look. There’s Grandma putting up our American flag.”
The farm kitchen smelled of fresh, baked bread and fall foliage as the sun light and family streamed in.
After a big breakfast and the dishes were washed, Grandma said, “Let’s put some trail mix in our backpacks and go for a hike. I have a special place to show you.”
There were no objections from Sarah or Liam. For once they agreed on something, but then again, things were always different at Grandma’s.
The fall sunlight warmed the tops of their heads as wispy, white clouds scampered in the cobalt sky. It was a day for whistling, so they did.
Suddenly, Liam raced off into the meadow and shouted, “Sarah, look what has happened to the milkweeds,”
“Oh, Grandma,” Sarah said, “most of the milkweed pods have burst and fluffy seeds are blowing everywhere.”
“Let’s carefully pick off the pods that have already spread their seeds, but the halves are still attached,” Grandma suggested. “After they’re thoroughly dried, we can use them as the wings on our corn-husk angels.”
“Grandma,” Liam marveled as he pulled up a tall plant, root and all, “what little bird could ever be small enough to use this nest?”
“That is actually a Queen Anne’s Lace, Liam,” Grandma said. Do you see the tiny bird in the bottom?”
“Yeah,” Liam said. “Cool.”
“It smells like there are carrots around here,” Sarah stated.
“Well, another name for the Queen Anne’s Lace is Wild Carrot.” Grandma explained.
While they munched their trail mix, they looked around for more matches to the Yew-Go-Wild cards. They saw hundreds of butterflies had congregated on the Goldenrod and Asters in preparation for their migration to Mexico. Liam tried to catch one of every color leaf as they fell from the Maple trees and match his palm to find a perfect fit. They even argued over which of the Beech trees was the tallest and had the smoothest bark.
Later that evening as they toasted marshmallows over a camp fire near the pond, Grandma said, Isn’t this great? I love having you all come to the farm. Every season is special here, even in the dead of winter.”
“Why? There’s nothing to do here in the winter,” Liam said. “At home, we go swimming at the YMCA all winter long.”
“Our pond freezes over and we go ice skating,” Grandma said. “And when the snow blankets the bog and lines the bare tree branches and dried weed stalks, we strap on our snow shoes and follow the animal tracks in the snow. It is so quiet here that the only sounds we hear are made from our skates scraping on the ice or snowshoes shushing along the snow drifts.
“Our breath comes out in puffs and seems to turn to ice crystals in an instant. Occasionally, a tree will make such a loud crack as it splits with the deep-freezing temperatures, that we fear hunters are in the woods. If we keep the birdfeeder full, all kinds of winter birds come to visit, even when the roads are too icy for cars to get through. We spend long hours poring over the seed catalogues, repairing the tractor, and snuggling under the warm quilts I made when your mother was a little girl. When we hear the brook that feeds the pond, gurgle beneath the ice. Then, we know spring can’t be far behind.”
Sarah chose a quilt for her souvenir and Liam chose a pair of snowshoes.
As the car pulled out of the lane for the long ride home, Liam could turn just enough in his seatbelt to wave to Grandma Grace and Granddad out of the back window. Then, he closed his eyes to dream of being a mighty tracker of the elusive Snow Shoe Rabbit. It never entered his dream that it would be the last he’d see his grandparents.