My son rarely is able to go on day trips but we managed to have a perfect day in his new Jeep. It was a bit chilly right before summer began so we kept the top on as we traveled to the Columbus Auction/Flea Market.

     Took route 206 that takes us through the Pine barrens and right by the road that leads to my grandfather Tassone's old homestead.  My father's last living brother lived there as recently as last year.  So we took a ride down East Stokes Road.  I expected to see it quite deserted but there were cars parked on the grounds.  My cousin and uncle still own the small farm but I am afraid it will soon be sold just like so many other small farms.  There are larger farms waiting to gobble up the available land for blueberry farming and cranberry bogs.  I rather this happen than housing developers getting the land.   I hope the farms in New Jersey go on long after I am dead.  So special to look out over miles of farm land to a beautiful sunset. So I am posting the old homestead that seems to have no front steps and next to it is the old canning building where I remember my father's sisters came from Philadelphia every summer to work during the blueberry season. I guess you can say that the home was maintenance free because the siding was cedar and nothing was ever done to it.  Going back to 1955 this house had a pump in the kitchen that had to be primed to get a pitcher of water and there was no indoor toilet.   The house had one great feature---a player piano that my cousin Mary Jane had since she lived there with her mom, dad and grandfather. The coal/wood burning furnace was another prominent feature and quite scary looking fore me.  There were giant ducts leading off across the ceiling but the bedrooms were extremely cold in the winter. My father used to tell the story about ball lightning coming in the front door and going out the back door.  I am going to guess that the place had electric and a TV  (thanks to my father) before they had plumbing.  I remember my grandfather did not talk much but he liked to watch boxing matches and smoke stogies. Also, I have to mention again how close they were to the Carranza Memorial that my father often spoke about.  Just recently found out that my sister married a Ford whose family also was from the area on Carranza Road.

 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Carranza

 

     My son almost went for a chrome art-deco airplane and a book of antique Paris postcards in the flea market but settled on a silver dog head cane.  At least half the time when you visit Columbus auction you will find some live music.  I have a fond memory of seeing an Ecuadorian group playing their pan flutes with their indigenous colorful serapes and selling their Cd's.  So I will be posting some keepsakes of my father's about the memorial, homestead photos, the antiques shop and photos of our flea market trip.

 

I will update this one after I locate the Carranza Memorial photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you see my crunched up bills ready to make a quick purchase?

 

                            

                                     Belts:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This pampered cat had its own coach: