Our hearts were saddened at the first of the month when our dear Aunt Leta died on March 5. We hated to let her go but at 101 she had lived a long, productive life and we knew we couldn’t hold her any longer. We are happy she no longer feels any pain; her physical disabilities are laid aside. She’s been an inspiration to friends and family members with her positive outlook and good example of faith, hope and serving others.

A cousin from Texas stayed about a week after Leta’s funeral, and we’ve been involved in sorting an abundance of possessions accumulated over a lifetime by both Leta and her twin sister Leda. The values they displayed are reflected in the things that were important to them. They hung on to almost every card and letter ever sent to them and truly valued family pictures and small mementos given them by others.

Among Leta’s treasures, I found a box containing an old daily planner. At the top of one of the pages she had copied “Words of Wisdom – Make the best of your circumstances. No one has everything and everyone has something of sorrow intermingled with the gladness of life. The trick is to make the laughs outweigh the tears.” A few pages later was another entry, “Words of Wisdom – Have many interests. If you can’t travel, read about new places.” And finally, “Words of Wisdom – “Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself.” All these quotes give a glimpse of who Leta was.

We all keep things that are precious to us, that evoke memories of happy times in our lives. We can get them out and savor them over and over, reliving the days long gone when we acquired them. Or we can put them on display and use them as a decorating motif for our homes so they lift our spirits each time we walk by. We often find items we enjoy so much that we begin to look for them at garage sales, flea markets and secondhand stores. Soon the things we accumulate become a “collection.”

The Gravette Historical Museum will showcase some local collections in a display Saturday, April 6. A similar display last year was very popular and many folks, young and old, strolled through the museum annex building and enjoyed talking with other collectors. Be sure to put this date on your calendar and plan to come out and see “My Collections.” You’ll have a ball.

The calendar tells us that today is the first day of spring and there are signs that we are entering a new season. The japonica at the south side of the yard is beginning to bloom, and purple crocuses have popped up in the yard at the end of our street. We were thankful the rain on Saturday, the 9th, held off until after Leta’s funeral but pleased to have the moisture. It rained most of the night and area pastures and lawns are greening up considerably as a result.

The produce aisles at local grocery stores are greening up too. We were able to buy three pounds of cabbage for a dollar last week, a real bargain. We also found turnip greens and kale among the offerings, along with the usual baby spinach. Our household qualified for the farmers’ market produce vouchers this year and we’ve received our first few coupons. We look forward to the opening of Gravette’s excellent farmers’ market, another event of Saturday, April 6. We enjoy shopping for local produce that’s freshly picked and nutritious, knowing that we’re supporting area gardeners.

The purchase of a new (to us) washing machine is another cause for rejoicing. Our old washer was on its last legs and clanked and rattled loudly each time we used it. A couple of weeks ago Jim purchased one from a fellow he was working for near Jay and hauled it home. He installed it the next morning and we wasted no time in gathering up enough dirty clothing for a couple of loads.

It’s such a pleasure to do laundry in a quieter setting and not have to cover the floor with old newspapers to soak up the water leaking from the machine.

Susan Holland is an employee of the Westside Eagle Observer. She is a lifelong resident of Benton County and can be reached at [email protected].