The Old Vinson Home Place

Last summer I went with my brother, Charles to visit the old Vinson farm. I was just a baby when grandma moved from the farmhouse into Mangum, so I have no memories there, but I love hearing stories from my family, from siblings and cousins who talk about the farm and grandma and grandpa Vinson. I never knew my grandfather so the photos, pages from his personal journal and stories about him are precious to me. I learned that he was something of a poet, so I know where my yearning to write poetry of all sorts came from. The town of Vinson, 20 miles west of Mangum, OK was named for Henry Benjamin Vinson, townsite owner and my great-great grandfather .

Wonderful, lonely, old house nestled in amongst the rattlesnakes and mesquite bushes

When I excitedly showed my aunts, uncles and mom the photos on my laptop it was so sad for them to see it as it is now,
but I love the layers on the old roof, the sagging boards, remaining windows and the rusty tin.

A roost for huge turkey vultures now. I'd like to tell you that they're hawks, or bald eagles...something majestic,
but they serve a purpose and they have pretty nice digs. 

I'll post more pics another day from when we saw great uncle Parker's house.

A bloom in the dry soil of West Oklahoma 

Kinda reminds me to bloom where God's planted me