It’s not Maw and Paw Kettle, it’s Vicki and Manfred in the Starlight Country Cabin in Starlight, Indiana. Homesickness finally got the best of this Indiana girl, so we decided to spend Easter 2004 in Floyd Knobs to be as close to the family as possible which has spread out in the area since our mother’s death in November 2001. Losing Mom, I also lost the sanctuary of home sweet home, so this meant finding a place to stay for our visit. Surfing the internet, I found the prize in the Cracker Jack box when I discovered Starlight Country Cabin. Arriving on the farm, the picture of the charming cabin I had admired on my computer screen now came to life before my eyes and I felt the warm feeling of being home in Indiana.
The owners, Jerry and Jill have done an amazing job of reconstructing the original cabin of Theresa Schmidt and her husband who migrated from Germany in the 1800’s and settled in the area. One can picture Frau Schmidt sweeping the wooden floors of the cabin with the hand-made straw broom hanging from a nail on the wall or cooking up a big pot of beans in the iron kettle over the cozy fireplace. The cabin conjures up an immediate nostalgic feeling of days gone by the minute one steps foot in the door. I wanted to stay and make this my home forever, but the ten days had to do.
One morning I decided to fix Manfred a country breakfast in the 1920’s stove which is the sensation in the kitchen. Slamming the Pillsbury pop ‘n fresh biscuits on the counter top was a thrill I hadn’t experienced in years; and the smell of Po Folks country sausage simmering in the skillet just danced up my nostrils. Juggling pots and pans and spoons in my granny gown while Manfred slept sound upstairs in the cozy bed covered with fresh sheets and a granny quilt, suddenly a loud shrill went through the house. “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”, the smoke alarm. The stove had some cobwebs and debris underneath the pilot light which I should have wiped away before using, and this caused enough smoke to set off the alarm. I threw the doors open to let the smoke out. The shrill finally stopped. Manfred slept peacefully through the excitement and came down the stairs yawning and stretching just in time for biscuits and gravy with sausage, fresh squeezed orange juice and steaming coffee.
Jerry told us to make ourselves at home and take as many fresh eggs as we need from the chicken house, but “don’t forget to put the latch back down when you come out”. One morning we looked out the window to see chickens and rooster running around the chicken house. In panic, I ran out with a long stick in hand chasing them around the house to lure them back inside. Manfred watched this scene from the kitchen window laughing at the comedy entertainment. I reminded him of a German fairytale named “Gaenselieschen” which is similar to Holly Hobby with a bonnet on her head and a big white goose following her. I was playing a game of hide ‘n seek with the chickens and the chickens were winning. I’d peek around the left corner and they sneaked around the right corner. Finally we managed to get them all safely back inside so that the dog wouldn’t have an early lunch! It dawned on me later that I must’ve forgotten to put the latch back down. We didn’t know that life on the farm could be so much fun.
During our visit, we drove to Hillsboro, Kentucky to visit Lewis family roots in my soul-searching venture. Meaningful time was spent with step Mum Linda and the Lewis family at the family gravesite with thoughts of our passed on loved ones. Aunt Betty’s cornbread brought back memories of home sweet home for me and a new experience for Manfred. The 15-bean soup she cooked gave Manfred a hearty taste of Kentucky. While visiting the old Lewis homestead, visions of Grandma and Grandpa Lewis danced through my head, seeing both of them come to life as if in a hazy dream. Standing by Grandpa’s pole fence overlooking fields of green that used to be filled with cow-patties, known as our snipe-hunting territory my imagination went wild with the wind. I thought I saw Grandpa walking out of his barn door to his shed of treasures that isn’t there any more and walk towards me with a sweet smile on his face. Although the screened-in porch that used to be at the house entrance is long gone, on this day it was standing, and Grandma Lewis was sitting inside it in her wheelchair smiling at me. As a lump came to my throat that stayed with me the whole time, I fought back the tears and laughed with the family instead of crying. Days that are long gone but that still live on in our memories came to life for me on this day. I think the spirits of the Lewises are still dancing around the house even though it’s empty now.
Back to Starlight, Indiana, the immediate family came on Easter Sunday and breathed life into the rooms of the cabin. We cooked up a feast with turkey, grilled meats, green beans, macaroni and cheese and lots of desserts. Manfred even baked an apple cake on the antique stove which came out beautiful. Hiding eggs in the yard was a thrill for my 5 year old niece Raechel. Her eyes sparkled as we all helped her find eggs that were hidden in the lawn of green. Even though Mom was missing, I hope to have done her some justice of getting the family together in her memory. One thing for sure, no matter where you travel in the world, there’s no place like home sweet home.