52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks: Creativity

July 26, 1935 Bloomington, Osborne County, Kansas

Between my husband Lafe and I, we have managed to rise literally out of the ashes. More than three months ago, we attended a family funeral. When we arrived home, our store and home were in flames. Everything was lost.

So many things are happening at once here in Kansas…the Depression along with Black Sunday when huge winds moved millions of tons of soil across the southern part of the state. We are calling it the Dust Bowl. We are losing some of our family who are moving onto California and Oregon. Now this: unknown men set fire to our store and house. Everything is lost.

One blessing that is helping us rise is the two of us have the ability to make something new out of this loss and mess. Lafe is an excellent carpenter. In his hands lies the talent to build us a new store and house. In my hands lies the talent to sew, plant, and paint. As he builds, I sew curtains and quilts…as he makes furniture, I paint walls…as he creates store shelves, I plant a yard full of shrubs and roses. Folks have remarked on our creativity. We have remarked on our blessings. All is not lost.

So in a few days, we shall rise and welcome customers to our new store. I will continue to welcome townspeople to my cafe inside the store. Our creativity will have helped us rise. All has been found.

~Naomi Ruth (Stevens) Boultinghouse

Note: Naomi Ruth Stevens Boultinghouse is my great grandmother, whom I never met. I am proud of how she used her creativity to overcome a personal loss.