Murnie comes home

Today was a very special day for Hanshill. My aunt Sis Dillard, who is Eleanor Cleveland Suhlilng Dillard, came for a visit. She was the youngest child of my Suhling grandparents. Daddy was the middle child. Sis was born in 1925, the year Hanshill was built. She came up from Greensboro, her long-time home, being driven by her oldest daughter Leigh Williams Dillard, who is married but retains her maiden name. Leigh lives near Minneapolis and is visiting Sis for a few days. Leigh and I are only three months apart in age.

The two of them brought me a gift. It is a portrait of Mary Leigh Williams Suhling, my great grandmother. Her nickname was Murnie. She is the person who built Hanshill as a summer home. It's funny because her home in town, at 700 Pearl Street in Lynchburg, is such a short distance away, but modes of travel were different in the 1920s and 1930s.

It rained most of today, so conditions were not totally ideal for a visit, but since Hanshill now has more indoors-appeal, things were fine. We ate at the dining table and had a great visit. Anne, Meg, and Mama were here, too. I made a lunch of a crustless quiche, sliced tomatoes from the garden, okra from the garden, bread (from the grocery store), mixed fruit with whipped cream, and miniature Hershey bars. And I used china that came from Germany from Wilhelm Gerhard Suhling, who was Murnie's husband. However he died at a young age, in 1915, so he never knew Hanshill.

This first photo is of Meg and Sis --- don't you love the quote on Sis' sweatshirt!!

Anne and Leigh Dillard (looking a bit serious)

Here I am in between Leigh D and Mama.

 We sat the portrait on a table temporarily.

I was relieved that Brad likes the portrait. In fact, he hung it within an hour of getting home this evening. It is beautiful. We have been waiting for the portrait before putting up much wall decor. This weekend I suspect that will be a high priority --- putting up other things.

Thank you, Murnie, for building Hanshill.

And thank you, Grandaddy, Mama and Daddy for preserving it so well.