We Keller Women
Somewhere along in the 1960's, my grandmother Anna Keller bought a shinny new white Chevy Impala with red leather interior. She saw it on the car lot and bought it right then and there.
The thing was, she had never driven a car. It had just gotten to the point in her long independent feisty life that she wanted her own transport.
She enlisted help from a neighbor to teach her the basics and a few days later showed up at our house that was 100 miles to the west. This was not the first time Anna had surprised us with her strength as a single mom. She had raised her 12 brothers and sisters and my dad with firm ear pulling and fine example.
Last year at the start of my own Oyster Aquaculture operation, husband Jack informed me his boat was NOT a working boat and would not be available to me for oystering nor would he be dedicating his time to serve as captain.
I scrolled through Craigslist and other boat classified ads each night until a 19foot Carolina Skiff caught my eye. I shared the ad and photos with Jack and by 5pm we were heading to Homosassa to check her out.
After meeting the family, grandkids and and touring their house with the 27 Christmas trees the wife had started to decorate for the holidays (it was August), we hooked up the skiff to our truck to take her for a test run. On route to the landing a tremendous storm rushed in. I'm talking the kind that blackens the sky and pours rain in buckets. Only the lightning made it possible to see our way.
With the test run called off and we left on faith she would perform well once home to Tallahassee.
A few days later we launched her at St Marks and true to my Grandmothers example, I started her up and ran her down the channel. Elated. Free. Another independent Keller Woman in mode.
'Ginny', short for Crassostrea virginica the genus and species name for my oyster, has served me well for 16 months. The two fishing chairs have been removed one by one and need for additional space grew. Then went the rod holders. She is dirty and often filled with barnacles and oyster spat. She has a few scrapes and gouges where I've run into an oyster bar or anchor pole but she is my faithful ride through thick and thin.
My driving skills slowly improve. I have a great GPS track guiding my way through the low water to my farm. And I've only cut one Oyster line so far with my prop. Granted, having Michael on board to help me 'park' at the right spot along the lines is still a perk I require. I am gradually getting there.
Just as Anna grew to enjoy her day trips through the mountains of Pennsylvania and the independence and feeling of freedom that came with being the captain of her own ship, so Ginny and I carry on.
The thing was, she had never driven a car. It had just gotten to the point in her long independent feisty life that she wanted her own transport.
She enlisted help from a neighbor to teach her the basics and a few days later showed up at our house that was 100 miles to the west. This was not the first time Anna had surprised us with her strength as a single mom. She had raised her 12 brothers and sisters and my dad with firm ear pulling and fine example.
Last year at the start of my own Oyster Aquaculture operation, husband Jack informed me his boat was NOT a working boat and would not be available to me for oystering nor would he be dedicating his time to serve as captain.
I scrolled through Craigslist and other boat classified ads each night until a 19foot Carolina Skiff caught my eye. I shared the ad and photos with Jack and by 5pm we were heading to Homosassa to check her out.
After meeting the family, grandkids and and touring their house with the 27 Christmas trees the wife had started to decorate for the holidays (it was August), we hooked up the skiff to our truck to take her for a test run. On route to the landing a tremendous storm rushed in. I'm talking the kind that blackens the sky and pours rain in buckets. Only the lightning made it possible to see our way.
With the test run called off and we left on faith she would perform well once home to Tallahassee.
A few days later we launched her at St Marks and true to my Grandmothers example, I started her up and ran her down the channel. Elated. Free. Another independent Keller Woman in mode.
'Ginny', short for Crassostrea virginica the genus and species name for my oyster, has served me well for 16 months. The two fishing chairs have been removed one by one and need for additional space grew. Then went the rod holders. She is dirty and often filled with barnacles and oyster spat. She has a few scrapes and gouges where I've run into an oyster bar or anchor pole but she is my faithful ride through thick and thin.
My driving skills slowly improve. I have a great GPS track guiding my way through the low water to my farm. And I've only cut one Oyster line so far with my prop. Granted, having Michael on board to help me 'park' at the right spot along the lines is still a perk I require. I am gradually getting there.
Just as Anna grew to enjoy her day trips through the mountains of Pennsylvania and the independence and feeling of freedom that came with being the captain of her own ship, so Ginny and I carry on.
Such a lovely story Keller. You are a story teller.
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