Troutville, Va. -- Spring/Summer 1978

Before we moved to Auburn, my family lived in Troutville, Va. where my dad was the editor of a small newspaper called The Vinton Messenger. We lived in an old farmhouse my parents had renovated themselves and it was a paradise for us as we had a real farm with chickens, geese, rabbits, pigs cats and dogs and a huge vegetable and flower garden that my parents planted. We all cried the day we left this house to move to Auburn. I don't think my parents ever loved a house the way the way they loved this one and I never had to wonder why. It was beautiful and a perfect place to be a little kid. Unfortunately being the editor of a tiny newspaper in the 1970s didn't pay enough to raise two kids and sadly it still doesn't. I know Mom and Dad were glad to get the job offer at Auburn University in 1979, but sad to leave our wonderful farm. I have so many fond memories of the place and loved having all those critters and so much space to roam.