Mr. Kuehner owned farm land on Woodford Road. I think he lived with his sister. I am uncertain if he was still farming the land in front of his house by the time my parents bought that apartment building at 3804 . I do remember my mother once sending me up his driveway to the house (which my friends were certain was haunted) to buy fresh tomatoes from him. There was a well in front of the house. They were pleasant, but I was frightened.

The best part of his property was the creek that flowed along the bottom. It frequently flooded in spring and emptied into a drainage pipe that went under Woodford Road. This was about 1958 and I was allowed to play in that creek in the spring unsupervised. Putting on Totes clear plastic boots over my shoes, I ventured out for an afternoon or two. The memories from that time have lasted a lifetime.

There were some stones in the creek bed that could be moved around to change the course of the flow. The stones also had fossils embedded in them. (I never understood that this was a big deal geologically until I was much older.)

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There were also and occasional empty land snail shell embedded in the creek bank. I was enchanted. Grandma Rush used to bring me seashells from her bus trips to Florida. Here I found my own! At the opposite end of the creek there was a huge weeping willow tree where I could get under the golden spring tendrils and hide. Or at least I thought I was hidden! As an adult those willows are majestic, but not really good “cover!”

The rushing water would flatten the grass along the edge of the creek. But the very best part was when the daffodils would bloom. Such lovely golden flowers I had never experienced! And fragrant too! The single large flower of the King Edward was my favorite. Double blooms seemed showy and confused the petals, losing the trumpet.

More daffodils memories to come! They are starting to bloom here ;-D