The Bonds of Family....

I never expected to meet a distant relative here in Moreno Valley. But that's exactly what happened when I met Anna Hurlbut.

By chance, I met Anna at a rehabilitation center where she was going for post-surgery treatment. She was knitting while waiting for her therapist and, being a crafts person myself, we immediately hit it off. She kindly offered me a ride home, sparing me the suffering of a ride on public transportation (the bus system here is terrible!).

We soon discovered that her last name is my grandfather's (father's side) first name. I immediately contacted my father with this exciting tidbit and got a family geneaology lesson verifying our connection. Anna's ancestor, Thomas Hurlbut, arrived in this country in 1690. Apparently, the Hurlbut name is unique to Conneticut. My father's side of the family name was known then as Basil. At some point the Hurlbut families diverged, one part (mine) moving to the Catskill Mountains, while another (Anna's) moved to Canada.

We have some things in common...knitting, crocheting, painting/drawing, photography...so during her down time I got to know more of her and her life in Riverside.

For 15 years, she slowly transformed her house into a nature reserve. There were orange and lemon trees (this region was a citrus valley), varieties of cacti, shrubbery, vines and shady spots everywhere. It was a remarkable sight and I was inspired to write the 'New Faces' poem after seeing her house and her pets. I presented this poem at her birthday party with her inner circle of friends.

Enjoy...