Path to Happiness

Pastel, 16 x 12, unframed, $576 – free shipping in continental United States.

"Children, I will tell you a little story of history from our own yard and what you can see from standing  right here," said Gramma. "Once upon a time, this area had a lot of pine trees. There was a whole community of workers living across the highway, all around the stands of pine trees. That was before there was a big highway here.

"There were tracks leading around near the trees and going to the big wooden structure called a still. One man was in charge of brewing the liquid in the turpentine still. He knew by laying his ear against it when the mixture had bubbling sounds that were just right.

"There were young boys who pushed carts along the tracks. They collected the resin from cuts in the pine tree bark. After being distilled, the resin produced oil of turpentine, and tar and pitch and rosin. These are used in cleaning agents and insecticides, and other things as well. Once the tar from it was used in ship building.

"I bet you thought pine trees were only used at Christmas!!"

Mason and Adalynn could only think of a train track. This story was hard to imagine. Mason said the boys might have taken turns pushing each other in the cart. Adalynn wondered why there were no little girls helping, too!