Where My Heart Lives

by Eleanor Caldwell, prior to Larry's death

Larry Jr, Eleanor, Lenore Marvin

Preface
In an attempt to sort out my feelings and reasons for my profound and sometimes
unreasonable attachment to a beloved piece of property I think it is necessary to journal a
brief overview of my life and history in connection with this property. Perhaps then I (and
you) will be able to get a better grasp of the emotional ties with my past.

In the early 1920s my great uncle Frank Marvin bought a 9 acre plot of land and built a
cabin for a summer retreat where his family could escape the heat of Rochester and have a
quiet country place for the family to spend summer months.

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In 1935 after my fathers death I was sent to live with my great Aunt Cetta. This home was
known as Grizzly Gulch and was a short distance from the Brackel Lodge, as the cabin was
then called. When summer came and the Marvin family arrived at the Lodge Aunt Cetta and I
visited the family often, many times sharing meals with them. Eventually, I was old enough
to walk alone between the two places and sometimes I was even allowed to spend the night
with the Marvin kids! Mornings were a delight as we woke up to the aroma of frying bacon
and sausage. The adults were up very early busily preparing breakfast and talking happily
about the day, preparing menus for a large family and what the kids may have done the day
before. What unspeakable joy!!!! At last I had a family! Some of us were inclined to linger
on our cots but not for long as the smell of frying bacon was too much to overcome and soon
we raced for the huge table in the dining area. Aunt Maud sang and servedshe loved the
lodge and having the family with her there. My heart was so happy there. I never wanted to
go home but inevitably I could not stay with my adopted family. However, my heart always
lingered long after I went home.

Every summer I waited rather impatiently for the Marvins to arrive at the cottage, as it was
called by then. Some of the older kids gradually stopped coming for the entire summer as
they were either working, in college or married. Even though the original kids dwindled
there were always someones children to take their place. So my happiness was ongoing as I
spent summer months in the company of my family.

When I was sixteen years old Aunt Cetta died and I went to live with my sister in Cortland.
By the time I was seventeen I was married and had abandoned the cottage and the Marvin
family. But somehow my heart did not let go. Little did I know at the time that my love and
attachment for this home and family would never wane. After all, this is where my heart
lived!!

This marriage was short lived and later I remarried and once again Larry and I began going to
the cottage with Ted, Annabelle and their son, John. We worked along with Ted to keep the
maintenance and yard work done. Later we built a little cottage as the big cottage could not
accommodate the growing Marvin family and us. We still shared meals and conversation
with all the family at the big cottage. How very much we all enjoyed these family events!!!
Ah yes, This is where my heart lived!

More years have gone by. More changes in the family. And now Francis and Lenore own
the cottage and four acres of the original nine. We have purchased five acres on the east side
of the lot and have a camping trailer in the trees. Our kids, Francis kids and Ike Whites
kids are playmates during the summer. The kids played at any and all of the three places,
sometimes sleeping outside, but usually not the whole night!! Larry and I often reminisce
about making camp pies over the open fire. About nine P.M. the kids arrived for the nightly
feast of camp pies! Yes, this is where my heart lived.

Time relentlessly marches on and many of the adults are no longer with us. The kids are
grown and married. Larry and I are grandparents. We have survived storms and a tornado

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that completely changed the landscape but with years of restoration we have a beautiful
paradisaic spot again. Yes, this is where my heart lives!!

I rejoice when we go to camp and feel such terrible loneliness when I have to leave my best
friend. Why is it that I cannot let go of this strong and perhaps unreasonable attachment that
I feel for every tree, flower, foot of ground and every blade of grass? Could it be that my
heart still lives here?

When we close up for the winter months and drive away I feel that I am once again
abandoning a faithful friend. Im reassured when I think that this friend will wait for my
return. I have three dogs sleeping there and sometime I will join them.

There are so many memories- most of them happy ones. I realize that we cant hold on to the
past but my heart does not recognize this logical fact. So why the bond to this piece of land?
Of course, this is where my heart lives!!!!

Addenda
1. Map for browsing of area https://www.google.com/maps/place/727+Bently+Rd,+Cincinnatus,
+NY+13040/@42.5420047,-75.9027305,910a,35y,90h,39.02t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!
1s0x89da4977fbb72bcb:0x7f48bd8bbaf3fd3e!8m2!3d42.560407!4d-75.819007

2.