Grandpa Pfeiffer built this large log home, himself. It was two stories plus a walk-out basement. It was heated by a large wood stove in the kitchen, where Grandma did all of the cooking. The yard had very large pine trees, that we hung hammocks on during the summer. As children we absolutely loved swinging in them and would fight over who got to swing in them. Grandma and Grandpa had about a half dozen large Tonka trucks that we played with out by the hammocks. I have always loved the smell of pine trees since then.

We also often play Hot and Cold on the porch using the wrapper of a Tootsie Roll, carefully folded up fairly small. Whoever was "it" would hide the wrapper somewhere on the porch while the other children put their heads down and closed their eyes. When the wrapper was hidden, everyone would look for it. As someone would get closer to the wrapper, the "it" person would tells someone that they were getting "hotter" or if they moved away from it, they would be getting "colder".

Also in the very large yard was a cement swimming pool that really had turned into a frog pond with plants growing into it. As children we would swim in it, if it weren't too dirty. We thought it was really fun - especially when it was so hot. There was a beautiful dogwood tree in the back that we often played under.

Grandma was a wonderful cook and often made the most wonderful blackberry or raspberry pies from the berries on the bushes in the back yard.

Back to the house. I am still amazed by how large the house was that was built by hand. There was a huge main bathroom with tile floors that were soooo cold to walk on in the spring or winter. And the toilet seat was even colder.

Our beds were very high and we had to be boosted into them, it seemed. Grandma had a lot of the old wool army blankets that weighed about 10,000 pounds, especially when you had several on you. At night they would put hot water bottles filled with boiling water or warmed rocks into our beds to warm them up. There was no heating at night after the wood stove died down.

There was a music room where Grandma played the upright piano and Grandpa played the violin together. The music room opened up into a large family room with a large stone fireplace at one end. The floors in most of the house were shaved planks with those oiled ropes inbetween to keep the air out. Occasionally we would get a sliver in our foot. I remember that they had a beautiful very large painting of Indians, I believe, on the wall. I think that it was an original. In the evenings when Aunt Connie, Aunt Cynthia, Mom and Grandma were together, they would sit by the fire telling stories or catching up. All of us children (my cousins would be there) were lined out on the floor in sleeping bags and would listen until we fell asleep. This is where I heard some of the first stories about relatives.

Another word about Camptonville. As children we loved walking to the General Store where we could buy penny candy, if we had the money. Sometimes Grandpa Pfeiffer would give us a nickle or dime to buy a popsicle. Next to the store was the Post Office and a little further down the white church that Grandma attended. Grandma also taught school for some time. I know that my mom was in her classes for at least some of her education.