My grandmother spent her last years being lovingly cared for at my Aunt Mae Dawson 's home. She had been a much-loved woman in her community and a strong member of the United Church at Tryon . There is little doubt that the long days of hard labour in helping with the farm and making a home for the small family, must have weighed heavily on her as she got older. Community residents also have recollections of the somewhat ec¬ centric Alfred Groggett : Alfred's life was very different from that of the average child. As a youngster, he hid. whenever anyone came to the house, none of the neighbours ever saw Alfred's face. Alfred dammed up the little stream that flowed through the back of the farm and had a very good fishing area. Later, he built a small house beside the stream with the intention of living there. However, he sold the house before it was completed and it now stands near the Aboiteau Bridge. Alfred excelled at gardening. His garden included vegetables, flowers, berries, as well as fruit trees. An eye catching array of flowers starting with spring tulips and daffodils, followed by poppies, then snapdragons, and carnations, were only some of the varieties that Alfred chose to brighten his landscape. Vegetables were grown in neat little plots. Strawberries, raspberries, currants, and gooseberries had their special places, and various kinds of apple trees were always kept pruned and sprayed so the fruit from them was of superior quality. Alfred built a threshing machine and designed it to thresh his bean crop. The beans were his "cash crop", and it was too big a job to shell them by hand. Alfred marketed his beans locally, usually to S.D. Dixon Ltd.. Alfred had several hobbies. He was a self taught musician, a beautiful singer, and played both the organ and guitar. Alfred spent many Sunday , ' • Groggett garden. Don Duncan Collection . 125