211217 Sentinel, Joyce's Smile

Joyce wasn't a woman with a never ending smile on her face.

Joyce did smile more during our farm years than any other time.

Once during the farm years I went to a Ford dealer after work in 1996 and bought a new Ford Escort stationwagon for myself. I got home shortly before Joyce got home from her job and had it parked in the driveway, waiting for Joyce to get home. She got out of her car, an older 1991 Ford Tempo. She was smiling when she saw the car. For some reason and I don’t know why, I said I bought this for you. She was thrilled. I ended up driving the old Ford Tempo while she drove the station wagon for the next few years. The picture below is her coming into the driveway the next day with a big smile on her face.

I captured more pictures of her on the farm during the following years. She was normally camera shy, but the pictures I do have of her smiling are my most prized possessions. When Joyce smiled her beautiful blue/green eyes shined and her smile could would light up my heart.

Some of these you may have already seen, but it’s great to see a woman smiling as often as possible. Joyce passed away in September of 2021 and the pictures of her are all I have left of her. She will always be in my heart.