Paradise Lost

Hello Everyone,

 

Many of you who know me, or listened to my guild lecture, know that I grew up in Paradise.  I am just heartbroken every time I think about the horrific fire that swept through, and turned a beautiful mountain community into ashes and destroyed so many lives and dreams of a better life. 

 

We received confirmation that our family home, (which my sister and I still own), is all but a memory.  We are so lucky that our renters got out safely on Thursday.  They've lost their home, all their possessions, livelihood, school, grocery store, bank, doctor's office......everything is gone.

 

This was our little family home nestled in the pines.

 

This is a picture of what it looked like Friday night.  Through the years we had so many pictures taken in front of that fireplace, the heart of the home.  We are the lucky ones.  We still have those pictures, and we still have the happy memories.  The heart of the home is still beating and will continue to live on in our heart.  We hope to salvage some of the bricks as a memento of our youth, and happy life in Paradise.

This was our house on Edgewood Lane.  We lived here from 1952 to 1959.  Five people were found dead in their car on Edgewood Lane as they tried to flee the wind-whipped flames.  It was total gridlock and must have been horrifying.  Our guess is this home is gone too.

I named my very first quilt pattern The House on Edgewood Lane as a tribute to this little cottage.  It's the first house that I remember, and knew I was loved.  I am so glad there are so many renditions of this quilt around the country.  That makes me so happy that it will live on.

 

We do not have confirmation of our Grandmother's house on Oakwood Lane.  But in our heart, we know.

Our Grandparent's home was right around the corner from the our Maxwell Drive house.  To our knowledge, nothing was left standing on Central Park.

You can see that we have a rich history of life in Paradise dating back to the 1950's.  We are so fortunate the house we rented out was not our primary residence.  Our renters are devastated beyond belief.  They loved that little house as much as we did and have lived there for the last 8 years

 

As soon as we allowed to enter the area, we will go and see our hometown firsthand.  Our tears will be mixing with the ashes. 

 

More later, I can't see the computer screen through my tears.

 

Pray for Paradise.

 

Lynn