At O'Brien's Ferry

I have been away from my position here at the Lulawissie Gas and Grocery for some time. My services were needed at our sister market down at O’Brien’s Ferry, as they have been in need of a meat department manager in that store. The G and G at O’Brien’s Ferry is just as hospitable and outgoing as my own store, and many of the people who work there have been longtime friends.

O’Brien’s Ferry is a quaint and picturesque little town much like Lulawissie. Its founding fathers also hailed from the Emerald Isle, in search of a better life in the promising land of America. Seamus O’Brien arrived in the U.S. about 5 years after Dermot Fahy, and started a cargo ferry business across the navigable portion of the Neenach River, which has since been re-named as the Lulawissie River. The town grew around the O’Brien Settlement, and is a prosperous township on the river about an hour and a half away from Lulawissie by road. Our famous sternwheeler, the “Lulawissie Missy” makes several trips up and down the river each week between the two towns. The trips are slow and romantic for the young lovers, and there is always dinner and dancing on board during the evening runs. It generally takes the Missy about 6 hours to make it up river and 4 hours back if it has no reason to stop at the smaller establishments and villages along the way.

The fall is making a name for itself now along the Lulawissie River Valley. The trees are all dressing up in their glorious colors preparing for the grand ball of autumn. As the ladies of the forest prepare for the dance, the animals of the undergrowth are preparing a festive fare to brace themselves for a cold winter. The Ivory Bills and their pileated cousins are becoming scarce now that the cold winds are beginning to blow. It is my favorite time of year.

The Lulawissie Harvest Faire is set to begin next Friday. Already the townsfolk are decorating their homes and buildings in the traditional colors of autumn, the local groups and clubs are feverishly working on their parade floats, and the city workers have already begun to pitch the beer tent down at the park. It is going to be a grand time. There will be a full moon on October 23, and we are predicting a glorious Harvest Moon to light up the night sky over the lake. Pray for a clear night!

This is such a great time in Lulawissie. It is a time of happiness and gaiety, a time to give thanks for the abundance of our fields and farms, and to rejoice with gladness and love for one another. It is a blessed time of year that keeps us close and warm into the upcoming holidays and through the New Year.

_{The entire contents of this writing, and all writings previous to this one, including the name “Lulawissie”, are the original work of Delbert Banks and are protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. © 2010 By Delbert Banks.}