Friday, February 25, 2022

ASHLEY BRYAN: A WALK THRU 1152

     From 3 Hadlock Street, Isleford Maine a hamlet on Little Cranberry Island to 1152 in my neck of the woods.....my home is filled with memories of AshleyBryan, 1923-2022.
It's been 3 weeks since Ashley passed away. In my book he is "dearly departed" though the euphemism doesn't make the sadness any less. I miss him so! 
It helps that upstairs or down or almost around every corner, I have Ashley reminders.
From his treasured words designating me as as dancing granny....
.....to the signed prints in the kitchen.....
.....and on around the corner to the entry hall....
.....up to the top of the stairs, where the grandkids have access......
 .....and into the computer room.....and downstairs again.....
....to my cherished  "Stand of Dahlias" oil painting, which Ashley said, "Rang out to him of Dotsy.' 
Ashley painted those dahlias outside his home in Isleford as he did many floral pictures. I know because I have stood and watched him at work there. 
My house glows at every angle with his work. Works which I love because he is so dear to my heart.
Tears well up as I type.....what a friend! So easy to love. A man with a big heart! 
"The heart of a man reflects the man."(Proverbs 27:19)
Just like my patio heart rocks he shared & some we gathered from the shore of little Cranberry when Molly and I visited him. 
Words that describe him best come straight from scripture---He was a man who personified love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Ashley not only knew that verse, he truly lived it. 

Ashley Bryan, a man who had my heart!