In January 2012, Gail Martin’s younger sister, CJ contemplated the idea of moving back to Kansas. She had lived many years in the Austin area and later in Seadrift, Texas by the coast. Her nieces encouraged her to move back to her home state.
Gail chimed in with some enticements. “We could take a trip this spring to Teterville and where we used to live when the rattlesnake bit me? Or over to Seeley and Burkett leases and oh yes, the bridge east of Madison that you drew one time, Carol that isn’t there anymore. I’ll bet the Madison Museum would love to have that picture!
Then we could go to the Locke lease or out the Kenbro where Viola and Roy used to live. The Greenwood County Museum in Eureka is an interesting place to spend a day or so.
Gail’s daughter, Cindy, added her thoughts too, “Yes, yes and yes again! I like the idea very much of Carol moving to Kansas. (still afraid to get my hopes up) I know it will be rather heartbreaking for you to leave Seadrift & your beloved coast.”
CJ chimed in on the discussion, “Good ideas, Big Sis! You know, the Madison Museum just might like to have a print of that picture. I still have it. I’d love prowling around all those spots, refreshing my memories, which, oddly, seem to be full of gaps.”
Imthur Bridge, near Madison, KS (drawn in 1954 approx.) by CJ Garriott. The bridge is no longer there.
Here’s the bridge picture that CJ made and her description of it. “I’m posting my drawing of Imthurn Bridge, east of Madison, KS, for Father’s Day 2016 to honor my Daddy. In my teens, I signed up for a by-mail drawing class. One of the advanced tasks assigned was to draw a pen & ink from real life. This bridge piqued my interest as we drove back and forth to town across it. Once I decided the bridge would be my subject, Daddy checked out the area where I would sit to draw, cleared brush and weeds to make a space and made a sitting-drawing thing out of a bucket with a board across the top, and a little folding table to hold the drawing pad. Thank you, Daddy, for always supporting my varied interests! Mother too, the both of you made me believe I could do anything.”
Discovering Mom 