Rural Life Museum

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Adam in the rose garden.  The roses were beautiful!  Adam is into horticulture and he found the hundreds of varieties of antique roses to be very interesting.

MaMa Bobbi and Brainanna were relishing the site and the smell of these fragrant roses.

Daddy and his little boy, Emile, Jr., along with Chandler,   who is Emile's little grandson.  The boys were examining a tabacco press that was donated to the museum by my Uncle Nell.

This is a close up of Uncle Nell's tabacco press.   "Tabacco stones" were used to weigh the press down.  (The press is on it's side.)  The stones were used as ballast in ships coming to the New World.   The stones were discarded locally along the banks of the Mississippi River when the ships were loaded with good to be brought back to Europe.

This us the school house that was moved from Welham Plantation.  My parents lived on Welham from the time they got married on January 20, 1940 until they moved to this farm on July 6, 1941.

Uncle Nell & Aunt Mae Poche' lived in the overseer's house after it was no longer needed as such.  It was moved to the Rural Life Museum from Welham Plantation circa 1970.  Prior to moving into the overseer's house, they lived across the dirt road in a duplex that they eventually shared with his little newlywed brother, my dad and his bride, my mother.

This is the overseer's house.  My dad is showing it to some of my family.  He has very fond memories of it and spending time with his new wife on the swing that used to grace the front porch.

My bother, Emile, Jr., reminiscing with our dad and his son, John.  Emile, the oldest child, remembers visiting Uncle Nell and Aunt Mae in the house as a little boy.

The chapel was also moved to the museum from Welham Plantation.  A lady that we all love dearly, Mrs. Rita Thompson, who helped raise us, was married in this chapel.  At the time, her new groom, Mr. Nelson, worked as a farm hand here.  They were a dear couple and we still enjoy occasional talks with "Miss Rita".  You can't find a kinder soul than she!

Daddy reading the text about the kitchen that is on display at the Rural Life Museum.  It was moved from Bagatelle Plantation which is just a couple of miles from this farm.

My dad's wife, Mama Bobbi, took this picture of her husband and his family that were at the museum that day.  From left to right: me (a daughter), Ross (a grandson), Brianna (a Great-granddaughter), Big PaPa, Emile, Jr. (a son), John (a grandson), Chandler (a great-grandson), and Adam (a grandson). Daddy, Emile, Jr., John, and Chandler make up four generations of Poche` men.

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