Parkfield Caboose

 


Nothing goes to waste if it's part of a train, so this lovely little car was transformed into a gift shop. I believe the wheeled beast in front is part of a horse drawn hay rake. Parkfield also had three huge black walnut trees at a road crossing, and the whole gang of rock hounds, left with little to do but eat for a day, were out picking the walnuts. I've still got some of the shelled ones in the freezer. We garnered two big shopping bags of them. I saved the shells for dyeing yarns but eventually threw them away. For weeks our hands were stained from shelling the nut meats.

Since this was many years ago now, I imagine the whole of Parkfield has turned into houses or vineyards. This area is not very far inland from Pasa Robles. I do know that the area where we used to get the brecciated jasper is now unavailable for digging. When we were there the town was small, rustic, and charming. There was a beautiful yellow house that looked like a small Victorian era cottage, and it was surrounded by the remnants of old horse drawn farming machines, including a road grader, the picture of which I will post right now above.....