Died in winter just weeks apart

"Seeing mothers lose at least 2 children as a rule...."

In the old Cherokee graveyard here on our place, there are two graves over 100 years old, one little 5yo girl, one infant girl, died in winter just weeks apart. I cannot visit them without imagining the scene, the wagons rolled up near the road we still use, the bitter winter wind, much like the January when they buried my father nearby. All the tall trees would not even have been there. The shocked mother....

Life is still hard. Just not that hard. Usually. Around here, anymore, anyway.