ABC WEDNEDAY LETTER " O "

Usually the letter " O " is a difficult ONE to find photos and a story
to post.

OCCASIONALLY something falls right into my lap.

For example, this post.

ORIGINALLY I was going to post about OUR local church
called OLD Saint Mary's.

I think I still will do it

But first...

I want to acquaint you with the OTOW (pronounced O-toe)
ORCHARD.




My Hubby, OUR visiting blogging friend Beverly and I visited this
place last week.

It was ON the annual Farm and Barn Tour in Placer County, Calif.

This gentleman is named Tosh.

He gave us a wonderful tour of his ORCHARD.



The OBJECTIVE of the visit was to learn all about locally
grown fruit and veggies, especially Persimmons.

I won't go into detail since next week's letter is " P ".



Seeing all the different fruit made OUR trip an OCCASION to
remember.

We even got a hayride pulled by the OLD farming tractor.



The ORCHARD is more than an OCCUPATION to the family.
It is their passion and their livelyhood.

Mrs OTOW (96) still works the fruit stand ON some weekends.

Her father Kitchitaro Kawono emigrated from Japan and
purchased the farm in 1911.

They farmed successfully and after Mrs OTOW'S father died
she inherited 25 acres OF the ORIGINAL property.

During the war the OTOWS were interned and would have had
to give up everything.

That included property and all their valuables.

They were so loved and respected by the community and their
farming neighbors that the neighbors made a deal with them.

The neighbors asked the OTOWS to sign OVER their property
and they would return it to them upon their release.

And they did just that.

Now the working farm ships produce all across the U.S.A.

More about this family and their farm next week.

Now ON to OLD Saint Mary's Church.

Rocklin, California's Irish community built the ORIGINALchurch in 1883.

OLD Saint Mary's Church served the congregation for
ONE hundred years.  They then moved to a larger
facility.

The OWNERSHIP changed to the Church of Religious
Science and later to the Baptists.
 
When the Baptists moved ON the church fell into
disrepair just 400 yards from where it now stands.

The Rocklin Historical Society restored the building.

In 2005 the new steeple was hoisted into place and the
entire church was moved to its present position.




OLD Saint Mary's now serves the community as
"OLD Saint Mary's Chapel".

I love the OPPORTUNITY to witness OUR local history
up close and personal.

This lovely chapel is just a mile from OUR home.

Thank you Denise Nesbett for ABC Wednesday.