My encounter with Horace Huleatt

What a surprise to find poppy flowers blooming along one of our favorite hiking trails! When hiking Hewlett Gulch, you will see the remains of the early Hewlett homestead. Several chimney remnants and stone walls remind us of those brave and adventurous souls, living and making their home in the canyon back in the 1870’s.

As we were oooohing and aaaahhhhing at the sight of the beautiful poppies, a fellow hiker relayed the backstory as it had been told to her by a 93 year old woman who had been born in that very cabin, where only a chimney remained.

The old woman, the daughter of Horace Hewlett, remembered her father going into town for supplies and coming home with a surprise for his wife – poppy flowers. Her mother planted them near the cabin. I could imagine her smile seeing the flowers bloom by the big tree out front …(smiling like I am now as I look at them). We continued to see them blooming in various places along the hike, but how special to see them gloriously blooming right where they began … 100 years ago.

The thoughtfulness of a man named Horace, surprising his wife with flowers over 100 years ago, impacted my world today. The beauty and legacy of kindness never ceases to amaze.

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