The Essence of Ruth Woodard

"We cannot tell the exact moment a friendship is formed; as in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses, there is at last one that makes the heart run over.” Author Unknown

Ruth, Patrick and I have become very good friends. She calls me Donna. She still calls my husband "Mr. Cator." Patrick and I both love her dearly and cherish our personal friendship.

Ruth reflects the very heart and spirit of Western North Carolina to me. She is hard working, independent and strong in both resolve and affection. With her husband Walter she raised a large family of five children. For more than 40 years Ruth and Walter together worked this farm, and an earlier farm, for BF and Emily Nesbitt and their family.

She still lives on this fine land in her home filled with many collections gathered over her 70+ years. Walter presented his dear wife with cherished cuckoo clocks throughout their long life together. Her home is immaculate, cheery and welcoming with its sweet sounds of chimes, birds, and cuckoos. Thanks to the Nesbitt family, her home on the Nesbitt farm will always be hers until she crosses over to God's homeland. Ruth's home feels loving and safe. She is kind woman, a good woman. I respect her. I will miss seeing her greatly...but will talk with her often.

We have had many cats here and now Ruth has several cats. She wanted none. Her husband had his cat Jasper, and now she does, and they have become close companions. Three cats who took up residence in the Nesbitt barn, roamed to our house and hers. I kept one, Buddy Boy (formerly known as Charlie) who I would call and he would come. I would say “kiss” and he would tip his forehead for me to kiss him. Soooo cute; soooo sweet; soooo missed. After three years of many evening hours spent with this very intelligent cat, I adored him! He now has a new home with a barn in South Carolina and has his choice of living in the house and/or barn.  He is living with Karen Curtis, who once owned him. I am so relieved. The loss of Buddy Boy has resulted in many tears for me. There is nothing I could do to keep him.  We are moving where there are many small lots but no acreage and no barn and we still have 4 house cats and a house dog! Ruth has the other two barn cats, Wilma and Simon. Wilma is skittery, but appreciates the care provided her by Ruth. Simon is now best buddies with Jasper. Ruth and Wilma have one other cat that hangs out with Wilma a lot, one with white paws who is named Boo-Boo.  So interesting that Ruth calls this cat Boo-Boo as we have a cat named Callie Boo-Boo that we normally just call Callie.  Ruth and I now have cats with the same name!  Good.  Ruth enjoys her cats!

She had by-pass surgery sometime back and I tease her by saying, "Is your heart still beating?"  She always smiles.  When we are in agreement on some issue, she will laugh and say "Well, ain't that the truth!"  Special words with special meaning for us both.  Nice. 

Life is so transitional. Two years ago I was content; now we are in packing upheaval, to say the least. This unexpected journey through life has brought Ruth and I closer together. She is there for me and has been a good friend to me, in good and bad times.  I have been able to count on her, as has she been able to count on Patrick and me, as well as her family, the Nesbitts, and Chuck Carland who operates the dairy.  With all the losses I have endured in recent times, I can now much more fully relate to her loss of Walter and understand on a much deeper level the impact the loss of my mother to cancer had on my father many years ago.   She has helped me to deal with loss and grief and I thank her.  And, yes, we help each other to be upbeat on our individual life journeys!  I believe in lots of sharing and laughing as does she...it grounds our mutual trust and contentment with one another.

She has always been important to the Nesbitt family. Now she has become and always will be important to us.  Thank you, Ruth, for being you, for being a very good friend and for your love.