Daisy Days of Spring

By Pamela Rose Gardner Scee, Jaime Scee Montanaro and Shayna Cook

n 1964, the United States is healing from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The Beatles’ “British Invasion” distracts a country in mourning. Against this backdrop, young Pam deals with the guilt she’s feeling from spying on her parents.

Pam takes some time away from trying to discover the secret her mom and dad are hiding. She enjoys just being a kid as she and her friends encounter the village’s tyrant and enjoy many adventures together. When mistakes come to light, Pam and her older brother John learn some important lessons. The love of their family and the realization of God’s unconditional love reaffirm the immense value of life.

Based on true events, Daisy Days of Spring will have you giggling and on edge as you learn what it was like to grow up during a different time in the historic village of Brownville, New York.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664214880

Pamela Rose Gardner Scee

Pamela Rose Gardner Scee was raised in Brownville, New York. She worked in the Brownville Post Office and served in the United Methodist Church there for most of her adult life. She now lives in the village of Sackets Harbor. For a decade, she owned and operated Saturdays Sundaes and More, an ice cream stand, with her family. She teaches Sunday school and helps homeschool her six grandchildren.

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Copyright © 2021 Pamela Rose Gardner Scee.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by

any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents,

organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products

of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are

models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Interior Image Credit: Jaime Scee Montanaro

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1487-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1489-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1488-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020923633

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/31/2020

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CHAPTER 1 The Secret

CHAPTER 2 Out of Mind for a Time

CHAPTER 3 Visit to Grandpa and Grandma’s

CHAPTER 4 Reminder of Spring

CHAPTER 5 Long Way to School

CHAPTER 6 Caring Teacher

CHAPTER 7 Time to Play

CHAPTER 8 Forts and Bunkers

CHAPTER 9 Look to Tomorrow

CHAPTER 10 The Search Continues

CHAPTER 11 Blessed Home

CHAPTER 12 Snap, Crackle, Pop

CHAPTER 13 Saturday and More

CHAPTER 14 The Errand

CHAPTER 15 Last Days of School

CHAPTER 16 Troubles for Brother John

CHAPTER 17 Dressed in Her Best

CHAPTER 18 The Awards Program

CHAPTER 19 Father’s Day

CHAPTER 20 The Answer

CHAPTER 21 Confessions

CHAPTER 22 Surprise

EPILOGUE: What Happened Next?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I ’ve wanted to write a book based on my childhood memories for a long time. Leaving a legacy about the people I love became a desire that tugged on my heartstrings. When circumstances came together to make that possible, I prayed for God’s direction.

I believe the contributions made by the wonderful group of family, friends, and professionals listed below were a result of that prayer. Whether they offered encouragement, provided inspiration, gave advice or suggestions, edited my work, supplied information, refreshed my memory, helped with the computer and submission process, were models for the cover, or gave of their artistic gifts, this work would not have been possible without their help. My sincere gratitude to:

Jaime Scee Montanaro; Dr. Christopher Montanaro; Jill McConnell; James Blodgett; Ray Spahn; Carol Lomber Romeo; Suzanne Rothenberger; Timmy Scee; Buffy Peterson; Sophia, Dean, and Nicole Devito; Lora Gardner Shea; John Gardner; Judith McCool; Pat Connor; Donna Iannuzzi; Joan McConnell; Erin Scee Cook; Shayna, Kyah, Parker, and Carter Cook; Jacob Weaver; Dori Magee; Gail Bracy; Barbara Burt; Dr. Frederick McAdam; Mary Lomber Siver; Nancy Roberts; Alexandra and Drew Montanaro; Pastor Bob Tharp, Pastor Ron Graeflin, and my Bible study friends at Life Church of the Nazarene; the editors and team at WestBow Press; and my loving husband, Tim Scee, who unselfishly allowed me the time to finish this book and to use him as my constant sounding board.

This book is dedicated to my parents, Jack and Rosemary

Burley Gardner; my grandparents, Ethan and Hazel Beach

Gardner, and George Edmund Burley and Lenore Ritchie Burley

White; and my great-grandmother Lillian Wolfe Ritchie.

Most of all, I dedicate this book to the glory of God,

who gave me the inspiration and the gift to write down

some of my most precious childhood memories.

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CHAPTER 1

The Secret

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P am tiptoed to the cast-iron grate that covered a large opening in the upstairs bathroom floor of the Gardner home. It had been added generations ago to allow the heat from the living room to warm the bathroom above. It was likely that many children had made their way to this spot, where the age-old mystery of adult conversation could be heard below. Just what did their parents discuss after tucking them into bed at night? The Gardner children were no different from other kids—they wondered the very same thing.

During supper that night, Pam had been aware of a certain eagerness in her father. It led her to believe that he was up to something. She was reminded of the times he’d snuck her a piece of his Hershey bar when her mother was busy getting Sunday dinner ready. He had that same twinkle in his eye now as he slipped her mother a little blue book he had been hiding behind his back. He waited until she came close to pour him another cup of coffee. Taking her by the elbow, he slid it into her empty hand.

Her mother looked a little surprised. A shake of his head clued her not to ask him any questions. Pam glanced over at her older brother, John, to see if he’d seen it too; however, he was too preoccupied at dinner to notice anything unusual going on. Her baby brother, Craig, was too young to be conscious of things like that.

I could ask Dad what’s in the little blue book and why he’s being so secretive, Pam thought. But no, I can’t. I don’t wanna go through another long talk at the dining room table like Mom had with me yesterday. I promised her that I would start minding my own business and stop askin’ so many questions. Wait! I know what I can do! Mom and Dad talk about things when they’re alone. I’ll wait until bedtime, sneak into the bathroom, and listen at the hole in the bathroom floor!

Pam’s father had been especially jolly that evening. At eight o’clock he’d announced, It’s bedtime for Pammy and Craigy, as he grabbed Pam’s legs and tossed her over his shoulder. I’ve got an old sack of potatoes, he said, jogging to the stairway.

Her mother led the way to the top of the stairs while holding baby Craig close. She entered the master bedroom, where Craig’s crib had been placed until they could arrange a nursery for him.

Meanwhile, her father dropped Pam into her bed at the end of the landing. There was just enough space there for her little bed and a dresser that held a pink and white flowered lamp. Pam felt very safe and secure in her area of the landing. She’d watched her mother wallpaper the open space with pink roses, adding ruffled pink window curtains and a matching bedspread to make it cozier. A well-loved Raggedy Ann and the porcelain doll that her grandmother had made for her held the place of honor on her pillow top.

Pam’s father tousled her hair before leaving to deliver a kiss good night to the baby. Pam quickly dressed for bed and pretended to be asleep when her parents appeared at the landing doorway to tell her good night. Believing her to be asleep, they quietly made their way back downstairs.

Grateful that John was already in his bedroom down the hall, Pam stayed under the covers until she could no longer hear baby Craig’s babbling. John was softly playing his guitar. It provided just the right amount of noise to cover any creaking sounds from the old linoleum. On tippy-toes, Pam carefully eased her way across the darkened room to the bathroom that was directly across the way. She made it right past John’s door without being detected. Pam was a little concerned that her older brother might hear her. She’d recently tattled on him for sneaking a late-night call to his girlfriend Judy. If he heard her, he might come out to investigate. Catching her doing something wrong would give him the perfect opportunity to pay her back for tattling on him.

Silently, Pam lowered her body so she could lie on her side. Pressing her ear to the grate, she not only could hear what was taking place below but also had a limited view of the living room through the cast-iron grate’s ornate slits. Pam could make out where her parents were sitting. Her father was in his favorite chair across the room, and her mother was on the couch in plain sight.

When the television show her parents were watching ended, Pam heard her dad begin to speak, but his voice was muffled. Her mom’s voice was a little clearer.

"But I’m not sure that my father can loan