by Meg Porter
2/8/2011

The subject of my first article for HollistonReporter.com was Eleanor Brooks (http://www.hollistonreporter.com/?article=2866). Eleanor has lived in Holliston for over seventy years. She and her late husband John helped to run the family farm Brooksmont which is still standing on Concord Street across from Bonnie Brae Farm. Yesterday, two of her sons, Philip and John, gathered family and friends at The Wayside Inn in Wayland to celebrate her 90th birthday.

I was so moved when I first met Eleanor, as her mind was so sharp. Her memories of moving from Nebraska to Holliston and living on 125 acres of farm land is surely a way of life we can all learn from.

Twelve of her grandchildren were there including Sara Brooks who flew in with her brother and her dad Philip from San Francisco.

The food was a selection of New England fare prepared to perfection. We couldn't believe that after the vanilla ice cream and Indian pudding came the cake.

We brought two pieces home for our daughters, but they only got the chance to eat a sliver of this devine creation because I kept evening it off.

Happy Birthday to Eleanor Brooks. Thank you for being such an insipration to everyone who gets the opportunity to meet you. Thank you for teaching us about tenacity, simplicity and basic common sense. My life is much richer for having known you.

Good job blowing out those candles and many happy wishes for celebrating your birthday with family and friends who love you.

To read more about the life and times of Eleanor Brooks please click on the link in the article above.