LUCAS — Betty Berry, 90, played Malabar Farm’s Big House piano, a Steinway & Sons, while guests roamed the house for a gathering Wednesday night.
It wasn’t her first time. In fact, she first played Louise Bromfield’s piano in 1941, when she was a 15-year-old.
“He (Mr. Bromfield) was a nice neighbor,” Berry remembered between songs. “I used to play with the girls a lot.”
Berry said her father built the Pugh cabins and that her family lived in the neighborhood long before Bromfield bought the land where Malabar Farm now sits.
The 90-year-old still plays the piano on a daily basis, a habit that started when she was a toddler.
“I love life and I love to play every day,” she said before turning back to strike the keys again to form familiar Christmas melodies.
The Candlelight Holiday Tours at the Big House continue this weekend, Dec. 9 and 10, from 5 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
According to the Malabar website, the tours invite the public to view Louis Bromfield’s Big House all decked out for the holidays while enjoying freshly baked cookies and hot cider.
Prices are $5 for adults, $3 for children. No pre-registration is required.
