Born in 1875, my father's mother was tall, slender, and hardworking. Her favorite color was red, which showed up in her dresses, hats, and even the flowers she grew around her pristine little house. She had one vice, which she kept hidden from everyone but the grandchildren: she smoked a pipe! Her after dinner pleasure was shared with whichever grandchildren cared to spend time with her. I always volunteered because her bedroom had a fascinating pin cushion in the form of a lady in a beautiful red ball gown. I danced the pin cushion all over, whirling the red skirt to new heights.
Grandma Lilly
She and my Grandpa Charles lived on a small farm, plowing by horses, planting and harvesting by hand. My father was the only boy, but his three sisters were able as well. Aunt Ruth told of the time she was driving a wagon of potatoes to market and the horse got away from them. They survived on what they grew: chickens, hogs, beef, and the garden. What excess they grew went to market. Hunting skills were not just recreational sport, they were food and survival.
The little house in Pasapatanzie, circa 1907
My grandmother is third from the left her three sisters flank her.
Grandpa Charles holds Aunt Ruth and my father stands by them.
Over with the horses is Father's Uncle Welford
They were clean and starched and poor but at the same time had everything. Good food, laughter, shelter, and the beauty of nature. No one ever needed welfare and there wasn't any.
My Grandma made me promise to never wear a bathing suit. I promised to make her happy, but I had to take swimming lessons so there went that promise!
Here I keep my promise not to wear a bathing suit!!!
Oh Grandma, see what you made me do!!
OMG ! Incredibly lovely photo of you !! Stops my heart...CBFather, you are one lucky dawg.
ReplyDeleteFascinating family history.
LLC
I love it!! Such a beauty to this day!!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing part of your family history. Even though times were hard then, I often think they were so much better.
ReplyDeleteI love the little house, and are you sure you didn't post a picture of CBW by mistake?
how playboy missed you i dont know ... still gorgeous
ReplyDeleteI had the privilege of meeting Aunt May and heard many stories of Pet and Ruth, your father's sisters.
ReplyDeleteI only met your father once, maybe twice, but I remember our visits to Aunt May vividly. Part of that was due to her fabulous home-brewed tea, always in a pitcher on the table. The other part was getting to stay in the Thunderbird motor inn, conveniently located next to a Shoney's. The Thunderbird had a pool and Shoney's had a buffet. Aunt May had the iced tea. It was all good.
That last photo, one of a series taken at the same time by the same person, is fabulous.
Wow, I was told it was a wonderful photo of you, and she was right! Just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the story of your family. I'm now the eldest in my immediate family, and I cherish the memories I have of my grandparents. Fortunately, most of my nieces and nephews, except for the very youngest, remember my mother's parents.
Such memories as yours are treasures indeed.
K
That's pin-up material right there!! It is obvious your lovely daughters get their radiance from you.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll continue to share your remembrances - your descendants will feel so fortunate to have them.
Nobody in the family wants to hear me ramble on about people they never heard of and so this is my way of getting my recollections out there when they want to know them. Hope it has value to others as well.
ReplyDeleteYou hope that your recollections have value? They are priceless!!! LOVE YOU...you sexy mama :)
ReplyDeleteThey have tremendous value, the recollections.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, your picture should be have been on the cover of Vogue.
I agree!
Delete