Thursday, March 16, 2017

Days Gone By..........

Lately I have been thinking a lot about family and friends that have gone on to their great reward in heaven.
It seems like lately there have been so many to leave.  Family, distant family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, school chums.............  you name it.

I think back on the times when I was a child with such fond memories.  I know life was hard for my folks, as we didn't have much money - but we never went hungry, always had clean nice clothes and a warm bed, and LOTS of love!!!!!  So basically in my eyes, we had everything.

Do you ever wonder how hard it was for generations before your parents?  I do.  I would love to be able to go back and experience for a 'short' while, as I know I don't have what it takes to go through all they did.

Today I am going to post pictures of days gone by.  Kind of my throw back Thursday!  They won't mean a thing to you, but I thought you might enjoy taking a walk through history with me.

The most recent picture I'll post is of me at about age 3.  Look at the cupboards and the old mixer.  we had one of those grey/yellow Formica tables with matching chairs!

Momma and I - again in the kitchen.  I love the old frig - I actually used that same one for several years after I got married in the 70's.  Momma baked beautiful cakes - mine had a little dolly on it.

These were my paternal great grandparents.  One of those little ones was my grandpa.  Insanely enough, I have that wooden chair!  They look so stoic.

More paternal grandparents.  The ones in the center are my great grandparents.  He is the ancestor that has Amish roots.  My Dad's mom is the stern looking one on the left in white blouse.  Geesh, she looked stern even as a teen!  Notice how old even the teens (all standing in back row) look.  Life was hard. 
I love this picture - 9 kids and the dog!  In the area they lived you either farmed or worked in the coal mines.

This was my grandpa - Daddies' dad.  Check out the gun and holster!  What a character - I would have loved to known him.  He died in 1918 during the influenza epidemic as did my dad's baby brother.  Grandpa was only in his 20's and worked in the coal mines.  I can't imagine how hard life was for Grandma being left to raise 2 children alone.
Maternal grandma.  Isn't she just dapper looking?  She came from a family with money - but OOPS she married someone who didn't.  I am told she always tried to give the appearance of wealth and she was never happy.  So sad - as it sounds like she missed out on so much.  Hopefully, this is why I could care less how people perceive me!!!!!  She died when I was about 3.  My mom looked like her, as do I. 

Great Uncle Edwin.  The brother of the grandma pictured above.  He was a jeweler.  Had his own business.  I have a couple pieces he actually made.  I have found many patents listed in his name (how cool).  I also have a real estate folder from his family home that he built, that sold again several years ago.  Mom, told stories of him living in a mansion, which we thought were fanciful tales - but once I saw the home and it's interior I can understand why she said that.  From a girl who had nothing - he sort of lived in a mansion!  The family crest is still on the front of the home to this day.
I would have loved to have known this man, as he sounded like quite a kind soul.  Mom learned later in life that he always made sure 'Santa' came for her and her siblings.  'Santa' delivered a tree and gifts on Christmas Eve, above and beyond what Grandma and Grandpa could ever do. 


Ok, so much for my time travel today.  It seems I had both laborers and wealth in my past.  Humble beginnings and high society.
I guess my upbringing, leads me more to the humble side of things. 
I am thankful for what I have, I have enough, and I have a colorful history.  I love that.

Thanks for taking a stroll through history with me.  I think it's fun to see old pictures, whether I know the people or not.  I hope you enjoyed it.
Maybe I'll do some more someday. 

EMBRACE AND LOVE YOUR PAST - IT'S 'YOUR' HISTORY!




11 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing. You have a rich history.
    So many of us don't have that luxury of old pictures and history from our parents.
    My Mom was adopted and was never able to find her birth parents and that haunted her all her life. Her adoptive parents were very good to her. I don't know much about them either.

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    1. Forgot to say that on my Dad's side they have more history.
      Grandpa was a logger as was my Dad. They/we lived on the Oregon coast and they hunted and fished. I have lots of memories of my Paternal Grandpa and Grandma as I spent a good amount of time with them. They were from Norway and Sweden originally. I think I got my love of baking from my Grandma, she was a good baker.

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    2. Laurie that is so sad that she searched and wasn't able to find anything. That has to be strange, to not know why you look like you do, or why you do things the way you do - not to mention medical stuff.

      Sounds like your dads' side was colorful too. Logging was sure a hard way to make a living. That is cool that traditions and joys were passed down.
      As I go back in history, I have found ancestors from Switzerland, Ireland, Germany - all over Europe.

      I think it's neat to figure out WHO we are!
      I didn't know my grandparents to speak of. Most died before or just after I was born. Paternal grandma passed when I was 21, but she lived far away and I didn't see her much.
      I would have LOVED to experience grandparents.
      I feel a loss in that.

      Thanks for sharing!

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  2. What a lovely trip you just took us on. :~) I agree, even if I do not know the people, I love looking at the old pictures.

    My husband's parents lost their home to a fire, and unfortunately and most of the old pictures from his family were lost. So be sure to make backup copies and store them safely!

    Have a blessed day!
    Kath

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    1. Kathryn, I am blessed to have so many pictures. heck, I even have pictures that I don't know who they are!
      We have copied all pictures to digital, and many family members have copies as well.
      What a shame to have lost pictures and mementos in such a devastating way.

      I feel that pictures are a form of a legacy that ancestors left for us.
      Thanks for taking my journey with me!

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  3. Thanks for sharing Cheryl! I have some old pics too of relatives I never met but would have liked to have known. It reminds me to keep more of a diary than I do...all these online posts, should be keeping a digital copy of my own with them!

    I got into a research study that paid for the full genetic testing, and I really am 97% Italian, but the part we thought was French was actually southern Mediterranean, could still be French but not genetically I guess!

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    1. Ellen
      You are so right, that we should all be keeping better records for future generations.
      My Mom wrote tons of stuff down. She had so many stories, so I bought her a blank book for Christmas one year - and she took off! I have 13 completely filled notebooks of history, thoughts, and feelings.
      She didn't know a lot of older history - so I found our a lot of stuff for her before she passed. It made her happy.
      Although there is still one branch that must have been beamed down from aliens!!!! I can find nothing!

      Dads side was a bit more complicated. He had some stories, but I have found much on my own.
      There is a lot of neat history on Dads' side.

      We have the Ancestry DNA tests here - but haven't sent them in yet. DUH!
      Have a great weekend to our little Italian!

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  4. I love the pictures Cheryl. I could look at old pictures forever. It's so sad when you think about your grandma -husband and son gone. She was tougher than you or me can imagine. I love the picture with the gun-husband would especially love that one! Have a Happy St. Patrick's day!

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    1. Vickie you are correct. I do believe all of these people were made of much stronger stock than myself (or anyone in these days).

      I love the gun picture too. Maybe that is where my feistiness comes from!
      Have a good day.

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  5. Thanks for sharing. Those are great pics. So fun to tke a trip down memory lane.

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    1. Hi Laurie - good to see you post!!!!!
      It is fun isn't it? I love looking at pictures from the old days, and figured others do too.
      Times....they sure have changed.

      Have a great day and hurry back!

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