Oh, the Cranberries!

Reunion Cake

2006-05-04T21:43:00.000-05:00

Barbara (with her mom Aunt Win in the background) prepares to serve cake to various assorted cousins at the 1988 family reunion that Barbara's family hosted.

From L to R: Mark and Judy's Andrew, George and Eileen's Katherine, Barbara, Win, Cathy and Tom's John, Jennifer and Jon's Maury, Mark and Judy's Matthew.

The cake itself has a picture of the old family church, Ivy Creek United Methodist.

The Last Three Pictures In One Perforated Strip

2006-04-20T10:40:00.000-05:00

Here is the strip of three pictures from the last three posts.

Cathy's Play Partner Suits Her to a Tea

2006-04-20T10:30:00.000-05:00

This is the third of the three pictures from (almost certainly) 1952 that are connected by perforations.

Looks like she found a dependable play partner.

Cathy Entertains

2006-04-19T08:35:00.000-05:00

Mom has written on the back of this picture from 1952:

Tea party with friend in Livingston backyard.
Doll buggy was mine (Mary Louise's) when I was a little girl.

I suppose a little boy invited to a tea party might have to make his own fun. What is in his mouth? It looks like a potato chip, but I know we rarely had potato chips around the house when I was around much later. (Were potato chips common in 1952?)

Do little girls still have tea parties? Were those imitations of their moms' tea parties? Do big girls still get together for tea? Do little girls still get together to imitate what moms now rarely do?

This picture was attached by a perforated edge to the picture before.

Easter - 1952

2006-04-17T10:27:00.000-05:00

Mom has written "Livingston" on the back of this picture. Cathy, Mark, and Mom are enjoying a pretty day on what appears to be Easter in in Livingston in 1952. Everyone is dressed up for the day, and that sure looks like an Easter basket on Cathy's arm. Is that an egg in Mom's right hand?

As much as Mom liked to take family pictures with flowers, she liked to take them when we were dressed up. Years later, when the family would come together again for some holiday, I remember how we would come home from church and Mom would say, "Let's take some pictures before we change clothes." She knew to say it fast before the guys started taking their ties off. If there were any flowers nearby, well... all the better.

I remember Dad hiding Easter eggs for me when I was young. No plastic ones for us. We had real, boiled Easter eggs. I remember how Dad unscrewed a lamp bulb in the living room in Athens to hide an egg on the empty socket behind the shade.

I also recall when a forgotten Easter egg was not found until by accident weeks or months later.

I hope Easter yesterday was as worshipful and joyful for you as it was for us.

Mom's Flowers

2006-04-12T22:39:00.000-05:00

Mom usually had such a pretty flowerbed on our well-travelled corner at Lake Junaluska.

Mom has always liked flowers. She will always point them out when we are travelling. She likes to take pictures of them, and if we are going to take a picture of family, she likes to include any nearby flowers.

She's proud of her family too, and here she is in about ~~1983~~ 1986 with her grandsons Matthew and Andrew. This picture is surely taken at the same time as this one with Papa (that was taken only a few dozen yards away from this one). From the looks of the boys, this is about one picture too many.

Somber Dad, pt. 2

2006-04-10T17:54:00.000-05:00

This picture is clearly taken at the same time as the one below. This picture is a better picture of Dad (with a hint of a smile), but the one below has held up a little better over time. Neither one would be used in a commercial advertising long-lasting, quality photographs.

Serious Looking, Game Playing Dad

2006-02-16T14:43:00.000-06:00

Dad and I would play games from time to time when I was growing up. The picture that comes to mind is of us sitting on the sofa with a board between us while the flashlight of the NBC Mystery Movie (McCloud, McMillan and Wife, Columbo) swept across the screen on Sunday night. I got to where I could beat him in chess and Mastermind. I never saw anybody (including myself) beat him in checkers.

I never could tell how much Dad enjoyed playing games. At family get-togethers, when I would ask him if he wanted to play cards, he would often say, "Oh, I'd play if you need a fourth" as if he would play to facilitate the game but not so much because he enjoyed it.

This somber picture looks like it may be a head shot for a bio, resume, or story somewhere. It has not held up so well. There are odd streaks and discolorations on it (many of which I have cropped).

Is this from the early 1960's? Or a little more recent?

Ryan and Andrew

2006-02-12T22:10:00.000-06:00

Mom and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary was a wonderful occasion culminating at Hallcrest Inn in Waynesville. Friends and family gathered for the big occasion. The 50th anniversary would have been in 1995, but I seem to recall that the celebration was in 1996.

Hallcrest Inn served delicious meals family style and was a favorite of our family. The event was so wonderful that Hallcrest Inn's proprietors apparently believed the Inn had peaked, realized it was all downhill, and subsequently closed the place.

Here are two of Mom and Dad's grandchildren at the dinner, cousins Ryan and Andrew.

Get-togethers are a little batty but always a hit

2006-02-10T23:16:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time at the 1988 family reunion in Philadelphia. The family seems to love any excuse to get together. Mom, her brothers, and their progeny gathered in full force and have done so regularly since this first reunion.

Back row: Uncle John, Dad, Uncle Jim, cousin Jennifer's husband Jon, Cathy's son Ryan and husband Tom, cousin John Jr., cousin Jim Jr., Barbara's husband Steve, Aunt Jan, Danny.

Middle row: Jim Jr.'s wife Jean with their Nathan in her lap, Aunt Win, David, cousin Ricky, Mark, cousin Barbara, cousin Susan.

Front row: Barbara and Steve's Jonathan, Jennifer and Jon's Maury, Ricky and Nancy's Malcolm, Mark and Judy's Matthew.

"All you need is glove..."

Birthday Party - Shirts optional

2006-02-08T21:54:00.000-06:00

Mark (3rd from right) is having a summer birthday party in Marianna (according to the back of the picture), probably around 1956 or 1957. David is on the right end. Cathy might have caught a break, unlike before.

Cathy at Grandpa's Farm

2006-02-06T20:50:00.000-06:00

Mom wrote on the back of this picture, "Cathy at Grandpa's Farm." This picture is over 50 years old. Pull toys must always be in vogue with early toddlers.

How many times did Mom crawl up and down those steps herself as a youngster?

There are certainly the same steps as seen in this earlier picture of our grandmother.

Perhaps International Geophysical Year was a letdown

2006-02-04T17:36:00.000-06:00

This is an unusually glum-looking picture of the family (Mark, Dad, Mom, David, and Cathy) from 1957.

I know that subjects of older pictures intentionally posed without smiling (as in this picture of our grandfather).

Were they meaning to choose this somber pose?

Upset about Hurricane Audrey?

Pondering the significance of the announcement that the Brooklyn Dodgers were moving to Los Angeles?

Or considering that the arrival of the most beloved member of the family was over four years away?

This is the only family picture I have found from this era that was in color except this one other from Christmas.

happy picture stop

2006-02-02T21:27:00.000-06:00

Mom and Dad married in 1945. The war was on, times were tight, and they were a happy couple. Dad would later tell of falling for Mary Louise the moment he met her.

Very soon after they married, they began the long journey north to Boston where Dad would study for his doctorate. Their fully loaded, old car had trouble in North Carolina, and they didn't know what else to do but wire home for help. They got a motel room, and wired home to Apa, Dad's dad. Telegrams were charged by the word, so brevity was a virtue. Dad's telegram to his dad read, "Carburetor gone. Send $50."

The next day, Dad was perplexed when his father wired $100 in reply. The family was careful with money, and it was not like Apa to send $50 more than requested. With the $100, they were able to get the car fixed and be on their way to Boston. Some time passed before Dad had opportunity to ask his father about why he had sent $100 instead of the $50 requested.

As it turned out, the Western Union man in the little south Alabama town who received Dad's wire to his father knew Apa personally. Perhaps because the message seemed a bit urgent, the Western Union man decided to call Apa and read him the message over the phone ("Carburetor gone. Send $50."), before he delivered the message in person. Apa misunderstood the message over the phone and thought his newlywed son had wired, "Mary Louise gone. Send $50."

So Apa did what he could to help his son in a tight spot. Mom laughed later that Dad's friends who heard the story would jokingly say that Apa had sent the extra money for Dad to celebrate.

I thought about this story (and this other one about Uncle John and Aunt Nina) when I heard that Western Union quit delivering telegrams last week for the first time since 1856.

*Pictured above*
Happy picture of sweet couple at 1988 Philadelphia reunion stop

The Old Man and the Sea

2006-01-31T14:04:00.000-06:00

I love this picture. Dad is in the Gulf of Mexico. I figure he is in his 20's.

What kind of fish is that? I'd say it was a truncheon.

Cathy in the early 1950's

2006-01-30T14:47:00.000-06:00

Mom told me that the baby carriage in the picture had been hers when she was a little girl.

This is probably in Livingston or Mobile.

Fontaine, Jan, and Ricky

2006-01-29T18:14:00.000-06:00

Here are Uncle Fontaine, Ricky, and Aunt Jan in the early 1950's. Because Fontaine lived much closer to us than Mom's other brothers, we got together with his family (including Jennifer later) much more often when I was growing up. Anytime my brothers talk about visiting Fontaine's family, they will always remember Freddie the dog.

Washington Monument (No, Really!)

2006-01-28T13:16:00.000-06:00

I'm a bit chagrined about my earlier mistake identifying Mom at the Washington Monument. However, I would like to point out that Mom (and family) did visit Uncle Jim's family in Washington on occasion (well, at least one), and they were known to visit area landmarks such as... oh... the Washington Monument.

From L to R, we have Uncle Jim, Dad, Mark, Aunt Win, Mom, and David. Let's say this is about 1959 or 1960. Cathy must have taken the picture.

In the background is a Robert Mills design on the National Mall.

1988

2006-01-27T21:36:00.000-06:00

Hard to believe that 1988 was 18 years ago.

Uncle Jim's family beautifully hosted Mom, her brothers, and all the offspring in Philadelphia in what became an every-three-year event.

From L to R, we have our branch of the tree: (front) Matthew, Judy, Mom, Dad, Cathy, John, (back) Andrew, Mark, David, Danny, Ryan, and Tom.

I knew it was a great time, but I suppose now that I didn't understand then how great it was.

What's the opposite of a snowbird?

2006-01-26T11:43:00.000-06:00

Mom and Dad are a jaunty pair in this picture from the early 1990's (or perhaps a bit earlier).

They don't see weather like that often. My guess is that they are visiting Uncle John in Ohio.

Grandfather

2006-01-25T12:34:00.000-06:00

I never really knew Mom's father. I have a vague memory of him from my early childhood that might be more reinforced by pictures and stories than from my actual interaction with him. He died soon after I turned two years old.

I am trying to remember what I can recall about him. Some of the things that come to mind first...

He went to Southern University in Greensboro (now Birmingham-Southern College) and was in the Class of 1899 (or was it 1898?).
He was a farmer and a one term member of the Alabama state legislature.
He served as Sunday School Superintendent of Ivy Creek Methodist Church for fifty years.
He reared four fine children, all of whom graduated from college at a time when that was not so common.

I always liked a story about how much he liked coffee. One night he told my grandmother that he was thinking about warming up coffee in the fireplace. She asked him what he was going to do when it kept him up all night. He replied, "I guess I'll lie in bed and think about how good it was."

Washington Mom-ument (or not)

2006-01-24T21:34:00.000-06:00

My guess is that Mom is visiting her brother Jim in Washington in the 1940's - maybe later. What is that wrapped around the Washington Monument?

Sharp suit and a cool 'do.

Update: Well, I thought that was the Washington Monument in the distance behind her, but the National Park Service informs otherwise (my emphasis added):

Your mother is sitting in front of a monument which is an Egyptian obelisk sitting on a rectangular stone base with a very pronounced molding at the top of the base. Obelisks were commonly used as tombstones in cemeteries in the 19th century with names and dates carved on the base. The Washington Monument is a pure obelisk shaft which sits directly on the ground. There is no rectangular base. Your mother is not sitting in front of the Washington Monument. She is perhaps sitting in a cemetery in front of a obelisk shaped tombstone. The Washington Monument is also much larger than the obelisk shown in the photograph. The shadow on the obelisk is puzzling.

Thanks to Gary Scott, Regional Chief Historian of the National Park Service, for setting me straight.

So the question now is, where is this place?

Further Update (2/3/05): The very helpful Perry Wheelock of the National Park Service believes that if Mom was in Washington for this photo, she may have been in Meridian Hill Park in northwest Washington. Several obelisks are there, and the pretty park has been a popular spot for photographs - particularly on Easter. Could that be a shadow of a tree limb on the obelisk? Meridian Hill Park is between the Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant areas of the city.

Risk-y Business

2006-01-23T16:51:00.000-06:00

Games have often been a big part of family get-togethers. Mark, Matthew, David, John, Judy, and Danny (clockwise, starting from front left) are home in Athens (probably during the Christmas season) gathered around the Risk board to engage in Parker Brothers' game of world conquest. You can tell it's early in the game because everyone to the left of the red sweater is still smiling.

(That's Mom's family piano in the background.)

June 1953

2006-01-23T16:25:00.000-06:00

Most of the old family pictures are in quite a jumble. Pictures are loose in a box next to other pictures decades older with no discernible order. That is one reason I particularly enjoyed finding the booklet of ten pictures from around June 1953 that came back from the developer in a set. Here is a recap of all ten pictures (from first to last) that were shown below:

Mark playing in the water
Mark and Cathy handsomely dressed
Spring Hill Avenue Methodist Church
Mark and Cathy at the church
Mark, Cathy, & friends at pool party
Two year old Mark and birthday cake
Mark, Cathy, and cake
Mark, Cathy & the DuBose boys
Mark and Dad playing in water
Mark and Mom playing in water

Wade in the Water

2006-01-22T22:10:00.000-06:00

Looks like Mom took the previous picture and handed the camera to Dad for this picture of Mom and Mark from the summer of 1953. This is the last of ten pictures that was returned from the developer in a spiral bound booklet of ten.

Before Papa was Papa he was Dad

2006-01-21T11:39:00.000-06:00

This is the ninth picture of the booklet of ten mentioned below, but I am tempted to think that this is a different occasion from Mark's birthday party. Would Mom (knee deep in water, I suppose) be taking this picture of Dad engaged in play with Mark while the other young partygoers are playing in and around the water?

Good picture.

Pause in Party Play

2006-01-20T13:48:00.000-06:00

The DuBose boys have paused the water frolic long enough to join Mark (2nd from right) and Cathy for the promise of cake and liquid refreshment at Mark's second birthday party. Almost-five year old Cathy is planning her escape route. Hand-to-face remains a popular pose for toddler Mark (see here, here, and here) in this booklet of ten pictures from June of 1953.

Show Cathy your cake!

2006-01-19T13:51:00.000-06:00

Cathy has the look of one begrudgingly going along with her little brother's birthday party. Looks like the cups are out and ready for the guests. Mark seems to know whose cake it is!

From June of 1953, this picture is the seventh in the booklet of ten.

Mark turns two

2006-01-18T14:53:00.000-06:00

Mark turns two. Mom has written on the back of this picture, "Was it a cake or a pancake?"

This is the sixth picture of the ten in the spiral bound booklet mentioned below.

Looks like a happy little boy.

Once you find a favorite finger, go with it

2006-01-17T16:43:00.000-06:00

Mom wrote on the back:

At Johnson's Lake, Mobile. The DuBose boys from across the street (Edington Drive), the Everrett girls, Terry Oshita & Cathy & Mark

I figure one of the Dubose boys is far left in the water and one is kneeling at poolside. The Everrett girls must be 2nd from left in the water and far right. Terry Oshita is in the middle in the water. Cathy is 2nd from right in the water. Mark is standing up.

This is from June 1953, and the gathering may be on the occasion of Mark's second birthday.

This picture is the fifth out of ten pictures that came back from the developer in a spiral bound booklet. For pictures, some people have preferred light, favorite clothes, or a a good side, but in this picture and this earlier picture in the same collection, you can see that Mark has a favorite finger.

Big day in Mobile

2006-01-16T16:39:00.000-06:00

Looks like Mark and Cathy have big water fun ahead of them in this picture from June, 1953. Mark is right at two years old, and Cathy is right at five. This picture appears to be taken at Spring Hill Avenue United Methodist Church.

This is the fourth picture in the spiral bound booklet of ten, and so I guess that it must have been taken at about the same time that the picture of the church was taken, the third picture in the booklet.

I see on the church's website that the new building had its first worship service in March of 1952, so the building here is barely a year old.

Spring Hill Avenue

2006-01-16T16:28:00.000-06:00

Mom has written on the back of this picture, "Beautiful Spring Hill Ave. Methodist Church, Mobile." This is the third picture in the booklet of ten.

In the 1990's, I met a young man in youth ministry who had grown up in the Spring Hill Avenue United Methodist Church. I mentioned that he was too young to know my dad but that my dad had served that church. He asked Dad's name, repeated it a few times, and then lit up his eyes. "Yes! My dad was there when your father was at the church. He talks about your father a lot. To this day, he still says that your father was the most caring minister, the most pastoral minister, that our church ever had." He went on for a bit about how his dad often talked about my father.

And I was much impressed that some forty years after the fact, a family still remembered Dad's time there in such glowing terms.

Mark Discovers Finger Food

2006-01-15T22:19:00.000-06:00

Cathy always seemed to look out for others, and I mean that in the best possible way. Gracious, kind, thoughtful, practical, incisive... not to mention very intelligent and beautiful. And she loved family. Here she is right at 5 years old, (maybe just shy of 5), with her two year-old brother (or almost two) in tow.

I don't remember seeing her in many pictures with pigtails, but maybe there are many.

This is the second picture in the spiral-bound booklet of ten.

Why do people say "not to mention such-and-such" when they are in the very act of mentioning such-and-such?

Mark, ~ June, 1953

2006-01-14T16:15:00.000-06:00

This is Mark right around age 2.

Does anyone know how long before a little boy gets tired of playing with a cup in the water?

This is the first picture in a spiral bound booklet of 10 pictures. The pictures themselves are printed on photographic paper with holes on one edge for binding.

The covers of the booklet are dark blue, and the the front cover reads "Picturewise... Vantone Prints are better!" The back cover reads "Processed by Van's Photo Supply, Gulf Coast's Largest Photo Finishers."

The pictures themselves are about 3" square and they have an additional border about a quarter-inch wide. That makes the pictures about 3.5" square not counting the extra long edge that has the holes for the spiral binding.

The backs of the pictures have a watermark that reads "Kodak VELOX Paper."

Big Doors

2006-01-13T21:49:00.000-06:00

Where was this picture of Dad taken? One of his churches? At Boston University when he received his doctorate? I would guess that this is in the 1950's. I do not recall ever seeing Dad in a double-breasted suit on any other occasion.

Dad was a relatively quiet man distinguished by his intelligence, compassion, dignity, integrity, discipline, Christian faith, and love for family, among other qualities. I have long had great respect for him.

I think of him as having uncommon discipline.

If there was anything on his plate that he did not like so much (like greens, for example), he ate ALL of it before he ate a bite of anything else. Said he couldn't enjoy the rest of his meal if he knew he still had to eat something he didn't enjoy as much. (Mom told me once that she knew something in the meal was not a hit if Dad ate it all before he started on anything else.)

Whenever we had boiled shrimp, he would always peel EVERY shrimp on his plate before he would taste even one.

He paid cash every time he bought a new car.

Disciplined in small ways, disciplined in large ways.

(And those are big doors.)

Reunited... and it feels so good

2006-01-12T22:27:00.000-06:00

If we keep on the same schedule, Mom's side of the family will have a reunion this year. Every three years since 1988, Mom, her brothers, their children, and grandchildren have gathered to laugh, tell old and new stories, and catch up with one another. Different branches take turns hosting the reunion. The family is spread to both coasts and from New England to Florida, but absences are rare. It's a joy to have extended family that enjoys being together as much as this one does.

The family of cousin Barbara and her mom Aunt Win (on the outsides above) hosted us beautifully in south Florida over Thanksgiving weekend in 2000. George and young Nina (in the middle) are the progeny of Uncle John and Aunt Nina.

You can see that south Florida at the end of November puts everyone in a good mood.

5 Year Old Teddy Roosevelt

2006-01-11T14:49:00.000-06:00

Here is five year-old David in ~~Mobile~~ Marianna in 1960, with a big stick and perhaps walking softly.

Notice that when David has a stick, his siblings are not in the picture.

John & Nina and the Telegram story

2006-01-10T21:37:00.000-06:00

Uncle John and Aunt Nina were married in 1944 in West End Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Mom wore the same wedding dress when she and Dad were married the next year. (You can see a picture here.)

One of my favorite family stories...

Before John and Nina were married, he was studying to be an Army doctor at Johns Hopkins, and Nina was in college in Atlanta. Word got to him that Nina was engaged to be married to a Navy man. John borrowed money from his brother Jim to hop on the train to Atlanta to try to make things right with Nina. The war was on, he did not have permission to leave, and he was technically AWOL. Navy Military Police were on the train but were only checking passes of the Navy men. They were not interested in John, an Army man.

Brother Jim made John promise to let Jim know how it went down south. Telegrams were charged by the word, so John succinctly sent word of how his effort was going to win Nina back. His telegram to Jim read in its entirety:

Army 7, Navy 6, 3rd quarter

The story ended happily for us as John wooed dear, gracious Nina away and into the family.

Cathy, David, Mark, ~1957

2006-01-08T22:47:00.000-06:00

Sometimes we would take a long time to take all the pictures on a roll, and even longer to take the film to be developed. Months might go by before a roll was taken to the drugstore to be developed. I recall that it could take weeks to get the film back. Many months (or even longer) might pass before you would see the photographs you had taken. If any pictures did not turn out, they were lost forever. (And we were not frivolous people who took many pictures of the same scene.)

The envelope of photographs that you picked up at the drugstore was like a treasure chest of jewels and gold that had been buried in the past. The excitement and anticipation... what was on this roll? I don't remember. Did they turn out okay?

When Mark got his Polaroid camera, it truly was amazing. See a picture the same day?? In minutes even? That was voodoo. (You can see one of Mark's Polaroid miracles here.)

Now, of course, you can see a picture instantly with a digital camera. Take five or ten and keep the best one. Crop. Edit. No waiting. Prints in an hour.

Clearly, this picture of Cathy, David and Mark was taken on the same occasion as this one here.

Seesaw Seen

2006-01-07T21:33:00.000-06:00

Cathy and Dad in seesaw fun. I have been in exactly this pose with our Sam, who loved it. We have been to many parks and have found a seesaw exactly once. I suspect they must now have a reputation for creating injuries and so are hard to find.

This must be about 1950.

Two New Moms

2006-01-06T17:40:00.000-06:00

Here are two new moms with their first children. Who knew what the future held? The war was over. They had husbands starting careers, elbows deep in diapers, and new babies to figure out... did the future look bright? Or were they too busy to even consider it? That's Mom with Cathy, and Aunt Jan with Ricky.

David has told me that Aunt Jan's first husband was killed in World War II. She served as a WREN during World War II (see recruitment posters here and here). Uncle Fontaine served in U.S. Naval Intelligence. They met, she came to the United States, and was a dear part of the family ever after.

This is late 1948 or possibly the first of 1949.

Mom's mom

2006-01-05T22:44:00.000-06:00

This is Mom's mom. Dad met her, but she died in the 1940's before Mom and Dad were married. Of course I never knew her, and I have seen few pictures of her. Her children (Mom and her brothers) always spoke very warmly of her. I know she taught piano in the home. I know she cried when one of her sons broke a vase when he "touched" it to the nose of a farm animal. I am wracking my brain trying to think of what else I know about her.

Mom is such a gracious, thoughtful, loving, generous woman, and her brothers are all such fine men, that I wish I knew more about their parents.

Mom wrote on the back of the picture, "An old-fashioned picture of my mother, Mary O'Brian Howard, at our home." Home was in the Mulberry community near Autaugaville.

She's buried in the cemetery at Ivy Creek United Methodist Church.

Young Man Dan with Irene and Sam

2006-01-03T22:11:00.000-06:00

Here is Dad with his parents, Ama and Apa. This must be early to mid-1940's. I would love to know where this picture was taken.

New Beginnings

2006-01-02T20:55:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

And on the subject of new beginnings... here is Cathy holding baby Danny.

"Feb 1964" is printed on the border of the picture. Mom has written "Cathy & Danny, Fairhope" on the back. In February of 1964, Cathy would be 15 (and a half), and Danny would be two years and a few months old. Hard to tell how old baby Danny is in this picture, but the picture could have been many months old before it was developed and printed with "Feb 1964" on the border.

Family Get-Togethers

2005-12-30T16:12:00.000-06:00

Family get-togethers are the highlight of the season. I have warm feelings about many get-togethers like this one in Athens. From left to right, we have David, John, Dad, Cathy, Ryan and Tom. I would guess that this is December of 1986.

Those are holiday glasses. Candle and greenery in the center of the table. Is that a sweet potato casserole I see?

Cathy's Christmas in 1950

2005-12-29T07:42:00.000-06:00

It has been a wonderful Christmas season with family.

This is Cathy in 1950 or so. We loved being with her family again this year.

If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see those old, big, colored lights on the tree that no one uses anymore. Can you still buy those? Our family used them into the 1980's, I believe, before we succumbed to the pressure and went with the all-white lights.

Joy to the World!

2005-12-25T08:37:00.000-06:00

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her king.

May your Christmas have at least as much joy as these three (Mark, David, Cathy) had in ...oh... let's call it 1958.

Merry Christmas!

Mom's update: Mom remembers that she made that bathrobe for Cathy.

Every Christmas Eve

2005-12-24T08:31:00.000-06:00

Every Christmas Eve in my memory, the whole family would gather in the evening in the family room. Often we would carry Christmas treats (cookies or fudge, for example) with us out of the kitchen. Young ones would hang stockings. We would sing several Christmas hymns. Any musicians present (especially Cathy, David, and Tom) would contribute on the piano, on the guitar, or with strong voice.

Then someone, usually the youngest one who could read, would read the Christmas story from the Bible. Every year the same question: the Luke version or the Matthew version? Someone would close with a prayer. Little ones would then go to bed.

One year, I think I was the reader (though it could have been that I had been asked to do the prayer), and when I was finished, I looked up and Ama was crying. She was a bit embarrassed to be a bit overcome by the moment. I understood it some then, and I understand it more now.

I think this picture of Danny, Cathy, and Apa may have been taken on a Christmas Eve in Auburn.

Grandpa and Mother Hattie

2005-12-23T14:07:00.000-06:00

Christmas is coming.
The goose is getting fat.
Won't you please put a penny
In the old man's hat?

If you haven't got a penny,
A ha' penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha' penny
Then God bless you.

I remember dancing with excitement around the kitchen, singing that song with Mom, in Auburn (before 1967 or so, I guess). That song was a perennial favorite in our house around Christmas time. It was always a harbinger of the season and quickly put this little boy in a Christmas mood (still does). I haven't heard it many other places.

This picture is of Grandpa and Mother Hattie. I never really knew them. The back of the picture says "Kodacolor," but time has not been kind to this Kodacolor's color. Still, all in all, the red is appropriately Christmassy. I'll check the original and report back (I don't have it with me), but I believe it was stamped "1954" on the back.

People Holding... Mammals

2005-12-22T13:05:00.000-06:00

No idea what's going on here. Mom, Ama, and Dad have puppies... or kittens? Or... the ears on that thing Ama (in the middle) has make it look something like a baby lamb.

Mom may be wondering how often and how long she will have to hold things like this if she marries into the family.

I figure this is before they are married or very soon after. Right in the middle of the 1940's...

I almost wonder if they are at Dad's family place (his grandparents' home) in Crenshaw County.

Mom's update: Mom believes they were dogs. She does not believe that it was at Dad's family place, but she cannot place where this picture was taken.

Mark's having a ball. David's a son of a gun.

2005-12-21T23:17:00.000-06:00

Maybe we should expect that a minister's son should lean on the Canon.

Holiday Time is Family Time

2005-12-20T14:36:00.000-06:00

We've always enjoyed family. Uncle Jim watches his nephew Ricky H., niece Cathy J., and his own Jimmy and Barbara. For three families to get together like this (and considering how they are bundled), I figure this must be Thanksgiving or Christmas in 1950 or 1951.

Is this at Grandpa's farm?

Thirty-five year later, Uncle Jim looked exactly the same to me.

Mom's update: This was at Grandpa's farm where Mom grew up. She remembers it well, of course. The barnyard was called the lot, and Uncle Jim is standing in front of the lot gate.

Proud Papa

2005-12-19T21:46:00.000-06:00

Papa (Dad) was so proud of all of his family, but especially his grandchildren. Here he is in Lake Junaluska with Andrew and Matthew, Mark and Judy's boys. My best guess is that this is about ~~1983~~ 1986.

Dad was always good-natured, but nothing made him light up like his grandchildren. Bouncing a child in his lap to Mr. Brown...

Mr. Brown went downtown
Riding a goat and leading a hound.
Hound dog barked. Goat gave a jump

And then raising the child high in the air... impossible to know whose face shows more glee...

Threw Mr. Brown right straddle of a stump.

Many a child and grandchild in our family grew up with Mr. Brown, and I have never found anyone who has heard it outside of our family.

If we do it with our Sam, he'll squeal and say, "Do it again." And Dad would do it over and over and over and over and over with great joy.

Or "Bumblebee, round the tree..."

It's a great sadness for me that Sam and Nathan will not know Dad.

Next generation

2005-12-18T22:10:00.000-06:00

Tom and Cathy's boys, Ryan and John, are hanging out with their Uncle Danny at Christmastime.

Ryan is now in college and John is married... I am smart enough to understand the progression of time, but that doesn't mean I can't be amazed by it.

Looking forward to seeing them next week. Being with them and other family is still an important part of Christmas.

If I had not cropped the photo, you could have seen right over my head the dreaded hanging lamp, the bane of family photos.

Good-looking threesome

2005-12-17T15:46:00.000-06:00

Sweet looking siblings here. Where was this taken? My guess is that this is the Spring/Summer of 1956 or 1957.

That would mean that Cathy would be turning 8 or 9 (she looks like she could be older), David would turn 2 or 3 later in the year, and Mark would be turning 5 or 6 (almost looks younger). I think I would guess 1957.

I heard Cathy say one time that she never once wore pants to school in all her years.

If you look closely you can see the longing in their faces, that deep-rooted wish for a little brother.

Christmas Dinner - ~1956

2005-12-16T16:29:00.000-06:00

Mom, David, Mark, Ama, and Dad at a Christmastime dinner in Marianna. You can see the tree in the background. Are those Christmas cards on the panes of glass on the doors?

If David is two, then this must be 1956. I figure Cathy took the picture, who would be 8 in 1956. Apa is the other candidate for photographer, but I figure he is sitting at the other end of the table, and we see Cathy's empty chair.

Mom's update: They often put Christmas cards on the panes of the doors.

Three Brothers

2005-12-15T16:47:00.000-06:00

A great part about this Christmas picture is that you can see that Mom has told Dad to pull the hanging lamp out of the picture. Wouldn't want it to distract.

I figure Danny is about 19, Mark is about 29, and David about 26. Let's call it 1980.

Dad, Mark and Cathy at the beach.

2005-12-14T23:19:00.000-06:00

I understand that the family used to spend Christmases at the beach with Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Julia's family - either before I was born or when I was too young to remember. These pictures must be from a warmer time of year.

These four pictures are joined by a perforation between each picture. Mom has written ever-so-helpfully on the back (from top to bottom): Mark & Dan, Cathy, Mark & Cathy at beach, Mark.

I figure this is about 1952.

A Joyous Occasion

2005-12-13T09:12:00.000-06:00

Not a Christmas picture, but it sure is a good-looking picture of a happy occasion from August 1945.

I am struck by how lovely Ama looks. Then I realize with a start that I am older now than she was then.

Grandpa looks as if the jury is still out on the new son-in-law. Mom looks pretty and pleased, and Dad is quite handsome.

If I remember correctly, Mom was wearing her sister-in-law Nina's wedding dress. The war was on and many luxuries were hard to come by. I remember that Mom told me that as wedding gifts they received something like a "due bill" that friends had purchased for their china collection. Mom and Dad were given a piece of paper promising a plate or a saucer, for example, when it became available.

I wonder where this picture was taken. They were married at Ivy Creek Methodist Church. It's a beautiful little church, but I cannot picture any place at the church that would have looked liked this even in 1945.

Mom's update: This picture was taken in Mom's family living room in the Mulberry community near Autaugaville.

Early Athens Christmas

2005-12-12T17:52:00.000-06:00

Wow! Did we ever look like this? I figure this to be around 1969 or 1970. (The tree is to the left of the picture where the TV usually is, instead of the usual spot which would be to the right and in front of where David is.)

This picture was taken with Mark's old Polaroid camera. That camera was magic, wasn't it? Take the picture, pull it through the rollers, time 60 seconds with your watch (or was it more?), peel off the filmy cover to the picture, shake it a bit to air it out, pull off the cover to the adhesive of the separate cardboard back, and affix the backing to the picture. It was amazing.

Mark won that camera as some sort of prize connected to his newspaper delivery job, as I recall.

I guess Tom probably took the picture.

As an aside, has any company been more hurt by digital photography than Polaroid?

Update: Looking again at the picture, it appears that only one person is happy to be there!

Joys of Family

2005-12-11T16:15:00.000-06:00

Uncle Jim wrote on the back:

Dec. 16

Hi! Jimmy will be nine years old tomorrow - which is quite a commentary on his parents!

I'm taking 2 weeks vacation tomorrow - my first in 2 years.

Win's dad may join us tomorrow for Christmas. Otherwise we plan a quiet holiday. I expect to enjoy the kids to the fullest.

We still don't know when we will be leaving the country but our guess is possibly late February.

Love to all of you from all of us,

James

David and Dad in Construction Fun

2005-12-10T10:06:00.000-06:00

I figure this is Christmas 1959. "May 1960" is printed on the back of the picture. David and Dad are having so much fun that Mark must be physically restrained by Mom from jumping into the scene.

The top of the piano looks empty to me compared to the small village of composers' busts that I was accustomed to 15 years later.

Dad sets up a Christmas train

2005-12-09T09:53:00.000-06:00

I am older now than Dad was then...

Over 50 Christmases ago

2005-12-09T01:03:00.000-06:00

Cathy and, I believe, Ricky H. are getting ready for Christmas in 1950 (or possibly 1951?).