There are those times....
when you have an epiphany; those times you thought nobody could ever understand you...
but then you get a biiiggg surprise...
I had one of those recently.
My kindest brotherinlaw who is my basically my big brother in spirit but has been spared the "lets be different!" genetic pool that swims around in our family (which is good for my sister because she is married to him) took it upon himself to catalog all of my sister's and I's family photos we inherited after my dad died.
So thank you Mr. Bill for all your hard work!!!
These are something to behold as there are A LOT of photos - he be busy!!
Theres so many wonderful photos from early 1900's that I am going to just have to share with you!
I got the discs a couple of weeks ago.
Its something to be re-introduced to your family pool.
I have been an orphan now for almost 2 years (oh quit, I can be one even if I am 50, feral rulebook says so)
and havent seen these photos in years. Some I have never seen.
Faces stare at me and I ask my sister, "whose this? whose that?" and she knows who they are, sometimes with help from the small handwriting on the back of the photo, or in some cases on the front, and some from memory. Since I was a late in life baby (my mother was 36 years old, a nurse, and would sometimes casually mention "oh my 30's? Those were my valium and smoking years - back then we didnt think anything crossed the placenta"...uhmm. okay. that explains a lot. thanks mom.) I didnt have the opportunity to know some of the greats - the aunts, uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers, as they passed on when I was young, or in some cases before I was even born.
But I knew their faces because my parents didnt want me to forget.
And so when i saw this photo, I instantly knew it was my Great Grandmom, Bushia!
outside their small farm in ...North Chicago (yes that Chicago....really. before sidewalks.)
but how could i ever tell if I never met this woman that she was my own great grandmom?
Easy!
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-look again-
Good Lord!!
Shes
Shes
barefooted!
I laughed and laughed, because feral is as feral does.
aint no age, no sidewalks, no nosy neighbors going to stop her!
And shes yanking on a wagon with my Young Uncle Eddie sittin' tight.
Shes tough!
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and i hope I am as
beautifully feral
as she was when I am that age...
I feel family-loved all over again.
:)
~
So
I want to know,
is there anyone in your family past that you found out you shared something in common?
And
If so
doesnt it make you feel just a little giddy
to know
youre not the only one?
teehee!
~
she's really cute - a salt of the earth sort of woman. :)
ReplyDeleteand kielbasa and cows...Being from the border of Austria and whatever country that might have been before all the wars...I love how she came to America at a later age with my Great grandfather, bought land and did their farming in the outskirts of Chicago..
DeleteOh I am so giddy just reading this post what a fantastic BIL you have your sister sure knows how to pick them.
ReplyDeleteWell I think Great Grandmom Bushia is a lot like you with those bare feet and I have a feeling nothing held her down for long she was probably a strong woman who knew what she needed and went and worked for it or made it just like you my friend.
Oh I cannot wait to see some of these photos and the stories are already making my mind wandering.
Speaking of family I am pretty sure I take after my Grandma Grace she was tough, she was kind and giving. She had white hair like me and hazel eyes and wrote anything that came to her mind no matter what. Yup family....you can't run from the good stuff.
Yeah Feral and family. I am your family too but we probably don't look too much alike I hear you are tall. Hugs B
Yep, Grandma Grace and you sound like you had A LOT IN common ;)Do you ever wonder what she would think of the age of computers? I thought about that as I was looking at these photos on my laptop!
ReplyDeleteand yep, all 5'3 inches of me. The air is stifling up here at times....
What a treasure! Family photos are worth more than all the jewelry in the box. How kind of your BIL to organize and save them for you. Reminds me I still have some boxes of b&w photos I need to go through. I've been an orphan since July of 2008. Being Feral is what makes us last and survive even when crap falls out of the sky.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
DeleteOh, I love seeing those bare feet! What a woman she must have been!
ReplyDeleteOh Michelle, wait until you see all the farming photos!! ;)
DeleteWhat a special gift your brother in law has given you and your sister. It will be fun to see the pictures.
ReplyDeleteI was adopted so I don't know if I inherited any of my birth family traits, but I sure do find myself sounding a lot like my mom. Horrifying! :))
Ohhh! Maybe you are royality!! or the love child of a secret hollywood couple! Or the long lost princess link to the rich city of Alantis!!! The possibilities are endless!!! And you could change them everyday!!!
DeleteI bet your mom loves to hear you say you are sounding like her more and more as you get older - thats a bond that needs no pictures! (((hugs to Susan!)))
wonderful photos, I was blessed to know my grandparents on both sides, I come by my love of literature, and music, and sarcasm,strength and determination. And above all enduring love of family and home , all quite honestly
ReplyDeleteI never knew sarcasm to be a good family trait...LOL I love that you are able to pinpoint exactly what you see in the generations - thats neat!
ReplyDeleteBarefooted Feral genes shared with your great gram... perfect !
ReplyDeleteMy gram on my dads side passed when I was only ten but I remember her well as she shared my love of animals . I remember thinking it was so cool that she would sometimes let chickens in the back screen door when I would go to visit. I have an old photo of her sitting at the kitchen table with chickens roosting on the back of her chair. I thought that was so cool, my mother on the other and was horrified. Lol Yes the animal loving gene was definitely on dads side of the family.
Ah Willow thats exactly what Im talking about- those little things that time forgets, but its so fun when we remember/notice/pick up on it - a family gift from the past!
DeleteDid you ever post that photo? I (and i bet a bunch of others!) would love to see chickens sitting at a kitchen table ;D
Isn't it strange how we aren't as original as we think? There are always hidden influences at work. I used to ride a motorbike (still would if I could) - a big old Yamamha XS 650 twin. A while ago I too found an old photo of my maternal Grandma riding her 500 twin. The connection is amazing. You've inspired me to seek out the family photos again Feral Woman. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh you must do a post of that picture of your Grandma riding - you must!
DeleteThat's great that you have these photos now, so many don't or have forgotten about them. We collect them all, all the ones in giant trunks that no one else wanted. On my mom's side there is a particular nose, which I don't have, but we have found through the centuries, even back to England where portraits are hung in castles! Amazing isn't it? Dad's side came over from Denmark so I have very little. He tells me we were Vikings. There are days my husband is certain of it.
ReplyDeleteThat viking part is very interesting - I would ask for photo proof ;)
DeleteYou will find the apple really does not fall very far from the tree! I love looking at old photographs- you are blessed to have those. I have very few.
ReplyDeleteBut you have memories of now, right? Thats what makes you the excellent capturer of time - your photography !
DeleteA lot of my family photos were lost in a house fire in 1969, but I do remember some of them. And my cousins have a lot of them that they have been posting on Facebook. I don't know a lot about my Dad's side of the family as he was an only child, but I really relate to my Mom's side of the family.They came over from Ireland and lived in the US before coming to Canada. They had a lot of hardship and lived in some poor places but always made do. I guess I get my hardiness and adaptability from them.
ReplyDeleteI can see that Shirley...and you forgot to add your determination, and your compassion too ! ;)
DeleteWhat a treasure to have those old photos and what a nice BIL to organize them! I love the pictures of your great-grandmother, she looks like she would have been a wonderful lady to know! I can't wait to see more of your family photos!! :)
ReplyDeleteBIL aka Mr. Bill is the best - my sister did good ;)
DeleteLove this post, I am a new follower and thank you for following me, too. We are both recent 'orphans', as I just lost both of my parents within the last two years, my Mom two years in March and my Dad just over 6 months. How nice that your brother in law is taking good care of the photos for all of you. I have just a precious few photos, which I treasure. We do share the traits of our ancestors, how sweet that your great Grandmother was a feral woman like you! I loved my grandparent's and they shared many lovely gifts of story telling, cooking and gardening, which my parent's also passed on. I do relate to my relatives before me and often think, 'What would my Grandmother do?' Thanks for sharing xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming over and peeking at what we do here! So sorry to hear about your parents passing so close together; that must have been very hard to go through - so glad you do have photos too!
Deleteoh what a beautiful entry!! pictures, our window into the past!! and grandma, ya' gotta love that look!!
ReplyDeleteThat crocheted cap she has on that she made herself? I have it! - am tempted to put on a scarf and slip that over it just like her, teehee!
DeleteAhhh, the days of going barefoot. I remember them fondly. Just think, if I kept it up I'd have tough soles and it wouldn't hurt to be barefoot anymore. Thanks for putting my link on your sidebar. I'm honored.
ReplyDeleteI wouldnt want to go barefoot where you are - you need kevlar boots there for sure ;)!
DeleteI not sure who I take after really... but when we went to England years ago, to the tiny, desolate town of my father's ancestors they had a small visitor center with a list of "local" last names. My was on the list, under "sheep stealers" ??? Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteI adore old family (doesn't matter whose) photos... Thanks for sharing yours!
"hide your sheep! Hide your sheep! Melody is coming to visit!!!" LOL
DeleteNow that is perfect blog fodder to write about if I ever saw it!!!