Siblings

A sibling is defined as one of two or more individuals having one common parent. A brother or sister considered irrespective of their sex. Unless you are an only child, you are a sibling.

In life, a sibling plays an important role in the growth and development of his brothers and sisters. Older siblings take a role of decision making and leadership. Middle siblings take a role of communicator and conflict control. Younger siblings take just about everything left over from the above. These roles sometimes vary, but on the whole the pecking order is established in most families.

The picture to the right shows my brother and me...two siblings. I would guess that I am about eight months of age, and Henry is about two years of age. At first glance you might guess that we certainly did not come out of the same oven! Just look! Me...a round face, chubby cheeks, dark eyes , and black hair is showing. Henry...oval face, blue eyes, thin cheeks, and light brown hair is showing. Did someone get these siblings mixed up?

Life certainly produces differences in siblings. That first union of the egg and sperm is where life begins, when the set of chromosomes [23 from Dad, and 23 from Mom] join together for the first time. A new combination in this set of genes! What a difference the outcome can be. Just look at the picture of the siblings above.

Linda Carol and Ghost Stories

The first baby sitter I can remember was Linda Carol. We always called her "Linda Carol". Not "Linda" or "Carol", but her full name was used. The reason for this was not clear since there was not another Linda in our family to get her confused with. Besides, when my middle name was added to my first name, "Jerry Edward!"...it usually meant that I was in some kind of trouble. [Mostly Mom and Dad used this word combination to tell me to begin to examine my ongoing activities.]

Linda Carol was the baby sister of my Dad with some sixteen years between them. She was one of my favorite aunts. The picture to the right shows her at the summer of her "horse picture" around 1947-48. Her red hair and easy smile shows through, and it was her continued smile that brought my brother and me through many baby sitting episodes. She was very good at telling ghost stories... and at night, on the side porch, with the street light streaming dancing shadows along the stone steps, was the ideal area. Just as my heart started to pound, and just as the ghost started to arrive...Boo!...she would say, laughing from ear to ear.

Linda Carol, thank you for all those baby sitting days, and all those ghost stories...enjoy your ride.

Twenty Years Before

The last post showed a picture of the "Ewen Clan" at the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Grandad and Granny Ewen. The picture to the right shows pretty much the same clan some 20 years before.

My Dad had just starting dating Mom, and the year would be about 1947 plus or minus a year or so. The family was taking another picture which always seemed to be part of the gatherings. Dad is standing at the far right with his hands in his pockets. Not many smiles in this picture. Maybe this was just before eating time, and every one was a bit hungry? Maybe they had just finished a round of horse shoes and the losers were a bit upset? At any rate, Dad was making his required family visit with everyone else making their judgement about this left-handed, red head who wanted to marry Myrna Jean. There was even Junior's wife Juanita standing between Mom and Dad! Everyone seems tightly packed except Dad, who is leaning a little to the left. Mom has a young one before her and I am not sure who this little girl is. Dad was not quite a member of this family yet!

J.C. (John Clarence) does not seem to be in the picture, but he appears to be the only one missing. [Maybe he was taking the picture.] Wow, some 20 years before, how we change.

A Good Celtic Mixture

The last post showed a picture of my Dad's brothers and sisters with their mother. [Pap paw had died before this picture was taken.] All six of them with their distinctive red hair, fair skin, and freckles showing through [before they turned gray].

The picture to the right shows the brothers and sisters of my Mom, with their black "Ewen" hair, dark skin, and dark eyes. This was taken at the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Granny and Grandad Ewen. [March 21, 1968.]

From left to right: Sidney Brent Ewen, b. 1924 [we called Junior]; Kenard Darrell Ewen, b. 1942 [the baby of the family]; Myrna Jean Ewen, b. 1930 [my Mom!]; Charles Ronald Ewen, b. 1939 [we called Charlie, who took me on my first tree climbing experience!]; Eva Faye Ewen, b. 1928; John Clearence Ewen, b. 1922 [we called J.C.]; Cordius Allene Ewen, b. 1926 [we called Allene, and it was at her house I watched the landing on the moon 1969!]; Edith Delorese Ewen, b. 1934; and Wanda Bernice Ewen, b. 1937.
Nine of twelve children to have survived. All are standing behind their parents, Sidney and Stella. [We called Grandad and Granny.]

Scottish and Welsh would meet in the Bluegrass of Kentucky, resulting in my brother and me. A good Celtic mixture.