Four Generations Side by Side

A few days ago, I noticed these pictures my wife had placed on some of our kitchen cabinets.  They were positioned  pretty much as shown, the black and white on top, and the color picture below.  Four generations I thought.    Looking carefully, I saw myself in both pictures.  About the same age [when the pictures were taken], about the same position [the right hand side], the same round head, the same eyes and nose,  is my youngest grandson Ian. 

The upper picture was taken in the 1950s.  The lower picture was taken not so long ago.  My family and me, and my youngest daughter Ellen and her family, are shown some 50 years apart.  The smiles look much the same.  Four generations on film side by side, how about that.

Valentine's Day

There's Cupid...arrows in hand...gazing into the sky along with the the wishful female who seems to be sitting on the sands of time.  The clouds have joined in, adding their hearts to the to the moment. "OH, BE MY VALENTINE" is the wish of so many at this time of year.  How all this got started is somewhat of a mystery.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica states:

            "St. Valentine's Day as a lovers' festival dates at least from the 14th century."

That would be from the 1300s onward when the idea of romantic love had its roots in the age of chivalry. [King Aurthur and his knights started big time by Geoffrey of Monmouth and picked up by the Normans in 1155 AD]  More elaborate, more ceremonious, and more romantic as the sands of  time moved forward.

However, the earliest St. Valentine's Day celebrated on February 14 was not related to romance.  It was associated with martyrdom.  A early Roman priest and physician was put to death because of his beliefs during the reign of Claudius II [268-270 AD].  Can you imagine what sort of clouds he was gazing into on this first St. Valentine's Day.

Sitting At The Table

Last post showed a picture of my family setting the table at one of our family reunions.  The women folk were mostly involved in the cooking and preparation.   They would bring their "best" dishes to the gatherings and carefully place them along the tables set before us.   The following picture shows the sitting at the table.

It seemed to me the males made it to a sitting position most of the time during this phase of the gathering.  Food to the mouth is shown to be the main activity.  There were even some younger folks sitting at this table.  Don't remember ever sitting myself, but there were other things to do.  You could go a long way on a fried chicken leg in each hand.  Yes sir, the women would set the table, and on the most part, it was the men who would sit the table.

Setting The Table

Family "get-togethers" where a special event.  It was one of those times that the best cooks in Eastern Kentucky would gather to demonstrate their culinary skills.  Setting the table at these events would take a special kind of organization and cooperation.   The picture below shows such a "get-together".

The year was 1957.  The table was the back of a hay wagon. [A wheel can be seen in the lower left.]  Picnic baskets, Mason Jar boxes; all kinds of bowls, plates, pans, and lots of growling stomachs are shown.  Care was always taken to get things just right, and the desserts were my first plan of attack.  [All the other folks started at the other end.]  The oldest of the family were always placed first in line.

Women were in charge.  They set the table, arranged the order, placed all the dishes, and kept the kids at bay that were circling the tables.  Trying to grab a fried chicken leg in advance was always a challenge.  The men would sit around in their hats and talk, or play horseshoes while the women got the table just right. [The men can be seen in narrow gap between the standing women.]  Setting the table in 1957...how would it be done today...setting the table in 2013.

Front Porches

Facing the world around us comes from all sorts of opportunities.  Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches give us all types of input.  A little here, a little there...and off we go into this thing called life.  How we learn and grow is often a result.

My Dad is shown in one of his opportunities.

It would be around the year 1926 - 1927, and he would have been less then one year of age.   There is this look of deep thought which must have been from seeing a passing bug, or perhaps caused by one of those diaper filling events that parents get to enjoy on many occasions.

A front porch it would seem to be.  He has been placed in one of those wheelie things that give you a chance to move around once you have figured out how to navigate the contraption.  There is a small chair placed to the side, but I bet Dad would not sit still to occupy this space for very long.  Let's get rolling!  Got to take advantage of this opportunity to explore this front porch.  Where did that bug go anyway?   Life, and the front porches...let's get going...opportunities await.

Shelves

A thin flat piece of material (usually wood) fastened horizontally at a distance from the floor to hold objects is defined a shelf.  Of course, the objects placed upon the shelves are completely left to the one owning the shelf.  The following picture is such a group of shelves.

These shelves belonged to my Granny Ewen.  The picture was taken in the early 1960's. [Not sure of the exact date.]  It contains the items that Granny thought were important to her.

Let's see.  There are cups and plates along the lower most shelf.  It would certainly be helpful in getting to them when all the family was around to eat.

The next shelf contains a radio, clock and some unclear items.   Music and time...or time for music...or just what time is it...could all be handled from this shelf.

The third shelf contains plants.  It looks like ivy.  Plants growing over the plates, clock, radio, and those things below.  Granny must have been a good plant "grower" and "waterer"  to keep things out those objects below.  [She did love plants.]

The forth and fifth selves contain some objects that were probably not needed very often.  Jugs, fancy cups, a plate nailed to the side, etc., etc...those kinds of things you want to show, but not have any touch. [Or break when I was around.]

The shelves of our lives contain all kinds of stuff.   They tell others what is important to us in a way that nothing else can tell.  These were Granny Ewen's shelves.  What do your shelves tell about you?

IT

Can you believe it.  It is just hanging there.  Move it a little this way...that way...ouch it hurts.  I can't sleep...I can't eat...I can't smile because of it.   Dad just wants to grab hold of it and yank it out.   Mom wants to wiggle it a little at a time until it just falls out.  My brother wants to tie a string around it, then tie the other end of the string to the bedroom door knob, and slam the door shut on it.  What...are you kidding me...it won't work.  

Anyway, it has got to come out sometime.  Maybe if I just pretend it doesn't exist...maybe it will just go away... or fall out all by itself.  Nope...doubt it.   Hey...life will go on in spite of it.  Well enough already...it is time to go out and play... or is it?