Friday, January 31, 2014

Pa and Ma

Several years ago there was a photo booth at the mall that would alter your picture to make it
look like a pencil drawing. This was made in 1990.
L. has lost the beard and several pounds. I have acquired a bunch  of wrinkles.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

29th Anniversary

Thirty-two years ago last August. Doing the math - 61 years married.
 
On my folks' anniversary my dad always said, using whatever year it was, "Twenty-two years
with the WRONG woman." Mom always laughed.
They had thirty-six years together.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Coat

One of my crochet creations. Not practical but it took a whole lot of yarn and helped the Yarn Yard shop pay its bills in 1968.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

The Photo Booth

Five of these poses were at the same "sitting."  The white fur coat was at an earlier time. What was with the finger on the cheek bit? I don't know which I liked the most; the fur coat or the cape like nurses wore. That was the job I wanted until high school when I almost flunked chemistry and decided that was not my calling.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Kazoo Kitchen Band

Friends of my mom who had a kazoo band with items from the kitchen and lots of plastic spoons. Sometime in the early'40's.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Cadwell Black Smith Shop and a Team

My memory is that this was in Haven, KS. I'm not sure about that! My Grandmother Wright's maiden
name was Cadwell so I think this must have belonged to some of her relatives.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Another Portrait of the Brown Brothers

This is the only other studio portrait I have of my dad and his brother. Dad, Dewey, is on the right and Lee is on the left. There is no date on the back but I would guess their ages to be about eighteen and sixteen.

Friday, January 24, 2014

The Wrights

The baby from yesterday's post is seated here with the big bow. They all are dressed nicely but I don't think they were wealthy. There was one more girl, Retta, who died in infancy.
I cannot imagine growing up in a family this size. About fifteen years after this photo was taken,
the head of the household left his wife and worked in western Kansas where he died shortly after he moved. His wife,  my grandmother, took in ironings and cleaned houses to support herself. Sad times during the depression - an apt name for the period. I didn't hear a lot of details about this, but I like to think that the "kids" helped their mom. They were all married by then.
From the left: Lloyd, Pearl, Victor, Iva, Alice, Claude, Selma and Harlan.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Little Girl; Long Dress

This is my mother, Selma Wright Brown, born in 1904 in Halstead, KS. I've always wondered what the point was in using all that fabric on a christening dress. Just a tradition or maybe the "style" of the day?

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The Brown Brothers

I know I've posted this before but along with the "older" pictures, this one goes back to about 1900. My dad, Dewey Russell, is on the chair and his brother, Harvey Lee is standing. They were born twenty-one months apart in August, 1896 and May, 1898. Lee served in the Rainbow Division in WWI. Dewey was not drafted and his brother told him to stay home and help on the farm. In 1922 Lee was working for the electric company and was killed  in an accident while trimming tree limbs away from a high line. My poor grandmother worried every day of the rest of her life because Dewey also worked for the electric company as a lineman and foreman. He retired at age 65 and lived until 1982. Curls were not unusual for boys at that time. Not so sure about the bow in the hair.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Live or a Mannequin?


 
Either way, I look sort of bored; since then I don't remember being bored - maybe tired, or listless - but never bored.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Dodge City, KS - 1965

When we lived in Dodge City (1955-57) Boot Hill was there but not developed. With the TV program, Gunsmoke, there came a big change to the Hill!  Front Street was developed with old buildings moved, refurbished and furnished with historical items. The saloon had sarsaparilla,  a clangy piano and dancing girls. The graveyard above the hill was filled with tombstones listing the outlaws and how they died.
So, with a bigger tourist attraction, many folks traveled there on US highway 54. We took the boys there to see the place. in 1965. I hope they remember this trip. We returned there with the grandkids in 2003 (I think!) Why can I remember dates from years ago and not recent dates? Because the film developer put the dates on the photos.


Sunday, January 19, 2014

PN Checking Out MN


I wonder what he was really thinking. . . does the cowboy hat go with the suit?
The new Buick station wagon with the sky windows arrived on MN's birthday
that April.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

PN and Friends


                                               1963 with MA and NJ

Friday, January 17, 2014

Thursday, January 16, 2014

At the Tank

I think I've posted this before but it's the tank in Emporia. Our boys and their cousin, MLN. I believe
they have painted it since the 1960's.

  

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Bird on PN


Keeping with yesterday's theme of PN and birds, this happened in 2005 when a bird found its way into the office. I like to think it knew that he wouldn't swat it or hurt it in any way.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Bird Boy - 1965



Like many families we've had dogs, cats, gerbils, sea monkeys and birds.
Oh wait.  Maybe not everybody sends off for sea monkeys,
We had a lot of pets.
Even though the lighting on this picture is terrible, it's another favorite of mine.

Monday, January 13, 2014

With Grandma and Grandpa


We still have the porch swing that my folks bought from the Reformatory workshop in the '30s. I can remember swinging in it when I was about the size of MN - because my legs  didn't reach the floor.

The boys loved to go there and stay for the afternoon.    Sadly, my mother only lived two more years after this photo was taken. She would have taken such pleasure in seeing those grandsons grow up. My dad had twenty years more and I still miss them both.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Bow Tie Day

I don't know why PN is the only one saying, "Cheese."

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Tired

Why didn't his mother put him down for a nap?

Friday, January 10, 2014

My Favorite Photo

 
Posted by Picasaand MN almost three years. (From PN's album)

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Dad and his Boys


PN's first Christmas, with LN and MN
 
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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Brothers

 
 
Posted by PicasaPlus Grandma and Mom

Twenty-eight months and Two Weeks

 

First photo is PN at two weeks with his "older"  and second one with friend, NJR,
who happened to be a girl.
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Monday, January 6, 2014

Early photos

These are photos of our two sons.
The first one,  MN, was taken in the hospital. He is the older by twenty-eight months.
The second, PN, was taken at home with his Grandma Brown.

Since it is cold here, just like the rest of the country, we are not getting out
to take any pictures. I asked their permission so this theme will continue for a while.


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Sunday, January 5, 2014

Two in Taffeta

t
This is a photo of the baby Violet at about
three years. The girl with her is Opal Harkness.
I don't know if they were friends or related in some way.
What colors did little girls wear in 1907? Red, blue, green?
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Saturday, January 4, 2014

Snow People and Quilters


These delightful snow people, an angel made from an old quilt and the two friends
statue were all gifts from dear friends.
The "Show and Tell" plaque was from my cousin, Marcheta.
They cheer me up.
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Friday, January 3, 2014

Beautiful Baby


This is the baby from yesterday's post. She is wearing the same
dress and locket so I believe it was taken at the same sitting.
Violet Rose.
Isn't that a lovely name?
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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Grandma and Second Grandson

 
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Family Portrait 1906


I love this formal photograph.
This is my great aunt Eliza Pringle Hampton and her
husband, Fred, and daughter Violet.
Eliza was my grandmother's sister.
I love the hair styles.
I thought I read somewhere that people parted little boys' hair
in the middle. But in this case we have a girl!
And that is one great pompadour on Aunt "Lie-zee" as we called her!
I would think it was arranged with the help of a rat.
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

All Suited Up



And ready for church in  the latest fashion in 1949.
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