Photo Frenzy

 

Now that we do not print our photos, what is going to happen to the future genealogists?  This dilemma struck me today.  When technology first changed to digital pictures, people were worried that photos would remain stuck suspended in the users camera forever.  Now, most people take photos with their phone.  What will happen to them?  Do you know where your camera is?  When was the last time you printed photos?

During a recent visit to my sister’s home in Kentucky, I took some photos that our mother had taken out of her photo albums and brought them home to scan.  In doing so, I am able to remember vacations we took or relatives that are no longer here.  I wanted to share some of my favorites with you today.

Girl Power

This is a great picture.  Here is a picture with two of my paternal aunts, my mom, three female cousins as well as my sister and I.  I love this picture because it brings back happy memories of spending Easter with them.  I am not sure if it was every year, but in my memory, each of the families would take turns visiting the other at Easter.  Now, this is no easy feat, their family had five children and ours had four.  In addition, there were over 350 miles that separated us.

 

Larry and Marge Whitehead 1939

This next picture is of Margaret Kersten Whitehead, my paternal grandmother and her son, my father in 1939.  I figure my father was between 2 and 3 years old.  I have seen other pictures with them on the beach, but not this one.  I still do not know where this was taken.  Was this in Chicago, on the shores of Lake Michigan? If you look at the picture, neither one of them look like they are dressed for the beach.  Did they happen to stop there on the way to somewhere else?

 

Jack & Carol Johnson

I have never seen this picture before.  This is my maternal Aunt and her husband, Carol and Jack.  This was taken in 1965.  When I was a young girl, I used to think that they were so cool.  In my eyes, they were so charismatic and free-spirited.  My Uncle had a MG Midget that was a convertible.  I vaguely recall a VW Beetle, but that could be the memory playing tricks on me.

Larry & Betty Whitehead

Lastly, this picture makes me laugh, because it was probably taken for my father’s birthday.  I am not sure what my mother’s aversion to making birthday cakes, but she did not do it often.  For my 16th birthday, when I fussed about not having a cake, she put a candle in my oatmeal.  So, I think the same thing might have happened in this picture.  The smiles on them are great.  They are really enjoying the joke and we get to have a peak at them.

I hope you upload some of your phone pictures to your favorite photo-printing site and get some printed, soon.  Otherwise, I am afraid nobody will be able to see them.  Remember Facebook and the other social media sites will likely be around when future generations will come looking.

 

Until later, I will be exploring backwards.  Have a great Thanksgiving.  Remember to count your blessings every day.

 

 

Humor

What does it mean to be funny or witty?  I think both are different types of humor.  What part does humor play in our family?  Where do we get our sense of humor?

“Humor: The ability to laugh at any mistake you survive.” ~Jerry Tucker

“Humor must not professedly teach, and it must not professedly preach, but it must do both if it would live forever.”
– Mark Twain in Eruption

My family cracks jokes (teases) with each other often.  It was one of the first things I warned Cheryl about was that if we tease you, it is because we like you.  Cheryl did not really seem to understand this logic.  I think it took Dee Dee a while to understand it was our family’s way.  But, it is.  I do not know where we got it from because neither of my parents teases in this way.  Don’t get me wrong, my parents are fun and humorous people.  But, they do not use teasing as a way of expressing themselves.

I have this picture of my grandparents, Lacy and Odelle, dressed up for some type of party.  It makes me smile.  Where are they going?  I am not sure, but they both look like they are ready for a good time.  Lacy has a pipe and some suspenders.  My grandfather passed away when I was very young (11 years old), but I always remembered him as a jokester.  I know I have written about it before about his wiggling his ears, etc.

 

Lacy and Odelle embracing the funnier side of life

My grandmother was not as silly as my grandfather, but she enjoyed a good time.  I remember her laughing a lot.  I wonder if that is what she saw in my grandfather.

My Uncle Don is a funny guy as well.  He would honk to cows when we were younger and is always jovial.  He would place bets with my mother on golf and they would sign and date bills.  They both kept them for years.  He even made a shrine of them one time.

The Shrine

Don and Leah paying homage

Who else was funny or has a great sense of humor in our family?  If you have a story, please share.