(Original Images and Text, Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) I was probably in third grade when these photos were taken. Even with an attempt at retouching the images haven't held up particularly well, but I still love them. What can I tell you about these photos? Well, I know my mom made my dress, because she made almost all of my clothes.
You can see that my doll from Poland which appeared in last week's Wordless Wednesday post has, literally, taken a back seat on the chair behind me. I'm now holding my new doll. My mom made the Polish costume on the new doll, including the little ribboned wreath of flowers on her head. I still have the table and chair shown in the photo. The table is in my basement. I use it for crafts and organizing stuff (or not organizing stuff, as the case may be). The chair is in my front foyer. Unfortunately all the tree ornaments are gone. We lost them in a flood in my mother's basement probably 25 years ago.
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) Yesterday was a REALLY good day. Heritage Zen was listed with the all of the wonderful blogs nominated for Family Tree Magazine's 40 Best Genealogy Blogs! I was, and still am, thrilled and excited beyond belief. My day is brighter! My skin is clearer! My house is cleaner! I even think I lost a couple of pounds! All since yesterday! (I know I've used too many exclamation marks in one paragraph, but I don't care!!!)
(Original Image and Text, Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) A while back my son told me I needed a Snuggie. I am always cold, so when my son saw Snuggies advertised on television he decided that was exactly what I needed. What we all needed. Well, except for the dog. I had to draw the line somewhere, and frankly I didn't think they had one in her size. I bought a purple one for myself, a camouflage one for my husband, and a SpongeBob one for the son. Is it just me or do you not see your "average Joe" hanging out in a duck blind or one of those little ice fishing huts, kicking back a few brews with his buddies in a camo Snuggie?
I once remember hearing someone refer to the 1970s as "the decade that taste forgot." As someone who spent her teen years in the 1970s, I have to agree. There were some pretty ridiculous Christmas gifts back then. The 70s brought us the mood ring (got that), the pet rock (got that), the bead curtain (yup, got that), and the lava lamp (didn't get that, but really, really wanted one). Do you remember the Buttoneer? It was a little gizmo that popped buttons onto clothing without a needle and thread. Mom, who was a wonderful seamstress and a sewing perfectionist, wanted and got one for Christmas one year. The Buttoneer was going to make her life easier. No more fussing over buttons. Let's just say the product didn't live up to her expectations. It was about a refined as putting buttons on your disco dress with a staple gun. We gave, and got, our share of fruitcake too.
But as far as I'm concerned, that Twelve Days of Christmas thing is the biggest HOLIDAY MARKETING ploy ever. Even bigger than fruitcake. Every year at Christmas someone on a TV news or chat show adds up the cost of all that stuff and figures out would it would cost in today's dollars. Other than the five golden rings, even if you could afford to buy all of that stuff, what's the point? For one thing, who in their right mind would even want all of those birds? Seven swans, six geese, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and don't forget the partridge who started all the trouble. Twenty three birds. After those six geese get done a-laying, what do you get? Either way too many eggs, or worse yet, more birds. Then you've got the drummer's drumming and the piper's piping, and the ladies dancing. No one is working here except for the eight maids a milking, and those lords leaping all over the place are probably distracting the maids from their milking duties anyway. And what the heck are you going to feed all of those people? Dairy products?
(Original Image and Text, Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) I was probably about six when this photo was taken. The doll was sent to my grandmother to give to me from family in Poland. I never knew who sent it until this year. Check back next week on Amanuensis Monday to find out what I learned about the doll.
The barn on my in-laws' family homestead. The family has lived in the same place for over 200 years.
The "girls" grazing across the street. I got a little nervous when they all came running over to me while I was trying to take their picture. I wondered if they somehow thought I was involved in the milking process. The Mohawk River is between the tree line and the hill in the distance.
My son's first snowman of the season. There wasn't much snow, but he and my husband managed to put this wee snowman together. Mr. Snow is a rather forlorn looking little fellow. He kind of has the same look on his face that I did when I found out the pumpkin pie was gone...
(Original Image and Text, Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette)
(Original Image and Text, Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette)
"Um, Honey...THIS isn't grandmother's house. I said over the river and through the woods. THROUGH the woods."
How DID our ancestors manage?
For a more thoughtful post on Thanksgiving read my post, Reflecting on My American Experience This Thanksgiving.
Now go have that second piece of pumpkin pie. You know you want to...
Happy Thanksgiving from Cynthia at Heritage Zen!
Other Posts You Might Like:
Meditation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: WWI Red Cross Volunteers
COG 97: Researching the "Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
Tombstone Tuesday: Wladyslaw Kowalewski, The Mystery Continues
(Original Image and Text, Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) Genetics are an interesting thing. I have a number of photos in my collection with no information on them, but I can tell they are ancestors just by who they look like in my family. I know nothing for sure about the people in this photo, but I know we are related. Several people in the photo clearly resemble the Kowalewski side of the family.
On the back of the photo: "Augusta, GA 7-2-18"
Written on the train: "Going to GET the Kaiser, Scranton, Pa, US Aviation Section Regulars, Going to Germany to Berlin via France"
" I'm next."
"Camp Greene, Charlotte N.C."
"Kolacja na "hike" (Dinner on the "hike")"
Written on the back: "What we got ourselves into"
"Camp Greene, Charlotte, NC."
(Original Image and Text, Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette)I found this photo in with my grandfather Adolf Szerejko's World War I photos. He was stationed in France. My guess is the photo dates from about 1918. This looks like a posed photo to be sold to soldiers and tourists.Worcester Daily Telegram. June 5, 1918.
Fail to Find Mother of Abandoned Child
All the efforts of the police department to find the mother of the three-hours-old girl discovered in the woods in the rear of 390 Lovell street, yesterday forenoon had failed up to an early hour, this morning. From the time the police were notified they worked on the case without result.
The baby was found by August Andrew, 18 Southbridge street: Joseph Menchette, Shrewsbury, and Francis Rawson, 574 Pleasant street, yesterday forenoon.
The cries of the infant attracted the attention of three men who were working in their gardens close by. They found the baby resting on a pillow of leaves and moss, and partially covered with leaves.
The men notified police headquarters, and the ambulance with Police surgeon Robert J. Northridge, was sent to the scene. Dr. Northridge said the baby was only a few hours old and would have died of exposure in a short time. The baby was wrapped in blankets and taken to city hospital.
A whisky bottle, freshly emptied, was found near the spot.
