Posted in All My Ancestors, Sunday Report

Aunties and Ancestors

Pictured above are my Great-Aunts Bernie and Ruth…

My brother, who is downsizing, has been steadily bringing me medium-size boxes of family photos and other ephemera that he’s unearthed. Because we’ve been so busy with garden, family, and travel I am just now getting around to pilfering through the photo albums.

If you know me well at all, you have heard many “Aunt Bernie” stories, starring my grand-aunt Bernadine Mayne Harrison, who lived to be 100 years old. Born in 1903, she was 19 when she married Uncle Harry, and they were married for 50 years before he died in 1972. Bernie and Harry traveled a lot and in 1950 they loaded up their car on a ship and sailed to Italy, where they disembarked and proceeded to tour. In one of the boxes Brother brought me is a full album of that trip. I am fascinated and have fallen in love with my Auntie all over again.

She was the Best Dresser! Check this out. Her purse has a hook for her gloves…

Aunt Bernie and Uncle Harry in Italy. 1950

There’s more of that sort, as well as pictures of Bernie’s sister, my beloved Aunt Ruth (who first took me to the cemeteries). Here’s the sisters – not Italy, most likely the Gulf of Mexico.

GrandAunts Bernie and Ruth

There are other old albums with pictures of Grandmother and Grandad (Bernie and Ruth’s parents, my great-grands) that I’ve never seen before, and a daguerreotype, marked! as my great-great-great grandparents, Eliza and Orlando Harris (Grandad’s grandparents).

Eliza Jane and Orland Harris, 1850s

Call me crazy, but I believe these folks are here with me. Of course, I actually knew and had a relationship with my aunties and grandparents, but all of the greats have become so familiar to me as I researched and wrote about their lives and times. I love telling the tales of my tribe and I draw them down to help me sort through the photographs of their happy times.

The oppressive heat is back and the garden is wrapping up, so it’s a good time to stay in the a/c and do some writing over on the Ancestry blog. I’ve got some stories to share…

Stay cool!

Peace

Posted in All My Ancestors, Weekly Wrap-Up

Sunday Report 6-27-2021

Behind the scenes of the scintillating life that I share with you on this blog is my Real Life. In my Real Life there are many relationships and each of them takes their turn at drama. Most of my family do Not read my blog, so I’m often tempted to spill the tea about them, but really I would rather just let it all be. However, Real Life intruded just last week when I delivered my Aunt Shirley’s ashes to her son Jeff’s house. I brought her ashes up from Florida last March and she’s been sitting on a shelf, surrounded by other family pictures. She’s been inspiring me — Shirley never was one to be quiet. — but it was time to move her along, getting her verry close to her final resting spot beside her Mom & Dad.

Aunt Shirley just before setting off on the last leg of her last trip to Grayville…

At any rate, I’ve had too many dramatic scenes played out for me this year, Distracting me from Ancestry research that I started Last Year and I was beginning to think I would Never Finish! I’m here to announce that I have, at last, added my great-grandmother’s family to my ancestry blog in a 3-part series published right Here: https://allmyancestry.wordpress.com/kinkade-mcwilliams-walker/

I still need to write a 4th chapter to tie up some loose ends, but I really need to move away from the family tree for the summer. Genealogy takes up so much time that I have to make it a seasonal hobby to make room for my gardening and travel, not to mention my Living Family!!

Here’s What’s Happening in the Gardens…

We decided to stake our zucchini this year…

…so far it’s working, but it isn’t helping them get pollinated so I need to attract bees. We’re looking at Bee Houses to attract Mason Bees, but it may be too late for this year…still studying. Any suggestions?

Ellis Park starts live racing Today…another reason I have to put away the genealogy. I’m skipping Opening Day, but I’ll be there In-Person on Thursday or Friday, or both…depends on the weather.

I love Summertime! Hope you’re enjoying!

Peace