Slice of Life: Photo Stories

I've been busy organizing the pictures that my sister-in-law, Kathy, has sent me. I decided to organize them by family names: Scifres, Duff, Martin, and Aaron. I just created a new family Facebook group for the descendants of my great-great-grandparents, George Washington Aaron and Mary Elizabeth Harrison. I look forward to sharing photos and stories with my many cousins. 

As I organize the pictures, I think about where the photos were taken. Here are a few of the recent ones that have piqued my interest and made me think about locations.

I love this pic of my grandmother, Ella Martin Duff, and her sister, Rebecca Lillian Martin Sampson. When I shared it with my sister Kay, we tried to figure out whose house this was. We knew it wasn't ours since we did not have roses in front of a window. So we decided it was either Granny's house or Aunt Becky's house. I'm on the lookout for other pics taken in Granny's front yard to see if there are roses in front of the window. If it's Granny's house, the hedge would be between her house and the England's house. If it's Aunt Becky's house, the hedge would be between her house and Granny's house. Aunt Becky lived next door to Granny. We lived across the street and down two houses. I sure wish I could ask Dad or Karl about this. They would be sure to know which house had a hedge because they probably trimmed it.

When we first saw this black and white picture, we thought it was the same house, but then we realized the trellis isn't in front of a window and the window is in a different place. This one was developed in August, 1956. I love it when photos have the date on them. 

Front row: Karl Ellis Scifres, Ramona Ella Scifres, and unidentified little girl 

Second row: Ella Martin Duff, Martha Kay Scifres, Lillian Estell Duff Scifres, Ruby Dee Duff Mills, Bill Mills, Billy Wayne Mills (Where was Kenny Joe? Helping Uncle Jim take the picture?)

Back row: Natalie Oneta Duff Maze

 

 

When I looked at this third photo and saw the wagon wheel in the front yard, I knew immediately that this was Aunt Nan and Uncle Jim's house in Tulsa. Funny how little details like that stick in one's memory from 50+ years ago. This photo had names on the back and is also dated August 1956. Rose Ann, Shirley, and Mona are William Woodrow (Ella Martin's youngest brother) and Maxine Martin's girls. And when I looked at this picture, I realized that perhaps the unknown little girl between Aunt Ruby Dee and Uncle Bill in the previous picture might be one of Uncle Woodrow and Aunt Maxine's girls. Perhaps we were all there at the same time.

It's amazing to see what I can recall as I look at old pictures. And the satisfaction I felt when I recognized the wagon wheel from Aunt Nan and Uncle Jim's yard still makes me smile! Maybe my stroll down memory lane will send you looking at old photos. I hope so! There's no time like the present to document the people and the memories.  

   It’s Slice of Life Tuesday! You can read more slices at Two Writing Teachers.