Trick or Treat from years gone by

Just wish I had Dwight as baby Huey.

JWE with Grandma & Grandad E 1928

On his sixth birthday.

Is Dad an imp or what? He looks to be on the verge of taking off.

I think the dog is saying throw the stick, throw the stick. You will note that Grandad has a hand on the stick and his shoulder. Steady James, just stand still for a minute.

JWE with his Grandmother E

Here is JWE with his grandmother, my great grandmother. I don't think he's a year old yet so this is probably 1922.

JWE at 15 months 1923

This is the good life. I believe that is JWE's grandmother E on the porch.

Did you ever know this man when he didn't have a dog? Almost every photo of his childhood has a dog in it. Grandma E's photo of him that she kept on her dresser was of him as a young adult with his dog Bob. We always had a dog growing up. Probably the only time he didn't have one was the time between leaving the farm and when we got our first family dog, Rusty.

Menfolk

Paul, John, and Arch.

They look like trouble. Paul in short pants...knickers? What do you call those?

And here they are again with their ring leader

Father and sons at camp

Sam, Arch, and Paul

More boys on bikes

The back of the photo says Laura, Paul, Arch, and Doris.

Top

Baby Beth with big brother John about 1926.

Bottom

Baby Arch about age 1

Sam and Anne

I had this very nice photo of my grandparents at the top of the blog in the banner for a brief time. It's nice but it was too grim so I moved it to a regular post. I think this must go with the same serious Christmas photo I had earlier with my parents and aunts and uncles.

I did not know them when they were young. But these photos are closer to the stories I know about them. The baby is Beth.

Here's the crew. Baby Christine brings the total to six. I finally got a little sister.
L to R, Dean, Scott, David, Dwight. Seated Margaret and Christine.
And of course, Laddie

Bicycle days (sometime in the 1930's)

Uncle Arch (left) with friends.

Uncle Paul hamming it up on the handlebars.

Uncle Paul (center) with friends.

Family Classic 1924 or 1925

Family classic.
"James" was the apple of Grandma E's eye. She never called hin Jim.

1989 JWE and Margaret a few favs or our visit to Great Britain

As long as I can remember I begged to have a horse or pony. I remember sitting with Grandad E. at the livestock auctions when I was about 4 and begging him to buy me every horse they brought out. I think I was trying to figure out how to get this one home.

In southern England wild ponies wander about for the amusement of tourists. It was hard to know that periodically they harvest/thin the herd for population control and profit (ie pet food).


The farm boy showed himself a little. I'd never seen Dad engaging with any animal besides the family dog until now. He often seemed to distance himself from his farm background. I've always been touched by this connection he made with this little foal whose future was uncertain.

Quintessential JWE

The pony cart was for my benefit. Dad made me feel like a little girl by encouraging this silly but memorable tourist activity. I cherish it.

Dwight & Julie wedding 1980

Are these kids really old enough to get married? Gosh, in 1980, Dwight was only 23 and Julie was even younger than that. Dwight really did have really RED hair....
been a long time since anyone saw that.

Julie has been such a wonderful addition to our family, as have all of my sister-in-laws. They all are important pieces in this family puzzle and building blocks in our foundation.

A truly rare event when Jim and Beth danced together. The time was obviously right!
Look at Jim in that white tux.

Mom was proud and happy to have her family gravitate to town for the event. Below is Aunt Martha and Aunt Gail on the front porch of 2270. I look at the picture and I see mom's african violets in the background.

Uncle Arch and Dorothy Kail. Dorothy was a Sell and Beth's cousin. Her daughters, Janet and Mary Lou used to come and stay with Grandma M. if our family went out of town.

L to R, Arch, John, and Martha.

We had such a great front porch. Many of us have tried to replicate the family front porch as we have gotten our own homes.