I look at my grandmother’s photo and wonder what she’s reading
On Sunday, my family drive through Durand IL (pop. 1500). It’s the place my family drive me every summer of childhood.
My son took a photo of his four kids in front of my grandparents house. He asked for an old photo of the house to compare. I rediscovered this picture of my maternal grandmother.
I wonder what she’s reading.
Grandmother whose China went to Laura post
Then I went and googled her and a her name comes up. The people I want to call and ask, are passed.
Charlotte Baker Rowley 1888-1980
Born Jun 1888 in Winnebago, Illinois, USAmap
Daughter of Eugene Baker Rowley and Mary S Smith
Sister of Clair S Rowley, May Rowley, Edna Rowley and Cecile Rowley
Wife of Judd DeWitt Vansickle — married 16 Nov 1908 in Winnebago, Illinois, USAmap
[children unknown]
Died Jun 1980 in Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States of Americamap. But her children are known. My mother was Marian.And no mention of Charlotte’s middle name Elizabeth.
I must ask my older cousin, John. Maybe he’ll know
I’ll list their children
John Rowley Van Sickle b 1910
Marian Van Sickle b 1912
Robert Eugene b 1914
Notice -“Booming Stats” on Abandoned Blog Today
Five years ago I tried to create a recipe blog from my grandmother’s wooden recipe box and my mother’s recipe cards. I’d forgotten all about it until today when I got a notice from WordPress. Try this link to the blog A friend wrote she had trouble
getting to it
I didn’t stick with this blog for very long.
There were SIX followers. Throwback seemed as if the recipes weren’t really relevant nowadays.
It stopped seeming like such a cool idea.
But today I got a notice “Your stats are BOOMING!” On the Throwback Recipes blog. Rhubarb Cake recipe and the home page
And 65 hits (that’s booming after zero) are from El Salvador, 2 are from United States and 1 from Australia. And in just ONE hour.
So thought I would share about my abandoned blog that got rediscovered today.
Did you ever start a blog and abandon it?
It’s always nice to receive those notices from WordPress.
Here is the Chocolate Pound Cake recipe my mother made
How I Look to my Granddaughters
Weekly photo challenge: FACEMaura and Anna drew their grandmother’s face- mine!
Drawn on dry erase board. Maura -7
Drawn on the other half of the board with dry erase marker. By Anna-12
Easter Portraits, 4 in Half-Light
A wonderful term. Took individuals of the grandkids about 7:30 PM. We were headed to Easter Vigil which started at 8:30 PM.
Took Anna and Michael again in the church parking lot as the light was even more lovely when we arrived.
Charles’ was taken on his front porch Thursday, ambient light but not exactly half.
Michael in Half- Light in front of St Patrick Church
Someone’s brake lights added the red highlights to Anna’s hair.
Jack’s photo was taken first. Still bright.
Maura at dusk in the front yard
Charles on the front porch
And the following poem comes to mind for the challenge- except a small fat grandmama I am not- I’m a BIG one! And instead of Banbury Cakes we brought out four dozen Hot Cross Buns from Rocco’s Pasticceria on Bleecker Street.
My mother used to read me this poem from The Bumper Book by Watty Piper
The Cupboard
by Walter de la Mare
I know a little cupboard,
With a teeny tiny key,
And there’s a jar of Lollypops
For me, me, me.
It has a little shelf, my dear,
As dark, as dark can be,
And there’s a dish of Banbury Cakes
For me, me, me.
I have a small fat grandmamma,
With a very slippery knee,
And she’s Keeper of the Cupboard,
With the key, key, key.
And when I’m very good, my dear,
As good as good can be,
There’s Banbury Cakes, and Lollypops
For me, me, me.
Handmade Lace and Toile du Juoy
Thursday afternoon, my friend Barbara showed me a pretty pillow she had made at Alterations Express. She used fabric from her mother. her grandmother’s handmade lace and her special pillow.
When I saw the fabric I said,”Oh, my friend Joanne gave me a knitting bag made of something similar and it’s French and has pastoral scenes.” but I couldn’t remember the term and had to look it up-
Toile du Jouy
(and here is a link to a blogpost about the history of toile)
Barbara went and got a box with beautiful pieces of lace, created by her grandmother, Josephine Cinquegranni DiGalbo (b. 1890) Notice the blue edge on the lace.
I looked at the lace with admiration. Such expert craftsmanship and beauty. I asked Barbara is she had a photograph of her grandmother.
Barbara’s Grandparents, Angelo and Josephine, on their wedding day.
Her grandmother’s town of origin was Castlebuono, Sicily. The photograph was taken on Butler Street in Lawrenceville, a Pittsburgh neighborhood.
And here is a photo of their daughter, Mary Ann, Barbara’s mother. I had the pleasure of knowing her and remember her for her kindness to my children.
And here are some of the lace specimens, her grandmother’s pattern books and crochet hook were in the box, too.
A note in Barbara’s mother’s hand about the lace.
A Dozen Years of Love
Lucky us! Happy Twelfth Birthday Anna Catherine!
One October morning before dawn, you made me and Marlene happy grandmothers.
Loved by your family and friends, your loving heart and kind spirit come out in your eyes.
Anna holds her cousin Charlie- Sunday Oct 4th.
Twelve years flew by! Love you lots, Anna. Happy Birthday. FF Ruthie
Hula Hooper Anna video from five years ago.
Your Happiest Birthday Yet
For my daughter Laura, on her birthday. Your happiest birthday yet.
Born in Eschenbach, Germany
Here we are on Argonne Avenue in Grafenwoehr and in my Pittsburgh driveway almost 32 years later.
Happy mother with happy baby makes a very happy birthday!
James holding Charles, Laura and Aunt Mary as she meets him for the first time.
- *driveway photo courtesy of my neighbor Joaquin
Reflections at the end of Mother’s Day
How a family grows-
My grandmother and grandfather and my mother held by her grandfather on the right
with my mother’s grandmother and great-grandmother seated- Durand Illinois- my mother born in 1912
Marian Van Sickle in the middle with her brothers on either side John(l) and Robert(r) with parents Judd and Charlotte Van Sickle
My brother David and sister Mary and me in our mother’s arms Montclair NJ 1952
Me in Germany 1983 with Laura (’83) Mark (’76) and Matthew(’80)
On the left, Laura (and James) expecting first baby and Mark (back right) with his family- Erika, Anna, Michael, John Patrick (Jack) and Maura and my sister in the middle back and Erika with her mother and father and aunts and cousins and Henry in the front.
Donna’s Grandmother Anna b. 1884 Crocheted a Doll’s Dress and Donna Crocheted a July 4th Doll
Today after school I went to visit my friend Donna. She had commented that she had a doll collection when she saw the post of Barbara’s dolls last week. I asked her if I could come over and photograph her collection.
Here’s a painting of her Grandmother – Anna Kugler, born in Germany est. 1884 according to the 1940 census I was able to find. The artist is Donna’s Uncle Francis, Anna’s son. There are two more paintings he painted. The snowy back yard with the bird feeder is Donna’s parents backyard.
1940 Census found online.
Painted by Francis Kugler
Donna’s Aunt , Sister Evarista, created this nun doll c. 1950. The clothes are made from an acutal whipple and habit from the Order of St. Joseph.
Uncle Charles Goodall, Donna’s father’s brother, brought back the Koala bear from Australia in WW II.
Bride Doll used at showers for decoration
My Grandmother Grew Cosmos
At the Farmer’s Market, I saw bunches of Cosmos and my grandmother Hendricks came to mind.
She used to grow them. I bought a bouquet and put them in a vase.
They just look “old fashioned” to me.
This is the grandmother who taught me to knit. My father’s mother.
When I was at Laura and James house, I took this photo of the tag on the afghan they have in their living room.
Her name was Mary Alta but she went by Alta. I have never met anyone else named Alta.
My appreciation for all things handmade and knit was passed down.
Recently I was led to open the back of her Book of Common Prayer and found this list in her hand.
Here is a list of 26 afghans she knit for others when she was in the Nursing Home in Taylorville Illinois.
I’m Ruthie, Mark is my son and Marian is my Mother and “Roy’s Mary” is my sister.
My sister-in-law Bobbie, sent this afghan below (one my grandmother made) to Laura and James. An heirloom gift
The blue one is the one she made for me. Her knitting is just beautiful.
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