Joe Phillips 1948
circa 1898
Grandparent's wedding day 1916
My grandmother, Julia Oliver Phillips @1960
Fourth lesson in photography:
- Never take my picture.
How old am I? My grandpa was born in 1863!
- Top photo is my granddad just a few weeks before he died. This is the farm country where I was raised
- Next photo is my granddad before 1900
- Next are from left-to-right: a cousin being held by grandmother's mom, my grandma's sister, my grandma, and my grandpa. My grandpa was 32 years older than my grandma
- Bottom is my grandma at home; she did not like to have her photo made. The only foul language I ever heard her use was "shit fire" when she caught someone pointing a camera at her. The window on the right is where the bedroom in which I was born is located
Brass Tacks
Saturday
I watched grandpa fit his faded brown brogans on the last, renailing each sole where it was separating from the insole and uppers. "A good pair of shoes will last a long time if they are maintained properly." He said that of many things. The small ball peen hammer was as a toy in the long, lean fingers of his steady, tanned fist. With his left hand he fetched a brass tack from between his lips, placing it precisely, sharply striking it three times.
Sunday
Grandpa, grandma, and I were on the front porch, concealing ourselves from the heat of the afternoon. Brass tacks glinted from one brown shoe as it tapped time to the creaking harmony of the rocking chair against the floor boards.
Monday
Grandpa's shoes--one overturned--were near the foot of his bed. A teardrop of dust-flecked sunlight spirited past a window shade and splashed on a brass tack in a worn old sole. Grandma was softly weeping as they carried grandpa's body across the front porch to the awaiting hearse.
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6 comments:
Love the old photos. I could sift through them for hours. the only problem is, most people don't know anymore who is in the photo or where it was taken.
Do you have tons of them? are they in any kind of order? will you pass them to one or all of your children w/ the story and date posted on the back? my mother has done this for her children.. spent hours upon hours carefully writing the dates, people, and places for us on the back of old faded photos. It is a treasure to pass on.
You rock for an old guy.
There are hundreds of them, and I have scanned nearly all. My mom wrote names on a lot of them such as the top one here, and most of the others my aunt or cousin have identified. I've given my kids and g.kids each a disc of them, plus other family members have copies. I hope they appreciate them as much as I do.
As for locations, a few were positioned, and some either I or others could identify, but most are not precise. We could guess the general area on many, because these folk didn't stray far from home.
Thanks, Tammy.
I love looking at old photos. They show such a great history of our past. Labeling them is huge. I see them at flea markets all the time and very few have anything written on them. I have bought a few. It kills me to think how many of these get tossed into the garbage.
I have a few old tintypes I'd love to know who the people are. I scanned them because they are fading away.
I like the photos of scenery and old buildings; things change so much in just a few years.
I like "Brass Tacks". I appreciate its literary value, however English is not my native language.
Ken, actually you wrote your book. Just collect these different pieces of your writing, compose it and publish. I see one of the chapters "People and things"; and inside this memory "Brass Tacks".
I Polish it sounds beautifully: Mosiężne ćwieczki" I bet you wouldn’t be able to pronounce it, my American friend. ;-))
Brass Tacks ... Yep. It's nice. :-)
Thanks, Jola. Putting these things together is basically what I am doing. Hope I have enough to create something worthwhile.
"Mosiężne ćwieczki: You are correct; I have no idea how to pronounce it, but I will try the ćwieczki: shweski? Nope, can't say it. :-)
Have a good evening, my friend. :-)
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