Just Close Your Eyes...

Do you ever see a picture and it takes you back, you can shut your eyes and you are there.  This is one of those pictures.  Even before I shut my eyes I have such a feeling of freedom, of happiness, of innocence

The picture was taken in 1959 so I was 2 years old, and we moved to Schiller Park when I was 7.  I consider this to be my childhood home, where I spent my formative years.  I spent a lot of days just running in the yard with my dog, we were inseparable.  

 

If I close my eyes, I can hear laughter, we always had family gatherings, dinners and parties. Cousins were always around; the little hill in the picture of my dog and I, we thought it was huge.  Funny how when you grow up things are never as big as when you were little. We would roll down it over and over again laughing harder each time.  In the back there was an orchard and we built a fort around a tree that had blown down.  We would play out there for hours.

The house had an upstairs, then an attic.  We had a ping-pong table upstairs in one of the front rooms.  Of course back then we did not have air conditioning and there were no screens on those windows.  One particular day mom had went to the store and left me at home with my brother and our cousin Butch.  They were playing ping-pong and lo and behold the ball went out the window.  It caught on the edge of the roof, the porch roof, so me being the littlest was nominated to go out there and get the ball.  Can you imagine the look on my mom’s face when she pulled up the long driveway and seen me her 3-yr old on top of the porch.  It scared her to death, I wasn’t scared until I seen how scared she was.  I thought she was going to kill my brother.  Maybe that is why I am scared to get up on ladders now.  Lol

I remember birthday parties and Easter Egg Hunts and Christmases.  I remember sneaking in early Christmas morning and sitting on the stairs with Tom looking at what Santa had brought us.  Tom got a go-cart and I got a Kitchen Stove, Sink & Refrigerator.  We must have been really good that year.  When cousins were there I remember playing ‘Tag, You’re It,’ ‘Simon Says,’ ‘Red Rover, Red Rover,’ ‘Ghost, Ghost Come Out Tonight,’ and oh the list goes on and on.  I remember the older kids had a club and they would put on shows for us.  They said we were to young to be in the club but they let Debi and I be toy soldiers guarding the door.  We would walk back and forth with our guns saying over and over, “We are toy soldiers, you can’t go in, you can’t go in.”  We really thought we had an important job.  

What fun memories…it is good to go back once in awhile.

I love this song, the first time I heard it I cried and all I could think about was the farmhouse.  It is Miranda Lambert's song "The House That Built Me."  If you would like to listen to it click here.

Do you have a picture or song that takes you back?

until next time...nel

'Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.'   Proverbs 24:3-4

Happy Birthday James...

Sorry this is lengthy but today I am dedicating this post to my older brother James.  He is the oldest of three children, he was born in 1942 and I being the youngest was born in 1957.  That’s called spacing them out, or maybe more like Surprise!   Fifteen years between us, it is no wonder that his oldest son who is only seven years younger than me was more like a brother.  Okay enough of the history lesson; let’s get back on track and take a walk down memory lane.

My brother was a cute little guy; look at those cute curls on top of his head.  I hope my mom did not put curlers in his hair like she always did mine.  Lol. 

When he was small they lived in Arkansas that is where he lives now, on the old home place.  He is quite the sentimental one whether he wants to admit it or not.  Growing up he and a cousin Jean were always quite close.  They spent a lot of time together over the years.  This one must of been taken out by the barn.

At some point in time the family moved to Colorado to work.  I have heard several stories, but that was before I was ever thought about.

This was taken at Hector where he lives now.  I think this was taken at a birthday party.  Make sure you check out his socks.  Love those James! I am thinking they were not too thrilled with getting pictures taken. 

After Dad returned home from WWII they moved to Illinois.  Dad moved first and found a job then came back and got the rest of the family.  They lived in a trailer park in Des Plaines.  They must have been doing pretty good, look at that cool bike he had. He was a good brother he shared his things. Tom thought he was ever bit as big as James.  

James and Carol met while living at the trailer park.  I bet they could tell some stories.  They were quite a cute couple.

As you can tell even at a young age I was not quite sure about my brother James. Look at that expression.  Lol

This is one of the very few pictures of all of us.  I am thinking this was probably taken over Christmas break since James would have been probably a junior or senior in high school.  He stayed with our Grandma and Dolan and attended high school in Hector.  I can remember asking mom who that guy was that came home at Christmastime and in the summer to mow our yard.  She told me it was my brother and I argued with her that Tom was my only brother.  I still remember that, I couldn't of been very old.

This was taken at Grandma and Dolan’s house.  You can see James car in the background, his pride and joy.

At 22 he was married and a new father.  Boy he looked young! 

And once again they found each other after many moons as they say.  They have been through a lot together but their love is deep and their faith is deeper. 

They finally made it back to the old home place and life moved forward.  

I am so glad that they went their separate ways in high school because they would not be who they are today if they hadn't.  And I am glad to call all of them part of my family.

Do you remember your 50th?  What a time we had.  That was 21 years ago, seems like yesterday!

Nothing like memories...

Part of your crew, hard to get them all together, there is so many now.

I have to say you have a good looking group of kids...where has the time gone?

 I want to take this time to wish my brother a Happy Birthday.  At times we were not very close, in fact I really did not even know who you were, but you have always been there.  I went through stages in my life I know you did not approve of, but you always remembered me in prayer.  I knew that you and Carol were praying for me.  I feel like we are closer now than we have ever been.  I love it that you and Stan enjoy each other’s company.  That means a lot to me.  I just wanted to make sure you knew how important you are to me!  I am praying that you will have a wonderful birthday this year and many, many more!    

And I just wanted you to know I Love You, James!

until next time...nel

Wednesday Hodgepodge 123...

Wednesday Hodgepodge 123

Wow 123 - amazing! Joyce does such a fantastic job hosting this meme, even during the A to Z Challenge!  We would love for you to join in.  She always gets us thinking and it is a lot of fun.

1.  This week's Hodgepodge is Volume 123.  What's something you've done recently that was as easy as 1-2-3? 
I have been crocheting scrubbies and dishrags lately.  I have made so many I think they would qualify as being as easy as 1-2-3.  I think I could do them with my eyes closed.

2.  The Wednesday Hodgepodge also happens to fall on the first day of May ...what is something you may do this month? 
We are going to be in Arkansas for a couple of weeks in May, so I am going to say I actually may get my pavilion cleaned off outside while we are there.

3. The Englishman Horace Walpole is credited as saying, "The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think"  How do you see it?

I would have to say I see it as a tragedy.  It breaks my heart how far we have gotten away from living by God's principles and instead live as whatever goes is okay.

4.  May is National Hamburger Month...how often do you eat a burger? What are your must-haves when it comes to burgers?  I assume you vegetarians won't be celebrating so tell us what you'd like instead? 
We eat more burgers during the summer when we grill them, but honestly I could eat a burger a week and it would not bother me.  I love me some burgers, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and a little ketchup and cheese sometimes with a grilled bun.  ohhhh yeah!

5. Pansies, petunias, geraniums, impatiens...of the four mentioned, which is your favorite in a patio pot? Will there be pots on your patio this spring? (Or whenever spring comes to your part of the globe?) Who does the gardening at your house?
I love pansies or petunias.  We usually have quite an assortment of petunias in pots, house plants on the patio, and a variety of flowers in the yard.  Patt, Stan's niece does the gardening, I love plants and flowers too, but the yard here is her baby...  And that is okay she has a natural green thumb, she can get anything to grow!

6. When did you last (literally or figuratively) shout "Mayday, Mayday!"
Gosh, I really don't remember.

7.  Say farewell to your April in ten words or less. 

Goodbye April and A-Z you were gone before I realized!

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

I really enjoyed the A-Z challenge this year.  I think maybe because I had a theme of sorts, I was more organized.  And I actually did learn several things this year even writing my own posts. I feel the Lord truly blessed me!

until next time...nel