Family stories

I've been working on a history project as I mentioned a few days ago. The project gave me an opportunity to browse old photographs. 

This photo had somehow been misfiled but I came across it this evening. It's of my grandmother and grandfather (seated), with all their kids and most of their grandkids. My older brother Neil, my cousin Carlton, nor my baby brother Darrin are in the picture. I'm not sure where Neil and Carlton were, but Darrin had not yet been born.

I'm kneeling (second from the left). It was taken within a half mile of where I was born. Over half of the people pictured here have since died. Many of them died way too young. 

Digging through history you experience sadness and exhilaration. The little group of people had few feuds. We, for the most part, enjoyed being with each other. 

Through the years, I've written about most of the people in this picture. It's where many of the stories I've writen came from.

Even families that lived in close proximity, are diverse. In this picture we have a blacksmith, a bootlegger,  a welder, a tinkerer, an engineer, a pentecostal preacher, a seamstress, a horse trainer, and a writer. That only touches a few.

Jilda and I have friends with siblings that haven't spoken in 30 years for some long forgotten slight. I'm thankful that we were either too shallow to be offended, or chose to rise above any hard feelings.

I want to do a video of my extended family with pictures and stories. I'll share it when it's done.

I hope you all have a remarkable Memorial Day.