Summer Stock Sunday - 19

Just in time for Father's Day - a vintage look at summer for Summer Stock Sunday, hosted by Robin at Around the Island.


















This is a picture of my grandmother, Juliette with her father, Eugene, taken about 1938.

Juliette was one of ten children, so a moment with her father all to herself must have been a moment to savour. As well, this was taken during the same summer that she married my grandfather, so this photograph is an interesting one.

First of all, my great-grandfather had spent much of Gram's young life chasing work all over Canada. There was no such thing as Employment Insurance back then, so men went where they could get a job, and sent back money for the family.

The fact that he's on a motorcycle ready to head down the road, with Gram's arm tucked into his for the moment, is an eloquent symbol of their time together.

Hanging onto her family ties while ready to start a family of her own is a common summer rite of passage for women the world over. The likelihood that her future husband - my grandfather - took this picture, places another layer of meaning onto the shot. She gazes at the camera with sureness, while her father feels free to look down the road, since his son-in-law-to-be is taking care of the photgraphy.

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there! You can visit Robin for more summertime photos at Around the Island.

Robin says LOVE the goggles :)

Ms Snarky Pants says I agree about the goggles too. Everything about that picture screams steam punk! :-D

Anna Matthews says Such a great family photo, such a great photo period. And thank you for sharing the story behind it.

Poetry Train Monday - 112 - Before They Went Up the Stairs

I have a collection of family stories which I coax out of as many relatives as I can. For today's found poetry, I've taken a prose entry from this collection and turned it into a poem.

Ride the Poetry Train!




















Before They Went Up the Stairs


Great-Grandpa Meuse would take
Two weeks' vacation

Would come home
To see his family
During the 'teens and 20's

"No wonder
The children were born
Every second year,"
Gram chuckled

Eugene Meuse
Travelled throughout Canada
Picking up work
Wherever he could find it

He worked
On a ranch in Red Deer, Alberta
On the Welland Canal construction
In Ontario
In a logging camp
Deep in the winter woods

He worked many jobs
In the days before
Social safety nets
It was find work
Or
Your family starved

He took out insurance
When he travelled on the train
Insurance so his family would be
Taken care of
If anything should happen to him

Once he got home
Gram remembers her parents
Retiring to their room

At the time
She didn't realize
What they were
Up to

"I remember them
Goin' up the steps, you know,"
Gram said
Putting her hand over her mouth
Laughing at the thought

But before that
They would head over to his mother's

Gram remembers seeing them
Walk over, arm in arm

"They went to see his mother
Before they went up the stairs,
I think!"
Gram said

Laughing again



















- Julia Smith, Aug. 2, 2009 / original text 2000

Janet in Michigan says I think that Meuse is the other name we have in common. Your grandma told me about it.

Nikki says Very cool.

Lost Mermaid says I enjoy such writes !! sweet :)