When We Wrote Letters

Posted on by Rebecca C.

Before the electronic age, we wrote letters. Technically I still  write letters, I have pen pals all over the world which I communicate with via the “old” way. I like sipping on tea while writing a letter. I find the process to be a creative outlet.

I am a history fanatic. I am not talking about the grand events that everyone learns about in schooling. I am referring to the ordinary people who lived decades ago. I spend time restoring old photos that I pick up at yard and estate sales. I also pick up old scrap books.(I know, I am slowly heading to be a future candidate for that show “Hoarders”).

Anyways, I thought I would share a letter from 1934. I copied it out to the best of my ability; some of the hand writing was hard to read.

St. Johns, Michigan

May 21, 1934

Dear People:

Did the sand storm hit you tonight? We had just finish supper. I sailed around and closed up all doors and windows. It was fierce for a little while. It’s trying hard to rain but I’m afraid it won’t do a very good job and we do need rain so badly.

Alex sent me some cabbage and tomato plants. I sent them out last Thurs. night. I was out looking at them tonight. I see they are doing quite well in spite of dry weather. I must put in some more stuff. The lettuce and radishes are up and the onion sets are growing fine.

R.D. (?) has the silo corn in 6 acres. Then, he has about 3 more acres ready to plant and about 6 more acres to plow. The cement is all in and dry for the horse stable floor and the men are putting the stalls in. We keep the horses across the way in McPhearson barn. The old hog had 11 little hogs yesterday and she has 6 left so far. Dale took 6 pigs and a calf for us in his load last Mon. night. He got here about 12 p.m.

Morning 9:00 R.D. folks and Lydia Chas. and Pauline came last night so I didn’t have time to write anymore. We had been to bed about an hour when Dale and Yolanda (?) came popping in. She came after some bedding to take on their trip. Next Sunday night she is invited to a Mimanite (I think it’s supposed to be Mennonite) wedding so she probably won’t be home till Mon. night and by that time may be something else will pop up.

Well it’s a lovely cool morning after the storm. Not enough rain but it helped out a lot. When do you have Decoration? Donnalee said you have Augusta’s and Lloyd’s reception this coming Friday eve. I hope for the sake of your pocketbooks there won’t be any more weddings for some time. Does Augusta come to church?

There were just a few out to church Sunday here. Hardly as many as we have at home.

Does Arlene like her place as well as ever?

Guess I will have to wait till Donnalee gets home to get my flowers over there.

R.D. don’t have any time to run around and I can’t drive yet.

Wayne can but of course he can’t get a driver’s license yet. Well there is a lot of work waiting to be done so must get at it.

We don’t have to separate the milk anymore. Take it to the cheese factory every morning in the Rapids.

We are all well per usual and hope you are too.

Love to all

Lola B.P.

The Buch girls ask about you Saturday.  Yesterday Kaufman’s and the Lindsey’s called for about an hour. Mr. and Mrs. Hillyer were here Thurs. night for finger ? which she got. Yes, our kitchen is done. I guess this week I plan to do more cleaning.

Lots of Love

Mother.

 

 If anyone is interested, you can find some of my photo restoration work here.

http://thephotogypsy.zenfolio.com/pastmemories

Lovely Summer Nights

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
― John Muir

The weather has been absolutely lovely the last few days which gives me lots of time to be outdoors and enjoying nature. The lovely summer nights bring gorgeous sunsets and clear skies for star gazing.

Even though I have been spending a lot of time outdoors, I cannot really say that I have been getting any weeding done. I think some of my flower beds are taking on a mind of their own. The lawn is mowed which makes me content for now. The honeybees have been enjoying the extra wild flowers that seemed to have found their way into my yard. So, I tend to leave them for now.

I am just taking the time to enjoy every moment of this beautiful weather.

Bees

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“The bee collects honey from flowers in such a way as to do the least damage or destruction to them,

and he leaves them whole,

undamaged and fresh, just as he found them.” –Saint Francis de Sales

In honor of “National Do Not Step on a Bee” Day, I thought I would share this photo I took earlier this afternoon. In my opinion, I think we need to become more active in bee preservation. The decline in bees will lead to harmful consequences for our food supply.

I hope everyone had a great day. It was beautiful here in Mid-Michigan. I enjoyed the sunshine.

Until next time…peace

Glimpse of the Past

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“Look back, and smile on perils past.” –Walter Scott

I have been spending the last couple of days working on some old  negatives. The negatives were in a box that was among my grandfather’s belongings. I am slowly trying to scan and organize them. I wish I knew more about the photos, the trip and the overall experience.

I do know my grandfather would take his mother and sisters up to Canada to visit relatives: the Hewitt’s. So I am assuming some of the photos are from this experience and trip.

This particular photo is actually Mackinaw Island which is here in Michigan between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas.. After some much needed help from my social media page, the photo was taking looking down from the Grand Hotel. You can actually see the Chippewa Hotel clearly. I cannot pinpoint the year or approximately the year the photo was taking. I am still researching.

I find these old photos of the past intriguing. The photos show the best of what the family went through during the hardest times.

Until next time…peace….

©RebeccaCaesarPhotography. 2015. All rights reserved.

Pesky But Cute

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“Everything from the humble woodlouse to specks of dust moving through a ray of sunlight. Each tells a story.”
― Fennel Hudson

I can’t help it; I love these little pesky creatures. I know they can be destructive. But I love to watch them.

Of course, I love all wildlife. I spend a lot of time watching animals and insects through my viewfinder. It’s an amazing world to watch and study.

Until next time…peace…..

Flowers

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.” Mother Teresa

Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon photographing flowers. I had a new lens to play with…what else would I do? Today…well..it’s raining. So, I guess I should work on my book.

Until next time… peace.

Mid-Day Break

Posted on by Rebecca C.

Every day this week around 3 pm, this doe appears out of the woods. She spends her time walking around my yard. She nibbles on the grass. I stood and took over 300 photos of her today. When I brought them up on my computer, you can see all the different bugs mostly flies and mosquitoes on her. I am assuming she comes out of the woods to get a break from these pesky little insects.

With all the rain we have had, the mosquitoes are thick this year in Michigan. I had a very hard time pulling weeds the other day. I think the little biting insets were using my mosquito repellent as an appetizer.