Some Beauty Among the Heat

The forecast for St. Louis today is 107!

I only go out to water and run back in, I hate this.

Although somethings seem to love the heat.

My hibiscus bush is loaded daily with beautiful blooms.

It seems to be enjoying the heat.

The blooms are so gorgeous. Wish they were the kind you could cut and bring in.

Have a wonderful Pink Saturday!

Stay cool.

Grandmother's Porcelain Doll Head

Next week is my Grandmother's family reunion......# 106.

So this time of year turns to thoughts of my Grandmother.

She died before I was born and when my Grandfather remarried they must of divided up some of her things.

This was my Dad's pick.....strange for a man to pick, maybe?

This is a porcelain doll head she bought herself.

Love the sweet little face.

It always was in the secretary in our living room.

The note can be found inside the head. It is handwritten by my Grandmother, she wrote that "one time when I was maybe 9 or 10 we came to Charleston I was given 25 cents to spend"

I guess that would be about 1902, so now I need to go read her sister, (Aunt Annie) diaries and I probably can tell the exact date she bought it.

She was special to my Dad and she is to me too.

She hangs out in my living room watching over things, in my little corner cabinet.

Dad, I am sure glad you chose her to come home with you.

Independence Day

We celebrate our Independence today, because of so many brave men and women who fought for Independence.

I am reposting this from last year.
It is what is my heart about my country and my family.

They were every day men like Adam Mitchell who found the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on the footsteps of his family plantation.  A second generation American, Presbyterian, husband and father. He fought on the line, he was captured then released. His family hid in a Spring House from the British, his Mother and oldest son protecting the family.

He is my 4th Great Grandfather

10 miles down the road in Gibsonville, NC the Scherer family understood the importance of protecting the land and stood with their neighbors in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Jacob Daniel Scherrer, a German immigrant, a strong Lutheran, a husband and a father. He stood with his 22 yr old son, the first to be born in American

They are my 5th and 6th Great Grandfathers

Some were not in the militia but joined and were in the service of their country.

William Galbreath, a 3rd generation American from Westmoreland Co. PA served for more than 7 years.  He was a guard of Cornwallis after his capture. Later his son would marry the Grandaughter of the man who was captured and held by Cornwallis, Adam Mitchell.  He married a young girl he met at a party held for General Washington. He lived to be 81 yrs old.

William Galbreath is my 3rd Great Grandfather

These are not the only ones I honor today:

John Galbreath of Patriotic Service PA 4th Great Grandfather

John McMachen Civil Service NC 6th Great Grandfather

Elias Tolin Sergant VA 4th Great Grandfather

Edmund Fair Captain NC 4th Great Grandfather

William Barnes Pvt NC 4th Great Grandfather

Henry Sousley Pvt  PA 5th Great Grandfather

Johann Ament Pvt VA 5th Great Grandfather

I can not even begin to comprehend the sacrifice these men made to fight for the Independence of America. The passion and love they felt for this new country.

Please take a minute and think of those who made this all possible and those that continue everyday to maintain our Independence.

OH Andy...........

I was so sad to hear that Andy Griffith had died this morning.

He reminded me of my Dad in a way. My Dad had a great smile, witty sense of humor and a way with people just like Andy. Plus my brother is red headed and looked so much like Opie when he was little.

This is a beautiful statue in the hometown of Andy, Mount Airy, NC.

A few years ago my cousin and were going to NC for a genealogy trip, on the way we made a overnight stop and Mount Airy. We had so much fun, so as a tribute to Andy today, I want to take a look back and think of all the happy memories he created for us with that magical town of Mayberry.

Even the real Thelma Lou had recently moved there from California!

We found out we could stay in Andy's house he grew up in, so we did!

They lived there over 30 years. It reminded me of 1515 a little.

Maybe that is why we were so comfortable there, except the bathroom!

I just adored the kitchen, it was so bright and cheery and it REALLY

reminds me of the kitchen at 1515.

I bet Mrs.Griffiths made some great meals here.

I spent the night in his parents bedroom. The hats reminded me of Aunt Bee.

Mary stayed in Andy's boyhood home

At the time, there was big times blocked out when you could not stay there. I was told because Andy would come back and stay for a couple of weeks a year.

Then it was on to discover the rest of Mayberry.....oh I mean Mount Airy!

We never saw Barney, but I had a feeling he was always watching us?

Floyd's Barber Shop!

If you look close you can see a picture of Floyd cutting Andy's hair

Of course his name was not really Floyd, but we had so much fun!

His wall has pictures of all those that come to visit and sit in his chair.

No visit is complete unless you sit in Andy's chair.

Was I calling Barney or Aunt Bee to bring me lunch?

Mary was looking for Otis!

Don't you know... we found him!

Yes, he was wandering the streets.

How did we get around town?

In the squad car...how else?

The squad car drives you around town.

And if we had trouble

we could call Wally's and Goober would come get us.

We left and went on our way.

But on the way back home we could not help but come back for more.

Oh my the breakfast we had here!! Yum Yum

I have made plenty of links for you to check out the sights.

It was a wonderful trip and again...

Andy thanks for the memories.

Let's Chill Down

I am hibernating indoors...you would think it was winter!

It is suppose to be 108 here in good ole St. Louis today.

Let's Chill Down

OK.....do you feel cooler?

1515 Sign

In 1978 when my Grandfather died,  as I left the house for the last time, I reached up and grabbed something on the porch as I left..............

it was the 1515 sign that always hung above the front steps.

For years it found a home in my Grandad's WWI trunk.

I always thought I would display it someday.

When I built our little garden cottage in the backyard I put it on the porch above the steps.

It had found a new home......

well, 2009 it went back home!
last fall when we painted the porch we repainted it, it had been gray, then white.

I am sure it was handmade.

In the early pictures it is not there.

1943 it is not there.

Mom and Dad

By 1949 it is clearly there!

Great Grandfather Winkler, Grandad Winkler, Aunt Mary and cousin Donna.

So many have had their pictures taken under that 1515 sign!

Baby Donna, top lt and the other girl cousins.

62 years later! sorry Donna!!

Thank goodness I took the 1515 sign.

The pictures just would not be the same.

Tin Types

Have you ever been walking through an antique store and see a tin type photograph?

I always thought how wonderful to have such a old picture of a family member would be amazing.

Tin Type photos were first introduced to America in 1854.

By the end of the Civil War the were popular.

I am looking at them to get an idea for a dress for the Civil War reenactment.

So....would you like to see the ones I now have thanks to cousin Fred?

My Great Grandmother born in 1866

her mother died in 1873, the first picture she looks so happy and the second one so sad.

here is her sister Effie b. 1869

 so the 2 above pictures were probably taken at the same time.

I just have in my mind the GGGrandfather Wilson had their pictures taken after their Mother died.

Catherine's husband James b. 1853

This would of been taken just after the Civil war.

Here is Aunt Effie with her husband Robert. This may be a wedding picture?

This would be a later tin type 1899

Then there are some in those little cases that open with the red velvet interior. I have one I do not know who they are...I will try to figure it out.

These are the ones I am working on now.

No clue?

Boy or girl?

Maybe my Great Grandmothers Aunt

I just realized the background in this picture is the same as Aunt Effies?

I think I know this one, another Aunt of my Great Grandmother.

what do you think? same person? Elizabeth Hickman

m.1877

Another sister?

Don't you love looking at the clothes too?

Trying to look at them and see if I can get a design for my dress to wear for the Riot Reenactment from 1864. I have a dress I wore for the Lincoln Douglas debate...that was 1994? I do not think it will fit!

Catherine and Susan Hickman

I think my dress will be similar to these and since it is in March I can 

have a higher collar and wear my Great Grandmother's 

Cameo brooch.

Hope you enjoyed seeing these tin types.

To think I have them in my care and they are 150 years old!