love, bicycles, canoes

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John & Emma White

These are my maternal grandparents and I had never seen these pictures before Saturday. While Tim & I were out shopping, getting ready for our daughter’s wedding, my cousin was scanning and sending some pictures he found of our grandparents in their younger years. Only today did I notice that June 8, Saturday, was their birthday. Thank you so much, Matthew, for remembering!

EmmaHoneyJohn2

Grandfather was born June 8, 1905, and Grandmother was born June 8, 1906. They were married 30 November 1929. I never knew my grandfather smoked a pipe – but I always knew he was a perfect gentleman! The dog was their beloved pet, Honey.

WhiteFamily
White Family

Above are my grandparents and their two children, my mother and my uncle.

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It’s hard to make them out, but my grandparents and uncle are sitting on the stone wall and my mother is in the canoe. I see her passion for canoeing started in her childhood. She took us canoeing often when my sister and I were children. I’m in a very sentimental, wistful, thoughtful mood this week – five days before the wedding!

28 thoughts on “love, bicycles, canoes”

    1. Thank you, Laurie! The past and the future seem to be absorbing each other this week, into some poignant moments…

  1. Congratulations!

    “sentimental, wistful, thoughtful” – these are the best of feelings: a combination of depth, insight and affection.

    Oh, and love those bicycles!

    1. Thank you, Aubrey! My mom never took us bicycling – I’m wondering if she didn’t enjoy it that much – she obviously enjoyed canoeing enough to do it by herself. 🙂

  2. They must have been a family who loved the outdoors Barbara, what with bike riding and canoeing. They are wonderful old photos, but now I think about it, I’ve never seen an old family photo that has been anything but wonderful! I’m sure there will be plenty of photos taken this weekend too, for future generations to enjoy. I’ll be thinking of you all on Saturday. 🙂

    1. My grandparents and parents were indeed lovers of the great outdoors! Grandfather was a land surveyor and Grandmother was a nature photographer. When we visited them we always ate our meals outdoors, too, unless it was the dead of winter.

      I’m going to be a camera nut this weekend – an outdoor wedding deep in the woods and so far the weather report is promising a warm and sunny day! 🙂

  3. What great pictures Barbara. I love the one of your grandparents cycling with their kids. I cannot imagine my parents going for a bike ride!

    Coming out of my “retirement” to send my congratulations on the wedding. Its one of life’s most thrilling emotional experiences to see one’s daughter getting married.
    much love
    rosie

    1. Thank you, Rosie, for your well wishes and for coming out of your “retirement” to deliver them! I remember the meaningful pictures you shared from your daughter’s beautiful wedding and I hope I will be able to capture some special shots of Larisa’s wedding, too. I hope I can keep my tears of joy to a minimum and stay focused on the wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience.

  4. Is it really five days before the wedding? How wonderful that is! Wishing you much joy as Larisa marries. Enjoyed looking at the photos of your grandparents and your mom and uncle. Can understand about feeling sentimental…

    1. Four days now! 🙂 Thank you, Kathy, for your wishes for joy – I’m already getting teary-eyed… I wish my mom had lived to see this day and I wish my dad was not too ill to be there. But at least Tim is still here to walk her down the aisle! Larisa will be stopping by her grandpa’s house to show off her dress to him before the ceremony…

        1. It’s true, Kathy, and thank you for reminding me, my parents will be there in spirit. Nate & Shea arrived from Georgia today – it’s wonderful having them here!

        1. Sometimes I click on “random post” (from the drop-down menu under “Lake Superior Spirit” in your toolbar) to see posts that I might have missed. 🙂

  5. Oh, the old photos are wonderful. Isn’t it great to see women in skirts and dresses…so nostalgic. I hope you post wedding shots!

    1. The dresses and skirts look so comfortable, too, not like the body-hugging things I see so many women wearing these days. Imagine riding a bicycle in a skirt! I am definitely planning to post wedding pictures. 🙂

  6. The pictures are wonderful! It’s so much fun to see your grandparents across the years. They’re a cute couple. I absolutely adore the picture of your grandfather helping your grandmother scale the large rock.

    1. I’m so happy you enjoyed these pictures, Sheryl! I adored my grandparents and felt so cherished by them. 🙂 I like the picture, too, because it captures how playful and outdoorsy they were even before I was born.

  7. I love these old pictures and I’m glad to see the pictures of your grandparents. Such a sweet couple they seem to be! I specially like climbing the rock picture.
    Well, its almost the wedding day yes? A big day for your daughter & you too..I wish Larisa a very happy married life ahead. May all their dreams come true. I wait for the wedding pictures, and perhaps some cake & wine if you could send across? 😉 Just kidding.. Enjoy the time Barbara 🙂

    1. Thank you, Sonali. I’m so glad you enjoyed these pictures of my grandparents when they were young adults and raising their children. Dima & Larisa’s wedding is behind us now, and we all have so many sweet and unforgettable memories of the day. And soon they will be off to start their married life together far away in North Carolina. Actually, there was not a wedding cake! The wedding was non-traditional and different in so many ways… We all had a wonderful time. 🙂

  8. Beautiful stroll down memory lane. I love old photographs. There’s something romantic about them. I particularly like the rock climbing image. 🙂

    1. Thank you, Robin. I’m fond of the picture of Grandfather helping Grandmother up to the rock, too – I had never seen these photos before, so I was enchanted. 🙂

    1. Thank you, Sybil! I love that picture, too. 🙂 I wonder what kinds of pictures of us our grandchildren might treasure some day…

    1. You’re welcome, Diane! One never knows when a new bit of information about ancestors will appear – every picture tells a story, they say… *hugs*

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