Treasured memories books written by my 84 yr old father last year and given to his children
and his grandchildren for Christmas 2011. Smallest book mostly computer typed with a little handwriting
typed by Sandra
my sister, another labor of love.
Largest book is handprinted including colored and black /white photos nearly 500 pages!
Dad tells that THIS BOOK is HIS MEMORIES of these times as he was growing up.
The books pictures and main written focus was on HIS grandparents who he was very close to.
It does tell of life with his parents, 3 brothers and one sister.
Main area of living is Benjamin and Payson Utah.
His mothers red velvet chairs...very coveted and grandmothers pride.
I remember her corner dish cupboard having the little Violets dishes.
Many pages of activities he did like hulling walnuts.
My dad to this day is very ambitious and ALWAYS has his hands and body busy producing.
He loves nature, gardening and rocks especially, even quilting like his mother.
This will be his first year of no garden, as his body is giving out.
(but he fights it!)
He shares alot of his spirtual growth and how it came to be.
His mothers again coveted needlepoint chairs which she stitched now owned by my sister Janine.
Plus I found out who inherited his great grandfathers gold watch in this history.
Danny you never told me!
My dads handwriting is precious to us in this book. It's wobbly and shows his age.
He was an elementary principle and school teacher for a profession and he had the most
beautiful cursive handwriting until recently.
He can write the most touching letters and give the most uplifting and spiritual prayers
that are treasured by all of us even now.
He has a heart of gold although his physical one is about worn right out.
Home that raised the 5 children and each of those children raised 5-9 children so when we had
get togethers...there were so many of us piled into this little home and it never
once occured to us youngsters that this home was too small.
So many babies!
We jumped the sidewalk, played no bears are out tonight, there was a fish pond in the
back we could not stay out of and if water was running down the little ditch in
front we were all right there.
The flower gardens surrounding the home was grandmas love.
she tolerated no weeds.
Upstairs my aunt had left her Prom dresses and high heels for us to play with in a tiny closet.
Oh to have those in possession!
The apricot and walnut trees, the swing on porch, the Christmas tree in the corner
and ALL of us filled the little front room on Christmas day to get our small package from
grandma and grandpa, usually a stitched pillowcase for us girls or a real silver dollar.
Well, I just got side tracked didn't I, my memories slipping in!
I'll read my dad's thoughts about all of this.
Here the original rhubarb plant that still carries on in the family.
Oh the rhubarb cobblers grandma would make.
I'm really suprised what my dad could remember of his youth and it was very time
consuming for him to get the photos, documents and dates correct.
He really did work a full year on this and mom said he rewrote pages over and over
and over if he made a mistake.
He is no computer man... his chubby fingers...I don't think could type on one anyway.
Since the shop is closed today, I am going to enjoy moments of my dads story of his youth,
taking it slowly and enjoying what his life was like and learn an appreciation of the life
that he and they passed on to me.
As parents we do the best that we can for our
families with what we have at the time.
It's the make-up of who we are,
where we came from
we need to embrace these times
and realize most of all
Good OR bad in our opinion... it is what it is
There is nothing we can do about it!
I believe it was planned from the beginning...
and I thank my ancestors for the life I now enjoy because of their struggles
and their love for us.
Thanks Dad for caring enough to share
your life & thoughts with your posterity.
One never knows way down the road of how,
if and when it will make a profound influence in the life
of those that will need to know these words you have shared.
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