There is nothing particularly unique about this photo, other than the subjects, who are unique. And this is no doubt one of those photos that has much greater meaning to me and my family than it would to the casual observer. For this is my son Brian and daughter-in-law Katie. And they are expecting their first child (and our first grand child) in late May. And it’s a girl!
I have been to Las Vegas only once, and this photo documents the highlight of that visit: our hotel had a swimming pool! That’s my brother Mike and my dad sitting on the diving board. And the story I am told (because I don’t remember it) is that when no one was looking, little 7-year-old Scotty went out to the edge of the board and jumped in. The problem was that Scotty really didn’t know how to swim. Whether that event occurred before or after the photo was taken, I can’t say.
This photo doesn’t pass the test as far as quality photos are concerned: it has compositional issues and the photographer (my mom?) posed us with our backs to the sun, leading to underexposed faces. But like billions of other bad vacation snap shots, it is still an important photo – at least in my personal history.
This photo, incidentally, was in an album that my aunt Betty had kept. In managing her estate, we ended up with several of her photo albums and it is obvious to me that even though she lived in California, her South Dakota family was very important to her.
That’s me on the left (sitting backwards on the big tortoise) and my brother Mike on the right. I think the photographer is our mom. And the tortoises were residents at the Reptile Gardens in the Black Hills. Or maybe they were an attraction at Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota?
I am taking a bit of a break from my blog and so I thought I’d post a few of my favorites.
I am taking a bit of a break from my blog and so I thought I’d post a few of my favorites.
This photo was published on Instagram a while ago but I think my audience is a little different here, so here you go. This is Katie and Brian strolling in their beautiful neighborhood in St. Paul, Minnesota.
There are many ways to picture happiness but I would choose the look on Evie’s face from this Thanksgiving’s celebration to illustrate it. It’s hard to know what she’s thinking, but in the arms of her loving great grandmother, it can only be good things. . . .
I have always liked Chaucer’s description of Nicholas, the young scholar who stars in one of the many stories Chaucer tells in his Canterbury Tales. About Nicholas he says: “Gladly would he teach and gladly would he learn.”
That’s a good description of my oldest son, Brian, who in this photo is seen giving his second cousin Ethan a lesson in math and English. And Ethan is clearly a willing learner. . .
It isn’t broad public knowledge but I guess I’ll say it here: Brian and Katie are expecting their first child, which will be our (Deb and me) first grandchild. It’s about time!
This photo records the moment after the announcement was made. I wish I had Glenyce (far right) framed better because her reaction of joy is especially obvious. This child will not be Glenyce’s first great grandchild but I’m guessing it never gets old.
It is a rare occasion that I can get Deb and Glenyce to pose for even an informal portrait. This opportunity presented itself at the 2012 Lake Area Technical Institute Festival of Trees. And they both look “mahvelous. . . “