Legacy Writing 365:223

In this photo from 2006, Aaron’s sitting on the couch in Mother’s apartment beneath a painting that she moved around with her for several years.

I can’t remember if she bought it during one of her Houston residencies or from a friend in Salt Lake City, but she said the reason she loved it was because the two little girls reminded her of Debby and me. When Mother died, Debby gave the painting a new home.

Whenever I see the photo below of Debby and me:

I wonder if that’s the image Mother had in her mind. I don’t remember the day it was shot or where we were, but I like having the photo set. I can see them so much better after I can scan and view them at larger sizes. Otherwise, I’d never be able to tell this isn’t just a group of strangers, but that the boy in front is David:

The photos make the water look all murky, but I think it was probably pretty clear.

That day was spent with Uncle Gerald and Aunt Lola and their kids–our combined families were aged like stair-steps: Terri, David, Bruce, Debby, Gordon, Becky.


Mother with Gordon. That may be Gerald and Terri in the background. When I got older and we went to visit their family in Mississippi, Gordon already had his driver’s license. On summer nights, he’d drive the two of us around their small town, and that’s when I realized how I loved being able to see people inside their houses, just reading the paper, watching TV, or sitting around the table. I made up stories in my head all the time about the people I saw on those night drives.


Debby, Bruce, Gordon, and Lola. It was Cousin Bruce and his wife April who gave me my first camera when I graduated from high school.


Lola, Gordon, Gerald, and Terri. Debby thinks that Aaron looked like Uncle Gerald, and I could definitely see his resemblance to Mother’s side of the family. I think Terri was the first of the six of us to get married–I sort of remember her getting married, but what I mostly remember is her clothes from the time of her marriage. She had a green satiny jump suit and a red leather outfit. I need to re-create those designs on dolls–very much of their period.


Debby, Bruce, and David–making sandcastles, or just a big mess?

It makes sense that this was the family from my mother’s side we were closest to, not just because of our similar ages, but because Uncle Gerald was Mother’s best friend as well as her brother.

13 thoughts on “Legacy Writing 365:223”

  1. Over the last couple of years, one of my paternal cousins has been scanning and posting old family photos to Facebook albums. I love those old photos of family weddings, reunions, Christmases, Easters, Thanksgivings, my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary party. They’re wonderful and astonishing and filled with so much joy.

    1. As I go through the photos I have of my mother’s, I often wonder what photos are out there with cousins or other relatives. I do cherish the ones I have. Good for your cousin for finding a way to share with the whole family!

  2. That was when we lived in Guin when Daddy was in Korea. I remember that day well. I don’t remember where the lake was but it was somewhere around Guin.

    1. If we lived in Guin, Daddy was in Germany. That’s the time we were supposed to join him but Papa had a heart attack and Daddy was sent home.

      Those pictures are even older than I thought they were. I suppose I should have guessed, by my size, but for some reason, I thought they were from the Georgia years. Now I can see you are right. David might even remember the place.

  3. marion county lake. jane jane and i used to fish there. i believe mother bought that painting at a thrift store in slc.

    1. She loved her thrift stores!

      I wish I had photos of you and Jane Jane fishing. Did she dip snuff while y’all fished?

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