Sunday, March 24, 2013

Responsibility Comes Early!

I returned from my recent trip to Calgary 
with a carryon and a computer full of old family photos.

This is one of my most favorite early pictures, 
and I had seen it only a few times before 
when pouring through Grammie's album 
during summers long ago.
I was so excited to find it 
among my sister's piles of family photos!




I remember the occasion well, though.
Grammie was taking me with her 
when she went through the field behind her home,
across the Old Post Road,
and up the hill to Tatum's Farm to get some eggs.
And she was letting me carry her basket!
Responsibility comes early, 
and I was quite serious about it!

Grammie's field is now a woodlot, 
and you can't see Tatum's barn on the hill any more;
all the trees are reaching for the sky.
Queen Anne's Lace was one of the first wildflowers 
I learned to identify, and it is still a favorite of mine.

My grandmother Ella MacDonald 
and Farmer Tatum are, sadly, long gone;
but Queen Anne's Lace still runs amok 
in the fields and ditches of Smith's Cove.

Queen Anne's Lace
Smith's Cove
Nova Scotia

Grammie's back field would be 
just to the right
of the "e" in Smith's Cove 

For a larger map of Digby and the Annapolis Basin go to:  http://mapcarta.com/24116512

31 comments:

  1. Hi Fundy,

    Its Barb - I love this picture of you - now that you have most of the family photos, Imam looking forward to more stories from the North!!
    Cheers
    Barb

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    1. You got it, Barb! I'm working on my next northern post which I plan to publish next Friday! Hope all is well!

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  2. Great photo! There was lots of Queen Anne's Lace growing wild in the fields around my prairie home too.

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    1. Thank, Debra! My younger life was always filled with wildflowers which we gathered everywhere. I'm headed over to your blog in a few minutes to catch up on all I've missed. I hope that you are having an enjoyable Sunday afternoon! We're into the big melt down after 12 inches of snow Friday night into Saturday evening.

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    2. Thanks very much for your in-depth comment on my blog. It's so cool that you're related to Lucy Maud Montgomery! And yes, Elaine is Jim's niece. Her surgery went well and she's doing not too badly at the moment, but has not started her chemo yet. So she still has a long, hard row to hoe.

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    3. Thanks for the info about Elaine, Debra! I'm glad to hear that her surgery went well ~ one step at a time. Take care!

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  3. I've seen it time and time again
    Not sure I've ever been near her old den
    Know I've been up Digby way
    May have went by it back in the day

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    1. How are you, Pat?
      Now I'm curious where you're at!
      Nova Scotia's a pretty big place!
      Wondering what part is your space.
      If you've been right through Smith's Cove,
      then you've passed Grammie's home, by Jove!
      My sister Bertie now owns Ella's domicile,
      and she's had it quite a while.
      Luckily Bertie's Peter is
      a computer/tool man genius wiz;
      so the house Jack built so long ago
      to future generations will thankfully flow.
      Hope your birthday was fun and fine!
      I'll be at "It's Rhyming Time" today
      To find out what you have to say!

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    2. OOps Pat! Screwed up the send!
      Now the correct lines to you, I'll send!

      Hope your birthday was fun and fine,
      and the Birthday Boy did shine!
      I'll be at "It's Rhyming Time" today
      to find out what you have to say.

      Perfectionism is my curse,
      And it makes my life much worse!
      Hee!
      Hee!

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    3. End
      Send!
      The poetry life is hard
      when you're definitely not a bard!

      Absolutely this has been fun,
      but now, today, I am done!

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    4. haha tons of rhyme at your bay
      And I'm in Dartmouth the scary darkside at my bay

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  4. What a sweet photo! It sounds like you have so many lovely memories - and beautiful images to go with them. I always enjoy reading what these special moments in your life.

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    1. Hi Martha! Thank you for your kind words. I seem to be drawn to memoir at this point in my life, so thank you for baring with me!

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    2. OMG! I meant "bearing!" I think I need to slow down this morning! Have a good one, Martha!

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  5. You do look very determined!
    The Queen Anne's Lace photo is so pretty. I used to love the wild drifts in Maryland, and pretended they (and bachelor's buttons) were my wedding bouquet when I was young.

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    1. Hi Terry! I am still determined! "The wild drifts in Maryland" is such a beautiful image. I used to pretend that dandelions were my wedding bouquet when I was a kid! Bachelor's buttons and Queen Anne's Lace would be beautiful! I've been seeing QAL showing up in florist arrangements in recent years! May we have wildflowers soon in our area. We had about twice the usual snowfall in March this year ~ maybe I heard that on your blog? Anyway I'm hoping we'll get lots of snow in April and see many beautiful wildflowers this spring.

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  6. Thanks for your lengthy comment on my blog Fundy, it was great "hearing" from you again!
    First of all, I hope your sister is well now, I wish her a quick and full recovery.
    I bet you were exited to find more or your family pictures at her place!

    Queen Anne's Lace flowers shelter many interesting insects... Keep an open eye!
    Cheers and enjoy your day!

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    1. Hi Noushka!
      Thank you for the kind words about my sister Barb.
      She is coming along very well, for which I am most thankful!

      Yes, I was so excited to find that Barb had lots of early photos from my mother's family
      and an annotated album that a cousin of my father put together and sent to Calgary for us.
      Also, Barb had all the photos of we siblings growing up ~ the ones I was missing.
      I am in for years of fun writing and working with photography!

      Thanks for the tips about Queen Anne's Lace and insects. I've been trying to catch insects in QAL, but my camera is not up to the task. I've been playing around with a camera at Sam's Club in the past month or two and may actually buy it. I keep setting off SC's security alarm when I'm playing with it! I want good zoom , low light, and snapping small flowers and bugs capabilities without having to deal with changing lenses. I don't have your amazing patience!

      Have a good one, Noushka!

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  7. Hello Louise,
    Great picture of you! I love looking back at pictures when I just have a half memory of the occasion! The Queen Anne's Lace is very pretty. Thank you for the map (I need them!). Have a good day.
    Ivan

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    1. Hi Ivan! Thanks for all the kind words! QAL is one of my most favorite flowers. I'm glad you appreciated the map. I'm trying to include them since I'm always looking places up. I hope you are enjoying your day!

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  8. Welcome home!
    The picture is so cute and how neat that you remember the details of the day.
    Queen Anne's Lace always reminds me of long summer days in NY!

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    1. Hi Dreaming! Thanks for the welcome home! I look at that picture of me so small, and it's hard to believe it's actually me! It was a thrill to go with Grammie to get eggs. In the photo I'm wearing my harness. Mom kept me tied on to the clothesline with a rope tied to my harness. I could run all around but not get out of the backyard ~ until I learned how to untie knots! It's amazing all the places that QAL grows! Summer days wherever are the best! Happy travels to you!

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  9. Yay, welcome back!! Isn't it wonderful to find old items like photographs that bring back happy memories so vividly? Queen Anne's Lace is a favourite of mine too; it's so bright and cheerful :)

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    1. Hi B&R! It's fun to be back! I missed everyones blogs while I was gone. I came home with a big bag full of three photo albums that I guarded with my life as I traveled. My siblings would be seriously upset if something happened to them. I am having such fun going through them. I'm still thinking of your Scriggle and Shake memorial post ~ It was darling! QAL is a happy flower! Take care!

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  10. There are few things I love as much as coming across old photographs :)

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    1. Hi OE! I'm glad you enjoy old photographs! I am fascinated with them.

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  11. Love that picture and the story that goes with it. Now the flower in front, is it growing or a decoration on your shorts? It looks like a daisy to me. ???

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  12. Hi Francie! Thank you for your kind words! You have sharp eyes! That is a daisy! There were some mixed in with the QAL! Grammie's field was filled with all kinds of wild flowers. Things haven't changed in the Cove as you can see in the colored shot. I hope you've had a good couple of weeks while I've been away!

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  13. Louise, I ADORE that photo of you. I find that the older I get the more I treasure my childhood photos. My grandmother (Grammie!)recently sent a photo of me when I was about 4 years old. I hadn't seen it before which made it more special. It made me realize my youngest daughter looks so much like me, at least as a child. It brought tears to my eyes!!! One of my favorite little gifts. I love how yours reminds you of walking through the field with your Grammie!!! And that Queen Anne's Lace is so gorgeous!!!

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  14. Thank you for the kind words, Audrey!
    I adore it too ~ I see a vulnerable, innocent child stepping out into a wonderful world and determined to do a responsible job for her Grammie.

    I am undergoing the same transition as I get older: my childhood pictures become more precious to me. I wished I remembered more of what my grandmothers and great aunts told me about the older people in some of those photos, because I'm certainly curious about their stories now! Bit by bit I'm going to piece identities, stories, and timelines together. I'm putting some on-line to preserve them and to reach out to my families in the way this new world communicates.

    Thank you for being open to sharing my stories.
    Have a good day!

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  15. How did I miss this post, Louise!?

    I was re-reading your posts because I needed to find out where you might be in April, because you had said you were going somewhere and I couldn't remember, so here I am running through the Queen Anne's lace with you. Don't you just love that flower. I think our childhoods all of us N.S.ers have this flower waving at us. I used to cut some and put them in glasses with food colour..always fun!

    Cheers!

    Ron

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.