Past Times

I've had a passion for old photos as long as I can remember. I found these photos at various places, estate sales, flea markets, and antique shops. One of the pictures I have reminds me of happy times in our world when you didn't have to worry about locking your doors and everyone knew their neighbors. The background was so sweet! Roses growing on a picket fence, three girls possibly sisters, posing with their mother. Could their father have been the photographer; catching the moment on a pretty day. Who knows... there were no names or dates on the back of the photo, and in the background there appears to be a small cottage and possibly a larger cottage, covered by trees. Of course I was drawn to it because it appears to have been taken in a garden.

Garrett and Friends is what is written on one of these photos. Two girls out with their friend, or could he have been their brother, cousin, or boyfriend of one of them, or possibly a college friend? They seemed adventurous. Their smiles hinted at this and tells that story and the fact that they are standing on a fallen down tree branch lends me to believe they were out to have a fun day. Even though their hats were fancy, they still seemed casual, somehow. Perhaps, the photographer was the girl in fronts boyfriend. Again, who knows, as there were no names or dates on the back. Could Garrett have been the guy smiling in the back or the mysterious photographer?

There is one picture of a man and woman makes you wonder if they were a married couple. They seemed to have worn their best clothes, more formal than the other pictures. Again, it's hard to say what year this was taken or even who the couple was. The back side was on a postcard, ready to be mailed, with a label exactly where to place the stamp. Could they have taken a trip and wanted to send a photo back home of their travels, but something prevented her (or him) from writing where they had been or what kind of time they were having, since there were no writings on the back. Was this possibly their honeymoon; you could make up a million stories and still maybe never know the truth. That's why old photos are fun; you can use your imagination and make your own story. I often wondered why people never smiled in old photos. Weren't they happy, or were they afraid to show it. I've heard that was not the proper thing to do, but the three young people, in the other photo, seemed to be having fun, as they smiled.

Now I have two photos of young women that must have been taken in a studio. The photos were bound with a border on more sturdier paper/card stock and had photography studio names embossed on the bottom. The first photo has the name "Houffman" New Braunfels Texas. The second photo has the name "John Christoph" Ellinwood Kansas. The girls seemed to be around the same age and there were similarities to their faces. The girls possibly were coming of age to marry and wanted to have their pictures taken to celebrate this or some other special occasion. Much like young girls do today, when they turn 16 or as the Mexican tradition when they turn 15 (they have quinceañeras-if you aren't familiar with this, this is another story).

The last vintage picture was of a sweet little girl. It made me wonder why any family would ever part with this photo or any of the other photos. Did their family no longer want these photos, had the family died and those left behind didn't want the photos or had they been left behind and the next family that came along had no use for them, so they were sold.

We have so many old photos of our family from times past. I hope that when I'm gone my boys will cherish my photos I've taken of them and our family. Since I'm normally the photographer and don't really like to have my picture taken, family reunions are mainly of everyone else. I had someone tell me one time that I shouldn't refuse to have my picture taken, because one day when my boys look back and want to remember me there won't be many pictures of me for them to see. I'll try to remember that the next time we get ready to take pictures.

I hope you cherish your family pictures and have precious memories of them. If by chance you think you recognize someone in these photos, email me. I'd love to know this.