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| My Grandmother Rovilla loved all of her cousins!
One of her favorites was Elizabeth, to whom she sent this photo in 1919. Next came the 2nd cousins: Rovilla's daughter Mary (my mother) & Elizabeth's daughter Josie. Now, the 3rd cousins: me & Josie's daughter Cindy, who kindly shared this photo that I have never seen before! |
Cindy: "As I have gotten older, I have grown in my appreciation of lessons learned from my parents and grandparents. Some of those lessons have been gleaned from letters I read after they passed away. Others have been taught by books or keepsakes my elders gave me. What have been some of the most valuable, interesting, helpful or humorous lessons you recall learning from your Miller ancestors?"
Kitti: "From my Grandmother Rovilla: stay in touch with your cousins! She modeled this in her correspondence — no phone calls in those days! I loved peering into her stationery drawer and looking through all the stamps and notebooks. She taught me all the names and family stories, which were as fascinating to me (both then & now) as any huge complicated novel by Charles Dickens! So many characters!"
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| Mullin Hotel |
I too hope that dear Alice kept a happy memory of that day, throughout a long life. Who can know?
How unexpected -- or maybe not -- that by a curious quirk of fate, 112 after Godfrit penned this "Souvenir De Premiere Communion" to a little girl in Belgium, it somehow landed safely, half-way around the world, in thoughtful Igor's hands and has now been gently placed in my safekeeping! I must honor Godfrit Baudin's wishes and cherish this souvenir always, for the sake of Alice Isaac.
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| Victorian Trading Card |
The poet says "garland"
but could also be a May Basket!
That's what we did as kids . . .
The Garland
Here before your door I lay,
As befits this First of May,
Mingled flowers that mutely say
"Youth is winged & will not stay."
They, as we, are fresh and new:
We, as they, must wither too:
Yet we may, if wise are we,
Take example of the Bee:
Gather Joy, and Joy repay,
Laying memories away
To make rich a Winter's day (emphasis added)
from The Crowning of the Year (1937)
by Loyd Haberly (1896 – 1981)
