A lot of my pictures are taken at sunrise; this particular one on a Morning before school.

Lost

Out in the middle of the country on some semi-abandoned road I found this treasure. It seemed so out of place just lying there in the dirt, broken and tattered.

I thought it was beautiful in some odd sort of way

they are just a bunch of old shoes i keep in a bag on the top shelf of an unused closet. i don't go there much anymore, but i thought for this assignment i could muster the courage.

these shoes are special to me because every september, since i was six, i would get a new pair.

sometimes, i couldn't wait to go shopping for them and other times i couldn't wait for it to be over.

when i was a teenager, the shoes seemed to take so much from me that i didn't want them anymore. that was when i put them on that shelf in the closet for the first time.

later in life, as i got older, these same shoes began to take on a new meaning for me and i began to see them as tools of my trade. i put them on again and i was able to make a living wearing these shoes.

it wasn't long in the scheme of this thing we call life that i took off  those shoes for the last time. i never wore them again and they sat there in the bag on the shelf in the closet for the longest time patiently waiting for me to find my way back to them.

and then it happened, there came the day when my babies had grown to be little girls of the same age i had been when i recieved my first pair of these special shoes.

i returned to the closest and rescued my shoes from their exiled existance. again they served me well and i taught my children everything i had learned in those shoes.

my babies are grown with babies of their own, and the shoes are back in the bag on the shelf in the closet still waiting patiently for me to return.

maybe this assignment will bring them back one more time to find their way into the heart of another generation.
i want to see youdance again !

This is sassy.  Sassy has belonged to my boyfriend for about 16 years and he is now almost 18.   Sassy is the spoiled one in our family and is the one thing that I know of that has been around the longest.

Paul's current theme is "I've Had This Since I Was A Kid".  I gave his theme some thought and realized that the two things we all have had since we were kids, babies in fact, are our minds and our bodies. What we do with our minds and bodies and how we treat them will have much to do with how long we have them and how long they function properly. Our minds and bodies are the true treasures that we possess. We may lose all of our tangible "treasures" in a hurricane, a tornado, a fire, a flood or some other natural or un-natural disaster, but as long as we have our bodies and minds in tact, we will have our memories. I have seen families sobbing outside their burned homes while holding in their hands the remnants of a scorched photo album or child's toy. And they ask, "Why?" I have seen families crying while looking at their homes which are now standing in the middle of a flooded river realizing that all or most of their treasures are lost or terribly water damaged. And they ask, "Why?" I have seen a fire on Fathers Day that took the life of two children that were unable to escape, leaving behind a grieving family. And they asked, "Why?" Each of these families, in their own way, must try to forget the pain of loss. They must endeavor to replace it and fill their minds with fond memories and happiness of better times.

And alas, there are others. Those in nursing homes with no memories at all. Once vibrant persons now reduced to sleeping and eating, sleeping and eating. Persons no longer aware of anything that goes on around them. Persons not recognizing loved ones that visit. Persons asking the same questions over and over again. This saddens me, and I ask, "Why?"

Bodies and minds...may we have them for our entire lives.

There once was a little boy, a first grader to be exact, that had to have surgery to repair a hernia that he had had since birth. This was in the days, way back in the last century, when ether was still used as an anesthetic. The boy's right lung collapsed and the doctors said he had ether pneumonia. He struggled, trying to stay alive, for quite a few days while in that four bed hospital, but ultimately, he did survive. While he was there, friends and relatives brought him many things that a little boy would enjoy. For example comic books like the ones Austinspace showed us a few days ago. But the treasure that he still has today is a little plastic  donkey. It's a special donkey and very smart. You can ask the donkey any question on earth and he can answer it as long as the answer is "Yes". You see, with a little help, he will nod his head up and down, up and down. So it's always best to ask a "Yes" question so he gets the answer right. Wasn't this a nice gift for a little boy?

As the boy grew he loved to read. This helped him develop his mind. He was particular about the books he read, and mainly chose intellectual books like these which he still has.

When the boy was six years old, he started taking guitar lessons. This helped to develop the musical portion of his mind. When the boy was in high school, 45 rpm records were in vogue. How many of these treasured labels do you recognize? BTW..."My True Love" by Jack Scott was "our" song.

You have probably guessed by now that I was that boy.

When my dad was a lad, in the early 1900s, he took coronet lessons. The way he told it was that after a few lessons, his teacher ran off with a man and got married, so the lessons stopped. This, in any event is his coronet.

Now I must explain the "Today's the Day" part of the title above. Some years back, on my birthday, a good friend gave me a case of Yukon Jack. Every few years on my birthday, we have each consumed one bottle of Yukon Jack. I know what you're thinking, but they're only miniature bottles like you get on an airplane. When there were two bottles remaining in the case, my friend decided that we should drink them on my 65th birthday. TODAY'S THE DAY.

Now, if you have stuck around while learning a little about my mind and my treasures,
and if you still want to see my body,
I salute you!

Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoy!

My son is waiting for the Pirate ship to come ashore so he can loot them for treasure.As we wait the cannons are fired to ward of the Pirates.
waiting
cannon pirateship
pirate
This was a fun day and I edited the pics to sepia to make them more fun and look aged. My son had a blast. A childhood memory to last forever.

My choice of treasures from childhood days are images, not because they depict people, which is important, but they tell a story.  A story of where one came from, and a bit of history of how life and the world was different nearly a century ago.

These images came from my late Mother's collection, and are special treasures to me because of some of her handwritten comments on the back.

About 1927, age 2, in front yard of our house in Rule, TX, nearest large town, Abilene.  Note dirt yard, muddy from rain this day, yet I am barefooted.  We had a car then, before  the great depression.  Later my father lost everything and we lived off the land on my grandmother's farm near Buffalo, TX.

 The first thing I notice here is that my parents had added a concrete sidewalk in front, apparently no money problems then.  Note on back says the girl is Inez.  I wonder what I am thinking, "why to girls like dolls, or where do babies come from?"  Dig the cap and great shorts.

Note on back says "Mudder, I broke my sanach (sandwich)".  Background is typical barren landscape of small west Texas town.  The wagon, maybe red, has thin metal wheels, must have been hard to pull in the dirt.

Probably in front of my Aunt's house in Palestine, TX.  A more conventional neighborhood with plants and landscape.  I know the note on the back was written over 45 years later, because it said, "my little colonel and me."

Treasures to be sure, and puts my mind into a time warp.

Ok so I have been thinking about this topic all week, and this is what I have come up with, by the way the pictures are not great since I just used my dgital camera to take them real quick!
Ok when I was born in 1980 my grandmother made this doll for me, i treasure this thing since I have never met my grandmother! Next I was three years old and I got these three things for christmas from my grandfather, they are allhandmade and have been through many children in my family (the rockers have been broken, and chewed on by the dog, ONE DAY I WILL GET THEM FIXED but that will take away from the sentimental value for me) and now they belong to my daughter.
Then when I was about 14 a friend of our family wanted to throw out this  cooler and I just had to have it, I have no idea how old it is but it has the original ice pick in it. I absolutly love this thing even though it is not the prettiest thing in the world.
The picture in the thumbnail was not mine when I was young but it was GIVEN to my 2 year old daughter about 5 months ago and when we got it home I was curous to know how old it was so I did some research and it was made in 1913, although some of the ivories are missing it is still worth alot of money! The man has no idea what he gave away, although he said it was given to his daughter when she was 4 and she learned all about music with it so he wanted to give it to another little girl, By the way my daughter loves it! thanks for looking at my treasures

My Dad and Mom used to dabble in a little woodworking; they never had the tools like you'd find in a work shop, but they had enough to do what they wanted to do.  They didn't make much stuff, just a few things.  I only have one of the things Dad made; it is a picture frame with my name on it.  It never had much of a back to it; it was just paper and that was torn off long ago.  I still hang on to this, though, and one day I guess my grandkids will have it.

This isn't quite that old, nor as sentimental, but my Mom gave me this about 9 or 10 years ago.  I don't know how old she is, for there's no date on her.  I just know it's been a while since I've seen a wind-up doll with the winder in the doll's bottom.  This, too will go to my grandkids (probably Kayla; don't think Cody will want it!)

This isn't anything to do with the theme, but I did capture  this today sitting along side the interstate.  I'm really surprised he didn't fly off when we pulled up, but he sat there for a few minutes before he'd had enough of getting his picture taken!

Hope y'all enjoy!

  I don't really have any toys/games from my young years, mom said that during one of the moves the family did that my toys were left behind and the new tenants who moved into the house we left would not send them to her. At that paticular time we lived in West TN and then moved to Dayton, Ohio for a short spell (I was 3 or 4), before moving back to TN.
  You have already seen some of grandma's items..here are a couple pieces of ceramics she made for me, Couple (me and my husband), and this Piano, which still works (has a wind up knob on back)..as you can see, right side has been broken and re-glued the little piece back on.
  These next two items belong to my husband...Piggy Bank with some old coins in it that he saved as a small boy.  Don't know how this book survived and he was able to keep it...third grade English Book, copyright 1944.
   From the time I can remember mom and dad had the same bedroom suite forever (purchased in 1953)..dad died in 1983 and sometime after that I was given the  Night Stand, and the top has a  Burned place on it,...this stand was on dad's side of the bed and he burned the stand with his cigarettes.
  This Jewelry box I have had since I entered high school (1960)..sure used to hold a lot of memories.
  Just one of my Yearbooks...and yes I am somewhere on the right side of the book.  There is also a famous person on the left page.
   Enjoy!!!

Childhood Treasures

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."  These childhood stories are the best of times.

1967.  I was 10 years old, and on the PS154 track team.  On the 5th grade four hundred yard relay team. We practiced running after school on a small circle, not a track, just a circle path. Our coach taught us how to pass the baton, a complicated procedure for a ten year old.  At the city wide PSAL track meet we were not favored to win, the sixth grade team was.  I ran third in the delicate string.  We were close to last when the baton was passed to me with a precision that advanced us maybe two places.  We were first after I passed the snake to the anchor man.  I had experienced for the first time in my life the "zone".  I didn't really remember running at all, the physical practice memories had just taken over my body and I ran the like the wind.  My treasure is the gold medal our TEAM won.
1968. I was 11,12 years old.  I have no photos, only a picture story. I lived in a u shaped court of two story attached apartments and in the middle was a field of dreams.  There were close to twenty kids who played in the court.  We played stick ball, stoop ball, ring a leveo, hide and seek, softball, foot ball, johnnie on the pony,  red rover, dodge ball, and later RCK, (run, catch and kiss).  We hung out on the stoop listening to Motown and classic rock on an AM radio and spinning 45s on a battery powered turntable.  My 14 year old brother met his future wife there.
1969. I was 12 and Neil Armstrong stepped out into the future in the summer, and the New York Mets were amazing everyone.  One of my friends from the court was at the winning World Series game at Shea Stadium, so close we could bicycle there.  When the Amazings won the fans stormed the field and ripped up every piece of grass.  My friend brought me home a piece of the turf from the infield.  I put it in my desk drawer thinking I would keep it forever.  The grass is gone now, all that remains is Tom Terrific.
1974. Books, novels, short stories, I needed them to get by.  The four books pictured I read for the first time in 1974.  My brother gave them to me. I have read them three more times at different stages in my life since then.  The notebooks in the background are my writings inspired by the books I have read.Hobbits

Photographs and Family are my most valued childhood treasure.  My father took thousands of photos.  This is my favorite taken in 1960, I was three years old.  I'm the one wearing the Yankee uniform.
Family 1960

My Kids' shoes

I'm guessing this is a big stretch of the childhood treasures assignment and admittedly a stretch for orignal work...but MY childhood included TV...  And me and my sister used to watchJeannie  I Dream of Jeannie ...Nelson EVERY day followed by Bewitched after school.  I don't think there are many programs that can come close to the genius of those two.  I wanted to BE Major Heelie and I wanted to know the "Stevens" family. Darren was kinda lame...  Anyway, I had taken these shots not too long ago upon a moment's notice of seeing the broadcast.. to send to my sister for a giggle and I thought they fit a somewhat into the theme. I hope no copywright was infringed dong this also...

From the time I was about 9 until I was about 16 or so I was heavily involved with the Boy Scouts. I suppose that's where I developed such a love of nature (athough you'd never know it now with my addiction to air conditioning...) My dad also got very involved with it, so it was a good chance for us to do things together too.

I stopped just short of Eagle Scout, mainly because girls, part time jobs, and marching band took all of my time. In fact I have 2 or 3 other merit badges lying around here somewhere that I never even sewed on.

But I still treasure those childhood memories.

As a child one of my "Childhood Treasures" could have been of my first taste of a watermelon. The portrait  I took of this baby girl with her first taste of a watermelon and the expression on her face brought back the memory of what I might have looked like with my first taste of a sweet watermelon.

You're either a teddy bear person or you're not. I'm a one-teddy person and that teddy is Edwina.

As you can see she's been well loved. She's not far off 50 now, but she got me through my childhood and looked after my son too, when he needed super-strong teddy power.

Thanks, Edwina!

One of my son's favourite toys.  They never last as long as he would like, but he enjoys them all the same.

I was cleaning out the basement and found some old flowers that have been left out to dry.  I liked the way they looked and got the shot.  Then they fell apart.

As long as I could remember, my Grandma always wore some type of hat, and she invariably had  shoes to go with each hat.  I didn't get  these until after she passed away; I was a grown adult by then.  It always amazed me that she kept the stretchers in her shoes; I never understood that until years later.  Although they both have wear and tear, they are still special to me.  

Since I posted pictures of my frog, the wife said her fifty some years old Charlie needed some exposure, too.  
(Caution, not pretty to look at!)

This theme has really got me thinking.  It is a long time since I was a child.  In body that is.  I am still a child at heart and don't ever plan to grow up.  
    My town has only about 400 people in it and I attended a little public school.  My children attended the same school and played in the same playground I did.  During those recesses outside I can still see my friends and I gathered around a big game of   marbles.  We would touch them against the old cement walls and hold our breath while we waited to see if we won the pot or not.  A couple of these still have the dirt  ingrained in tne cracks school yard dirt.
Remember the big ones were called Crokeys?   There were always arguments about whether a marble moved or not.  Kids would yell "No ticks allowed" meaning the marble had to be smacked and not just touched to win.  That was so much fun.  Recess was never long enough.
   Before I knew it I was in highschool and got to wear a  highschool ring.
Does anyone out there remember sweater clips?  They had little chains joining a pair of them together.  We used to wear one on each side of a cardigan sweater to hold the sweater on while wearing it over our shoulders.  This little pin is identical to a set of sweaterclips that I had way back then.  It is much newer though.  
pin
Then came that special prom and this little butterfly was part of the corsage I wore.  Man that was back in 1965.  
Thanks for the memories.