How Many Tires???

These are more pictures I found in Grampa and Grandma G's travel album from a trip they took to the US West back in the early 1980's. I wasn't sure why they took a picture of this heavy equipment truck ... maybe it was the stark shadows???

Then I realized their interest. The large truck was catching up to this convoy of vehicles moving what appears to be a massive tank of some kind. There are at least 3 people visible in the photo.

Look at all of those tires!

Join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans", as we share all things scanned ... we want to see YOUR old stuff!

To see shadows from around the world, visit "Hey Harriet" for Shadow Shot Sunday!

Grampa Lester

Grampa Lester was born in 1894 in St. Johns, Portland, Oregon.
This photo was taken in June of 1912, when he was 18.
The "small lad" is John McCormick (a cousin).

This picture was probably taken on a rare family trip to the Oregon coast - via horse and wagon, over non-paved roads up and over the Coast Range. The entire trip took 2 months, camping the entire time! The extended family would caravan together, and share chores. Once they took a milk cow with them!

Can you imagine taking that kind of "vacation" now?

Join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans", as we share all things scanned ... we want to see YOUR old stuff!

Germany photos, 1987

We lived for a year in a tiny town in Germany (1986-1987) ...
Cleeberg. Such a beautiful place!

The best part was the drive to work, where we passed sleepy little towns, and beautiful German countryside.

This is the house we lived in ... we rented a tiny apartment in the basement.

And frequented the "Gasthaus" just down the street.

Best of all was the castle in the middle of town ...
(A private residence, so we never got to go inside -- but that's okay, I could see a glimpse of it from my little kitchen window, and dream big dreams!)

To see scans from around the world, visit Al's "Sunday Scans" - and show us YOUR old stuff!

To see signs from around the world, be sure to join us over at Lesley's "Signs, Signs"!

Fire Lookout Tower - Snake River

Back in the early 1980's, my ex and my brother-in-law took a road trip to extreme Eastern Oregon.

One of the stops they made was a fire lookout tower (I believe it was Hat Point, but I'm not positive).

The pictures were taken by my ex.

View looking down from the tower.

View of the Snake River canyon far below ...
I like the shadow of the fire lookout tower - to give you an idea of how tall it is!

Another view from the top of the tower, looking over the parking lot to the valley beyond ...

The Snake River far below looks like a mere thread!

To see shadows from around the world, visit "Hey Harriet", and join us for Shadow Shot Sunday.

To see wonderful scanned items, join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans" - and show us YOUR old stuff!

Frankfurt (Germany) Zoo, 1980-something

A group of military family members decided to take a day trip to the Frankfurt Zoo ...
(we were stationed in Germany in the late 1980's)

I got a kick (not literally, of course!) out of this sign, which needed no translation.

And carefully watched for dangerous critters on the prowl ...

This is the only one I found!

In fact, most of the critters were down right lovable, right mom?

The End.

To see signs from around the world, join us over at Lesley's "Signs, Signs".

And if you scanned something to post, be sure to link it over at Al's "Sunday Scans".
Because we love to see YOUR old stuff!

Ahhh the memories ...

Who could this cute little kid be?
Yep, it's me!!!
1964 ... I would have been 3 years old.
I don't think I was reading that book, I must have been looking at the pictures.

I treasure this picture.
What joy on my face!
That cute little boy is my brother Dow.
He would have been about 5.
He is wrapped up in so many of my childhood memories ... we were best friends.
He died when I was 40.
I still miss him -- every day.

Ooh, I was such a ham!

Flash forward to me at age 11.
That's when my wonderful little sister Leola was born.
I call her "honey". She calls me "honey". Her daughter calls me "Auntie Honey".
I love her so much!

I have to stop here, I can't see the monitor anymore through my tears.
And I have to say "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU"
to Al over at "Sunday Scans".
He's the reason I dug out my old photo albums ...
My wonderful old memories ...
Of times and people long gone.
Please join us at "Sunday Scans" - and show us YOUR old stuff!

And Tina over at "Goodies For a Pleasant Life" is hosting a month-long meme called "Memories". So post a memory, and join us as we share what has made us who we are today.

Grampa Hugs a Tree!

This is another of Grampa and Grandma G's photos from their early 1980's Western US Road Trip album.

I had to giggle to see Grampa being silly - hugging the only tree around!
And check out those desert shadows!

Please join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans" to show us YOUR old stuff (and new stuff, just as long as it is something scanned)!

And join us over at "Hey Harriet" to participate in Shadow Shot Sunday!

Heineken Brewery Photo

I swear I did NOT take this picture!
After all, we were on a tour bus in Amsterdam (back in the late 1980's) - we should be taking pictures of windmills and tulips, right? - Not a Heineken brewery!!!

Oh well, it was a fun trip with lots of good memories.
For me anyway ... the rest of the passengers I can't be certain of.

You see, I don't drink beer.
Heineken or otherwise ...
But I can't say the same for the rest of the group!

To see fun signs from around the world, visit Lesley's "Signs Signs".

And join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans" - a new meme for all things scanned!

Big Horn Restaurant

This is yet another wonderful Wild Wild West photo I found in Grampa and Grandma G's old photo album ... I believe it was from a road trip in the early 1980's.

The picture is a little blurry, but the sign on the restaurant reads
"Big Horn Restaurant".
Now I wonder why they named it that???

To see signs from around the world, visit Lesley at "Signs, Signs"!

And join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans" to link up anything you've scanned -- play along, and show us YOUR old stuff!!!

Grampa and Gramdma in the Wild Wild Wet

Wild

Wild

WET

These are some more photos I found in one of Grampa and Grandma G's old photo albums.
Location: Somewhere in the US Wild Wild Wet ... er, West!

If you have something you have scanned, come join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans" - and show us YOUR old stuff!!!

Trees of Mystery ...

This is another picture I found in Grampa and Granda G's travel album.
As before, I don't know the date this was taken ... sometime in the 1970's or 1980's.
But this time I do know WHERE it was taken -
Do you see the little sign peeking out between the legs of the statue?
"Trees of Mystery" - Northern California US.

To see signs from around the world, join the fun with Lesley over at "Signs, Signs".

To see old scans from around the world, visit Al's "Sunday Scans" - and show us YOUR old stuff!

Wedding Cake with Heart, 1983

This beautiful cake was made by a very special person - my Aunt Donna.
I had no idea, until she volunteered to make it, that she was so talented!

The beautiful heart-shaped glass topper was found at a little shop on the Oregon coast.

The marriage lasted 17 years ...
But the good memories will last forever.

To see old scans from around the world, visit Al's "Sunday Scans" - and show us YOUR old stuff!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday (links open through Sunday!)

Carriage House Cellars ...

Another Grampa and Grandma G picture taken sometime in the 1970's to 1980's ... somewhere in the Western US.

How's this for tacky touristy fun?

Although I do wonder why they advertise "Ice Cold Beer" -- at a wine tasting room ...

To see more wonderful scans, join Al for "Sunday Scans" -- and show us YOUR old stuff!

To see fun and interesting signs, visit Lesley for "Signs Signs"!

Found Photos ...

Some years ago I found a package of photos in a box near the trash can at my storage unit.
They had been left in the rain ...
I couldn't resist looking through what was left of the pictures, and realized this was someone's European vacation!
So I salvaged what I could of the group ...

Some of the photos were completely destroyed.
In this one, though, a tiny piece of the picture was left untouched ...
In the shape of a heart!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!

Oooh, I just realized this is a perfect post for Al's "Sunday Scans"!
Where we link up our posts of anything scanned.
In other words ... "Show us YOUR Old Stuff!"

Eavesdropping Gnomes - Sunday Scans

This is another of Grandpa and Grandma G's photos taken on one of their many road trips throughout the US West during the 1980's. I recognize these ladies as being friends of Grandma G's, but I don't remember their names.

I thought it was cute that they were so intent on their conversation that they failed to notice those eavesdropping gnomes right behind them!

Join us over at Al's for Sunday Scans ... and show us your old stuff!!!

Amsterdam Tour Boat and Bridge

I finally unearthed one of my old photo albums from Europe - from the mid- to late-1980's.

One of the trips we took was to Amsterdam, where we took a boat tour of the canals ... I was a little nervous of going on the boat after seeing the one ahead of us heading for this very low bridge.

It ended up being one of the highlights of the trip!

Perry over at "My World" is starting a new meme - it's called "Bridges Weekly".
Come join in the fun!

Old Advertisement - Sunday Scans

I found this wonderful advertisement page in a ripped up old magazine in a dumpster, and I just had to have it!

It is so huge, I couldn't scan it all on one page, and had to make it in two parts.

Don't you just love this gorgeous old Packard convertible?

Have you scanned something lately? If so, link it up with Al's new meme - "Sunday Scans"!

Oooooh, and guess what? I see a heart - a late addition to "Guest Heart Thursday"!

Grampa G - Sunday Scans

Al over at "Al's Photography Blog" is starting a new meme!
It's called Sunday Scans, and will be for all photos scanned ... they can be old prints or slides, or even new scanned shots if you still shoot on film.

This is going to be so much fun!
Now we will have a place to share these wonderful old photos ... other than in a box, drawer, or dusty photo-album-on-a-shelf!

Oh yeah, about the photo ... this is one I found in a box of pictures from one of Grampa and Grandma G's many adventures on the road. Since they traveled all over the US, Canada, and Mexico for many years ... this could have been taken nearly anywhere, at any time.

Maybe the car is a clue???

Reflections of a Bridge ... Weekend Reflections

This is another of Grandma G's pictures from a road trip she and Grampa G. took back in 1981. I don't know where this picture was taken ... and since they traveled through at least 5 Western US states, it could pretty much be anywhere!

But I can still appreciate the beauty of the reflections ... no matter where or when they were found!

To see reflections from around the world, visit James at "Newtown Area Photo", and join us for Weekend Reflections!

Elkins Family Bible ...

I was shopping at the Goodwill Outlet store in Hillsboro, Oregon, when a bin full of books was brought out. There were many old books, and I grabbed some that caught my eye.

I saw an old tattered and falling-apart Bible, but passed over it ... until my daughter opened it and made me realize what a treasure it was ...

On the inside cover were four tags ...
"Rev. JT Elkin, TUSCOLA, Douglas co Ill"
"Rev. JT Elkin, WAXAHACHIE, Ellis co (worn off)"
"Rev. JT Elkin, MARION, Marion co Oregon"
"Rev. JT Elkin, CORVALLIS, Benton co Oregon"

Also a sticky note as follows:

"BIBLE - 1856

"Belonged to my Great-Grandfather (my Dad's Grandfather) used as he rode horseback through the countryside, as a Methodist Circuit Rider.
Lois Harvison"

The Bible itself is labeled "New York - American Bible Society" 1856

Between the Old and New Testaments was a section titled "Family Records"

Marriages:

James T. Elkins & Jennetta F. Gardiner was married by Rev. Benjamin Darlington October the 27th 1859
Simon N. Grizzell & Nannie J. Elkin, January the 18th, 1882, Waxahachie, Tex {daughter}
George R. Maple & Ella E. Elkin, January the 18th, 1882, Waxahachie, Tex {daughter}

Births:
Kanawha co West Va, James T, son of Edley & Francis Elkin was born October the 31st AD 1826
Montgomery co West Va, Jennetta Francis Elkin, daughter of Alaxander & Nancy Gardiner was born December the 9th AD 1840
1. Putnam co West Va, Nancy Jane, daughter of James T. & Jennetta F. Elkin, was born August the 30th AD 1860
2. Camargo Douglas co Illinois, Emily Ellen Elkin, daughter of James T. & J. F. Elkin, was born April 3rd AD 1864
3. Tuscola, Douglas co Illinois, Leonard Haddington, son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin was born April AD the 10th 1867
4. Tuscola, Douglas co Illinois, Euretta Candace, daughter of Jas. T. & J. F. Elkin was born December the 16th, AD 1868
5. Tuscola Douglas co Illinois, Infant son - J.T. & J.F. Elkin, born July 22nd AD 1871
6. Tuscola Douglas co Illinois, James Clark, son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin born January 8th AD 1873, 8 oclock 15 min

Deaths
3. Leonard A. Elkin, September the 2nd AD 1868 12 oclock 25
4. Euretta C. Elkin, September the 4th AD 1869 7 oclock 35
5. Inf son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin, July 22nd AD 1871
Mrs. Jennetta F. Elkin, July 14th AD 1875, Marlin Falls co Texas, 8 oc 13 min
Rev. J.T. Elkin, ded, January 3rd 1889, Corvallis, Benton co Ore.

Tucked between the pages of Family Records, was this well worn bookmark. It appears to be a peachy pink ribbon with scalloped edges, and a cross-stitched (on heavy paper) saying - "the blush of modesty" and a flower.

There was also a newspaper clipping about the Elkins family ...
including family crest and family history from medieval times through the 1600's.

Someday I will get enough information about this family to be able to track down the Reverend's descendants ... and return to them his Bible.

Until then, I am grateful that it ended up in our shopping cart ... instead of being sent off to be shredded and recycled (as do many of Goodwill's books that don't sell) ...