Saturday, December 19, 2009

snow...Snow...SNow...SNOW


[Alan's Sepia Saturday] has been a huge success. I am thoroughly
enjoying all the wonderful history and vintage family photos shared
in the bloggyhood these past few weeks. My snowy sepia photo today
is of my Great-Grandmother, Ida Belle Lewis Hanna, (center) seated
on a sled with her two sons, Bright (left) and my Grandfather Chester
(right). It was taken some time in the mid-1920's on Stockwell Farm,
Howard Co., Indiana.

My sweet grandfather passed away two years ago at the ripe old age
of 93. I miss him dearly. He was a computer savvy guy and emailed
me almost every day until the few weeks before his brief illness.
Just yesterday, I received a wonderfully hand written Christmas
letter from the spry 93 year old Uncle Bright. I hope I have
inherited the longevity DNA from this side of the family. Bright is a
family name, by the way, the surname of his German paternal
grandmother.

And, speaking of sleds and snow, guess what I woke up to this
morning? Yup. Two inches of the glorious white stuff. This is the
magical view from my bedroom window. I love when the snow stays
on the branches, like they've been dipped in powdered sugar.
.
Here's what I see from my kitchen windows, and the back looks like
a winter wonderland with the snow covered trees and rock wall.
As you can see, I am in complete snow ecstasy this morning. Now, if
this will only stick until Christmas, my friends, I'll be having a white
one.

64 comments:

  1. Ciao Willow! I'm imbarassed, It's the first time that I read no comments on your post. For the first time I'm the first to comment You!!! ahahah
    Well, you photos are amazing. The first one is so romantic and evocative.

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  2. Those pictures are wonderful. Glad you finally got some snow.

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  3. willow - the post and you - both thoroughly romantic and magical. to look out of your window to that - mmmmmmm! i love the stories of your family. thankyou for sharing both the words and the photographs. have a lovely day at the manor. steven

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  4. It has also been a delight for all of us to have shared your sepia photographs and memories. Another great one today Willow. And look at the snow - we may live thousands of miles apart but we seemingly share the same microclimate.

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  5. Oh so beautiful! Your ancestors and the snow.

    Reading your post it occurs to me that we might actually have a white Christmas here, unless it warms up, that is. It has snowed about a foot so far here on Capitol Hill and is supposed to continue snowing all day and night tonight.

    It'll be a white solstice, at least!

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  6. Reya, a foot?!! Oh, man that's a dump of snow! Gosh, it makes our skimpy inch or two seem like nothin'! Enjoy the beauty, my friend.

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  7. Can't quite imagine sledding in a dress! Oy.

    Lucky you with all that pretty snow....still raining here.

    Love the new header

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  8. Wonderful pictures!
    That snow is headed our way here in CT!
    Can't wait!!
    It'll be perfect Saturday night for walking in the snow to the neighbors and sharing some hot chocolate with the kids!

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  9. I love the history, but I must say that the views from your windows are stupendous!

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  10. Enjoy - there's nothing more perfect than a white Christmas - I am loving every bit of the 15 inches we got - and we're looking at more next week. Your views are beautiful!

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  11. isn't the snow just glorious this morning? if i didn't have 25 people arriving here in my home for aholiday get-together in a bit, i'd be out taking photos. your photos are wonderful. i grew up with woodsy views like that.

    have a wonderful weekend, willow!

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  12. I hope you have a white one!

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  13. Bright is such a great name. From how you describe him, it's perfect for him.

    As Alan as already said, the white stuff is making its presence felt on both sides of the water.

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  14. Your yard looks like ours! :) So wonderful to wake up to! Love the sledding picture...

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  15. Do me a favor, please keep the snow where you are. Thankyouverymuch!

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  16. We're in the middle of a blizzard here in Maryland and posted photos earlier. I love your sepia series, Willow.

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  17. Lovely photo, endearing memories, dreamy snow pictures. Enjoy.

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  18. This is a sweet photo...their faces are angelic.
    We're getting snow today, too. Maybe an inch so far, but it's still floating down. Enjoy your beautiful winter land!

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  19. Your wish came true...snow! Now no complaining shoveling driveways! ha

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  20. How wonderful! Lucky you!
    Now pull on your boots and get outside!!

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  21. Hi! Willow,
    I'am glad that it snow for you too...the photographs of the snow from your kitchen window are...beautiful!

    Willow said,"my Great-Grandmother, Ida Belle Lewis Hanna, (center) seated
    on a sled with her two sons, Bright (left) and my Grandfather Chester
    (right). It was taken some time in the mid-1920's on Stockwell Farm,
    Howard Co., Indiana."


    Wow...your photograph of yours and Betsy's Great-Grandmother, Ida Belle Lewis Hanna, (center) seated
    on a sled with her two sons.

    Looks quite current (even though the photograph was taken in the 1920s)...especially, their clothing...because it looks as if they step right out of Eddie Bauer's winter catalog.
    What nice photographs!

    Thanks, for sharing!
    DeeDee ;-D

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  22. Willow I love the old photo's, I've been weeding through
    papers this whole week. Your place looks so wonderful. Devine place for an artist .

    Stay warm
    yvonne
    xxx

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  23. Willow .. beautiful snow pictures here. Remember walking in the back porch door at the Burlington House with the bush branches making a canopy cloated with soft fallen snow? And then standing in wonderment at Jack Frost on the kitchen windows! Makes me hungry for some of Grandma's iron skillet fried chicken.
    You were so cute then; still are!
    Hugs, The Bach

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  24. I'd be extremely jealous of your snow if it wasn't for the fact that a major storm is due to hit here in the next couple of hours and dump around a foot of the beautiful white stuff on us. And just in time for the Solstice, too!

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  25. I love that name, Bright! How could you go through life without a cheery disposition if you had such an inspirational name?
    I used to correspond with my grandmother up until her death in 1994, and also with her sister, Clara (she's coming up in SS very soon).
    It is a great blog activity, isn't it?
    Lots of snow here on the ground, but the flurries have taken a break for a bit.

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  27. Breathtaking.You have such a good eye. I'm all the better for having visited. You have a lovely weekend.

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  28. Yes, yes to the first snow of the season!
    Also I loved the family history
    in Sepia Saturday.

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  29. those three on the sled...just great. and the view from your kitchen window is fabulous. so important, those kitchen window views

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  30. 'Twould be perfect for Christmas! Have a wonderful season, Willow! xa

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  31. All I need for a snowy wonderland is to visit your blog. It all looks totally magical, willow! While I certainly would never want to live in it, a short visit would be just fine!

    Your sepia family pictures are very special. I have no old family shots. My mother only had one picture of her mother...very sad.

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  32. I love the photo, and the history. Thanks for sharing.
    Glad to see you got some snow for Christmas. Will we be seeing any snow angels?
    Wonderful post Willow.

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  33. I love sepia photos, thanks for sharing your family pic.
    We have had snow here in Wales today as well.

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  34. As has been noted already, the sepia pic looks so contemporary. I guess that for cold outdoors sartorially things haven't changed that much.

    Snow here too - about 4" and more due tonight. Not an entire pleasure: I'll have to dig the cars out again!

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  35. You've got a real winter wonderland there! And as I told Betsy earlier today...the both of you have the best family pictures.

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  36. Wonderful photos. The vintage photo is my favorite. Makes me long for the good old days. The innocent days.

    I have been missing you and your posts that make me smile.

    Merry Christmas, Willow.

    We also snow.

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  37. Hooray!!! We have yet to have snow... hoping it'll be here for Christmas Eve. Your pictures are stunning, what glorious views you have. :)

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  38. love the sepia presentations you've been making...
    and those winter snaps!!
    we do share the weather, willow,, indiana and michigan ... and all the branches are blanketed around me right now too, fresh from today!!
    stay BRIGHT!!

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  39. Wonderful photos, both old & new. I also enjoy seeing the old photos & learning family history; & your shots make the snowfall look lovely!

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  40. For two nights here it has been sleeting, raining, sleeting and raining. Snow was forecast for last night, didn't come. Forecast for tonight and we will see. I would rather had snow that rain and sleet. Beautiful sepia picture. Merry, Merry
    QMM

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  41. Well, with a scene as majestic as that I could even more do dishes all day jsut looking and admiring. Lovely.

    It looks so magical.

    Love your Sepia photo and the story behind it too. I'm so glad this has been going as well as it has. Great idea there by Alan.

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  42. Mmm, the scene is wonderful, but my kitchen sink faces the opposite direction, away from the windows. The stove faces out, so I cook-cook-cook!

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  43. oh willow...
    i love the snow too.
    it is like sugar.
    and the manor looks like a fairyland.

    i think it is cool your grand dad was playing on the computer.
    i hope you saved a couple of his sweet letters.

    i just got my mom up and running about 3 years ago and she now has a blog. ha ha ha

    xxx

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  44. Now you have something to go with your hat! :-)

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  45. Oh yes, this sepia series is divine. How lucky that you have these images of your ancestry...a treasure indeed. And I especially loved your reference to the snow on the trees as "powdered sugar"...ENJOY every flake!

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  46. Yeah for snow, Willow! So dreamy, magical, and breathtaking! Happy Saturday! :)

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  47. Beautiful photos.

    Your kitchen window view looks very much the same as what I see what I look out my own kitchen window :-)

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  48. Willow,
    Ah yes, visions of a white Christmas. Absolutely stunning!
    rel

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  49. Hello Willow,

    Super photographs all! And a fabby new header - is that one for me?! Hope you're able to enjoy your snow a while longer; certainly would be great to keep it for Christmas.

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  50. Simply lovely post today and the photo is wonderful in any color.

    We had 14 inches of snow day before last ending yesterday morning.. It's lovely outside but quite brisk.

    Stay warm!
    Di
    The Blue Ridge Gal

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  51. I think the phrase 'picture postcard view' was invented for the view from willow manor - made even more perfect by the white stuff. Ours is melting now and I'm delighted - I'm a natural faller-over

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  52. Willow, please tell me the card preceeded the snow? I did sense you were due for some of the white stuff!

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  53. Sounds like good genes to me. Nice photo too.

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  54. Your blog posts and pictures MOVE ME, every single time. I love the pictures of your grandmother, father and uncle. I've decided if I ever have a boy, I'll name him "Bright". Fantastic. I hope the snow sticks around for Christmas.

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  55. Fabulous vintage family photo and I love the view you get to enjoy. Sweet and dreamy it is.
    Maureen

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  56. Winter looks so inviting in your neck of the woods, great family picture...Have a great Christmas!

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  57. wonderful pic willow...really like the old one...and the new looks a bit like the scene out my window...only we got 18 inches...yikes, still digging out, but borrowing a few minutes of the neighbors net to check in...

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  58. Your family photos and family history always intrigue me. And, I'm envious of your snow!

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  59. Oh, wonderful photo and the snow is magical, Willow! It's blanketing things in the most elegant way here. We just got a dusting, but my brother in VA got 24 inches! Thankfully, it was on the weekend so they could sit tight and enjoy it.

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  60. How exciting that you have such wonderful longevity in the family Willow. Now you'll really be able to live up to my favourite bumper sticker: Avenge yourself, live long enough to be a problem to your children!'
    Millie ^_^

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)