And then we were seven - photos that stir the memory

I am continuing my project of storing old photos on CDs and trying to organize all of them so that I know where they are. I came across a couple today that bring back memories. Above is a photo taken on my parents' 50th wedding anniversary - I believe it was June 1973. My father never put on a suit, but Mother somehow persuaded him to dress up for this big day. I was happy for her as all her neighbors, friends and family dropped in for the open house. Little did we know that a couple of years later she would collapse from a ruptured artery to her brain and would never remember this day.

We were seven - four brothers and three sisters - and now the oldest brother and the youngest brother are gone. My beautiful sister, June, to the left of my mother is and was a special lady. She personifies the word lady in every way.

She was a role model for me and since she is a bit older than I, she taught me many of the values I hold today. I knew she loved me unconditionally just as my mother did. She was fierce when she felt I'd been mistreated and she'd go to bat for me in a second, whether defending me from my brothers' accusations or my father's anger, or a teacher who didn't understand. All little girls need someone in their corner, especially when they are too shy or insecure to stand up for themselves. I have written a number of stories about June and me.

How about those Seventies' clothes? Do any of you remember those hairdos and those dresses? The worst part of the trends of the seventies were the long hair on men and the mustaches. Both Hal and Rex sported hirsute faces that covered up their handsomeness, I thought.

The long sideburns, fashionable at the time, now remind me of Sonny Bono, singing partner of Cher and later senator.

What a happy day we had together and Daddy even enjoyed it. I think he agreed to this event because he didn't have to leave the farm. The party came to him - which was fine because he was comfortable in his own home. Photos stir up memories we can write about. Just from this one photo, I could write enough stories to fill a book. Have you done this? Have you taken a photo and tried to jot down all the memories provoked by it?

It is amazing what you think about when you do this.

This is me wearing a hat that belongs to my friend Linda Clarke. I liked this picture and I love my friend who looked dazzling in her hats. We have shared many things over the past 25 years having met in Albany, GA when her husband was transferred to my hometown. We boated down the Flint River, across Lake Seminole, and down to Apalachicola one weekend. That experience was new and fun because I'd never been through the locks on the river. A bit of an adventure for sure.

Linda loaned this hat to wear for the picture. That is the only time I wore it, but it is kind of cute, don't you think?