Bottomless Lakes, New Mexico, July 1967
This is a continuation of yesterday's nostalgic post. This picture is how I recall our family in those farm-living days, outdoors, all fresh-faced and healthy. We have gone swimming at Bottomless Lakes and are sitting on the picnic table under a shelter. I'm sure we had an ice cold home-grown watermelon that my dad (the photographer) was about to cut for us with his trusty pocket knife.
That's my pretty mom, all of 25 years old -- remarkable to me that is just a year older than my own baby daughter now. Look at her, embracing her children and yet with a look of young love for my dad in her eyes. Love radiates from her, the center of our world. There's me, age 8, my brother Mike, age 6 (famous for making faces in photographs), and our baby brother Casey, about a year and half old.
I don't know why I remember this, but on my bathing suit you can see a piece of material pinned to it. That's how the lake staff kept track of who paid to swim. The material changed daily. Kind of ingenious, actually.
This picture seems like it was taken yesterday to me. Spoken just like an old timer, don't you think? I do see, though, it was 40 (forty!) years ago.
9 comments:
Oh my goodness!!! I absolutely adore this photo. It just hit me too, that is Bobbie... :) How lovely, that is the word, just lovely!!!
This is a portrait of pure happiness, a moment in time that is truly timeless. This love is your family's legacy - from your own grandmother to your beautiful grandchild(ren).
I don't think that I have ever seen this picture, it is so cute of all of you. And you ALL look so young. Katlynn looked confused when I was telling her who was who. She kept saying, "that's you" and pointing to you, mom. Maybe we look more alike than we think.
Ahhh..those were the days weren't they? Just to be able to take a day off to go swimming was such a treat for us. Y'all were such beautiful kids and still are today :)
Bobbie
You are just so recognisable - those deep shining eyes and cute features - and I can see you in the 3 kids then and in the few recent pics I've seen.
Thanks Debi - there is that enthusiast smiling out. Love you.
I think the best photos are taken when the people in it obviously think so much of the person taking it, you can tell by the faces.
Wow, momma... that's a great photo of you. It's a shocking realization that Grannie was the same age as I am now in that photo. Well, she wasn't 'Grannie' then, but really it's.... I don't know how to describe. David and I love this photo. It's wonderful. Makes me tearful.
Debi, you look like such a happy little girl! Actually, you look like a happy family and you look so much like your mother. Old pictures show us that one moment in time when everything seemed perfect and it was, for just that moment it was. It is good to have a memory of that moment.
When I was younger (and I did not speak a word of English), I'd browse Life magazine and Readers Digest looking for pages to cut up..I had a clear mental image of what a happy and typical American family would be: looking at this tender and beautiful picture, I find myself "face-toface" with my dream. All my love to you and yours, my habibati.
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