Photos melt my heart | Photos #4
by Elouise
It’s summer 1972. We’re still on our road trip from South Carolina to the West Coast and back, one year before we leave the Bible College.
The photo above shows Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. Our son seems to think he’d make a good photographer. (He would!) So he’s getting a little early practice, at least in spirit. Behind him is an overview of the Canyon, though it’s larger and longer than any photo could capture.
Here’s another from Bryce Canyon. Just looking at it takes my breath away. What if I lose my grip and one of our children plummets? They don’t even have shoes on their feet! Does it melt my heart? Yes, when I see how ready our children were to trust us. Or at least believe we were strong and smart enough to keep them safe.
Now we’re back on the road. Time for lunch from the trunk. I know. It isn’t Bryce Canyon. I think it’s southern California. Back to the menu. Nothing exotic. Same as yesterday: peanut butter sandwiches, water, fruit and probably cookies. Simple and quick, if it weren’t for that nasty insect. Or did my plastic knife just break? I vote for the insect! I love the everyday reality of this one, how simple it was to stop for lunch back then, and the earnest look on our daughter’s face! I don’t have a clue what she’s saying or, more likely, singing.
Here we’ve stopped at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park in the northern part of Arizona (just below Utah). It’s less familiar yet every bit as spectacular. And yes, our son’s confident lean over the edge to ponder things below makes my heart skip a beat. His curiosity and eagerness to investigate everything knew no bounds. Sometimes my heartmelt had a bit of fear in it.
We stopped for a couple of days in Tucson, Arizona to visit with some of D’s relatives. The following intense inspection took place in the back yard of one of D’s aunts.
Here we’re in Tombstone, Arizona, for a taste of the wild West! I think we fit in nicely, don’t you? Just hanging out, taking in the scene. Regular dudes.
On to Southern California and the San Diego Zoo. Time to get up close and personal with the animals! The zoo had a fabulous hands-on area for children.
Finally, here’s a colorful memory—lunch with friends in Pasadena, California.
They just had their first baby, and our daughter is awestruck. I love the look on her face. I’m looking pretty chic there myself. Where did all that makeup and that bright dress come from? It felt great to ditch the jeans for a bit.
Thanks for indulging me! These photos remind me of our shared past, part of the cement that connects us as a family. We needed this investment of time, resources and energy. Real life together had only just begun.
What are some of your shared family memories?
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 12 November 2015
Photo credit: DAFraser, Summer 1972
Beautiful, absolutely beautiful, with a wistful but lovely quality. Thank you for sharing heart-stopping and tender moments. xxx 🙂
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You’re welcome, Fran! And thanks for your kind comment. Wistful is an apt description.
Elouise
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You asked, so here goes. The summer following our 50th wedding anniversary, we spent a week at a state park in West Virginia. With us were our daughter and three sons and their families. Best vacation we ever had.
More recently, when our youngest son celebrated his 50th birthday by reserving a spot on a Sunday afternoon at a state park in Maryland. We all went boating on the lake there.
I was a Scoutmaster or assistant Scoutmaster for more than 15 years. I took a crew of 12 scouts to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and spent a week on the trail. I loved the outdoors.
Your posts about trips to the west captivate me.
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Thanks, Waldo! Great memories. The West is, to me, one of the most visually striking areas of the US. It always makes me feel small–though not in a bad way. State parks are fabulous! And even more fabulous is being able to enjoy all this with your adult children and their families. Great memories for everyone.
I think I see more coming from you in the next comment! Yay!
Elouise
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Oh, I forgot to mention another memorable trip. The summer after our oldest son died, Leta and I and our four kids spent a week camping in the Grand Tetons and at Yellowstone. A Black Bear explored the campsite while we were away sightseeing. It was wonderful.
On the way home we stopped in Wyoming for a family reunion. The reunions our family had were also high points in our lives.
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Oh, this is so bitter-sweet. What a wonderful adventure with a family reunion at the end. I haven’t been to Yellowstone for ages, though I don’t think I’d go for the camping. As much as I love the outdoors, I’m not a very happy camper. I miss our big family reunions every two years–and am grateful I could be there for several of them.
Thanks, Waldo.
Elouise
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Elouise, you really got me started. In 1968, when our children were still in grade school, we spent 2 weeks at a campsite in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We were joined by Leta’s parents. The bathhouses were new, but had no hot water, so I did not shave. On arriving home, I started to shave off the stubble on my face, but the family said, wait, lets see what develops. I have not been clean shaven since.
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I love this roll you’re on! 1968 sounds like a great year to visit the Great Smoky Mountains. I’m guessing there weren’t a zillion cars creeping and crawling through the area. We’ve tried visiting a few times, but ended up leaving the minute we could reach an exit point! No hot water in the bathhouses for 2 weeks? That’s pretty stringent! So that was the beginning of your beard or some form of hair on your face. That’s a long time ago, Waldo! Do you ever wonder what you might look like now without it?
I love your memories with Leta and your various family members. Thanks for persevering with the comments!
Elouise
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Awww.
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🙂
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The picture on the turtle is priceless! 🙂
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Thanks, Jill! It’s one of my favorites–full of exuberance and joy. 🙂
Elouise
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