Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Family Tree

Spending time around family really makes you think. Like how some things, my mother's hair styles for instance, constantly evolve.




And how other things, like my dad's hair style, remain the same.



Certain questions arise, like why is my grandpa

shirtless in 75% of the photos taken of him before 1950?

And why, of all of the decades he's lived through, did he choose the 70s to embrace so unabashedly?

Also, why are photos of my mother as a child

virtually indistinguishable from photos of my sister as a child

whereas photos of me as a child

bear no resemblance to anyone that I am related to?

And why is that my maternal grandmother could wander my sister's college dorm hallways and have someone point her in the direction of Robin's room without even asking who she was looking for, whereas I

look almost nothing like her?

Or my dad's parents?

Or, and I'm really reaching here, my mom's grandparents?

Funny how things work. But my sister and I look, if not exactly alike, related.

Like sisters.

And that I'll happily take.

16 comments:

The Townhouselady said...

LOVE IT!!

mom said...

You look like yourself, but you belong to us. I have the scar to prove it.

Kristen M. said...

Great post ... I have five siblings and we all look various degrees of related but not like any of our parents or grandparents. We are true mutts.

Jane said...

What divine photos. Your mother is beautiful very natural looking. I find genes amazing I look at my children and see nothing of me in them, but I can see my mother and m in L in them all the time. I love that shirtless thing too. Noone does that anymore because of skin cancer!!

Unknown said...

Groan ... so many better pictures of us from which to choose! Or of me. But love the grandparent photos. And yes, why is grandpa always shirtless? While grandma was slaving away with a baby back in NY?

pve design said...

Firstly, your mother is stunning and your father looks so endearing. I am one of seven and each of us have our own unique look, however, everyone says they can tell that we did not fall far from the tree.
pve

Gigi Thibodeau said...

I love these photos and your questions! And you're right; there's no denying that you and your sister are related! You have the same beaming smiling. Just beautiful.

Angie Muresan said...

Your mom is such a classic beauty! And you and your sister look so much alike. Gorgeous, both of you!

A Super Dilettante said...

Beautiful photos. Thank you so much for your most charming comment on my blog. Hope you'll come back to visit again. ASD x

Maria Killam said...

That was so fun to see!! Loved the way you presented your family! Thx for commenting on my blog!

Laura in Paris said...

What a nice story told through a family collection of pcitures! Oh, I loved looking at the pictures of you and your family. Lovely!

Rebecca said...

I do think that I left a little bit of my heart in San Francisco.

Now if I could just find my SF sweatshirt. I almost never buy things with sayings or words on them but being cold in Ghirardelli Square I purchased one that said San Francisco. It has escaped from my closet and I want it to come home.

Our Iowa tomato crop is a bit slow this year but the taste is as good as ever.

Your have great family genes!

Laura said...

Townhouselady - yes, my family is quite lovable.

Mom - So you keep telling me.

Kristen M - Five! Glad to know I'm not the only one who resembles my sibling more than my parents.

Jane - So true about the shirtless thing...my grandparents now are practically vampires they avoid the sun so much. Which in southern CA is not an easy feat!

Robin - I was working with what I had...and hello, he was off defending the Atlantic coast against attack!

pve - True on both counts, I can't imagine having so many sibilings! You are very lucky to have such a clan...

Gigi - You are so kind to say so!

Angie - I agree, she is very beautiful. Thank you for the lovely compliment!

Super Dilettante - I most certainly will be back!

Maria - Glad you enjoyed it, I certainly loved combing through the photos.

Laura - It is interesting how much of a story photos alone can tell, isn't it?

Rebecca - I think most people who have spent any time there have left at least a bit of their heart there...I must say I've been very happy with the genes I've been given so far!

Zenia said...

Jackie is such a hottie. And I love the pink sweatshirt with bear. Your smile hasn't changed.

Stacey said...

you have a beautiful family!

CashmereLibrarian said...

I love this, so clever! I was thinking this week, while running, that my damned metabolism has shrunk to nothing and no matter what I do, I am at some point going to look like one of my german peasant hausfrau ancestors.
Then I thought, just to spruce up my blog, that i would put up a picture of one of these ancestors, and my evolving resemblance.
Now that I have seen this blog entry, I am determined to do this, once I can get into my mother's photos and get one scanned.
Thanks for the inspiration, and also an entertaining blog!

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