Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Whiling the Winter Away



Yes, I'm housebound and just a tiny bit stir crazy. I will be leaving the abode sometime on Thursday.....yay. In the meantime I go through photos. Why not? It's more enjoyable than cleaning the house. I have no idea who these two are but they were in with the hundreds of others. Why did children always look stern? They are a distant relative of some sort. It's really too bad no one thought to put names and dates on the photos, but then either did I when I was actually using film.


Fast forward decades........

This is a photo of Matthew, upper left, with the neighborhood buds. He was early teens. He is all paternal family in looks and build. He did somehow end up with black hair in his early twenties, which would be my lineage. Always a serious expression.


 We are in a too warm spell.




26 comments:

Dreaming said...

I'm in California, where we have large bins of pictures and scrap books. I should probably take some time to take pictures of the pictures (not having a scanner - although maybe my phone can do it) My time for this trip is running short...but maybe!

Boud said...

That's beach weather. We may get into the forties.
I think exposure time for those early photos was long enough that you had to keep a straight face to get a good image. Also kids who might have no idea what that big thing pointed at was, may have been a bit apprehensive!
Matt is a handsome guy.

Lori Skoog said...

It's 31 degrees and windy here. Looking forward to some warmer weather. We have so many photographs....I should really start going through them.

Val Ewing said...

Whiling away.... I love that term. I did that yesterday afternoon. I just lazed around really after working out. But I enjoyed today and have a story to tell about losing a cell phone, hunting all afternoon for it...and how I eventually found it.

Linda's Relaxing Lair said...

I love the old photos!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Nice temperatures there only in the 30's here but we like it! Great old photos!

Miss Merry said...

The top photo is so wonderful. I wish we knew who they were.

Pixie said...

Before mum died, I sat down with her and asked her who was in some photos, and actually wrote it down. I'm glad I did.
My sister has always written names, dates, and ages on the backs of photos. It has been a source of amusement for many years. Now we all appreciate that she did it.

CheerfulMonk said...

It's warming up here too, but still sleeping weather at night.

e said...

Good luck on Thursday!

nick said...

I have loads of photos of other people but practically none of my family. We just don't go in for taking photos of each other.

Anvilcloud said...

I am so appreciative that my mother annotated many photos or albums.

Sandra said...

You likely have plenty to do, Dreaming!

Sandra said...

It is, Boud. You are probably right about the exposure time. I sent the photo to Matthew and his response was 'awkward teenager".

Sandra said...

This is too warm, Lori, but nothing I can do about it. It's interesting to find photos and wonder who the person could be.

Sandra said...

I know it's going to be an entertaining story, Val!

Sandra said...

So do I, Linda.

Sandra said...

Too warm.

Sandra said...

Me, too, Miss Merry. There's no one to ask.

Sandra said...

I never saw any of these photos until after my mother's death, Pixie. Some of the older photos I have myself have the date printed on them, but otherwise I need to guess.

Sandra said...

The best of both worlds, Cheerful!

Sandra said...

Thanks. It's just Aldi shopping, e!!

Sandra said...

My mother's family were prolific photo takers. So was my own family. So am I, nick!!

Sandra said...

I think that should be my next project, AC.

DeniseinVA said...

Those are great photos and a favorite pastime of mine to go through ours. Next week we have at least three or four days in the low 60s. Bye-bye snow!

Sandra said...

Bye-bye snow. Hello slip and slide, Denise!