Mary Louise Eklund

Category: Photo Post

  • Monday Marginalia – Mattie’s Spurned Beau

    greyhound-pc-front

    Remember the interesting postcard from a spurned admirer?  The one to Mattie Longmire?  Well I found a follow up one that seems by the writing to be from the same admirer.  This one is from June 1908 in Lu___, Tennessee.  I couldn’t read the month on the other so I can’t tell you which comes first.  Again it’s hard to read the writer’s message, partly due to age, partly due to penmanship, partly due to cramming so much in there.  This one gets very creepy in a crazy stalker kind of way.  I’m not sure if that’s my modern woman mind alarms.  I’m thinking this after the ship card because he seems to say it was the 28th.  I’ll do my best.  So shall we continue the story of Mattie and her suitor?  As always if you can improve on my attempt at transcribing please let me know.  The comments are open below.

    greyhound-pc-back

    My Dear Little Girl Mattie,
    How are you by this time I am sorry you have to _____ for wash. If I had my say I wouldn’t let you do anything. I thought I would send you a lot of doges this time to match all the cats. (in pencil) Ha Ha (end pencil) I believe you said you thought more of dogs than you did cats. So you know I _______ to ___________. ____________ You live best I have been fl____ today been(?) hot and mad at the old nite (?) Flys they have been something my sister and I all with. They were dead. I have killed sveral of them today. (in pencil) by by you (end pencil)
    Well the lost letter came today to OGR I this to be a fool for I not the rich(?) man as he go__ ____ and was ___ not the 28th

    So why write to a gal about killing flies then go back and write in by by you? Same for the ha ha after the comment about the dogs on the front. It seems Mattie wrote a letter back. It appears she claimed it was a misunderstanding about dates. However our writer seems to think it’s the money the other many has. Oh and he had his dates right…. and is a good fly killer.

  • Throwback Thursday – The Best of Frienemies

    1991-pc-and-belle

    The year is 1991. This is Popcorn the Siamese and Belle the Carolina Dog (it wasn’t a breed then but got her in South Carolina and she had the traits). Popcorn came first by several years then we brought home this stinky puppy. They both grew into fine loving pets but as much as Belle smiled and call Popcorn her buddy. Popcorn all Siamese regal acted put out with the dog. Yet, should Belle be gone guess who was yowling and looking for her? Who wouldn’t eat and fretted? Yep, Popcorn. They were the Odd Couple of pets. Belle the happy go lucky smart dog version of Oscar and Popcorn the clean fastidious Felix (what an appropriate name for a cat eh?). Still to this day I dream of them most often of my pets that are gone now.

    Oh and yes Popcorn wore a harness and leash when we traveled.  She had a litterbox in the car and used it and roamed about at will, except on the driver.  We’d worked hard with her on that from a very young kitten knowing the Navy life would have us traveling.

  • Thursday Throwback – Raise them Right

    1995-mike-aaron-shovel-snow

    Welcome to 1995 Kalamazoo Michigan. This was my second foray into snow territory to live. Aaron was born in Kalamazoo so early on when there was shoveling to be done he joined in. Later when we moved back to snow country in Wisconsin the rule was if it snowed everyone gets up early and goes out shovel. Aaron throughout middle school and high school was awakened at 5:30 with the rest of and handed a shovel. You know what I don’t miss those days. I don’t miss that kind of snow.

    After living in upstate New York we moved to Charleston South Carolina. We kept our snowshovels not knowing if we’d get transferred back up to where we’d need them. One day the young boy whose grandparents lived on a cul de sac came over while I was in the garage. He was amazed by such a large shovel and our sled. I like living where I have to explain what those are used for and how they are used.

  • Monday Marginalia – Postcard from the Past

    war-dept-pc-front

    I purchased this card because it raised more questions for me than it had answers. Some time I might sit and make a story that has some fictional answers to them.

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  • Thursday Throwback – Cathage Snowman

    1973-mm-snowman-carthage-ny

    Welcome to 1973 in Carthage New York.  It’s Mike there with his little brother Mike.  Now look at Mike’s face and tell me that Mark’s not going to be crying soon after being hit by a snowball. LOL!  Mark looks like he’s disgusted by the snow.  I know how you feel Mark I was glad to move back south.

  • Thursday Throwback – My First Flight

    1967-first-flight

    Welcome to 1967.  That’s my mom and me getting ready to  go on a flight.  Please note a few things…

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  • Monday Marginalia – Other Asheville Houses

    Solarium at the Smith McDowell House.
    Solarium at the Smith McDowell House.

    Our trip to Asheville was to see its world renowned house – Biltmore.  However while there we enjoyed two other much smaller but just as lovely in their own way. The first one is North Lodge on Oakland.  The second was the Smith McDowell House. (more…)

  • Thursday Throwback – My Little Pony Dolly

    Mary Louise Bright on pony Dolly

    It’s no secret that I love animals. I think you get that with how I treat my cats and dogs as furry babies. Well my love also extends to horses. My living situation rarely allowed me to have one but didn’t stop my love of them. When I’d visit my paternal grandparents on the farm where my aunt had ponies and horses I always looked forward to interacting with them (both humans and equines).

    This is my first and only pony, Dolly. She was old and cranky but I loved her and through my childhood memories, she loved me. Honestly, I don’t know what happened to her. I suspect that she got too old and too cranky to be a little girl’s leaning pony. Last I remember was Dad tending her feet and getting stung by a wasp. I’m sure that’s not the last time I’d seen her but for me it’s the last memory. I have many memories of riding from our house in town to go see her and go riding. I loved it.

    When we were looking to move to the country I jokingly suggested getting a horse. Okay, mostly joking but a little hopeful. However Mike reminded me they are a big money pit and tie-down to travel. Sure we can board the cat and dog to take off on a cruise or to Italy but a horse – that’s a whole another issue. Also we didn’t get a place large enough. Though I still think maybe I’ll do English riding lessons but first I guess my foot has to heal fully from the break eh?

  • Freaky Year – Here’s to a Beautiful New One

    Orchid in the Biltmore greenhouse. Photo by me.
    Orchid in the Biltmore greenhouse. Photo by me.

    I’m not gong to look back. We all know what’s back there – we just lived it. So here’s to moving forward. Here’s to better days, more kindness, less hate, more true talks, less spewing at others, happy good-byes, less sad one… Over all here’s to hope to move forward a bit more healthy, a lot more empathetic, and while offering a hand up to those who need help. 2017 We’re counting on you…

  • Throwback Thursday – Morning Sick Christmas

    1992-xmas-morning-sickness

    Welcome to Christmas 1992.  This is the time we told my family that I was pregnant. I had morning sickness then and for the first four months of my pregnancy.  So excuse the strained look.  Oh and no we were having an ugly sweater part but we could have…  For the record left to right – Mom, Me, Mike, and my maternal grandmother I called Nannie.  It is at Nannie’s house and it is the obligatory photo with food before eating…