Tenth Day of Advent

I adopted this photo when we were cleaning out Gramma's house. I took a picture of it to share with all of you, and since it's a photo of a framed photo, the quality is not great - but I'm hoping some of those pictured can tell me more about what's going on!

Left to right: Bette, Chris, Joe, Overbeck Sr.?, Overbeck Jr.?, Gordon.

I know this pictures was taken at the hunting shack, but I'm not sure what they're all pointing at! Clearly it smells terrible, but is it Chris' boot, something laying on the step, that jug of liquid...or something dead under the step?

Lots of classic buffalo check apparel, and everyone is wearing the same kind of boots! (When we were at the hunting shack this fall, Jeff had a buffalo check vest, and I asked if it was one of Grandpa's or if he had gotten his own - he had gotten his own.)

Chris says: It’s something that was under the shack! Uncle Maury was the first one to go in…he was being silly and shouted ‘ya whoo!’  He stomped his boot on the floor and, something let loose! An awful familiar smell!! 

Ninth Day of Advent

Our local ski park opened today, so we went cross-country skiing this afternoon. The trails were okay, but some more snow will make them even better! Our snow adventure reminded me of this picture.

Gordon and Bette in Alaska

This photo came from one of the photo-finishing envelopes that was labeled "Alaska" - I think there were six of them, so they must have taken lots of photos on that trip. I think it was a trip they took with Audrey and Phil. I didn't see any dates, but I imagine this was the late nineties or early 2000s, and maybe spring or summer?

Eighth Day of Advent

 Today I have another older picture. 

Eugene, Audrey, and Gordon Worm

I don't think I ever met Uncle Eugene, but I can see something in Aunt Audrey's face that reminds me of the way she looked as an adult. 

I love Eugene's knickers and striped socks. Did his fashion sense persist into adulthood, or did he choose more staid options when he wasn't being dressed by his mother?

Are the boys holding cats or dogs? Do we know if that's the house at the lake, or another house somewhere? 

Jackie says: I think today's photo was taken in front of the house Grandpa and his siblings grew up in on Park Avenue in Fond du Lac. Grandma & Grandpa (Bette & Gordon) didn't move out to the lake until1950 or 1951. The lot where they built their house was a wedding gift from Fred & Ruby, who had built the house next door a couple of years before that. Boy - Uncle Eugene's ears are a sight to behold!

Seventh Day of Advent

Today's photo comes from my mom! (Thank you for sending pictures!)

Bette and Gordon in the pharmacy.

I can identify the people and the place because I remember it myself. Lapels are wide, and Gramma's hair is grayer than Grandpa's. Is this the late seventies or early eighties? Mom, do you know more about when this picture was taken?

Jackie says: I do love this picture of Grandma & Grandpa in the pharmacy!  It was such a big part of their lives.  I think Grandma is wearing the same glasses as in the 1979 photo at Jeff & Darleen's wedding.  So I would say it's that era.  Although I remember when the new store opened in 1969 (I had just graduated from high school) there was a lot of picture-taking going on and my first thought was that someone snapped their photo in the brand new pharmacy area.  They look so happy!

Sixth Day of Advent

 I really liked the composition of this photo, even if I have no idea of the context! 

Chris, looking down the street, with other people.

Are they watching a parade? What city is this? Can anyone tell by looking at the buildings? Are the people nearby friends, or just random bystanders? Is this the late sixties/early seventies?

Chris says: My imagination tells me that we’re at a parade in downtown Oshkosh. We had a ‘float’ in the Homecoming parade.  I don’t remember much about it as, we were likely under the influence!! It would have been a fund raising project for Gamma Sigma Sigma(a service sorority). Fall/winter season of 1969.

Fifth Day of Advent

 We recently had a wedding anniversary - so let's have a wedding picture! (But not our wedding picture.)

Uncle Timmy and Aunt Joanie at their wedding.
September 1962

It's kind of nice when the pictures come with dates printed on them! (Although, is this the date when the film was developed, and not necessarily when the photo was taken? Did they actually get married in September?)

Aunt Joanie has a very Jackie Kennedy look going on here, and I like Uncle Timmy's suit with vest and tie too. (This was clearly before ties and lapels got wide again!)

Jackie says: Tim and Joanie got married on Sept. 22nd, which is our wedding anniversary also.  And their reception was at the "Hob Nob", where your Dad and I had booked our wedding reception (11 years later).  Unfortunately, the Hob Nob burned down in July before our wedding and we had to scramble to find another venue.  

Fourth Day of Advent

This picture did not come out of one of the albums. It was one of three sitting in the frame of "Jackie's picture" when I adopted it and took it home a few weeks ago.

Gordon, Chris?, and Grandma Ruby?

If that little girl is indeed Chris, this must have been the early fifties. In this picture I can see how much my mom and Jeff, especially, look like their dad! As for Grandma Ruby, the coat, hat, and handbag give her some serious Queen vibes!

Jackie says: I just question if that was Grandma Ruby in today's picture with your Grandpa and Chris.  Ruby was always "round" and always smiling. This lady looks too stern. Hmmm. Mystery. 

Third Day of Advent

I think this photo came out of one of the photo-finishing envelopes, and not from an album, but I may be mis-remembering. I like this one because Grandpa could practically be standing in my backyard! 

If I had to guess, based on the quality of photo-finishing and color balance of the original photo, this was taken in the mid-nineties at the earliest. The environment and apparel suggest it's probably the hunting shack - maybe deer hunting?

Second Day of Advent

 It seems that commenting on this blog still remains a challenge! I am going to dive into the settings, but in the meantime, please feel free to text or email me if you have something to add, and I will edit the post to include your information.

Bette at Jeff & Darleen's wedding in the summer of 1979. 

I had assumed this was Jeff & Darleen's wedding - I seem to remember that's the album it came out of! Was this wedding in Fond du Lac or in Walworth, or somewhere else? I wonder if Gramma took that picture frame home and put something in it? She sure did have a collection of old picture frames!

I liked this picture because it was kind of silly, but also because I like the dress! I have had a number of navy blue dresses over the years, and this seems to be a taste I shared with Gramma. Those curtains in the background would have made great play clothes for the Von Trapp children as well!

December 1 - First Day of Advent

It was so nice to see so many folks at OUR HOUSE for our Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and I have always wished it was possible for me to host. It was a treat to be gathered around a big table, eating a delicious meal that everyone helped to craft, enjoying time together. 

My mom asked me whether I was planning to do Advent Calendar blog posts again this year, and I hadn't really thought about it, but I had an idea that I think we will all enjoy. (Maybe this is the superpower I acquired from my COVID booster earlier today?)

Over the weekend, we poured through tons of old photos, and we all grabbed the ones that sparked our memories or made us smile. This Advent, I'm going to post a photo a day. If you know more about the photo than I do, please feel free to leave a comment with additional info. If there's a photo you'd like to share, let me know - I'm happy to share this project and would be grateful for contributions!

From back of photo: "Chicago Museum"
(At least, I think that's what it says - Gramma's spelling and handwriting could be creative.)
L-R back - Bette, Gordon; front - Jackie, Jeff, Chris

This must have been a special day out, because everyone seems so formally dressed! Joe is not in this picture, and I wonder if that means this is pre-Joe, or if he was just too little to come along. Based on the ages of the kids, I'd guess this was perhaps the late fifties. Do any of those pictured remember going to this museum? 

Jackie says: The picture of the five of us in the old car was taken at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.  Daddy took us to downtown Chicago on the train from the old depot in Fond du Lac.   We stayed overnight at the Palmer House Hotel in downtown Chicago - very fancy!   That's probably why we had to be dressed up.  I'm guessing Joe was just a baby and stayed home with Grandma McCoy.  Your Grandpa always loved museums!  

Chris says: I think that we had silhouettes done there. Don’t know where they are.