Molly's Country Memories

Molly's Country Memories

The memories and happening in the everyday life of a country girl

Friday, July 17, 2009

FavoriteFoto Friday

This morning when the post man came by, he left me a package that I was not expecting, when I opened it I had to cry, I received a letter and a CD full of pictures from my Cousin who lives in Beaumont, TX. Jennette is my Mom's oldest Brother's only daughter. I don't cry easy, but I did cry when I watched this CD and traveled back in time to a very special place that is no more....
Uncle Reggie was 16 yrs older than Mom and by the time she was 5 he had married and moved to New Orleans, LA. He and Aunt Gena lived there until Jennette Graduated High School in 1944. In 1945 they moved to Beaumont and lived there until he passed away in 1989. Uncle Reggie married Gena Panzica in 1920, you could look the world over and never find a lady any sweeter than Aunt Gena, she and Uncle Reggie adored each other, right up until the day she went to heaven in 1987. The only problem was (or according to her Dad and my Granny) they didn't belong together, when they started dating they had to slip around and finally ran away and got married, they moved to New Orleans and didn't returned to Brookhaven untill their 2d child was born, they had 3 children.......from what I was told, her father never forgave her or excepted their marriage. The "problem" she was Italian and Cathlic, he was Irish and Baptist, a mixture not excepted to well in the early part of the century. Her Daddy forbid her to see him and Granny threw a fit, because he was seeing an "Italian." But nothing they could say or do would keep them apart.
This is a picture of Aunt Gena's Family, .....The Sam Panzica Family....she is the smallest girl, wasn't she pretty....
Next is a picture of Aunt Gena on the right and in the middle is her Momma, Josephine, on the left is her older Sister Mattie in the 40's before Josie passed away.
This is a picture of Uncle Reggie in the early 50's with Jennette's 2 children. He looked so much like Granddaddy and had GD's personality...sweet.
This is a picture of Jennette when she was about 5, I am amazed how much she favors, my little Rissa.
 
This is a picture of Jennette in the late 40's when she came to Brookhaven to visit her Cousin,  Betty Jean Panzica, it was made at the train depot you can see the Inez Hotel is in the back ground. The little bare footed girl in the front is my Sister Dean. Doesn't she look like she is pissed off at some one...lol...PS, she is wearing a dress Momma made her out of a feed sack....looks pretty good, don't it/
 These next group of picture are made at the farm, I was so glad to get these because I don't have too many of the farm and none of the old barn. This is Jennette standing in front of the old barn....the barn in the back ground on the left is the old cow barn, it was spared during the fire.
This is a picture of her sitting on a rope swing hanging from the old wisteria vine in the front yard.
Behind her is one of the front pastures, where they grow corn....
I just love this one, notice Aunt Gena's stockings rolled down, this was made right after the corn harvest, notice all the dried corn stalks on the side of the lane.
These was made before we moved to the Farm.
Thanks for letting me share these picture with you.

13 comments:

  1. Those are wonderful photos! Simple life back then - time appeared to move more slowly, and that is what intrigues me in the fast lane living we are forced into these days. Thanks for sharing your memories.

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  2. Oh Molly, those are just exquisite. In such great condition to get them on a CD. I love the one of Jeanette it looks like in a swim suit. She is very photogenic, and I also love the one of your Aunt in the swing. So beautiful. Thanks for sharing honey. They are so delightful. Have a wonderful Friday. Please stop by and say hi. Country Hugs, Sherry

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  3. I totally love the black and white photos of long ago! The pic of your Aunt is so cute! You totally inspire me to get my scanner working...oh...gosh...another project...here I go...stop over and see what I'm working on....

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  4. Happy Friday Sweet Molly,
    I just dropped by to say hi and what a blessing I received.
    I love vintage pictures....your aunt standing by the barn...I love those and what a tiny waist she had....very pretty lady
    I always notice someone's eyes first ..then their smile and hand shake or hug
    Thank you for sharing these awesome pictures
    angel hugs
    debbie

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  5. Molly..I know you paint...and probably like me have alot of paining books/magazines. A few years ago in a magazine(I believe) was a childs table and chair idea...I can not find it in my stash...and I have an antique set that I want to paint for a part of my shower gift! I remember the tabletop had teapot/cups saucers etc. on it! I was going to "add in" the butterflies from the theme! I can't seem to bring up you e-mail. mine is ladyjane09 at g mail if you have any thoughts or recall the pattern in a book or magazine! I really would appreciate ANY help from you as your painting work is always so beautiful!

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  6. Do you have any idea how lucky and blessed you are to have all those beautiful pictures of your family from that far back in your life. That is amazing to go through these with you. What a wonderful snippet into your life. THank you for shaing.

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  7. Oh Molly these pictures are just a treasure...they really took me back in time to a different era and your story made me feel like I knew every single person in the pictures! Thanks for sharing this wonderful family collection!

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  8. Oh, Molly!!! This is just wonderful---all those old family pictures with the women smiling bravely "into the sun" as pictures were taken in those days.

    My Sis has been here all week, and we've worn out our eyes and the big magnifying glasses trying to squint and see if that's Uncle Earnest or Uncle Bud in the back row, and who IS that fat baby on the rug, with his hiney shining?

    Aren't these just the perfect way to celebrate family and connections? If only SOMEONE would have NAMED the folks on the picture backs, so we didn't have to wonder, or worse yet---never know.

    Sis even took a BIG family group picture, took it out of its frame, made a little line-drawing of the "shapes" and numbered them. She put a name by each number, then put the whole paper back neatly behind the picture in the frame.

    If WE had so much trouble with our Grandmother's siblings, our children and Grands would never know a name or face or who was who.

    I wish everyone did that.

    So glad you had such a wonderful gift---I know it's meant the world to you to re-connect like that.

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  9. Well dearie since my family is long gone and what few are left are scattered hither and yon, I sure do enjoy looking at pictures and hearing about YOUR family!!! Because our 2 families -- just plain old Southern families -- are similar with that Louisiana-Mississippi-Texas connection -- I get such a kick out of your pix and memories...

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  10. IT does look like she is pretty ticked off in that one photo.
    What a sweet story. I am trying to research some of my family. Apparently my great-grandparents were against my grandmother marrying my grandfather because he was an orphan. Seems strange.

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  11. Funny, but 51 years ago my father was unhappy with me because I married an Italian! Turns out, it was the best thing I ever did!

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  12. I really could see how these would make you cry. They are priceless!
    I really especially love the picture of Jennette at 5 years old - that is such a cute photo.
    I am so thankful nowadays for the computer because we can scan in these old photo's and there are places where they can be fixed and preserved.
    Have a Happy Sunday!

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  13. Ooohh. I really love looking at old photos!

    and love the stories behind them.

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Little sweet memories whispered..