Nostalgia for Silver Creek

Something about the first part of fall makes me very nostalgic for Silver Creek. This year, the wistful remembrances are in sharper focus due to (of all things) Facebook coverage of the recent reunion held during the Grape Festival.  It was meant to be a reunion for all 70's alumni and I was kind of tempted to go but chickened out.  It's hard not to kick myself a little bit about that decision now that I'm seeing the pictures on Facebook.  I can't believe how many faces I recognize!!!  I did not expect that at all.  It isn't that hard for me to recollect the names, but to be able to identify faces after 40 years surprised me quite a bit.  I'll bet you would know the names if not the faces too.

The Grape Festival was a lot of fun but I don't think it was in existence for too many years before we moved.  I wonder if they still paint the curbs purple?  One of the events of the reunion weekend was held in the theater where Mom allowed me to see Romeo and Juliet after Jean told her it was suitable, though I don't believe it's a theater any more.  I barely recognize the pictures inside or outside the school.  Our principal Alvin Crowe was even at that reunion and he looks great!

I'll be glad to take a ride to Erie next week to get a little bit of that lakeside landscape, though I do not think I will be able to smell the grapes there the way I remember from Silver Creek!

Mom's Birthday

This owuld be Mom's 79th birthday.  It's hard for me to imagine what she would be like today if we were still lucky enough to have her.  Nanny lived past 79, but it's still hard for me to picture Mom.  There are still times when I think of Mom, briefly forgetting she's gone.  I thought you might enjoy some random favorite pictures that I think tell parts of Mom's story.

I love this one as everyone seems to be having a grand time and it reflects some of my favorite memories of card playing--that's not something my kids have experienced but it's one of my most cherished memories.  This was when we celebrated Nanny and Weenie's 50th.  In this picture, Mom is younger than any of us are today except for Judy!

Amanda's baptism 1983

I love how Mom is sharing something special with Jess.

Matthew's baptism

Great Dennison Road shot.  Look at Chris!

Looking very happy in 1980, though I never really did like that blue dress very much.  Not as flattering as she deserved. 

Classic

One of my all-time favorites.

Happy Birthday Mom.

Take a break

On this last sweet weekend of Summer 2012, I was sitting outside watching the birds delight in their new treats and feeder.  My thoughts wandered to the long-empty hummingbird feeder wondering if I'd be able to find the food mix I'd bought for it.  Then Hummingbird flitted into view!  He wasn't interested in me this time-- more so the food Jim had put out-- but there he was like a talisman called forth by my thoughts of feeding him.  This isn't the first time I've had a close encounter with Hummingbird (I like to think it's the same one) recently and this one felt magical.  It felt destined.  It felt very, very Irish.

Our Irish ancestors were quite extraordinary.  I recently got to watch a documentary called "Death or Canada--Fleeing the Irish Famine".  Intellectually I know the Irish faced hard times in the Famine years (1845-1852) but this documentary put the day to day hardships into sharp focus for me.  Disease and starvation forced Irish fisherman to sell their boats and nets to buy food for their families.  Typhus caused many more deaths than starvation brought upon these families. 

I'd long known that many of our Irish came to the United States through Canada.  Apparently as the wave of Irish immigrants began to overwhelm Eastern US ports, they reacted by increasing the fees owed by the shipping lines and immigrants.  Canada was kinder (read:cheaper). Many Irish took the long two month voyage to Canada because they had no other choice for survival.  Survival. 

I believe Timothy Ryan immigrated during the Famine years.  We know that Patrick Flynn's mother Ellen immigrated from Ireland but I believe this was later, though I'm not certain.  The Pierces and the Nevins came from Canada but each are Irish families.  Even if Ellen did not leave Ireland due to the Famine, she survived the Famine years there--imagine the strength and certain Irish luck working in her favor!

No small wonder the Irish are generally dark and brooding.  No wonder their stories are often fanciful if not outright falsehoods.  They are strong and resourceful.  And we descend from these people.  "Take a break and think about the past" came from this documentary and I think they are appropriate words for Labor Day 2012.

This is a picture of the oldest Irish ancestors that I have so far:  William Sr (Timothy's son) and his wife Kate Bentley Ryan.  I can almost picture Timothy from this as well as so many of the other Irish fishermen and farmers.  I think you've seen it here before but it pays to look again with new eyes.