Boyhood streets -
same chill wind through same bare trees.
New moon.
Top photo: my uncle, Marshall Swearingen, on his 10th birthday
Bottom photo: my uncle, Richard Swearingen, in Berkeley, California 1916
Haiku by Ken Wagner, Haiku Habits
.
Top photo: my uncle, Marshall Swearingen, on his 10th birthday
in Berkeley, California 1916
Bottom photo: my uncle, Richard Swearingen, in Berkeley, California 1916
Haiku by Ken Wagner, Haiku Habits
.
12 comments:
I do love these old photos. I like a lot your blog!
What great photos, Lydia. I like to look through our old family photos, just to see who in the family resembles who...and of course just to imagine what it would've been like to live in those times. Ahhh...
Black and white photos
Grainy memories
Lost in time like rain
I remember those lamps, and I think the building too. Boy it was empty in those days.
Even in my day, in the 40's, Berkeley was kind of a sleepy burg. No more.
Dear Lydia, I simply adore these photos. Somehow they moved me deeply and reminded me of a time that was (or seems like it was) simpler. It may not have been but even for me looking back (I'm 55) life just seemed less fast pace, less complicated and more connected and integrated. Just in my 55 years I've seen so many changes and begin to feel and sound like my grandmother when she told me that in her lifetime she had gone from the days when women couldn't smoke or vote to being able to do both, to riding in horse drawn buggies to owning a car, to laying in the grass on a starry night looking at the moon to seeing a man land on the moon. These photos just touched my core somehow and made me long for simplicity, which I work on bringing into my life every day. I garden! LOL That is such simplicity. I hike and don't watch TV. I listen to the rain and birds and take time to watch the stars at night and sunrise every morning.
You have some lovely lovely posts here. I love the one about friendship. I've been going though the same thing this week. So I found that post fascinating.
I also am deeply grateful for your thoughts and caring in your comment on my blog ...as I went into the wild "Alone, But Not Lonely". Bless you for caring and being a sensitive soul. Sending you a hug, Robin
Lydia,
Appreciated the skim through your blog and some of what you have written recently resonates with me, ie. friendship and reunion (25 years for me and I didn't attend). Interested in your take on Rilke (nakedpastor) as I'm just starting to read "Letters to God."
Julia
@Phivos- I'm so happy you do, because I think your blog is terrific!
@earthtoholly- I've wondered if other dog lovers also enjoy looking at old photos with dogs included in the shots. Have you noticed they seem a bit different from today's dog, or is this my weird imagination? (Consult your dog; I'll ask mine too.)
@Citizen of Earth- It's you! Of course it's wonderful to hear from you and to have another of your special comments. I see there is a new post from you that I'll soon read.
Hope the month held some solace.....
@Hattie- That is very exciting that you remember the lights and possibly that building. I imagine, looking at it, that it would have been doomed in some frenzy to build new ones by at least the 1960s. My mother was born in Berkeley; were you?
@Robin- It is so good to have a message from you and to know you have returned from your solitude safely. I'll be by, hoping you have posted photos and thoughts about it - - but realizing that perhaps you will choose to hold it close. You are a remarkable and brave woman, and I admire the way you really live your life. Hug back.
@Julia- How nice of you to stop and comment at my blog. nakedpastor is new to me, and I find his website really fascinating.
Letters to God is one of my favorite books and is worn from so many reads. O, how I love it.
Haunting and innocent, like the country itself.
(Love your page!)
Les AuCoin
Hauntingly innocent, like the country in that era. You just feel that everything is going to change, and soon. And of course everything did.
@Les- My first comment from you and it means so much! Your description behind the photos is perfect.....
IT seems Berkely, which is one of my 2 favourite cities in the states, got much pretty after those photose where taken. I did not knew it looked so bored earlier
@Mariana- Now you have made me so curious as to which is the other of your two favorite U.S. cities. Berkeley is a great choice for a favorite, as I think it is quite special. I have a romanticized vision of what the past was like so I read all kinds of exciting things into the scenes of these pictures.
Thank you for becoming the 100TH follower here at Writerquake! I'm sending you 100 imaginary roses in celebration, so they can be any color, variety, and fragrance you wish. :)
Post a Comment