Fun Monday-5 Photos, 5 Words

Our Fun Monday host this week is Nekked Lizard Adventures. Love that name by the way. N.L.’s instructions were to use five pictures and five words for each picture, the double nickel challenge he called it. To me, the best pictures are those that tell a story, and I love old photos because I like to guess the stories behind them. I love the clothes, antique cars and weathered faces in old pictures, especially family photos. We’re fortunate to have obtained several pictures of our ancestors and the stories that go with them. Lord have mercy, there were some colorful characters in the generations of Hula-gen’s that came before us. Some of them were downright outlaws (on Hubby’s side, I should point out). Some were just, well…unusual, like the great, great something or other on my mother’s side of the family who was named Napoleon and rode a big white horse. Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the wildest folks from our past, but I have some pictures that I think speak louder than words. I’ve chosen five that I really like and because I’m way too verbose to live with five stinkin’ words for each photo, I’ve given each one a five word caption and an explanation. (Really, Nekked Lizard, how many bloggers do you know who can use just five words?) By the way, I was most disappointed that I couldn’t include my favorite picture of my grandma. She was a quiet lady who always tried to be a peacemaker, but my mother, who guards her photos like Fort Knox, has a picture of granny on the picket line at the local glove factory wearing a big straw hat and carrying a picket sign. As far as I know, it was her only act of protest in her entire life. One day, when I can wrestle that picture from mama, I’ll post it. In the meantime......

VET BATTLES SNAKE IN BOAT

This is my grandpa, Baby Ruth’s daddy. He was a decorated World War II vet who wasn’t afraid of anything. In fact, he brought home from the war a large Nazi flag he climbed a pole to tear down during fierce fighting in a small German town. He wasn’t afraid of this 4’2” cotton mouth snake that managed to get in the boat with him during a 1967 fishing trip. The snake lost and grandpa brought home another souvenir of battle.

SMALL TOWN GIRL DREAMS BIG

This is my mother (middle) and two of her siblings. They’re standing in front of the plane my grandpa used to fly. I love the Katherine Hepburn pose she has going on in this photo. She looks so worldly for a poor, small town girl. I like to think she’s dreaming of escaping to exotic and exciting places.

MOONSHINE RUNNER SMOKES THE LAW

This is Mama J. (far left), her parents and younger brother. Her daddy looks like an outlaw in this photo because…well…he was just a teensy weensy itty bit on the wrong side of the law at the time. For years, he ran moonshine to supplement his lackluster farming skills. His buddy and partner brewed the stuff, and Pap ran it up and down Kentucky roads. He always drove a new, fast car with a big trunk. He never got caught.

BATHING BEAUTY’S OUTING GOES BUST

This is my favorite picture of Mama J. She was very young at the time and is sporting a new bathing suit. In fact, the cover-up and suit fit in that little box she’s holding. She’s pouting because this poor, little farm girl had planned to go swimming, but for reasons she no longer remembers, didn’t get to go. This makes me laugh every time I look at it. Don’t tell her I posted it, or I’m in BIG trouble. Please? Pretty, please with caramel on top?

SOLDIER SNAGS BRIDE AT CHRISTMAS

I’ve seen this photo of mama and daddy a hundred times, but until recently I didn’t realize the significance of it. It fascinates me because it shows them in a way I’ve never personally witnessed….before kids, and bills and age…before they were my parents. Here they look just like any young love struck couple celebrating Christmas. When I pulled the photo from the album to scan it recently, I saw that mama had scribbled on the back of it, “December 22, 1962. The night we got engaged.” Cool. Very cool.