The picture above is old and very faded, so I'm hoping that Helena can adjust the color. I'll post it here anyway, even though it hasn't been adjusted yet. :-) It was taken during the summer of 1957 just after I graduated from 8th grade. I was 14 at the time.
Here is the picture after Helena worked on it. The contrast is better, but she doesn't know what to do about the color.
This is Laura Duffin Larsen's contribution. It's much closer to the real color. Thanks Laura!
The rabbit was probably one from a succession of litters of baby rabbits we had at our house. Over the years my grandfather literally ran across several litters while mowing his lawn. Not wanting them to get hurt, (not wanting to litter his lawn with their limbs) he gave them to us. My mother was very patient with me during these times, and let my friends and me take care of them until they were big enough to release into the wild. We bottle fed them for awhile, and then made grand excursions picking dandelion greens to feed them. I remember that it was great fun and quite an adventure.
Talk about my mother being patient--over the years we had a succession not only of rabbits, but snakes and one time a baby bat. The most memorable time occurred when a snake escaped in my bedroom. Well it was only a baby garter snake, so it wasn't too horrible. My grandfather, however, (bless his heart) felt it was his duty to tell me a story about some men who were out camping under the stars. Grandpa said one man slept with his mouth open and a snake crawled in and went down into his stomach. (gulp!) I think my mother could have shot him for telling me a thing like that. :-)
I was so scared that I had to sleep with my light on, for a whole week, until that scary serpent was found! My very brave, but no longer patient, mother went searching for it and found it coiled up in my closet. She wasn't about to pick it up, so she prodded it with a broom and got it to crawl into a jar. Thanks Mom!
Here is the picture after Helena worked on it. The contrast is better, but she doesn't know what to do about the color.
This is Laura Duffin Larsen's contribution. It's much closer to the real color. Thanks Laura!The rabbit was probably one from a succession of litters of baby rabbits we had at our house. Over the years my grandfather literally ran across several litters while mowing his lawn. Not wanting them to get hurt, (not wanting to litter his lawn with their limbs) he gave them to us. My mother was very patient with me during these times, and let my friends and me take care of them until they were big enough to release into the wild. We bottle fed them for awhile, and then made grand excursions picking dandelion greens to feed them. I remember that it was great fun and quite an adventure.
Talk about my mother being patient--over the years we had a succession not only of rabbits, but snakes and one time a baby bat. The most memorable time occurred when a snake escaped in my bedroom. Well it was only a baby garter snake, so it wasn't too horrible. My grandfather, however, (bless his heart) felt it was his duty to tell me a story about some men who were out camping under the stars. Grandpa said one man slept with his mouth open and a snake crawled in and went down into his stomach. (gulp!) I think my mother could have shot him for telling me a thing like that. :-)
I was so scared that I had to sleep with my light on, for a whole week, until that scary serpent was found! My very brave, but no longer patient, mother went searching for it and found it coiled up in my closet. She wasn't about to pick it up, so she prodded it with a broom and got it to crawl into a jar. Thanks Mom!
5 comments:
What fun stories and what a fun picture! Share more!!! I enjoy hearing about your childhood.
Yes, Helena, you should paint this picture. Two of them, because I want one. =)
Mom, do you remember when a snake got loose in your closet when I was little? I was really scared of that.
Your mother must have been patient to get that snake out for you--I remember you telling me that she used to shriek when she found garter snakes curled up around her bean plants. =)
Hi Barb,
NO! I really don't remember a snake getting loose in my closet when you were little. I must have repressed it. I do remember the one that played hide and seek in the house for a week after it got loose in the kitchen while we were at church. Betsey put it in a jar on the counter with saran wrap over the top held on with a flimsy rubber band. Naturally she had to poke holes in the saran wrap and Stanley, or whatever his name was, scooted out. He ended up in the basement, where Peter found him.
The thing my mom really didn't like about snakes was the startle effect. She shreiked when she picked beans and suddenly spied a snake snuggled securely around the stem of the plant. Hm-m-m, perhaps that's one reason why I like to plant pole beans. The snakes don't climb poles--at least not usually. :-)
Before I could only see one picture (the middle one) and now I can't see any of them. Huh!
What a fun story. Sounds like your Mom was a good example of fostering a love of animals and nature in children. I'm always telling my kids to put bugs, etc. back where they found them because their families will miss them.
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