Vintage items make me happy. Simple things like crocheted pieces, embroidered tea towels, jars, and old clothespins. Yes, the clothespins are vintage, they are mine and I've been married 41 years! Vintage items bring back memories and memories have been on my mind lately.
As time passes and I grow older, I find my memories beginning to fade. I find it harder and harder to recall names, places, and events. I feel my brain is overloaded just trying to keep up with the quickly changing world we live in. Seriously, to be my age and having all this knowledge and technology thrown at me is mind boggling! I know many of my memories are still there, they're just buried deep in my mind! With the encouragement of Sarah at Paisley Rain Boots, I'm working at bringing those memories out. Thank you, Sarah! Sarah's focus on writing this year, especially her Coffee Shop Chronicles has been the push I needed to start writing down bits and pieces of my past. I purchased a leather notebook with 400 pages of little square graph paper. Graph paper? Yes, 'cause I like the stuff! I've also found a list of fifty-two questions to get me started; questions about family and memories. I read somewhere that once you start writing down memories more memories surface. Who knows, maybe somewhere down my family line, someone will want to know how I lived, what I thought, and how I felt. Maybe no one will every read it...I don't know, but it will be there just in case.
A wonderful idea! I should do that!
ReplyDeleteFantastic Cathy writing down memories is so important, as an historian the things I like to read most are the snippets of everyday life because that is what makes us, us..
ReplyDeletesounds like a great idea, good luck with your writing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely idea to write down your memories. It could also be fun for our children and grandchildren to read one day - new aspects of us that they will discover. I like your accompanying image of the embroidery and those wooden pegs.
ReplyDeleteKudos, Cathy! I've been pondering {encouraged by Pam's Project Life} to do more story-telling in the photo books I do for Campbell. I'm pondering an informal family history because Blurb lets you use as much text as you wish. We must be getting old!
ReplyDeletegreat Idea I am having a go at this too on my Island childhood blog
ReplyDeleteabove comment is from me - son signed in on my computer again!
ReplyDeleteOh, Cathy, I've been thinking of this recently, too. Thinking of all the questions I wish I could ask my parents about their lives (they've been gone for years now) and wondering if anyone - my kids or grandkids - will wonder about me some day when it's too late to ask those questions. I'd like to stop thinking about it and start doing something about it. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteYou are just the dearest person ever. I just read your paragraph out loud to Mallory. This whole post is excellently written and I am flattered beyond belief. Keep up the writing, I want all 400 pages filled with your beautiful words.
ReplyDeleteOh, I understand perfectly - I have never been good at remembering things from my childhood. But when I do let myself recall those happy times, the memories seem to flow. Even if your journal is never read by anyone, you will have re-visited those moments, bringing them alive again for yourself. Good for you for taking this on! And just so you know, I like graph paper too - all those wonderful little squares :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post, often I think about this too, in particular regarding my mother now that some of her memories seem to be fading away... but also regarding myself, because now I still can remember almost everything she has told me, and my own experiences, but I don´t know how long they may stay with me. I wish I had more free time to document it all ... hope I will have it some day and not too late
ReplyDeleteKeep up the writing, your words are beautiful and your memories deserve to be kept
Wonderful photo-heart connection
This is a wonderful project, Cathy -- one that your family can appreciate for generations! You are so right about how keeping up with all this new technology does overload the brain, especially as we get older. I am sure as you begin to write more memories will come to the surface. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteReally great and I have the worst memory in fact my daughter is always talking about the same thing about herself. I guess it is maybe the fact we are invaded with so much info these days. Great idea about writing things down. That is why I blog really not for anyone else but for me to record my images. I don't like to write and never have so for me to record my photography by my blog is my way of keeping a memory for not only me but for anyone else who would like to see later on when I am not here.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh you are on your way...you have posted your public declaration of writing and recalling. I think this is wonderful. You know I use clip clothespins....they are in a sack and my granddaughter plays with them, clipping to this and that. Great post and really lovely, nostalgic photograph. Good luck with your writing. You will do it and enjoy it as the same time. smiles: sharon
ReplyDeleteYes. Write, write, write! I'm choosy, but I save special things....I have a handful of things from each of my grandparents, and just cherish them. I'm an avid scrapbooker...I write in all my books. I love recording our family memories!! And it is my only hope...cause I've always had a lousy memory!
ReplyDeleteI'll read it! So excited you are doing this. What an awesome thing to pass on to your grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteCapturing memories sounds like great fun, I try to do that through my poems.
ReplyDeleteI know it's true for me that one memory leads to another. So glad to hear you are starting to preserve yours. I think the prompts are a very good idea to get you going. Enjoy the process!
ReplyDeleteYou will enjoy writing and will be surprised at what you can recall. I started doing that several years ago when we moved from my long time home in Illinois to Wheeling, WV. I wanted to remember as much as I could about my home town. I still have lists that I made in a journal of stories I need to write.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit late looking at all the Photo Heart connections...and I really enjoyed yours!
Fabulous post! I've also been wanting to capture memories/family history for some time and maybe it's time to just start writing it all down. Maybe I just need to start with a list... getting starting seems to be the hardest part. I'd be interested in knowing more about your 52 Questions :-)
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! I'm so glad you're writing. I keep trying to take the time to write, but to no avail. Keep up the good work. Your photo is very vintage and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGreat way to recall past precious memories. I often find that as i start to write, it is like opening up a bit chest of memories. love your tea towel, and your clothes pins. I have many tea towels that my grandmother made and love them. Vintage is wonderful isn't it!
ReplyDeleteOh! this is such a lovely PHC and your/Sara's idea of writing to recall your memories is such a good idea.
ReplyDelete