Finding these pictures fascinating

The photos I'm posting are not in any order other than as I come across them in the pile and think they are interesting, or have a personal story. 

As I go through the slides and peer through them held up against the light of my monitor, I have to reflect (not a pun) on the changes in technology. From the very earliest camera photographs in the 1800's to the digital process now, the changes are amazing. I use a digital camera, and have become much more into photography since then. I never liked the expense and wait time of the printed photos, I'm much more into the immediacy of digital! Plus, you can delete the bad ones right away. I don't think I would have gotten into photography if I'd lived in the 1800's.

I am, however, having a marvelous time going through the family photos. It seems that Mum took pictures of everything. She had a favourite maple tree on the other side of the village that she took pictures of every year. Dad would just shake his head when she showed the latest photo, but I understand it completely. I take pictures of my flowers every year, despite not having planted much of anything new in the last several summers. Each flower is unique, even if it is on the same plant.

The slides that Mum took show the history of our family. They are a way of keeping in memory the far-flung members of the tribe, showing in microcosm the growth of the members. The inter-connectivity of family.

Here we have three generations. On the right is Uncle Willie Silver and on the left is Uncle Karl. In the middle is me (in the tied-dyed pants) and Liz, Uncle Karl's wife. Uncle Willie is Uncle Karl's uncle on the Scottish side of the family - my grandmother's brother.

Uncle Willie lived near or in Winnipeg at this time. He came the Canada many years before the rest of us, and actually helped build the Erie Canal, putting him first here between 1817-1825. We have lost track of his descendants. I know Uncle Karl has info on him in the genealogical charts (I can't find mine right now, but will have to search it out to have handy as I do these posts), but once Uncle Willie died, I don't think there was any more contact that Mum could maintain with his descendents. Not sure though, since we don't have any of the letters (see first post). I remember this visit. One of the things we did was go up Covey Hill and hiked into the gorge on the top. I'm not sure if people can still do that because we had to cross private land to get there. Uncle Willie out-walked us all.

Getting ready to have a picnic.

This picture of Dad at the kitchen table is a typical pose. He doesn't look happy, but he is not really unhappy or upset, it is just because he had just taken a bite of something when Mum snapped the shot! There is that blue sweater again - or one just like it.