It's time for Donna's Personal Photography Challenge. Each month, Donna, an accomplished photographer, sets a challenge for those who want to join in. She provides links to sites that offer advice and inspiration for the particular topic. It's fun! Perhaps you would like to join in next time.
This month, the challenge was Words and Letters. Here are my interpretations:
 | ||
| Focal length 6.0, 1/100s, f2.8, ISO 100 |
Last November, my mother gave me an old hymnal that belonged to my maternal great-grandmother, Agatha Rempel, born in 1897. The book was given to her by her father in 1903, in Chortitza, now part of the Ukraine. Agatha came to Canada, married, and later gave the book to my biological grandmother, also named Agatha, who married my grandfather. She died about 6 months after the birth of her 10th child. My grandfather then married Agatha's sister, Mary. In reality, Mary was my great-aunt, but I knew her and loved her as my grandmother.
 |
| Focal length 6.0, 1/50s, f2.8, ISO 100 |
 |
| Focal length 6.0, 1/60s, f2.8, ISO 100 |
I have a box of old letters. The above photo is taken from a letter written to us in Ecuador by my paternal grandmother Katrina (known as Tina). Sentences follow each other without regard for capitalization or much punctuation. No matter. Love is conveyed by the words and the very act of sitting down and taking the time to write.
I'm looking forward to reading other bloggers' interpretation of this Personal Photography Challenge. Thanks to Donna for hosting, and for encouraging us all to become better photographers.
Well now...speaking of like-minded...we really were in a similar groove today. I know it means a lot to you to have the hymnbook and the letters. There's a wonderful connection through the generations and years.
ReplyDeleteThe hymnal is in great condition and a nice keepsake, along with the letters you have of your ancestors.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the old handwriting and the beautiful hymnal. What treasures for you to display and enjoy and perfect for the challenge. I love to translate text....and did that some today! Happy weekend! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteYour German hymnal is such a beautiful keepsake, Lorrie, and the tiny card is sweet. I love looking at handwriting. I think the writing of the 'old' days has more flourish than today. At least it has more flourish than my own, which is terrible. :) Your photo choices are beautiful and interesting.
ReplyDeleteLove your words and letters. What a precious story goes along with the hymnal.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this part of your family history.
What very special treasures. The hymnal is just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing translation of the challenge - photos are gorgeous - the memories precious. It is the best I"ve ever seen.
ReplyDeleteFabulous job, Lorrie! I love how you carefully chose the composition details in each of your photos: the green plant, lace background, and the sunny window in the first, the peep of hydrangea in the book mark over hymnal in the second, and the air mail border in the third. Each of those details enhances the subject. Of course, I love the subjects in each! What wonderful family treasures!
ReplyDeleteTreasures you have there!
ReplyDeleteI can see that these are some of your treasures. Anything handwritten is especially dear.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Lorrie, such lovely remembrances of your long ago family members, and the way you photographed them to show beautiful type faces and your grandmother's handwriting is perfect. I have a large box of my mother's hand written letters spanning many years since I left England in 1962. We wrote faithfully to each other each week, rarely telephoning until perhaps the late 90's, except on special occasions, because it was so expensive! I love to look through them, the crisp pale blue airmail paper rustles in my hands and I can hear her voice and see her dear face. The written word is wonderful and it really is sad that people have come close to giving it up - that said, I'm off to write a note to one of our doctors to wish him a long and happy retirement!
ReplyDeleteHugs for the weekend - Mary
P.S. Used your Leek, Spinach & Feta Quiche recipe yesterday - but did put it in a crust because I had one to use up! It's really delicious dear - especially with the Kalamata olives added - remainder will make a nice lunch today! Thanks for sharing - it's a keeper.
Love your challenge photos. Have a great weekend. Jen
ReplyDeletehi lorrie,
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful post and how fortunate you are to have these meaningful items. i so agree about recipe cards and handwriting.
xo
elyse
Your maternal grandmother was born at the same time as mine, and I also have inherited a prayer book she had as a young child. The printed word and the handwritten one really convey the touch of the ages somehow, don't they? Digital is great, but it's not going to do that.
ReplyDeleteThis selection of photos is so sweet and tender. What treasured heirlooms! I adore the composition of the first photo, filled with lots of texture and visual interest. The green color pop from the fern in the background is lovely and it helps to provide a diffused light source. Finding the stamp tucked into the bible was a stroke of luck. It's like a mini work of art! And the old handwriting is a step back in time, when penmanship was practiced and beautiful. You did a terrific job on the challenge!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful shots Lorrie! I have old books and so many old letters from about 100 years ago that are carefully put away in folders. Each one so beautifully written and so innocent. You have inspired me to go and take another look at them this evening. Have a wonderful weekend. x
ReplyDeleteVery touching. How very lovely to have that old hymnal and those precious letters. And in fact, how fortunate to have had the rich, rewarding relationships to remember. These mementos are such blessings, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting me on my blog. And your comments mean so much to me. Can you find a way to leave them in your handwriting? HaHa
I think we share such a love for old family treasures! Obviously this was a hymnal where they knew the tunes or just followed with the words. It's beautiful. And so is the letter, with the airmail envelope and airmail thin paper --those were the days! I just found a bunch of aerograms in my desk--do you remember those you folded over with the postage already on them. Talk about an antique (now!)
ReplyDeleteI think you capture the topic beautifully.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful treasure from the past. Very neat!
ReplyDeleteExcellent photos of your precious treasures! Stirs the heart.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely interpretation, Lorrie. Letters and sacred books - so precious when handed down through the generations.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos Lorrie! I love the first shot with that beautiful fern in the background. Very nostalgic-looking. The closeup shots are wonderful too- I also used some old handwriting.. what a wonderful link it is to our past.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post! What a treasure you have there! Love the postage stamp card!!! I made a cookbook from my mother's family's recipes when we were using old DOS computers..... I still have the handwritten recipes they sent me and I feel that one day I will do something with those!
ReplyDeleteAnother post I missed! I love the little card with the verse in the German Bible! I can read German, but the Gothic script is hard to read.
ReplyDelete