Mama's picture books

As a child  few things stick out like the winter days Mama would let Shirl and I thumb thru the old ragged, black felt pages of the 'photo albums' we called 'Picture books'.  Those old worn fragile pages were turned with care, even by children. Mama,  Kat, Jr and Odis had taken time to stick those little black corner photo holders in place to get as many of the little black and white pictures as possible on each one.

(You can see the difference in our family age That is Jr (about 18) and me about 2-3)

I knew a lot of them as we went thru, mama would tell us the old ones.  The ones at funerals were always the  most interesting to me because we got most of the family then.

(Top picture at Sherry's mama's grave, bottom picture from Daddy's mama's grave)

Pictures were treasured because they were so few. Once in awhile some itinerant photographer entrepreneur would come by and take unique  shots. I don't have one, this is from Sherry's old family album.

(Sherry & Johnny by a traveling photographer)

Horses were a big background, I remember one Rick put on 'life101' of him on a pony.  Evidently these guys were honest and good at their trade and did deliver the pictures that were bought.

 (Me above, Sherry (below) the little girl far right at a Vacation Bible School at the local Presbyterian Church)

There are times in life that will NEVER be repeated. Sitting down with an old album is one of them. Pictures were costly treasures.  Having a camera with film loaded and ready was important. Even in my lifetime a roll of film has stayed in a camera for a year or more with the little 'number' showing how many photos that had been used on the 'roll' of film. When the total '12' or '21' was reached someone went into a dark closet or room, re-rolled the film and opened the old camera, carefully removed the roll and sealed it.  Back then it was sent off by mail to 'Jack Rabbit' processing company, in Spartanburg, SC. ' It took two 3cent stamps!

Funny, I just searched and found a Jack Rabbit Photo company in San Antonio..  Now I am wondering if it was a franchise nationwide.  Anyway a couple weeks later a thick envelope would be delivered and everyone wanted to see the new pictures. There were oooohs and aaaahs and some 'Oh Shucks' when a picture was black or very blurred.

Probably at 12 years of age there was  30 pictures of a person's  life.  Now some kids have an hour by hour record of their lives. LOL

BUT no matter the number,  there is nothing like the 'still photo', they capture so much. My Sherry smiles, with a ‘LOOK AT THIS’ when one of the family is on FB!

I think we all know the meaning of one picture is worth a thousand words.

Nite Shipslog

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 One of the first drive in's to eat, DAllas TExas

I make no secret of my love of pictures of old cars, the lower one is a Russian car, 6 produced.