happiness

Days Gone By 8 (FGK 221)

Grandma and her friend Jean are in the front. Not sure who the woman is standing in back.

Yes, this is “me”. One Sunday in the country. The other party is a cousin. He is a ______ – sixteen years old. Don’t think for a minute he is half as ______ as he looks. He is the biggest mischief I have run across for quite a while. Louise

I would have sworn this was a Ramsay photo – but nope. There are a few ski ones – and I’m not sure if they weren’t in Ontario for a visit.

I think we’ve seen this one before, but it’s a great photo so I’ll throw it in again.

happiness

Days Gone By 6 (FGK 219)

“Marshall wouldn’t have his picture taken but he couldn’t resist looking out the window”. I’m so glad she wrote that or I never would have noticed the face in the window

“Some horsie, eh?” Percy (horse), Sheila, Marshall

This was taken shortly after Sheila had her tonsils out but she is big for 2 years don’t you think? Percy and her are great pals.

March 25 1942. Sheila, Marshall and Margaret and myself. Marshall’s tongue popped out and spoilt his looks. Love from all – Edna

This is Marshall and Margaret on Pete. September 1941

happiness

Days Gone By 5 (FGK 218)

August 1935. Sheila Mae Copithorne at 5 months

Sheila entertained Clarence and Harvey Buckley at tea one day last summer. Marshall made a very entertaining host at the other end of the table. Summer 1939.

“This is Marshall in his airman’s uniform. 1940”

happiness

Days Gone By 4 (FGK 217)

There’s a lot going on in this one. I think it’s Grandma on the left holding a tray of food all dressed up in the field. The poor man sitting on the left looks like he was caught by surprise.

We’ve seen this one before – but the back is this photo says “Edna at Coal? Camp” anyone know where that is? The photo was printed in Vancouver as far as I can tell

I *think* this is Grandma and her friend Jean. They seem to me like they had an Anne Shirley/Diana Barry kind of friendship- one that we should all be so lucky to have.

happiness

Memories of Grandma’s 80th (6) (FGK 207)

Kathy’s middle of the night walk to Grandma’s was a legend when we were kids – told so many times with giggles each time. We all thought it was hilarious that she got up in the middle of the night and headed to Grandma’s for tea. I had totally forgotten the story until I read it here. Who else is craving Grandma’s special cake??

God blessed us with a wonderful person who both loves us and is loved by all

Regardless of the situation, Grandma is always there to help in any way that she can

Always busy in her garden, adding to the beauty of the ranch

Never failing to comfort and console me whatever the problem or situation is

Driving grandkids to and from is something that we will never be able to repay

Making chewy ginger snaps and my favourite cake are things that favourably haunt me

A friend to me you’ll always be. I love you very much. Happy 80th birthday to a special person that means a lot to me.

I’m sorry I couldn’t be with y’all on this happy day. Texas wishes you the happiest birthday ever

Love, Cherie

Cherie riding side saddle in our great-grandmother Sophia’s saddle in the Stampede Parade

Grandma, Happy 80th Birthday!

I have so many fond memories of our times together it’s hard to know where to start. You were always my favourite, you were the one who inspired me to learn to cook. I remember sleeping over in the “junk room” and for breakfast we’d make porridge and melt cheese for our toast (you even bought me my own frying pan!!)

There were also the many teatimes when we made pull taffy and our “favourite cake”. Teatime was always an exciting time in your kitchen. It was a sweet tooth’s dream! You had every sort of good imaginable! Then there would be the excitement of getting down to the bottom of our cups and having our fortunes read – you even took time to teach me how to do it. From what I am told, I enjoyed teatime so much that when I was young I came to visit at 4:00 in the morning and my attempts failed as Barry Davis found me and took me home.

Another exciting event at your house was when we all went out with our brown grocery bagels and picked what seemed to be millions of peas. I don’t know how many peas you would have after the pick because we kids would pick one and eat two – not very good odds.

Grandma, to this day you still inspire me – who else at the age of eighty winds a beauty contest? I hope that if I get to be your age I will be as beautiful and full of energy as you are.

I love you, Kathy.

Maybe Michelle lying down? I’m in the beautiful yellow snow suit (and I think we still have my red hat), not sure who is on Grandma’s knee – Jen and maybe Ryan? Kathy beside Grandma

happiness

A History in Photos 41 (FGK 198)

Sam Copithorne’s Family. Left to Right: Beatrice (Blach) Sam’s wife, Irene Robinson (Sam’s oldest daughter) Louis Copithorne, Bill Copithorne, Dorthy Young (Sam’s youngest daughter), Sam Copithorne (1904).

Sophia (Richard’s wife – my great grandmother) in front of the old house.

Slim (aka Ken Knoughtson? Aka the RCMP stock detective)

happiness

A History in Photos 38 (FGK 195)

There’s something about old photos. Even so many of these ones where i don’t know the people in them. I wonder about their lives, what did they do? Were they happy? As my cousin Jen pointed out these photos really make me aware of my own mortality. Some day I too could be an unknown face in a pile of old photos. It sounds depressing, but I think it’s kind of cool – we all share connections in ways we can’t quite comprehend.

John and Eunice Catterall Blake 3.5 years and Bruce 2.5 years. 1965

Left to Right: Larry age 3, a playmate, Ricky age 5. The Syme(?) Cowboys. Jim and Marg Symes – Circle S Ranch 1954

happiness

A History in Photos 33 (FGK 190)

The Ramsay family!!

Margaret Jean Copithorne. 5 weeks old, 1940. I think it’s Grandma holding her.

Look at this cute kid. Too bad she was forced to wear the curtains as clothes. Perhaps it’s where my love of The Sound of Music began!!!

My first ride. Mom, Dad, and Grandpa in the back

Me out playing in the snow – life before wifi

Me (or maybe Gill) enjoying some forced family fun time with Dad

Margie and her dog Sandy – cocker spaniel.

Gillian on Peanuts. The other rider looks like me – and is using and English Saddle – but I don’t recognize the horse. Is it Walleye? Why would I be riding him? Mystery….

happiness

A History in Photos 23 (FGK 180)

The next couple of days are of Grandpa (Percy Copithorne). I have such great memories of Grandpa, the fact that I was only 7 when he died and I have so many (relatively speaking) memories of going on adventures with him tells me that he must have spent a lot of time with us.