Pictures of Old Pictures

Yesterday, I received a small padded envelope in the mail from my Aunt.  She told me she had sent me some pictures she'd found while going through Granny's things.

(Remember to give Thangs)

Two stacks of pictures:

This one is funny and also has a bit of trivia.  My mom was a river rafting guide at one point.  I'm pretty sure I'm modeling one of their shirts here:

Oh, I had forgotten about this.  My Granddad set a trap to catch wild birds.  It was a bird cage propped up on a stick, with a pull string tied to it, and a trail of birdseed going in.  We caught a few of them, looked at them, and then let them go.  He was always so interested in nature and sharing it with me.  I was really excited by the whole thing.  (I'm wearing my Granny's coat)

Wearing Granny's coat again, riding a stick horse?  I think - and wielding a stick as a sword.  Granddad actually made me a proper wooden sword at one point and I would gallop around in battle, whacking sagebrush with it.  

No idea, me in school at some point it looks like!

My mom bred and showed dogs, American Staffordshire Terriers at first and later, Maltese.  I was a Junior Handler and went to a few shows with a young Maltese named Sugar.  Here I am at one: 

Posing with Granny:

Clowning with Granny:

On the way home from the dog show, Granddad and I stopped to study some llamas along the road.  Here, I wanted to touch one.  The llama did not want to be touched.  Thankfully, we did not get spit on.  

I went camping and fishing quite a bit with Granny and Granddad and a few times with just Granddad.  Here I was displaying our catch of fish:

And clowning around with the fish.  

I noticed something in looking through all of these pictures.  I'm not sure I've ever liked having my picture taken.  Even as a kid, I seemed to have a few default looks: "oh no, a camera", maybe with a forced smile - completely goofing off for the camera - or somewhere in the middle, maybe when I didn't know the camera was there (or was really excited by something like a turtle).   

Exploring a lakeshore - "Oh no, a camera"

Fishing - "Oh no, a camera"

Dressed up for Halloween - "Oh no, a camera"

And so on, haha.

The same Halloween with Granny.  I can't remember what I was supposed to be, I think I went as some sort of 80's rock/pop star a few times.  

Skipping ahead some years, a 4 generations picture.  From the left:  Me, my Aunt Annie, Granny, and Granny Margaret (Granny's mom).

And back to kid me.  I found this turtle while walking with Granddad.  I picked him up, turned him around to look inside, and almost dropped him when he snapped at me.  I carried him back to the house to show Granny (then let him go).

The back of that picture:

A picture of Granddad and I on a camping/fishing trip:

Wait, what's that??

I had taken two Breyer horses with me!  After studying the picture in bright light (they are TINY in the photo), I recognize them and still have them both.  The light dapple grey PAS and grey appaloosa FAS.  This was a super fun discovery to make while looking at the pictures.  

Last one, Granddad and I having breakfast out of the back of his truck at a campsite:  

We often took his cab over camper, but at least once or twice we just set up camp in the bed of the truck with a camper shell over it, for shorter, local campouts. 

I miss those trips, Granddad, and Granny, more than I can say.  I'm so glad my Aunt Annie sent me these pictures.