Cheers to Generations!

I have been in the process of moving and settling into a new place. While in some ways it has been exhausting work, in other ways, it has been freeing. I have been able to purge unwanted stuff. I am now in a better house and the layout is inspiring. I discovered some forgotten stuff. Like painted plates.

I found buried in a box some fragile, hand-painted ceramic plates that my great-grandmother painted. She painted ceramics and canvas and had her pieces throughout her house. I loved to visit that West Texas house, a pale yellow structure resting on the rugged, rolling plains. Pulling these pieces out immediately flooded me with memories of my great-grandmother, trips to West Texas, and visiting family.

This is one of my favorite pieces of my great-grandmother's work.

Dogwood was Nonnie's favorite flower.

I love the vibrancy of this bird.

Amazing detail!

Nonnie's signature on her painted pieces included a "V" and "A" for her initials.

Nonnie grew up the eldest of eleven children. They made a life on the nearly-barren landscape of West Texas. She loved to read and dreamed of going to college. She didn't quite make it that far in her formal education, but she passed down her creativity to her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Do great-grandmothers realize their impact on the future? Mine certainly impacted me.

I know today is Fathers Day, but I think in a bigger sense, it is a day we can appreciate past generations and how they have impacted who we are and who we have become (and even, who we will be as we continue to grow). Dads, granddads, great-grandmothers: they all have impacted our lives in one way or another. Cheers to generations!