Weekly Photo Challenge – Community

The beginning of an album Daughter made for me on Mother's Day one year

The beginning of an album Daughter made for me on Mother’s Day one year

The Community of Family

My great-grandfather Don Vicente, who left Barcelona, Spain and started our American branch of the family

My great-grandfather Don Vicente Ros who left Barcelona, Spain and started our American branch of the family

with the help of my great-grandmother (who was already here)

with the help of my great-grandmother (who was already here)

Which eventually led to all this - family reunion late 1960's

Which eventually led to all this – family reunion Pascagoula, Mississippi,late 1960’s

The Community of Work

When we left Mobile, Alabama for Ticonderoga, NY, my father's co-workers gave him red flannel long johns - they thought he'd need them

When we left Mobile, Alabama for Ticonderoga, NY, my father’s co-workers gave him red flannel long johns – they thought he’d need them

The Community of Faith

My First Holy Communion

My First Holy Communion-that’s me 6th from the right

The Community of Theatre

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Upper Left – Nunsense (one of my favorite shows) – this is the first show Daughter did outside of school and the first show we appeared in together. I was Reverend Mother (one of my favorite roles) – that’s me back row center in the glasses. Daughter was the youngest nun, Sister Mary Leo (down front). She was featured in an article in the newspaper and we couldn’t have been more proud of her.

Upper Right – me as the White Queen

Bottom Center – another one of my favorite shows, A Christmas Carol. I don’t care how many times I do it (and it’s been a lot) I never get tired of it. This time I was both in the show and music director (that’s me at the piano in our pre-show caroling). Daughter is the beautiful blonde in the first row, 3rd from the right.

The Community of Friends

Mom and Dad's best friends in Ticonderoga, NY introducing us to ice fishing - that's Daddy in the house where it was warm

Mom and Dad’s best friends in Ticonderoga, NY introducing us to ice fishing – that’s Daddy in the center – in the house where it was warm

Our move to Ticonderoga was stressful for all of us. Used to being surrounded by friends of many years and family within easy driving distance, it was strange to be away from all that. And it was cold. We weren’t used to that either. These wonderful people took us under their wing and turned a stressful experience into a delightful one. Mrs. V was a transplant from South Carolina so she understood about culture shock. Their children were my best friends. They were our family away from family. Though the kids and I lost touch (if you see this, say hi!), Mom and Mrs. V corresponded for many years after we left New York.

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Their children taught me how to make a snowman (that’s me on the right – the short one).

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Their son was in my class in school. (that’s him climbing John Brown’s statue). He defended me when the kids made fun of my Southern accent my first day of school there. I will always be grateful to him for that. Coming from a place where I had been known and loved since birth, I was ill-prepared to deal with tough New York kids. He made it easier. That’s his sister (also in the snowman pic) and bundled in the depths of her winter coat is my mother, who learned to brave the cold but never really got used to it.

And the thread that runs through them all is love.

For more on this challenge, go here.

Category : Weekly Photo Challenge
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