This is my interpretation of my grandmother’s “Come with me back…” idea.

Come with me Back to my Childhood Home – Part 1

Come back with me to a simpler time and a place I thrived. I’ll show you my childhood home. The address is on Pinelake Court. It still comes to mind as rote, with the obligatory “Pinelake as one word.”

It’s in Spartanburg. That’s in South Carolina. We’re right off one of the main roads on the west side of town – Reidville Road. Right after you pass Woodland Heights Elementary School, you’ll take the next right. Yes, down that steep hill and then right again at the “T” and down another steep hill.

Had it ever snowed much here, those hills would have been great for sledding, ‘cause no one used to ever drive during snow. We used to practice riding bikes with no hands and no feet down the hill instead (which didn’t always work out so well).  My house is right after the road flattens out. Well, I mean, the house that used to be my house.

There was no traffic to speak of, so we could ride bikes or play tennis in the street. The next door neighbors’ had a hill that we used to play on. If anyone had a big box, we’d tear it open and use it to slide down the hill and across the street into the empty lot. Once we used a refrigerator box and didn’t even open it flat. We’d just roll around in there. There’s also an awesome mulberry tree down in the empty lot.  It’s great for eating and climbing.

Old Christmas trees grew quite large.

I always thought of our brick house as a two-story home, now that I look at it again, it’s actually a ranch with a walk-out basement. There is a steep driveway on the right side of the house. The steep driveway is flanked by two oak trees –one ours and one the neighbor’s. I love the way the oak winds its way across the driveway and intermingles with the next door neighbor’s oak. The squirrels love that too.

The driveway has a couple of stories itself. It’s also why Wilkinson’s can back up straight. It was great for starting out on your bike in a hurry. What else you see when you drive up depends on what year you were visiting; there was a lot more grass and a lot of room to play when I was growing up. Mom planted more and more trees as time went on. We used to get blue spruce Christmas trees with the roots and plant them after Christmas. A lot of times they didn’t live, but you can see a few did. There is a pecan tree in the center of the yard, but it always refused to bear fruit. In the 90’s, Mom added a sugar maple and dogwood from her old home place near the street.

If you come in mid-February, you’re really in for a treat; there will be thousands of daffodils blooming all over the yard. That was Mom’s doings. There is a walkway of sorts to the front door overlooked by the living room picture window. No one ever used to look out from there, though. We hardly ever used the living room, except at Christmas, until Daddy retired. Then he took a corner of it over for his office. There was always an old wooden butter churn on the front porch. But don’t bother going up there, we ’ll go into the side or kitchen door like everyone else.

There’s a rose-bush in front of the kitchen window.  We only cut the roses on Mothers’ Day when we’d wear a red rose to church.  There’d often be cat food on the window frame.  Feeding the cats up there kept the dogs out of their chow.  Now up those two steps and we’ll be in the kitchen…

Have you ever written about you childhood home? Have you ever tried looking back on it with the eyes of a child?
Do You Have Other Ideas or Comments? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

This prompt is too rich in metaphors for a five minute session! Cue the dramatic, frenetic music!

My life is a song. It’s a pretty good one, in my opinion, but I’m not sure I deserve the credit. I have a Master that helps me compose.

It’s not a song written for performance or a Grammy. My song is just the tune that is me.

Like all lives, it has moments of harmony. Like all lives, it has its moments of discord. Even the unexpected discord is important, driving a longing for resolution into a new harmony.

New voices in my life contribute to the texture and complexity of the harmony.  Some voices blend quite easily.  Other voices maintain their individual tones, yet work somehow–contributing to the whole. Counter melodies race through my song.  Is that my self-doubt or is my acceptance of diversity and different?

Of course, there are transitions. Gratuitous key changes.  Complex movements that crescendo. Counterpoints. Tempos change. Energy shifts.

I don’t always learn my lessons well the first time, so my song boasts more than a few codas.  My choruses are my family and loved one.  They are the themes that bring me joy with each refrain.

My instrumentation varies with my mood. Sometimes the kettle drums are a little too much, foreshadowing the could-be’s.  Luckily, I have my husband to dampen them when need be.  Sometimes he even manages to give the percussionist a night off.

My song is filled with dynamics and played with expression.  It’s often loud, but will go down to the softest pianississimo. A kiss. Eye contact. Treasured private moments.

I don’t know how my song will end.  I feel like I’m still learning the tune and writing the words.

© Laura Hedgecock 2013

Every Friday, Lisa-Jo Baker, founder of “Five Minute Friday,” broadcasts a writing prompt, challenging writers to writer for five minutes only. In her words, “It’s not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing. “

Growing up without their grandparents has impacted my kids’ lives. Even fifteen years later after their deaths, it can be hard to write about them.

Memories of grandparents are a treasure. That’s why it’s so important to write about grandparents when we preserve our stories.

Not everyone has had the privilege of knowing any, much less all, of their grandparents. The luckier among us grew up in the same town as their grandparents and have had (or had) them as a part of  everyday life.  On the other hand, those of us that have lost our grandparents or never had an opportunity to know them can sometimes find it hard to write about them. But we should.

Why Write about Grandparents?

Because the relationships we had, or lacked, with these elders often molded us, at least in part, into the individuals we are, these memories are important to note and preserve.

Because my maternal grandmother wrote about her, I feel a connection to my great great grandmother Clark.

Regardless of how large your grandparents loomed as a part of your growing up years, some great conversations can result when you share your memories or stories of grandparents.  When we write about grandparents, we’re leaving a gift for future generations–for those that  might not  have the privilege of knowing these relatives. Younger family members  will greatly appreciate an insight into their great-grands’ personalities and lives

Additionally, when others read about our grandparents, they come to understand us better. Our descriptions also grant readers a richer understanding of these people who influenced our lives and give insight into how our personalities and our family traditions were shaped. It gives them a glimpse of our family history.

Write about grandparents’ personalities

While exploring old photos and records with my husband’s parents, we recently experienced first hand how much a small story can reveal about a personality. I had often heard that my father-in-law’s Grandmother DeBarr was an eccentric and suspicious woman. Looking at a photo, my mother-in-law remembered her first meeting with the woman. After a few minutes with the intended bride, Grandma DeBarr looked at her grandson and announced in a disgruntled tone, “She seems alright for a dark-headed woman.”

Although I knew the dry facts about this woman from family history research, that small anecdote gave me a much deeper insight into her than the photos and genealogical information. Now when I run across her photo, I ponder at her countenance and wonder what it would have been like to have known her. A connection of sorts was created when my in-laws shared their memories.

My grandfather with my sister and me. (I’m the little one.)

Do Sweat the Small Stuff

My grandmother’s “Treasure Chest” (see My Story: The First Treasure Chest) had many small gems for us as she described her grandparents. One detail that I love reading was how one relative wore his hat everywhere but to church, and how, on Sunday mornings, her eyes were always drawn to the white ‘blaze’ on his forehead.

Likewise, I love remembering the grin my own grandpa wore every time he called his black dog, who he had saddled with the unlikely moniker of “Snowball.”

When you write about grandparents, don’t leave out the small details, thinking of them as insignificant. Small traits, such as a farmer’s tan, crooked smile, or favorite joke, can help your readers picture the people about whom you write. Many times, those little things are just the things that of which memories are made.

Write About Your Grandparents

Try describing your grandparent(s). Were you close to them? What did they look like? What were they like? What types of things were they apt to do or say?

Did you know them when they were younger or know stories of them in their younger days? To pass on the knowledge of a unique individual rather than an image in a portrait is a true gift.

Examples of Grandparent Memories: Sneaky Grandma, Grandma:I was too late, Milk with Two Sugars–Every once in a while.

Do You Have Other Ideas or Comments? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your hop so far and I’m glad you’re here.
If you’re on Day 1 of the hop and are coming from Krysthle Poitras’ blog Krysthle’s Designs you are in the right place! (If you landed here first and want to do the full hop, start here.) We’ve got great prizes lined up for you, so don’t forget to follow all the instructions (leaving comments on and subscribing to each blog and liking our Facebook pages) and enter the Rafflecopter at the end! (Full instructions below.)

Remember the Family Gardener

Memories about a gardener or garden really need photos or illustrations of some sort. A scrapbook layout (digital or paper) is a great way to remember or honor the gardener in your life. Mine is digital, but yours doesn’t have to be.

This layout was inspired in part by  gift to my father-in-law: his neighbor, Sharon Van Leeuwen gave him a ShutterFly photo book with a season’s worth of photos of his garden.  He absolutely loves that book.  I decided to see if I could utilize photos of his flowers in a scrapbook layout.

Instructions

These instructions are for PhotoShop Elements, but most softwares will have similar functions. I started with a blank 12 x 12” page. Because I anticipate printing it, I set the resolution to 300. For online displays, 72 pixels per inch is sufficient.

To add the backdrop for my text, I created a new, 8 ½” x 11” sized document, then imported it into my larger 12” x 12” page. (You can size it later.)
As always, I started with my narrative. In this case, I kept it short. I edited my 100 word text in Word, then copied and pasted it into my digital layout. Pay attention to your font size.Text that is smaller than 12 pt will get lost. Text bigger than 24 pt will seem more like a headline than a narrative.
Adding the Picture:  I had better, higher quality pictures of my father-in law, Larry, but I wanted to use one of him in his garden. To get the text to wrap around the photo, I divided it into separate text boxes. Hint: Once you have your photo and text situated on your “paper,” lock those layers, so you can move them around together.

Framing the narrative with flowers:  You can use flowers from a kit—digital or paper. The “Natural Breeze” kit from Digidesignresort.com has some nice realistic flower options.
Inspired by (feeling competitive with?) the photo book idea, I decided to use actual photos from Larry’s garden, which I admit was pretty labor intensive.I didn’t like how the flowers alone looked as a frame, so I used this one that was included in the Natural Breeze kit.

For each flower close-up I had, I used the Adobe PSE Magic Extractor tool. (Tip: Always Preview before you hit OK.  It can save you tons of frustration.

After I had several flowers isolated, I started placing them around the frame. As I placed individual blooms, I fine-tuned the background removal with the magic eraser tool.
Once the majority of my flowers were placed, I choose my background. I used a stock background called “Kimono” that came with PSE8. Ironically, I found it a tad too green for this garden theme, so I adjusted the color (Enhance -> Adjust Color ->Replace color).

After all the flowers and embellishments were added, I selected each layer and added a drop shadow (Layer -> Layer Style -> Style Settings).

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Next Hop:

Go on over to Connie Umstead Walsh‘s blog and see what beautiful project she has prepared for you.

Some people enjoy making an actual time capsule. If you have the time and inclination, a simple Google search will yield many instructions like this one from the Library of Congress. Another good idea is to use a Pinterest board to illustrate the circumstances surrounding the event. (See Pinterest Primer.)

You don’t necessarily need to find time to write or journal about current events while you’re planning your wedding or in between Lamaze classes. You may have to wrack your brain a little more if you’re writing to fill in historical context later, but constructing a written time capsule with the benefit of hindsight also gives you an idea of what trends and devices have become iconic. Hint: Internet search engines can be a big help if you can’t quite remember something.

Format: Of course, beautifully written, logically constructed paragraphs will always be appreciated, but this is a time when bullet lists will also work nicely.

What to include in your Time Capsule on a Page

Consider headlines in news magazines. What important events are going on in the world? Who is in office? Are there any major stories breaking locally?

Mention a couple of status quo’s. What’s the price of gasoline? How much does it cost to fly or buy a Coca-cola? What has the weather been like?

A glimpse of my mother’s kitchen.

What’s your home like? Who lives there? If you look around in your living room or kitchen, what do you see? Is it immaculate? Cozy? Uncluttered? Give others a taste.

Include fashion trends.This is easier in hindsight because we know what has really gone out of style. Just think of the 1980’s for example—big hair, big glasses, shoulder pads, etc. What styles do you favor? Is there a particular style that is absolute torture for you?

Write about friendships. We think we’ll always be close to all of our friends, but the truth is friendships ebb and flow. Who do (did) you lean on? Rant to? With whom do (did) you share secrets? Drink? Play sports? Commiserate?

Include photos if you can. Though I looked (and probably was) totally peeved at my mother taking a picture of me with a hair dryer on my head and green gook on my face on the morning of my wedding day, I like having it now (not enough to share it though). Snap a few photos or dig through your archives to shed light on the days around your big event. You can also pose some shots, like one of yourself surrounded by your favorite things (or people).

Try jotting down some notes about what was happening when you were born, graduated from high school or college, got married, or had your first child.

Do You Have Other Ideas or Comments? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

© Laura Hedgecock 2013

Create your creative space

A good creative space for writing can facilitate your memory journal writing or blogging, not to mention your recall.

But, let’s face it. Very few of us can write anywhere. Finding your groove may involve finding a physical space—your actual groove.

Distractions

“Turn off the distractions,” sounds easy, but what actually distracts you?  In my case, I can write with the TV blaring and the kids around sometimes. That sometimes depends on whether the boys are ignoring me or making requests/demands. It also depends on whether I find what they are watching interesting. I can write through celebrity news shows but the BBC’s Top Gear always distracts me.

Turn it off?

So, if the phone, television, email, or radio distracts you, turn them off. I’m not quite clear on how to turn off the kids, but that might also be worth a try. If you work best in quiet, find a relatively quiet place and time to work. If you’re not sure what will work best for you, experiment.

One person’s distraction might be another person’s inspiration. Not everyone, for instance, works best in complete silence. If noise, particularly white noise, isn’t a distraction for you, there’s no need to turn it off.

For most of us, it is more of a matter of finding the right level of noise. Many people focus better with music in the background. Some writers do well in coffee shops while others work in quiet seclusion. Once you find the conditions that work best for you, write under those conditions whenever you can. If you can find a physical space that always has those conditions, that might be where you write best.

The same goes for visual distractions. Nature will inspire me, but it also often causes me to grab my camera and go outside. Some people prefer a blank wall to a window.

Advantages of an Actual Creative Space

We come to associate a physical space with productivity. For instance, experts recommend that children have a defined space for doing homework and studying. That physical space comes to facilitate learning.

Our brains are more alert in our work-space, which is why we’re not supposed to work in the bedroom.  Perhaps that’s also why so many college students go to the library to study. (It might also be that their rooms are such a mess there isn’t a horizontal space to open a book.  Just saying…)

If you write on a desk-top PC, your space might already be defined. If you have the luxury of trying different spaces—different rooms, coffee shops, or even a second home, explore them. See what happens.

Where do you write best? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Click on the “comments” icon in the top right corner of this post.

Seating with umbrellas

In her post today, Staci Troilio points out that unseasonal weather makes an intriguing backdrop for fiction stories. Since life is so frequently stranger than fiction, that goes double to those of us writing about and collecting family memories.

Though not quite meeting the bar of “wild weather,” last weekend we attended an outdoor wedding in Sumter, SC, where it was unseasonably cold. (For South Carolina, mid-sixities in May is cold!) The weather didn’t quite steal the show, but it earned a prominent position on the day’s credits.

TJ Maxx made a killing off of those of us flying in from California, Nevada, and Michigan. Rain also kept us all on edge, with a downpour starting about an hour beforehand. These weather details have already become an integral part of our narratives of Erin and Daniel’s wedding.

Sometimes, weather itself is the story. Accounts of riding out storms, evacuating, freezing, or sweating make great stories for anyone’s “Treasure Chest.”

Has weather influenced events in your life? Was weather itself the story? There are many ways to memorialize them.

Wild Weather in Pictures:

In addition to photos in which weather is a backdrop, take (or feature) photos reflecting the weather itself.

• Before and after shots (or normal versus storm photos) show the depth of the water or the change in the landscape.
• Screenshots of weather maps are now very easy to grab on smart phones and are something with which we can all relate.
• Include photos that lend atmosphere.  A photo that reveals mood, even with no action, is worth at least 200 words.
• Coping with the weather makes for some comical shots. In our case it was ushers wiping seats with towels before seating people and attendees wearing whatever additional clothing they found in their cars to stay warm (think Old Navy sweatshirts over lace dresses).

Writing about Wild Weather:

Coping skills (or not): Was there the proverbial gnashing of teeth or did everyone keep a cool head?

The Facts: Pick a few weather statistics to include. We’re talking numbers here. How deep or cold or fast?

Adversity: Were there particular hardships that wouldn’t automatically come to mind? For instance, those on municipal water don’t realize that power outages for those on well-water means going without water.

Lesson(s) Learned: My sister rode out Hurricane Hugo. Her lesson was that evacuation is nowhere near as bad as the fear she felt riding out the storm. This doesn’t have to be a “moral of the story,” but if you learned something for next time or had an epiphany about what matters to you, write about it.

Silver Linings: My family has had some great moments by candlelight during outages. (Don’t tell DTE.) What were yours?

Humor: Was there a funny side? Comedy often comes from the unexpected. Did a new treasure come to surface? Kids keep you entertained? For instance, during a bad storm at my in-laws, we discovered that my niece’s husband travels with no less than seven flashlights.  We’ll be telling that one at their twenty-fifth anniversary.

Escapades: Did you or your loved ones have a more adventurous outlet to their stress?

Heroes:  Who pitched in? Who was unflappable? (Who had supplies, i.e. gasoline for the generator?)

What are your stories? I’d love to hear from you.

© Laura Hedgecock 2013

If you’re blogging, it’s easy to embed a clip into your blog. If you’re using paper and pin, simply transfer the recording to a disc or USB-drive and attach the case to your notebook.

Production Advice

You’re not looking for an Oscar or fame. Just relax and be yourself. If you don’t want to spend time editing, remember less can be more. Try simple (short) recordings.

Read a favorite story or poem.

Oh how I wish I had this on video!

This not only preserves the story, but also preserves it in your voice, with your facial expressions. Your reading will not only include your emphases, but will also probably include the way that piece was traditionally read in your family.

In Spartanburg, SC, where I grew up, a department store displayed a beautiful diorama of Clement Clark Moore’s The Night before Christmas each year. In my youth, part of our Christmas Eve tradition was going downtown to the Aug W. Smith Company’s store windows and having my father read it to us.

Years later, the diorama was restored and put on display in the local history museum. My dad visited the museum and (with permission) videoed the diorama while he read it aloud. I’ll treasure this gift always.

Record your own poem

Hold you own poetry slam. Enough said.

 Tell a story from your past

Just pretend your loved ones—even future loved ones—are sitting right in front of you and start your story telling. You can include visual aids (photos, tools of the trade, etc) if you’d like, but it isn’t necessary.

You don’t need a formal setting. In fact, stories told from your favorite chair provides a great welcoming backdrop.

Send a direct message to your loved ones

This is a “letter out loud.” What are the things that you want to make sure loved ones remember? What are the things that you don’t want to leave unsaid? Recording such messages can preserve the feelings of love between family members.

You can also record less momentous messages, especially for young grandchildren. If you’re packing up to go meet a new grandbaby for the first time, take a few minutes to record your activities, telling them how excited you are about their arrival. They probably won’t appreciate it for decades, but years later, it will be quite a treasure.

Record Family Occasions

Here’s where the “clip” part becomes more crucial. If you record 45 minutes of Johnny’s kindergarten graduation, people will seldom find time to watch it. If it’s a 2-minute clip featuring proud Johnny with his certificate and missing tooth in front of everyone who made the ceremony, it will be fun to look at in the future.

A Guided Tour through an Old Family Home

Going back to a family homestead? Moving out of the home in which you raised your children? Take a quick video tour of the house and rooms. (See Writing about Childhood Homes.)

By now, you have the idea and don’t need me to prompt you.  Have fun!

How do you get your photo archives into digital (CD or hard drive) format? If you’re like me, you have boxes, organizers, and albums of photos, not to mention slides and negatives. How to you get the best of the best into digital format?

Of course, scanning is the easy answer, but there are numerous ways to go about it. Then there’s the unavoidable truth that it’s going to take some effort, however you do it.  Back in the days of film, we saved every photo. Chances are you’re not going to want to scan each and everyone.

The good news:  It can fun to go back through your old photos. Keep a notepad handy and jot down ideas for things you want to write about later.

Using Scanning Services to Digitize Archives

Such services range from economic to premium, depending on the quality output you want. You can find Internet based businesses by doing a Google search under “scanning services” or inquire at your local printer. If you want to compare apples to apples, be sure to look at what types of scanners are used and where the work is done. Hand-fed scanners yield higher quality.

If you have a smaller quality of items to scan (or is money really isn’t a restraint), this might be the way to go. This also a good option if the items you plan to scan are larger than your typical home or small business scanners, i.e., 12” x 12” scrapbook pages. They can often yield better quality than home scanners when it comes to originals that are very small, including old slides and negatives.

See Macworld’s Derrick Story’s Outsource your photo scanning projects for a detailed review of three top Internet vendors.  (If you’ve used a service you’d recommend, feel free to comment below.)

Epson Flatbed scanner

 Buying Your Own Scanner

If you have decades of 4”x6” to 8”x10” photos and portraits that you want to scan, consider buying your own scanner. If you do your homework, checking reviews of scanners from rating services like cNet or PCMagazine, you can find the best quality scanner you can afford and avoid paying for quality that you don’t actually need. You can also work on your project a little at a time.  Better still, you can take your scanner with you to relatives’ houses and scan their old family photos.

In my opinion, though they’re more effort, flatbed scanners provide better quality. Remember, you won’t be limited to scanning one snapshot at a time; most photo-editing software programs will have a “divide scanned photos” utility. If you have a friend that is also looking to scan their photos, you can share ownership of the scanner and split the cost.

 Consider taking a Course in Photoshop:

I learned this trick from a nature photography instructor. Students learning to use Photoshop need access to high volume, high quality photo- and negative scanners. Continuing education courses in Photoshop often include access to these scanners (as well as Adobe Photoshop) as part of the course fee. Learning Photoshop is an extra benefit. In my area, a $70 course fee yields about eight weeks’ access to the scanners. (Even better, some college photography courses include access to professional cameras, but that’s another post!) Try contacting the instructors at your community college to see what equipment and courses they offer.

(c) Laura Hedgecock 2013

This week’s Prompt: Friends

My Friends

They are the ones
I depend on,
who are there for momentous events, or when I’m bored or want a coffee

Who

Share my values, my sorrows, my joys.
Tell the truth—sugar-coated of course—even when I’m not ready to face it
Laugh loudly
Interrupt a lot; we’re all talkers
Raise kids together
Question life; take life on without any questions
Have strong shoulders, kleenex in their purses, and snarky jokes

Who are …

Soul sisters
Tear moppers, prayer warriors, food bringers, blanket sharers
Emergency contacts—actual family is too far away
Pseudo aunts and uncles to my kids, and my dog.
Source of love, laughter, and comfort
and the occasional good pass
Cheerleaders or doubters, depending on what’s needed
Consultants—fashion, parenting, food prep, relationships, writing, whatever is needed
Distractions from worrying, focusers on what’s important
Caring People

(c) Laura Hedgecock 2013

Every Friday, Lisa-Jo Baker, founder of “Five Minute Friday,” broadcasts a writing prompt, challenging writers to writer for five minutes only. In her words, “It’s not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing. “