Happy Birthday Beloved Brother.

Today is my BB's 61st Birthday. This time last year, I was over in New Zealand, celebrating his 60th birthday, with family & friends.
I took this photo whilst we were visiting an Aunt.This is a more recent photo, taken in May this year, of my BB, my Uncle G, & a Beloved Cousin, who is the son or our Beloved Aunt, sister of our father, & Uncle G. The occasion was the 90th Birthday of our Uncle.

We think he has a secret portrait hidden away, because how else could we explain his youthful face? And wicked sense of humour, & ready wit, & wonderful memory. In his youg days he had auburn hair, which my mother always wished I had inherited. His own children didn't inherit the hair colouring either.

He is our Father's eldest brother. Here he is with our Beloved Aunt, who is 85. She has the most wonderful sense of humour too, & her memory is very clear, & accurate. She married our mother's brother, so we always felt a special bond with her & our Uncle.

This photograph was taken at our Uncle's 90th 'Birthday Bash', as he called it, in May 2007.

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These next photos are from family long gone. Family we came from. Family from my mother's side.

This was the home of our Great Grandparents in Yorkshire.

They grew espaliered fruit trees on the brick walls of the house. I suppose it helped the fruit to ripen, & kept the trees alive in the harsh climate of their winters, but I am not sure about this.

This was taken in the field alongside the house. It always makes me smile to see the family & animals spread out & displayed.

These next two photos are of our Great Great Grandparents farm. I think this is the one that our Great Grandfather was disinherited from, because he got the servant girl, our Great Great Grandmother, pregnant, & duly married her, against his family's wishes.

This stiff & formal pose makes me smile too. I do believe our Great Grandfather is the little boy standing upright, & his mother is seated, with his father behind him. I also love the little dog, sitting so straight at his mistress' feet. I think the 2 other women were aunts of the boys, but I am unsure whose sister's they were**.

That is a little of "Where we came from". One of these days, I will do a detailed account, perhaps.

Bob Dylan, Thunder on the Mountain. For you, my Beloved Brother.

** I have just realised this information can't be right, as the old lady seated is obviously the Grandmother, & it is her photograph in the Mizpah locket, which I previously blogged about. One of the young women must the boys' mother, but I am not sure which one it was. Perhaps my brother has a better memory than I have. He has the originals of these photos.