Friday, November 5, 2010

The War Years: Candles and Sad VIsages

Though not dated, I'm guessing Hoohoo is 18-20 at the oldest, which would mean this photo was taken before 1945, the war years.  The pinup beauty behind my grandmother is evocative of that period as well, with images like that frequently painted on the sides of U.S. warplanes. The candles on the table seem to be a way of making things "normal" but their faces say exactly the opposite. At this point in their lives, Hoohoo hadn't met her future husband yet, my father's brother, and my parents hadn't met either. Hoohoo's boyfriend was killed during the war, as were a few other young men from our small town. The high school classes usually only had 30-40 members—everyone knew everyone.

13 comments:

  1. Casey, Hoohoo is SO pretty! Do you think it was a special occasion or just the norm using candles with dinner? Love the chairbacks too. Is this in the house you grew up in?
    thanks for sharing.
    mare

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  2. I'd say it was a normal weekend meal, Saturday or Sunday. That's the Sanborn family house, going back to the 1860s. It was sold in 1985 after Hoohoo and her husband died. It was half my mother's too, but apparently my uncle did some shenanigans before he killed himself and it was sold without her knowledge. I had a couple of rooms in it to myself when I stayed there overnight, but my parents had their own home 1/2 mile away. I would go there after school and spent a lot of time with Hoohoo when I was growing up.

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  3. This is a very atmospheric photo. It reminds me of a series of photos my Mom took during the War. Three of her boy cousins were in the service and she and her sister and a girl cousin each took one of the boys to correspond with on a regular basis. Mom got her cousin Al who was a CB in the south Pacific and for Christmas 1943 or 44, she took pictures of everyone in both her and her cousin's families doing something that they were well-known for doing -- my Grandma was playing cards, my Grandpa was taking a nap with the newspaper on his lap, my aunt was sewing, my Dad was washing our 39 Pontiac, etc. I have copies of them and I treasure them.

    Paul, NYC

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  4. I should add that, happily, all three came home safe and I have a great picture of Cousin Al in his Navy whites just after arriving home. In the picture he's holding my brother (who was about 3) on his should and my brother is looking very thrilled.

    Paul, NYC

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  5. That's quite a photo. It's interesting that they're not smiling for the camera. That was common in older photos but I think by the 40s people mugged it up.

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  6. This is one of the reasons I enjoy this blog so much. My personal photos can reach out and touch other people. Your stories are my stories, the collective American experience!

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  7. I spy with my little eye, fresh milk in a glass bottle, mayo (yum) in a jar, sliced white bread. Oh Casey, can you read the date on the calendar hanging on the wall?

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  8. no, I can't read the date, the original is small and the calendar date is just a blog of gray.

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  9. DITTO DITTO DITTO.

    HOOHOO COULD HAVE BEEN A MOVIE STAR BECAUSE SHE'S WAS SO PRETTY.

    GRANNY

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  10. Good eye, Annie! With that mayonnaise bottle on the table, this was no special occasion, lol! Company never saw a label or bottle!

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  11. lol, yes, to this day company never sees a label on the table, even if it's hamburgers, lol but for family... different story.

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  12. Annie, that was the reason I asked if it was a special occasion because I noticed the milk bottle and mayo jar on the table (and thought how interesting that even in the midwest, there was always a plate of bread on the table) and those things being out didn't quite go along with the candles so I was curious (surprised that I'm snoopy??? nah, you all know me by now!!) if this was a family meal with candles, or a special meal with the milk bottle and mayo jar.
    Paul, LOVED that story! How awesome that your family thought of doing that for your cousins...are you back home in NYC now or still in Calif?
    Goodnight all!
    mare
    oh Casey, if you get a chance, wander over to my blog and check out (a post or two down) the kitchen "redo" my mom did in the early '50's all I can tell you is "wow"...think you'll get a chuckle out of her "accidental artistic" take on the angle of the picture too. Photographic talent was NOT big in our family! :)

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  13. Two things:

    1. I've been back in NYC for a month now -- my SF trip was just a week -- everythings more expensive nowadays so trips tend to be a bit shorter -- and I didn't rent a car this year!

    2. As to labeled bottles never being out for company, that's true for most people, but William Randolph Hearst always had bottle of Heinz ketchup and Gulden's mustard at every place on his grand dining table at San Simeon. He wanted to remember his humble roots!

    Paul, NYC

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