Weekly Photo Challenge: Families

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

©irene waters 2014

Geese are highly protective of their family. Both parents take an active part in the parenting and even a sister from an earlier hatching will make sure that no harm comes to her new brothers and sisters. Woe betide anyone entering this backyard.

Both these mothers will stay close-by their family whilst they are vulnerable and need feeding and protecting. When separation occurs, as it inevitably does, for a short time they cry for their babies, look for them and then accept that they are gone. Although it is not possible to know what is going on inside their heads it would seem, outwardly at least that they do not hold their family in their head, they do not wonder what has become of them, daily grieve their passing. The family is simply forgotten.

This family sticks together and no doubt dies together. They do what they have been born to do – eat, then metamorphose then, after laying another family of eggs, die. Some are surely lost along the way but do the others even care. I doubt they even know.

Humans certainly care about families evidenced by the interest in genealogy. I am lucky my brother has a keen interest in this field. He has been able to take his roots back to having a DNA maternal haploid group U5a1a, the oldest grouping in Europe. Starting with the family bible he has managed to trace my father’s side of the family back to 1722.

Although I have found the book he wrote of this history fascinating, and a very good read, it was the later history that gets me in, where anecdotes of people’s lives could be remembered and recounted such as my aunts association with the theosophical society.

For we humans, family is important not only for the present, but also the past and the future.

This is the family home built by my Great Grandfather when he emigrated to Australia from Scotland to be a missionary in the Rocks in Sydney 1897. The house was completed in 1905

One of the most important rooms in the house was the library. Each available wall had a family portrait hanging. The picture on the right is my Great Grandfather, Great-Aunty Mary in the middle and Great-Uncle John on the left. On the mantlepiece is my father and on the small bookcase a studio portrait of my brother and I. Many generations of the family hanging together.

The library itself held much family history. As well as a huge collection of books, including many first editions, on the table behind the small chair (which was my great-grandmother’s seat) is the family bible and a huge Webster dictionary. The yellow velvet smoking chair complete with pipe holders was my Great-Grandfather’s.

My brother is currently working on my mother’s side of the family. My Grandmother (above) would have been horrified to find her father, who was mainly an absentee Dad, turned out to be a bigamist.

My Mother and her cousin are a great source to get family stories which, when my brother’s children are old enough to take an interest in family history, they will be able to relate to their children and the memory of the family will live on.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/photo-challenge-family-2/

About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.

View all posts by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist →

This entry was posted in Daily Post prompt and challenges, photography and tagged animal families, Daily Post, Family, human families, Photography, postaday. Bookmark the permalink.

22 Responses to Weekly Photo Challenge: Families

M. R. says:

January 18, 2014 at 11:35 am

Seldom have I seena better togethering of photos of family. You are to be congratulated, Irene! The Federation house is beautiful! – do you live there still?

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- Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:
  
  January 18, 2014 at 12:30 pm
  
  Thanks Margaret Rose. No, it was in the family for nearly 100 years but when my Dad died my Mum really couldn’t manage it. As I was living in Vanuatu and couldn’t see myself returning to Sydney and my brother in Switzerland it was sold. It was a great house though.
  
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Island Traveler says:

January 18, 2014 at 6:34 pm

Family is everything! It’s a joy to see and get to know your wonderful family through this post.

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- Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:
  
  January 18, 2014 at 6:50 pm
  
  Thank you so much. I have enjoyed sharing my family of both the four legged, feathered and two legged variety with you. The clumping caterpillars I can take or leave.
  
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spnphoto says:

January 19, 2014 at 12:17 am

Lovely photos and interesting text. Happy Saturday!

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- Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:
  
  January 19, 2014 at 7:23 am
  
  Thank you very much. Glad you dropped by. Have a good weekend.
  
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fictionfitz says:

January 19, 2014 at 12:50 am

Terrific pictures, even more terrific legacy.

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- Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:
  
  January 20, 2014 at 8:21 am
  
  Thanks. Lots of memories. Great to have the old family still with us.
  
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dysfunctional unit says:

January 21, 2014 at 12:27 pm

Great pics as always..I love the house yer great g-da built and the bookcase is to die for. Thanks so much for sharing with us all. Yer stories really amazing.

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- Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:
  
  January 21, 2014 at 12:50 pm
  
  Thank you Dysu. He did a great job. If only the walls of that house could speak I think we’d get some truly amazing stories.
  
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garden98110 says:

February 19, 2014 at 5:33 am

Irene. Your writing is taking on new dimensions. It seems to me your voice is more steady and consistent. Most of all, an enjoyable read of your family. Biography is not easy to write. As we say, every family has those who are rich, those who are poor, and those who are… interesting. — The Healing Garden gardener

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- Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:
  
  February 19, 2014 at 6:40 am
  
  Thank you Healing Gardener. I love your comment ….and those that are interesting.:)
  
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