This women’s lovely face.

Hi Joe:

As I was looking for a piece of paper to do with my passport app and a picture fell into my lap. The picture ended face up and I gazed at this women’s lovely face and I wondered whom she was.

Slowly I turned the picture over as our eyes seemed to be fixed in a stare that I can call curious, why are you here.? Then I read her name, it’s the same name as my wife’s name.

How could this be, was it indeed the Grandmother I heard about for over 45 years.

I called out and asked if the name meant I had found the long lost picture of Grandma on her fathers side.? Well. that was a sudden change in plans, my quest was to find out whom I had found. Suddenly that little file cabinet had a lot traffic.

Sure enough after a few moments it was verified that indeed  this picture was of her and nobody knew where it came from. I had an idea so I voiced it and it was for me to search and report back and everyone went back to the important stuff of the day.

So, to make a short story, this picture was in a box that came from her Dads estate along with a Family bible full of dates of marriages, births and deaths. And it was put in the steel filing cabinet to be sorted thru later. So, its now years later,  this picture had worked its self to the top the pile and made its appearance.

This picture along with some other cards was sealed in a zip locked bag, so how did it get out.? , did someone look thru the pictures and forget to reseal it?. Who knows, but in this bag were other pictures of people that are related thru marriage and many post cards.

Cards were cheaper than paper letters so these were sent more often. These cards were from 1900’s and the postage was 1 cent and not much of an address, but they got thru.

If fact some these cards were please read and write back letters and poems.

I sorted thru them and placed them in a photo album and then all can see them and they were protected. For the age of them these are in “mint” condition. Luckily, Grandpa wrote on the back of the cards so you knew whom the picture was of and then you marvel at the person.

A lot of history, soldiers from the  WW 1, early Canadian farmers, young children, babies all unknown and now mostly forgotten and no body to continue the search of the ancestry, for now, maybe somebody later. The majority of these people are deceased and all there is, are pictures and letters. The Grandkids are in their 60’s, so what’s the chance they might have an interest.?.

We are here because you cared enough.!

WHY WEAR A POPPY?

Its been passed to me from friends and I want to share this with you all. Thank you. We all have somebody that is was or still is soldier. WHY WEAR A POPPY? "Please wear a poppy", the lady said, And held one forth, but I shook my head Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there, And her face was old and lined with care; "But beneath the scars the years had made There remained a smile that refused to fade. A boy came whistling down the street, Bouncing along on carefree feet. "His smile was full of joy and fun, "Lady" said he, "may I have one?" When she pinned it on, he turned to say: "Why do we wear a poppy to-day ?" "The lady smiled in her wistful way, And answered: "This is Remembrance Day, "And the poppy there is a symbol for The gallant men who died in the war. " "And because they did, you and I are free; That's why we wear a poppy you see. I had a boy about your size, With golden hair and big blue eyes. "He loved to play and jump and shout, Free as a bird, he would race about . As the years went by, he learned and grew, And became a man - as you will too. " "He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile, But he'd seemed with us such a little while When war broke out and he went away. I still remember his face that day. "When he smiled at me and said good-bye. 'I'll be back soon, Mum, so please don't cry.'  But the war went on and he had to stay And all l could do was wait and pray. "His letters told us of the awful fight ,(I can see it in my dreams at night), With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire, And the mines and the bullets, the bombs and the fire." "That sure did sound like an awful fight, But your son - did he come back alright?" A tear rolled down each faded cheek; She shook her head but didn't speak . "I slunk away in a sort of shame, And if you were with me, you'd have done the same; For our thanks, in giving is aft delayed, Though our freedom was bought - and thousands paid ! "And so, when we see a poppy worn, Let us reflect on the burden borne By those who gave their very all When asked to answer their country's call That we at home in peace might live. Then wear a poppy ! - and give ! Please wear a poppy, it says: “Well done.” Why Wear A Poppy by Don Crawford Handwritten in pencil, and on two sheets of foolscap, Don Crawford turned this poem in to the, The Perth Courier one morning in the early 1960s, where it first saw print a few days later.  For the next several years, and by means unknown, “Why Wear A Poppy” appeared in nearly every weekly newspaper and magazine, including LEGION, in Canada at Remembrance time, as well as foreign publications like Australia’s Anzac Appeal and Scotland’s Claymore magazine, copies of the same being sent to him.  Some years ago, Dominion Command of The Royal Canadian Legion, produced it on slides and tape for television and radio. Schools have used it extensively for their Remembrance programs. Donald J. Crawford died in hospital at Perth on Saturday, October 7, 2000.     They gave,so we could have.!