Category: Family & Friends
Not paying attention
Taken in February, but amusing enough to post on this sunny, spring day.
Looking at art through different glasses
Gerhard Christmas Cards
My grandparents, Paul and Isabel Gerhard, started making Christmas cards in 1936, when they were living in Tokyo, Japan. This continued for 46 years, up until the year before my grandfather’s death in 1982.
The first five years — through 1940 — featured greetings from Japan and the early additions to their family, with the births of my aunts Laura, Marilyn and Sarah.
The 1941 card shows the three girls in America, after the family moved to the States less than a year before the outbreak of war between Japan and the U.S.
I love the pre-Photoshop cut-and-paste technique my grandfather often used in the cards. 1945, 1946 and 1947 are nice examples; the 1947 combo of diorama with cut-and-paste heads is one of my favorites. On the other hand, the 1949 beach scene looks a little rushed in its execution.
I suppose by posting these here I’m trying, in some small way, to make up for the fact that I don’t send out Christmas cards every year. Many thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for the Christmas memories!
Downhill Daredevils
A group of eight of us spent two days in Mazama (east of the Cascade Mountains) last weekend. The snow was great, as was the weather. X-country skiing the first day, and then a hike on snowshoes the second day. It’s been a while since I’ve gone cross-country skiing. For some in our group last weekend, it was the first time. The hill ended up being the highlight. Lots of laughs. Watch the movie (1.2 MB Quicktime movie).
More movies from the trip can be found in Photos & Flicks
Grandpa On Fuji-San
While looking through some old photos, my father came across this one of my grandfather on Mt. Fuji. The caption on the back of the photo — in my grandmother’s handwriting — reads: “Paul V. Gerhard on the summit of Fuji San Jan. 1, 1934.” I’m not sure of the accuracy of that date, since in her memoirs my grandmother mentions that my grandfather climbed Fuji “with two friends on December 31, 1935.”
The weather on the mountain in this photo looks beautiful, though cold, of course. I could’ve used a jacket with that kind of hood on my hike last fall.
I’ve added this photo to my Four Generations On Fuji-San entry.
1910 Hokusai Calendar
When I was up in Alaska last week, my father showed me an old calendar that must have belonged to my great-grandparents. The calendar is a collection of prints by the Japanese artist, Hokusai. It’s from 1910, the year of my grandmother’s birth, and it has her birth date circled in August.
Sunday With The Family
When my sister, Tama, got married over a year ago, it was a small affair. There were six of us — the bride and groom, me and my other sister, Heather, and two of Tama and John’s friends, Kathy and Cheryl. Cheryl married the couple, and the other three of us were witnesses.
Last Sunday was the party, with baby Joni and a hundred or so other family and friends gathered together. In the shot above: Tama, John, and Aunt Heather kissing Joni’s feet.
Can’t Think Of An Appropriate Headline For This
Just for laughs… my senior photo from high school.
A Big Ham
I haven’t posted a photo of my niece, Joni Grace, since she was born last October. She appears to love mugging for the camera, so there are plenty of good shots to choose from (the photo above was taken by her father, John). I can’t wait to see the little bugger in person for the first time next month.