Writing my blog article "The Day After Christmas", the day after Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States, made me begin to think about all of those on whom shoulders I stand directly. The following, including the link photo (also shown above) of my mother (Esther Marie) and sister (Sue), is a tribute to some of those people. I will probably add some more photos as I find them or can get my family to trust me to borrow them... But that's a whole nother story...

Anyway, the photo to the right is my maternal grandmother: Esther, a very gifted artist in her own right, and the person who showed me that creativity and inspiration are everywhere! We shared many craft hours together when I was a child. She and my mother made sure I always had art supplies and projects to expand the imagination.

      VINTAGE        FAMILY PIXS 

Granddaddy carrying a side of beef into his market. (Written on the side of the truck, just out of view Ideal Market) circa 1940's.

The Brown Clan, with spouse at some holiday gathering. Emma Katherine, my great-grandmother, is seated fifth on the right side of the photo surrounded by four of her five sisters.

My maternal great grandmother Emma Katherine, doing something she loved best, bringin' home the catch after one of her fishing trips. She often fished on Martha's Vineyard... I learned later.

Grandma Vaughn (paternal), standing on the street in Centralia, Illinois (my father's hometown), and the place where I spent many of my summers growing up. Centralia was a town of about 1500 then. So small in fact that the phone operator called me by my nick-name when I place a long distance call to Indy.

Momma Franklin, the root of us, my Grandmother Esther's grandmother. Her family migrated to Oklahoma on the "Trail of Tears" before settling on a reservation outside Indianapolis in the mid 1800's.  She died when I was 7 just about a week before her 103 birthday, after accidently falling trying to take herself for her daily walk

 My Momma, Esther Marie as a baby. A real beauty even then -- inside and out, she is the best. As anyone who meets her will tell you.... (Right): Momma and her younger sister Norma Dale, Pee-Wee's mother (they all had two names, wrote a poem about that once... You know the era

Rebecca Tanner (my great, great Aunt Dodie) and a friend. She raised my maternal Grandmother Esther (above) after her mother died when she was fifteen. Dodie carried a 22-revolver in her purse, and was not afraid to let you know it. Ahead of her time, she toured the country with friends, hiking, boating, fishing, and just plan having fun... Guess which one is Dodie

(Left Center): Me, my granddaddy Al, and Sue, Christmas day circa 1958