Connections

Family is the most important thing in the world.

~Princess Diana


My Nora project has strengthened connections and brought others to the surface. Some of my loyal subscribers may remember that I sent a letter off to a cousin a couple of times removed (however that goes) in mid-April. She is the daughter of Nora's nephew Eugene, the son of her only brother, Paul Mahoney. Yesterday afternoon, T came in from the mailbox with a large manilla envelope. When I saw that J had written back, and opened the envelope I cried of course! J was thrilled and shared lovely bits of her life and her love of, basket making, fabric art and photography. She doesn't know much about her Mahoney side, but had one large copied photograph of Nora's brother Paul to share. Older, strong and stout, in command of his vessel, I saw in his face the cheeks of my beloved grandmother and wept again.

It was the same for G, he felt the heartstring pull, the wonder of family and connections and the joy of another puzzle piece falling into place.

I will share my photographs with her, some pictured above of Paul as a young boy, and her father, Eugene in his little boy's sailor cap and WWII uniform, smart and handsome.

Nora must be smiling!

I also unearthed a few more photographs and on the back, my great Aunt Abbie had listed all the folks on the stairs at Nora & Gordon's honeymoon cottage. Low and behold, Freda was not who I thought she was, but was another, one of the few I could not name. Now it's not guesswork, it's fact, I know it's really Freda with the small bowtie.

News flash... Fyra, the famous tame chipmunk, has returned for another season!!!!