Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Different, But the Same



This summer's 90th birthday celebration got me thinking. 60 Church Street in Montello has seen its share of get-to-gethers, gatherings, and parties over the years going all the way back to 1952 when it became the Mateske home. And more often than not pictures were taken. A favorite background spot for the classic posed shot (of whomever) has always been in front of the garden, facing west. This great family picture from 1953 is just one example.

Mom Delores Mateske and her Children Bobby and Carol (Tootie)
1953

The place for the pose is almost always the same, the west side of the garden in the back yard. The garden always looks good and there are flowers in front. And yet it is always different, and its not just because the people in the picture are different. The yard and background are recognizable, but so much changes over the years. The trees and the foliage are different. There is no playground, just a big back yard looking up to the woods. And of course, there is no St. John's parsonage. 

Don't you wish you could do a 360 and pan around and see the rest of the yard the way it was 63 years ago before all of the improvements, additions, and changes that are part of the life of a house.

Once again, with this picture, too bad it wasn't in color. But use your imagination - see the greens and browns of the grass and trees. What color were the flowers? (Probably the same colors they always were and still are.) I don't think that changed much over the years. And the clothes - Mom's dress and Bobby's shirt and Tootie's outfit - what color would you make them?

Nice picture, don't you think? So much different, but still the same.

4 comments:

  1. That would be a neat coffee table book- all the pictures in that spot. :) The first thing I noticed (besides how cute mom is and how beautiful Grandma is) was how different the landscape beyond the garden is. Crazy... Thinking about how much has changed over that Mateske era at 60 Church St.

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    1. I'll add that to my list of projects to do - I think that makes it about #9999, so don't look for it soon. :)
      Thanks for responding to all my posts!!

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  2. Gramma's dress was different shades of pink/coral.

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    1. Pink??? I was thinking blue of some sort. Pink surprises me for some reason. :) But I do love this picture!!

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