Our black and white world

When one of my daughter's was a lot younger she ask me a very serious question. Don't worry, MaLynda, I won't tell them it was you--giggle. Her question to me was,"Mama, when you were little was the world black and white or was it in color?." Yesss, I got a good laugh from this, but I also knew it was a sincere question. I think she must have been watching a black and white movie thus prompting this line of thinking. Well, MaLynda you know your mother is a very big procrastinator. So some 15 years later, I will answer your question.

My world was both. I lived in beautiful New Harmony, and had family that I knew adored me, in that aspect, my world was colored, but many pictures taken during that time were black and white. However, you're Grandpa Vivian purchased a new camera and it actually took colored pictures. What I find interesting today is that even though a lot of these older pictures are in color, I prefer them in black and white, and thus with the magic of todays world, I just hit a couple of buttons and I can get these pictures in various shades. And with certain coloring tools, you can even add color to your black and white photos.

I yearn for some of those black and white pictures. This blog was prompted by my sister-in-law Karen, who sent me an e-mail this morning entitled "Our childhood in black and white." I almost deleted it, but decided to check it out. I am so glad I did. it brought back some fun memories-- memories such as watching, Saturday morning Micky Mouse cartoons over to Grandma Davis' or Going down to Grandpa Prince's to watch Lawrence Welk, with Lowell and my cousin Mervin Prince. How about singing "Happy Trails To You." with my cowboy hero, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Even today, I love to watch the reruns of Andy Griffith. He lived in Mayberry USA, and I lived in New Harmony, USA. We didn't have a barber shop--just my Uncle Sheldon Grant, but we did and do have a post office where we learn the latest. He had Aunt Bea. I had my Aunt Laura, My Aunt Camilla, My Aunt Sylva, and my Aunts Veda and Venice, not to mention 60 other aunts who lived in New Harmony, to watch over me. Oh, and I even had my own Aunt Bea look-a-like-- Aunt Clara Grant. Not to be out done, because of my Dad, I could even whistle the tune that always took Opey and his Dad fishing.

How many nights did I come home from school to watch Superman, who was faster than a locomotive, and leap tall buildings in a single bound? Oh, and while we are taking a tour down memory lane, how many times did I come home from school to house a that smelled like freshly baked bread, and a mother there to make sure that I did get home--a regular June Clever--apron and all.

My other hero, the Lone Ranger had Tonto to keep him on the right track. I had my big brother, Lowell. Lowell didn't ride a big white horse, but he was my hero non-the-less.

So Miss MaLynda, in answer to your question, I had the best of both worlds--color and black and
white. Do I miss it--you better believe it!