Happy 4th of July

Happy July 4, everyone!

Today would have been my Grandmother Ruth's birthday. She was born July 4, 1885, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in the upstairs bedroom of her parents' house on a main street in town. For years afterward, little-girl Ruth thought all the parades, picnics, and fireworks were for her because it was her birthday!

Recently I visited with my three siblings, and we looked through some very old family photo albums. I was delighted to find some pictures of my grandmother when she was a young woman.

Pensive, pretty, adorable.

These images are so special to me, because up until now, I'd only seen photos of her as a very old lady, with white, frizzy hair and a huge bosom.

Look at that tiny waist!

So these photos were a revelation.

Here she is with a friend, or maybe it's a cousin? There's no ID on the photo, unfortunately.

Her hair was so thick and glossy. I had no idea that she had such beautiful tresses. My other grandmother would have agreed: "You have all been blessed with glorious heads of hair," she used to say.

Thank you for the gorgeous, thick hair, Grandma Ruth, and happy birthday.