In my last letter to you, I showed pictures and told a few stories about the olden days when Grampa Al was a young boy in Saskatchewan. Today I want to continue that just a bit.
Here are two pictures of Grampa with his "pony", Kit.
How old do you think Gramps is on this picture? Can you tell that it is still quite cold outside by looking at this picture?
Here Gramps is a bit older...about as old as Nathan is right now...11 going on 12. It is probably the spring before the family moved off the farm to BC. Gramps chuckled when he saw this picture...riding his horse with his best clothes on. It probably was Sunday. Everyone always dressed in their best clothes on Sundays.
Grampa wanted me to let you know that Kit really was his brother Henry's horse. When Uncle Henry left the farm at 14 years of age to go work for other farmers to earn some money, Gramps was entrusted with this horse. He was thrilled! Kit was a Morgan and not a work horse. He never was used for working in the fields. He was a special horse for riding only. Can you see Kit's one white sock? Many years later I got a little brown porcelain horse with one white sock which I gave to Grampa as a gift on his 40th birthday because I knew how much he had loved his horse, Kit. But it was not quite the same...Grampa noticed immediately that the white sock of this ornamental horse was on the front hoof and not on the hind one as Kit's had been.
These are your great-grandparents, your Gramps parents, who you will meet in heaven...
Abram Willms 1901-1964 and Maria Unger Willms 1904-1982
...and here is the whole family shortly before moving away from Saskatchewan and settling on 123St in Surrey, BC-the very same place your parents visited and spent many good times playing around in the barn and the large yard and in GG Maria's house. Your parents never met Gramps' Daddy though. He had gone to be with Jesus when he was only 63 years old. I'm also sad that I never got to meet this wonderful man, the father of your wonderful Grampa Al.
Can you find Grampa Al in this picture?
Do you think you might look a little bit like him?
Get your parents to tell you the names of the other family members...three have already left to join their parents but you all know and love Auntie Olga and Auntie Linda so much, just as your parents always have and will.
So till next time, my beloved grandchildren, I'll say "Aufwiedersehen"...that's German for Good-Bye until next time! We love you so much...and like my mom always added... and Jesus loves you even sooo much more!
3 comments:
Wow - does Al look like his father! I wonder where on 123 St. they lived? The school I teach at is at 122nd St. in the Strawberry hill area.
Jared and Dan both could pick out Papa Al, Auntie Nolga =) and Auntie Linda.
Great post...didn't know that Dad's horse originally belonged to Uncle Henry. Also loved seeing a pic of Grandma Willms...I miss her.
Jenn
Hi Jenn-
thanks for sending your great messages...yes, Grandma Willms was a very special lady and you were blessed to have spent so much time with her, and so were we all - that's for sure.
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