Posts Tagged ‘history’

During my trip home for Thanksgiving, I was delighted to find that my family had uncovered some photos of the Cherokee side of my family – my Grandpa and mother and siblings.  These photos are few and far between.  For starters, my Grandpa and his relatives were not keen on being photographed.  I don’t know why.  I don’t know if it was due to some Cherokee belief or if they were simply too poor to afford a camera and professional photography.  So, whenever we find a photo of them, it’s a precious thing.  I plan to have some of these framed so I can display them in my house.  Also, I think old black-and-white photos are way cooler than modern Glamour-Shots style pictures.  They  make your house seem vintage and sophisticated!

This is my Great-Grandmother Effie.  She was Grandpa’s mother.

Great Grandma Effie

This is the only known portrait of Great Grandma.  Grandpa said he remembered that coat and muff because it was the nicest piece of clothing Effie owned, which is probably why she chose to be photographed in it.  This portrait was in my Great Aunt Irene’s house for the longest time.

My Great Aunts

That’s my Grandpa’s sisters: Irene, Florine, and Laura.  They were so young in that picture!  I don’t know what was going on with Aunt Irene’s hair; I think she might have tried to dye it or something because I always remember it being very dark, like in the picture below:

Great Aunts Irene & Martha

That’s her above with my Grandpa’s other sister, Martha.  Both had black hair, dark skin, and dark eyes.  Great Aunt Irene married an Irish dude with flaming red hair.  What is it with all the Cherokee relatives marrying Irish people?  Behold, Uncle Red:

Aunt Irene's Husband

I love that picture because he looks like a gangster thug.  LOL!    Then we have photos of my Great-Aunt Laura and her son.  She was so beautiful, as were all of the women on that side of the family.  I didn’t inherit much of their Cherokee beauty and have always been envious of women with black hair, dark skin, and dark eyes.  *sigh*

Great Aunt Laura & Her Son

ROBBED – I was robbed, I say!

I’m so very honored to have the One Lovely Blog Award bestowed upon me!

One Lovely Blog Award

I’m even more thrilled that it came from Nita at Mod Vintage Life.  I fell in love with her blog, her house, her chandeliers, and her weenies when I first stumbled across it during some random blog surfing.  Seriously!  Just look at the button, with the weenies wagging their tails:

How can you see that button and not want to click it?  Go ahead; click it! You won’t be sorry.

So, now I’m supposed to share seven things you might not know about me.  I have no idea of how interesting these seven things are to anyone but me, but here goes:

1.  I am a huge nerd and a scientist by training.  I got my B.S. in Chemistry & Physics and my Ph.D. in Theoretical Chemical Physics.  I also married a nerd, and when we get old we’re going to be a couple of childfree, old nerds doing nerdy things, like mixing cocktails with liquid nitrogen, and loving it.

Me & The Mister When We're Old

2. I grew up in the sticks, on a farm, with a garden which provided all of our food as well as pigs, chickens, and GOATS!  Despite my academic credentials, I really am just a simple country girl who still loves those things.  It’s probably why I was drawn to my house, which is in what is still predominantly a farming community outside of Raleigh, NC.

Goats - Friendly But Pushy

3.  Not only did I grow up in the country in rural Georgia, but I was an only child.  As such, I developed a rapport with all kinds of critters at an early age.  I’m still drawn to all types of critters, even ones most people would despise.  For example, I’ve just spent the better part of the past two weeks live-trapping mice in my house and relocating them 10 miles away to an abandoned farm.  I’m a total sucker when it comes to critters.

Live Trapping Mice - FUN!

4. I am 25% Cherokee.  My maternal grandfather was 100% Cherokee, registered with the Eastern Band of Cherokee in the Qualla Boundary in NC.  This surprises a lot of people because I do not look Cherokee in the least!  I got my Dad’s and maternal Grandmother’s Irish coloring: red hair, blue-green eyes, pale skin, freckles.  I am recessive gene woman.  It’s not fair. I wanted the bronze skin, dark eyes, dark hair, and cool widow’s peak my Grandfather and mother have.

My Cherokee Grandfather

5.  I have lived in several states: Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, California, Illinois, and North Carolina.  I liked Illinois the least.  Chicago was too bitch-ass cold for me, and I couldn’t get back to the South fast enough.  Some people love snow, but I hate it.  Thus, I doubt I will move anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line ever again.

Cloud Gate Sculpture, Millennium Park - Chicago

6.  Despite my love of the South, I would really love to live abroad.  I am keen on the idea of moving to a lovely old home on the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia.  I imagine myself renovating a stone cottage and becoming a truffle farmer.  Did you know that most of the world’s truffles come from Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula?  Well, now you do. 

17th Century Croatian Stone House

7.  I am a bourbon snob.  My current favorite sipping bourbon is Parker’s Heritage 27-year bourbon from Heaven Hill, but a close second is Eagle Rare 17 from Buffalo Trace.  My favorite mixing bourbon is Woodford Reserve.  I make all of my mint juleps, sidecars, and manhattans with Woodford.  You can see all of the aforementioned bourbons (and more) sitting on my whiskey bar in my house.  I took the photos above the bar when I visited Woodford Reserve distillery in Lexington, KY last fall.

Childfree Chic's Whiskey Bar

Is that enough minutia about me?  I hope so, because now I’m passing the award to these other bloggers.  It’s time for them to answer some questions.

Amber @ Eat, DINK, and Be Merry

Kinga & Joseph @ Blueloom

Tammy @ The View from Here

Sarah @ Five Camels