A Special Mother's Day Remembrance to Honor This Special Day.The Queen Mother and her Offspring's Offspring taken around 1993.
Can you Name them All?
From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove
Hello All,
Queen Luella and I are sitting in the great room. I think I'm giving her the best Mother's Day gift of all - my undivided attention. I'm in one chair typing and she's in another pouring through boxes of photographs and remembering stories so quickly I've given up trying to keep up. The stories will have to wait for another day.
And the topic of conversation has changed yet again. She's describing her trip to Europe, telling me how the bathtubs in Scandinavia are and that she dared not attempt a bath fearing she could never get out (either that or drown). The stacks of photographs she's shifting through are forming a wall on the floor around her rocking chair.
"Look at this good job award I got at WalMart," she said. "I don't remember getting it."
A thought crossed my mind. Perhaps I'll take the certificate when she's not looking and have it framed. I'll give it to her next Mother's Day. I'll present it with a bouquet of nearly wilted flowers from our local Walmart, just as an added touch. Who wouldn't want a Good Job WalMart Certificate hanging on your wall nicely framed. (She'd hate it but wouldn't dare not hang it up considering the expense I'd gone through to have it framed and presented. Mean isn't it?)
And we're moving along to something else. "Here is a nice picture for the computer."
She handed me a few treasures to post on the blog from the box she's shifting through. Because of this special day, I've decide to honor her request and post these random photographs for all to enjoy.
Shall we begin with a newspaper clipping from 1975?
Here we see Luella doing needlepoint while working at Big D's Bi Lo Self Service Station on Jackson Blvd, Rapid City. She made the local paper. Needlepoint was her way to keep her mind occupied during the long hours of monitoring the pumps and taking customer's money. I remember that LaVoy's jacket. It reminded me of rainbow sherbet. 
Now we journey further back in time. Luella and a few other girls are pictured singing for the Eastern Star Meeting in Brodus Montana. Luella was about 13 years old. Grandma Mattson was a member of the Masonic Eastern Star. Grandpa Mattson was a 32 degree Mason. Luella joined Job's Daughters when they moved to Spearfish."I joined so I could get a white bible when I got married," she said.
Luella had a few issues with Loopy, the third girl from the left in the plaid dress. Loopy liked to scratch Luella as Luella guarded her during their school's basketball games. Loopy had one lazy eyelid making her look a bit off balance :)
This is a picture of Grandma Mattson (Violet) as a 16 year old in Montana before moving to California. She's standing in her riding gear with a neighbor.
And what's a mother day without a picture of Grandma Elda during a Vercellino picnic taken around 1928? Elda is standing on the far left. Her mother, Maria, is on the front row, fifth from the left. Her father, John, is at the end of the front row on the far right.
"Here is a picture of my grandparents. I've never seen this picture before. Look at my grandfather's smile," Luella said. "This is my favorite picture of him."My Great Grandmother Ida Tornburg and Great Grandfather Albert Mattson are with Raymond Lidman. Raymond was the son of Ed and Rose Lidman. Ed was the son of Josephine Mattson Lidman, Albert's sister. This picture was taken in Montana.
This is a picture of Great Grandmother Vesta (Grandma Violet's mother) with her grandchildren. Aunt Linda is on her lap. Uncle John is ready to throw the ball and Luella is looking at something completely different and off focus. The picture was taken in 1944.
And finally..... Something Completely Different - tossed in for fun. Aunt Pam is sitting on the left holding Shane Mattson. Aunt Linda is on the right holding Joy Lynn. Aunt Pam looks like she's just returned from the Beauty Parlor having her hair molded for the day :)Just an awesome photograph.
Have an Awesome Mother's Day
Victor
