Saturday, November 22, 2014

Laughter, Family and Good Times

I have two cards today that were made using Graphic 45 paper and stamps.  I really like the sentiment on this card, it states a real truth.  A fond memory that I have is from when I was a little girl.  My parents had bought a camper and we took it on a trip into the Unaka Mountains of the Smokeys where my ancestors are from.  We camped at a campsite near a log cabin that was built by my great great grandfather, Arch Stewart.  It is in the Cherokee National Forest and the cabin is maintained by the Forest Rangers.  I understand that there was a silent film made that was filmed in this area called "Stark Love" and that some of my musical ancestors were included playing blue grass music.  That night I met a lot of my North Carolina family.  I remember that they had a big campfire and had a very large tree turned on its side with one end laying in the flaming fire and the other stretched out on the grass.  As the end of the tree burned and turned to ashes, they simply pushed the tree further into the fire.  It was a magnificent campfire and lasted all night and longer.  There were many aunts and uncles there along with my grandparents who hadn't seen each other in a long time.  They were truly enjoying each other's company and as I lay in my camper bed listening to them reminisce about their earlier times, my fondest memory is of laughter and how they joked and carried on with each other.  I had occasionally seen this sense of humor in my father, aunt and my grandfather, but to have the whole family together, it was easy to see that this prankish humor was a characteristic carried in the DNA of our family.  They teased each other and laughed it up into the wee hours of the night.  The pictures below are of my grandfather's grandparents, aunts and uncles and grandparents. If they were looking down to earth that starry night, I'm sure they had a big laugh with us.
James Archibald "Arch" Stewart and Katherine "Kate" Ash Stewart.

Cabin built by Arch Stewart near Stratton Meadows in Graham County NC.

J. Arch's son John Fane Stewart with his cousins.  He is the one wearing the boots.

Dollie (Self) Stewart, John Fane Stewart's wife.  Nice fur.

Siblings, Laura (left) and Rhoda Stewart with Grant Stewart.

Grant and Elva (Carver) Stewart

Archibald Benjamin "Ben" and Mary (Carver) Stewart and Family

Dave Stewart, Sis Odum and Dave's wife Brass (Odum) Stewart.

John Wayne card made with Graphic 45 paper.

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