Saturday's Old Photo
Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 9:09PM 
In this photo taken in 1927, you have my father’s first family. He’s the baby and the tot is his brother Elton. His dad, Bruce Russell, is on the left and his mother Mary is holding him. The other man isn’t identified, so I can’t tell you who he is.
It looks like they’ve been fishing—maybe camping—and the trailer the car is pulling suggest a trip, yet the horizon is the flat of Kansas, so they haven’t gone far. I’ve never thought of Kansas as good fishing territory, but that catch would satisfy anyone.
Don’t you think my grandma looks pert, even a little flapperish? What she didn’t know—couldn’t know—is that before the year was out, she would lose her young husband to a ruptured appendix.
She wouldn’t have to rear her children alone for long. This is, remember, my father’s first family.
Reader Comments (7)
Oh, yes...lots of good fishing in Kansas :) I'm a Kansas girl, you know :)
No, I didn't, but I'm glad to know it now. :)
I’ve never thought of Kansas as good fishing territory
Plenty of great fishing here, actually: several species of bass, several species of catfish, several species of panfish, crappie, and so forth. On the more exotic front, Milford Lake is well-known for its walleye and wiper populations. You can even fish for rainbow trout at more than a dozen lakes around the state. The season for fishing stocked populations opened 10 days ago, and runs for 6 months -- but there are even a couple of places where rainbows survive year-round.
Yes, apparently I was wrong. :)
No Arctic grayling, though.
If I ever had the chance to head to your neck of the woods for a fishing trip like this, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
I'm going to change the topic here. Yes, Rebecca, I do think your Grandmother is quite pert! No wonder she wasn't rearing those children alone for long!
As you can probably tell, fishing is not really my thing. But that does look like a fun fishing trip. Let me know when you're coming. :)