Movement into still photos

I've already posted some old home movies changed into still photos.
But I'd love to share this one series with you, as prompted by Sepia Saturday this week.

Home movies/transformed again (Repost from January 29, 2015)

My dad started taking home movies in the 40s, with a spring wound Keystone projector.  It took 16 mm rolls of film, but when the roll was finished you'd take it out and insert it again and run it through the camera again, getting two 8-mm runs.  Always doing the switch in a closet so the film didn't get exposed, of course.

We had mainly black and white photos, but there are some surprising ones in color.

My dear son, Russ, took the originals and had Walmart's genius people put them into a DVD and then showed them to all my offspring at my 70th birthday.  It was probably pretty boring, especially with the strange sound background the Walmart guys had added.

So last night I pulled out the video, which hadn't been of any interest for years, and decided it would be nice to transform it into some stills so I could share them (and archive them) here.

Ever try to take pictures of a TV show?  Right...the black bar of death crossed most of the attempts, even when the shot was paused.

No, I didn't want to copy into a video format either.  I may try that sometime, but not yet.

Anyway, out of my attempts, and from the first 12 clips, I did get some good shots, though the originals were a bit fuzzy.  I don't know if this was original resolution, or not having a good TV screen.  And I've since reduced the resolution so I can post them here easily.  Ever notice how long it takes to post 2m photos here?

So I'll give you first a series of clips of my grandparents.

 Ada Swasey Rogers and my grandfather George Elmore Rogers, taken in about 1945.  She was around 59 and he was 68 at that time.

Location is their home in Houston, Texas, which they might have just moved to, as 3 years previously (when I was born) they had lived in San Antonio, TX.

My parents and myself were visiting from Dallas, TX.

Their sons Chauncey and George (my father) were having a good time playing with various cameras, and included catching each other telling stories.  Since the camera wound down after about a minute, they were short stories!  More next time!

I posted a lot more stills from home-movies in the following posts in 2015.

Consumerism of Christmas

Just for fun, think of The Christmas that Never Was

The one without any consumerism...

Well, there is the story of Christmas, which we all get to hear over and over, as well as it having been recorded in the Bible.  That might not have had anyone trying to sell you something to give someone else.  Maybe.

I salute all those parents who apologize to their children (through many years actually) because Santa hasn't brought them a.) what they asked for or b.) anything much at all or c.) whatever someone else has droned into their heads that they should have, or d.) more than just being kept warm, dry and fed.

Dickens did a great job of showing how Scrooge had a bad attitude, which could be changed by a loving family.

Then along came "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart, and don't forget little Natalie Wood with "Miracle on 34th St."

I apologize to my readers, that I haven't watched that many of the more recent Christmas movies.  They were fun, and I watched them once.  But not more than once, (except Home Alone.)

If I'm going to escape reality into imagination, I'd prefer something with magic, music and maybe pure adventure. Yes, Star Wars sometimes.  I don't plan to go see Mary Poppins remake!

I loved my father, and miss his sweet silly nature.  That's me being hugged when about 3 years old.  He's been gone for about 33 years now.

 A few years later, probably 1947, there's my almost 2 year old sister with dark hair in foreground.  Among the fun toys was a wind-up metal music man with a piano at my feet (clad in P.J.s with feet!) and I have no idea what I was busy unwrapping, but there was a nesting set of cardboard blocks (very large) behind me...they had interesting photos pasted on the sides!  I miss my sister Mary Beth.

 My dear Grandmother "Gummy" was late arriving, but had presents which were wrapped in newspaper.  I had almost forgotten that!

 She was always full of love for all of us, though I know she rubbed my mother the wrong way many times.

 My little sister got her first phone...and since she didn't hear anyone on it (even if she'd turned it the right way around) she couldn't figure out why everyone wanted her to say hello.

My mother worked in her kitchen, and had prepared a feast for us all.  I know she got out the good china and silver, though we didn't have real dining room furniture for many years to come.  I miss her hostessing at holidays.

These photos are all from home movies that I may have published on another blog at one time or another.

Here's my contribution to the meme for this Sepia Saturday, a photo of "Lucky Christmas Customers 1934"

Today's quote: Hado

Walking through a Japanese garden, one truly feels the life force energy that is known as Hado. Hado isn't just present in Japan, but it is a concept that has existed in Japan for centuries. The two Japanese characters that make up the word Hado mean "wave" and "move" - perfect words to describe the energy vibrations that permeate all life. Hado is present in all things, animate and inanimate. It resides everywhere, even in the air and in people.

 One of the most important principles of hado is to monitor your thoughts and intentions every day. Enjoy the improvements that you will create in your life and the world around you by consciously working with hado.

Who's birthday anyway?

In the old home movies, there was a sweet series of me with Daddy (George Rogers, Jr.) and blowing out candles.  Was it my 3rd because there were 3 candles?

"Happy Birthday Daddy - 31"

Nov. 9, 1945, Dallas, TX...and having a cake was wonderful for war time.  And, I just thought of how my sister was born in Feb. 1946, so she was already part of the family for this celebration!

Home-movies part 5

This is yours truly doing her gardening in the back yard in Dallas Texas, around 1944.  I'm thinking I was around 2 at the time.  My folks and grandparents all had Victory Gardens.

My dear grandmother knit that silly hat with the pom poms on it.  I look like some kind of child of a biological experiment.  I vaguely think it was red and white.  Oh lord, it may have even been blue as well, since this was Wartime.

Here my mother and I are waiting for a bus, in front of our house I think.  This was out in the suburbs for sure, but we had a fire hydrant as well as bus service, so it was part of the city.

When a teasing youngster joined in the photography, my mom gathered me in her arms.  The boy actually waved at my dad with the camera, who probably was on our front porch.