As a kid I always enjoyed hearing stories my dad told about his life on the farm, going to the city for high school and living with my Great-Aunt Pauline and Great-Uncle Frank. He always had some kind of story to tell... he's always good that way... if we saw a picture... he'd have a story... I always enjoyed the stories he told about dating 'Ginger Rogers' and 'Betty Davis' - - of course they weren't the real ones... but it was fun hearing... and then there was the parties... oh the parties these boots did see. Sometimes when I'm looking through some old photos I see these boots... they had a good life with my dad... you could tell he loved them.
Once in California, we didn't see much of these old boots... except for occasional peek in mom & dad's closet... or of course when us kids would put them on to play cowboys... that is until we got caught and had to put them away. Once when I was in college, I used them for a still life subject... But over the years now, they've sat as decor, somewhere in my home... as reminder of the stories my dad would tell.They haven't seen any action... until Rainee came home from Pre-K telling us they were having Cowboy Day... and the first thing she did was grab these old boots of papa's and ask if she could wear them for her Cowboy Day. At first I said no... because they were way too big... but she reminded me that she could put her shoes inside and wear them... like she does sometimes with mommy's shoes. So, of course we had to try it right then and there... with papa's old boots on, she went outside... ran around with Champ, played in the dirt, they were having a grand time. These old boots haven't seen this much activity in years... and Rainee... well Rainee was having the time of her life... wearing 'real cowboy boots'! And me... being the mom I am... had to get pictures of this event... it was too precious to pass by!
As for Cowboy Day... she did wear them... and she wore them all day. Miss Louise said she wouldn't take them off... she wanted to wear her papa's boots. All the kids, at school, just loved the fact that they were 'real cowboy boots'... pretty cool!!! Rainee and these old boots had a couple of great days. Now when I look at them, sitting quietly in our house... I have more memories to add to the stories my dad told... I just love these old boots.
Is there something of your parents that you hold dear... do they tell a story... Leave me a comment about 'your old boots'... I love to hear what stories they hold...
(Materials: Paper: Creative Imaginations, Prima, Bingo Card: Jenni Bolwin, Chipboard Letters: Heidi Swapp, Lace: Prima, Imagine Tag: My Minds Eye, Letter Stickers: Autumn Leaves -- Foof-A-La, Tags: Jillibean Soup, K&Co., Star: Melissa Francis, Picture Buttons: Jenni Bolwin, Journaling Tag: Jenni Bolwin, Stamp: Fancy Pants (flourish), Annette Watkins (splatter), Ink: Ranger Distress, Raffia: Joann's, Buttons: Vintage)
Howdy ya'll from W. Texas. My uncle was the cowboy in my life. He's in a nursing home these days and a distant relative has the ranch Uncle Leland ran and eventually owned. I remember the year we visited his ranch in Ekalaka, Montana. It was summer time and I was in my early teens. There was a late evening thunder and lightning storm and a dozen cattle were electricuted while standing next to each other on a hill in the rain.
ReplyDeleteLife on the ranch was full of such dangers. We used to play on the hay bales until uncle Leland warned us that they had found a nest of rattlers in the middle of a few bales.
I myself have to wear cowboy boots because of the "goat head" burrs that cover our property. Those nasty things can drill into your feet.
May Rainee have as many good memories associated with those boots as you do.
How about making some chili and corn bread and retell the stories your dad used to tell her?!
Cerise (on our tiny farm in W. Texas by way of New Mexico, Wyoming, California {SF Bay area} and Montana {born on a Blackfeet reservation}
Adorable LO, story & post! Such a great memory for your book! :-)
ReplyDeleteDon't have any good boot stories myself, but I do find myself singing the song, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" every time I put a pair on... :-)
Such a cute story. Sounds like great memories old and new.
ReplyDeleteWowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww that is AN AMAZING story....wow wow wow ... and the lo U made to go with it is JUST GORGEOUS!!!! WOW!!!!! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
ReplyDeleteMy story is kinda simple compared to that one U told... lol
My Mother is the youngest of six....she was an aunt before she was even born...that is how big the age gap is between her siblings.....even though she was the youngest...and my Papa was much older when she was born....she was Daddy's girl....by the time I came along....my Papa all ready had more than a dozen grandchildren.....and right after I turned two......he went into a long term hospital facility...dying....out of his six children (my Mom included)...more than a dozen grandchildren and his own wife, my Grandma, MY PHOTO was the ONLY one he kept at his bedside....he only wanted Julie with him.....and the photo????? Was of my and him sitting in his wooden rocking chair.....and guess what is sitting in my craft room??? That same rocking chair and our photo is in the same frame on my craft table.....*sigh* ... no one is ever allowed to sit in Papa's chair....as it makes me feel better thinking its him sitting there with me while I work.........
your LO is as lovely as the your story is. I love how you create a real cowboy effect with the wooden paper!!!
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