Simple Treasures

A Southern Lady
July 6th is my great Aunt Dorothy's 90th birthday!  She is my grandpa's youngest sister(or as he always said about the youngest in any family, "the baby"~~I know this because I'm the baby in my family, but when your grandpa is from Georgia it just sounds different when it's said).  My grandpa went home to Heaven in 2006, the oldest of seven (I think:) children from a Georgian family.  
My grandpa loved all his siblings!  They were very close.  He was even close to his "baby" sister, whom, I'm told didn't live in the same house at the same time~~is that true GA relatives??  
Today, "baby" sister Dorothy celebrates 90 years of memories!  WOW!  That's a lot!  Her big brother lived to be 101 1/2.  She has a sister, Lillian, turning 103!  But I digress.  
I'd just like to say a few things about this sweet southern  gal.  The first time I remember meeting her, was on a trip to Georgia when I was about 11 years old.
It was my first, and so far, only trip to see that part of my family~~I hope to go back some day.  I met her sitting, as I recall, on her front porch, or possibly her living room- it was 40 years ago!  I remember her "southern ways", the way a Southern lady says things is completely different than any other!  Somehow, there's always a tenderness in their voices; they are gentle of manner.  This typifies my southern aunts; all of them!  
Aunt Dorothy was a first grade school teacher.  She even won Teacher of the Year in GA, something she didn't brag about- she's a lady- but her big brother did!  When she in CA visiting many years ago and I told her I was home schooling my children.  She was SO interested as to why I would do that.  I explained and she was so darling!  She looked through my classroom in my home, talked with the kids, and told me of her years of teaching, and wished me many years of teaching my children.  
One thing I've never forgot-- she told me how important it was for children to learn manners.  Funny, I just thought they "caught" them.  She told me that she taught the children in her classroom to eat soup with a spoon the proper way, no slurping or holding their spoons incorrectly-how sweet is that!  She didn't just want them to learn the "3Rs", she went far beyond that!  
My children haven't seen her for years, but boy- They remember Aunt Dorothy, who sat at the piano, listening to my daughter play, then played a duet with her:)  **Funny note to the family (and my youngest will kill me but oh well, he's out of town and doesn't read my blog).  When he met a few of the other aunts on their trips to CA he said, "I don't know which is my favorite--they are all SO nice!"  So, to the sisters and sister-in-laws, Aunt Katherine (in the photo), Aunt Charlotte (we still have your autograph), sweet Aunt Lillian, almost 103, Aunt Mary, and more~~thank you for your example of "Southern Hospitality"!  I still remember sleeping over, lake jumping off Billy Cochrane's (sp?) shoulders, the Bower's Family Reunion, and beautiful Georgia, my grandpa's Motherland.
Hoping you have many more years to come!!

(L to R)

Aunt Katherine, Grandpa (Bill), and Aunt Dorothy

Love, Nancy