This photo was taken in Persia in the late 1940’s, after our mom and pop immigrated to the USA. My maternal grandparents are seated on the right lower side of the photo. Our cousin Alex is standing between them.
The photo above is of the paternal side of our family from the 1950’s. In the middle is our Babushka and Dzedushka. Our cousin Johnny is on our Babushka’s lap. I’m seated below our Dzedushka , just to the right.
Our Paternal and Maternal sides of the family are Russian.
It’s Wednesday and time for Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce!
1. Next Sunday is Grandparent’s Day. Share a favorite memory, photo, recipe, or something you learned from a grandparent.
Our maternal grandmother was widowed young while she and our grandfather were living in Persia so our maternal grandfather never made it to the USA. He died shortly after our mom and pop immigrated and that was very hard for our mom being so far away and getting the news that her father was killed. Our little Babushka lost her left hand and arm up to her elbow when she was a child. She only had one hand but her embroidering skills were amazing. She was very patient in trying to teach me that skill but it wasn’t something I could excel at. She was a praying grandmother and she prayed for all her grandchildren. One thing she would tell us young people, “Don’t got out when it’s dark, nothing good happens in the dark.”
The collage shows one of her wedding gifts to Greg and me. It is an embroidered table cloth and 8 napkins. I cherish this gift from her hand.
I had a closer relationship with my maternal grandmother.
2. What’s a quote from a book (besides The Bible) that has stayed with you?
‘It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to’ – Bilbo
by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is spoken by Bilbo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Truth be told, the quote I use more often is, “It comes in Pints?” (from the film)
3. What’s your number one food pet peeve?
I’m not a fan of someone chewing with their mouth open.
4. What’s one thing about you that is still the same as it was when you were young?
I’m still in the habit of smiling not to mention my hairdo!
5. September is National Preparedness Month…does your family have an emergency plan? Do you have some sort of preparedness kit you keep on hand? If so, tell us one thing that’s kept there.
Our sons are prepared but we aren’t. My emergency plan is to get to one of our son’s homes in case of a major emergency. We do have our important papers, etc. in a quick grab container.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
On Sunday our own Seattle Sounders made history by winning the Leagues Cup Final against Inter-Miami. Josh and Laura were there to be part of the history.
We live too far from Lumen Field to participate in these games anymore so I love to live vicariously through Josh and Laura and their love of the game of soccer!
The Seattle Sounders’ quest to their first-ever Leagues Cup trophy is complete.
With Sunday night’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami, the Sounders were crowned champions of the tournament, becoming the only team in MLS to capture every major North American soccer trophy to date.
The game was not televised on any English speaking channel that we get on Dish so I had to watch it on a Mexican station. I was happy to be able to see it in real time and thankful for the Mexican station! I just set the volume low. 🙂
Lumen Field delivered an electric atmosphere, with a record crowd of 69,314 – surpassing the old mark of 69,274. And, in a rare sight, most of that support was for the home side rather than the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Seattle fed off it from the start.
The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by French magazine France Football since 1956 to honour the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous season.
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times and he was playing on the Miami team.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Your family’s history is fascinating- what a great wedding picture with your grandma. And her embroidery skills? Amazing. I can see how you treasure that wedding gift from her. Love the comment about your hair staying the same- mine has been styled virtually the same all of my adulthood and it was also fairly long and straight in my childhood- if it ain’t broke (and doesn’t take long to do…) don’t fix it, I guess, lol. Have a great day!
Those old photos are wonderful, how great that you still have them.The embroidery is beautiful, what a talented lady. The table cloth is such a special gift.Well done to the Seattle Sounders!
Ellen, thank you for sharing the pictures of your family. I’m always amazed at how much your mom looked like your grandmother and then how much you favor both of them. I absolutely treasure the times you share these family pictures and memories.
…no family has more family pictures that you do!!!
Love the old photo and the photos of your family.
I still wear a similar hairdo. Take care, enjoy your day!
Oh, that was interesting to read and what a cherished gift of the embroidery. Have a good day!
I love your thoughts and photos of your Russian family. Our youngest daughter majored in russian as her main language from 5th grade to graduating from HS and loved it so much she also double majored (Sociology and Russian) for her college degree. I love to hear her speak Russian!
Great photos!
and my oldest girl and my husband would totally approve of your quote from LOTR!!
What beautiful embroidery! That’s something that seems to be making a comeback with the ‘younger’ generation today. I know quite a few who have taken up the hobby. You have some wonderful photos too. Congrats on the win! Although I do like to watch Messi play : )
Messi is a legend and we always enjoy watching him, too. It was a treat for him to be on our home field in Seattle.
I really enjoyed reading your Hodgepodge today. Your memories of your grandmother touched me deeply — especially her patience in teaching you embroidery with just one hand, and her words of wisdom about not going out in the dark. What a legacy of prayer she left for her grandchildren.
I also loved the Tolkien quote you shared — such a timeless reminder about stepping out in faith and adventure. And congrats to your Sounders, what an exciting win to watch, even if it was on a Mexican channel! ⚽🌿
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Oh my goodness! Those old photos are amazing!! Those photos are treasures!! I actually had to google “what country is Persia today?” Your grandmother’s embroidery is so beautiful. How in the world did she do that with one hand? Did she had a hoop on a stand that mobilized the piece of work?
Lisa, she did use a hoop but steadied the hoop with her stump of an arm. The things she did with one hand always amazed us.
Hi, I always enjoy when you share your history of your family with us. It fascinates me. I loved the photos. The embroidery is beautiful. A true treasure.
I liked your quote. A favorite of my boys. 🙂
I sure enjoyed reading you hodgepodge post…The old photo and the new one is awesome!! what wonderful keepsakes these are. Love the table cloth and napkins. So special and how neat that you have held on to them. Enjoy the Blessings of today.
I love vintage photographs and the stories to be told about them!
What wonderful old photos. Looks like your family has always taken a lot of pictures. 🙂
Your wedding gift is exquisite, so precious. Chewing with one’s mouth open seems to be a pet peeve of many this week.
Those 2 family photos are amazing. Thank you for sharing. Sorry about their deaths, that had to be so hard on your mom. It all sounds so sad. That embroidery is beautiful. Love your answer and pictures for #4. Love your random. Looks like they had a great time. Love the photos.
I LOVE those pictures of your family ❤ It’s so wonderful that you have them!
I enjoyed these very much and I especially enjoyed all the older photos. I sincerely believe that these are the true treasures in our families, especially with those taken with our loved ones who are only with us in spirit. Thank you for sharing them Ellen.