Basement Scenes

Great-grandparents, great grandsons, Sheboygan, Wisc.

Whatever was the address of the Sheboygan, Wisc. house, and whenever were the years (there were a few late 1970s and early 80s), I learned much of what I understand about how any holidays worth celebrating really work, miniature lessons from my brother, my parents, grandparents (not pictured), great-grandparents (left to right, the photo in front of the piano, Meta, Thomas, and Harriet, all immigrants or children of immigrants). Today I’m spending time in the kitchen, quietly preparing food, imagining it possible that there are still tykes over that way west across Lake Michigan feeling joyful for playing in the basement, a holidays-only Mr. Pibb, slinkies sent down the stairwell, hand-knitted sweaters snugly holding multigenerational warmth.

Near that edge of Kodak moments and in knitted sweaters. I remember preferring the colors in mine (right) to the colors in my brother’s (left). Is it possible to have a life-long color preferences palette (oranges and greens) calibrated by an early childhood sweater?

Parents on folding chairs: Tom and Linda.