What was in the bookshelf, part 1

I have been slowly picking my way through the things in the bookshelf I emptied for the bathroom.  Most of the stuff was easy to place on other shelves.  There were a few things that needed looking at though.

(For example, I found Adam's journal from our freshman year of college and so naturally I read it.  I had to see what he had to say about me.  I told Adam I'd read it and he didn't even remember keeping a journal.)

I came across my 4-H record books.  I hated doing 4-H record books.  They had to be typed so my mom (bless her heart) would type them but we had to stand there the whole time and dictate to her what to say.  Also, as evidenced by the shoddy glue job, I did all the gluing of pictures in the books.

From the 4-H record books, I learned a few things:

1. Olivia was a much cuter kid than I was.

 

This is me at ten and Olivia at seven.  She was cute and I was not.  (What is that face, ten-year-old Thelma?)  Also, my hair?  It always looked like that when I was a kid.  I didn't know how to do anything with it.  I still don't.  My mom (bless her heart) was my 4-H sewing instructor and she had me sewing diapers for Ammon who was born that summer.  

2. The summer I was eleven, I sewed a dress that glowed.

At least that's what the pictures indicate. There I am, looking all snazzy with the ugly hair and dress that is apparently so glowing, the picture can't even capture it.  It is just a blur.



I think that's Marianne in the turquoise pantsuit on the right.  Oh, the 80s.  They were not kind to us Dahl girls.

Lest you think the the radiating light of the dress (and the ugly hair) were reserved for the stage at the 4-H fashion review, they worked at home too.

3. There were some questionable photography skills in our household.

Exhibit A:



This enchanting shot is complete with my eleven-year-old handwriting, which I must say looks pretty good.  I don't think I deserved the C in handwriting that I received at school.

Naturally if you're going to take a picture of someone with their bread, you should have them stand in front of the garden with plenty of scenery in the background.  So you can see the bread easily?

And exhibit B:

This is me wearing what I sewed the summer I was twelve.  I have no words for the photography.  Except to say that it is sort of amazing that this was what ended up in the record book.  Was it the best shot?

On the other hand, it shows a nice view of the fireplace my dad built (in the house he built).  It is made of petrified wood that he found on the mountain.  It was still laid out like a tree when he found it.

And truthfully, if I were to choose between capturing me at twelve in my sewing project or the fireplace I would have chosen the same way.

So here's the main thing I learned from these photos.

You don't have to have attractive pictures of yourself for them to remind you that you had a wonderful childhood.  My mom taught me important skills (not hairstyling though, unfortunately) and I grew up in a beautiful place with lovely sisters and good brothers (who wore diapers I sewed, well Ammon did) and the best sort of parents.

I'm glad I found the 4-H record books.