Posted on by Michelle Anderson

It’s Miller Time!

I’m getting ready to take vacation time at work. These photos made me think about what I could do with my time off. A summer day with nothing to do but fish sounds like a great day to me!

Here we have Kermit and friends escaping to fish in the late 1940s to early 1950s. With stringers of fish, likely northern pike or walleye, and vacation clothes, they appear to be having a day that is rare. Where you’re relaxed and glad to have a break from the day-to-day work, which can at times feel so overwhelming. When you go out at the crack of dawn, and you don’t come back until it’s time for a meal, and then you’re back out in a boat or on a dock fishing. Relaxed.

I just love the simple camp cabins. You didn’t go to a fishing camp like this for the cabin. You went for the location and the fish. Most fishing cabins are simple. No insulation or sometimes bathrooms. Just four walls, a bed, a kitchen, and nature. Simple.

These photos feel like this was a fellowship of men. Gathering in nature. With quiet roads, open fields, and a simple cabin. There are no notes of names or locations on these photos. And with the number of lakes a short distance from the Miller farm, it’s hard to say where they might be. This was finally a chance to breathe, to swap stories to feel the sun on their backs and a tug of a fish on the line. It was finally MIller Time.

Posted on by Michelle Anderson

Hand In Hand, Beside Their Dad

I love black and white photography. The different shades of gray have a way of connecting a photo and making subjects stand clear. Every expression, shadow, and gesture feels timeless and more visible. No elaborate background is necessary. Just a family posed outside in their Sunday best with nature and natural light around them.

Kermit is taking a protective stance behind his children. Steady. Grounded. There, if they should need him, but showing gentleness and pride too. From left to right, we have the Miller children, Wayne, Raymond, and Wava. I love the way that Wayne is holding Raymond’s hand by the fingertips. While he looks to be independent, he’s safe in knowing that his brother is ready to stand wherever Wayne would need him to be. Behind him, supporting him, or in front of him, protecting him. For me, it’s Raymond in the middle that becomes the visual and emotional center of the group. He shows that he’s already looked upon to be responsible and that he’s expected to look after his siblings when needed. His placement between his siblings connects them all to his father. Wava brings a softness and balance to the group. Her expression and stance add a gentle contrast to her brothers’ more formal posture. I believe that this photo was taken on the walk outside of Kermit and Eunice’s farm. Taken about 1950, give or take a year or two.

This photograph remains unchanged — a simple, steady reminder of a father and his children standing together on an ordinary day, hand in hand, a small piece of the Miller family story that is still speaking long after the shutter clicked.

Posted on by Michelle Anderson

Porchside Promises

I don’t know why I never asked to see this photo until now. For me, Kermit and Eunice’s marriage was what was important. Eunice never spoke to me about their wedding day, just that it was also Kermit’s birthday. But she always spoke of their marriage and how she missed him.

Brenton, Kermit’s brother, was the minister at the Brethren Church Eunice attended. Brenton had a son named Walter, who kept asking Eunice if she wanted to meet his Uncle Kermit.  He was just convinced that she would like him.  I can just see Eunice politely thanking Walter for the thought, but also saying she didn’t need to meet his Uncle.

But fate and destiny have a way of working things, and when two people are destined to meet, then they meet.  Kermit’s friend Bob Fager asked Kermit if he would drive him to see a girl that he had met who he was sweet on.  Her name was Oma Kramer, and Bob didn’t have a dependable car to get to Streator, but Kermit did.  Maybe Kermit thought that once he got to Streator, he could see his brother, but once the men arrived, off went Oma and Bob to do something by themselves.  This left Kermit by himself at the Kramer farm.  Eunice said it was a Sunday night when they met.  Once Kermit and Eunice met, their fates were intertwined for the rest of their lives.  Even after Kermit left this earthly home for his heavenly one,  Eunice talked of no other.  For them, they were soul mates, destined to be together and fated to love.

On Sunday June 4, 1939 Kermit and Eunice were united in marriage by the Reverend V. Stroll at the United Brethren parsonage. Kermit wore his best suit and Eunice was in a sweet simple white dress, hat, gloves and shoes. An article ran in the paper proclaiming their union. In error, it reports that Eunice’s parents were from German Valley, however the Kramers resided in Streator. Like their simple wedding, the photo too is a simple reminder of their day where they celebrated not only Kermits birthday but their wedding.

While Kermit and Eunice had just 30 years together, those years produced three children, 9 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and if I’ve counted correctly 5 great great grandchildren so far. So join me in a toast celebrating the Bride and Groom, to Kermit and Eunice! Happy Anniversary!

Posted on by Michelle Anderson

A Picket Fence Kind of Life

Picket fences symbolize the American lifestyle, the perfect house and way of life that many people still want today. On the farm, though, a fence was important. It separated the house from the rest of the farm buildings and added security. Fences protected the house from any livestock and, I’m sure, added an aesthetic appeal.

Here, a young Kermit Miller stands patiently to get his photo taken. It looks to be a lovely spring day. I would imagine that he was between the ages of 10 and 13. Kermit was born in 1909, so that would place this photo in the early 1920s. I really like his overalls. Overalls were invented by the Levi Strauss Co. in the 1890s. Workers would wear them because they were cheap, durable, and comfortable.

There appears to be an electrical or telephone pole to the left of Kermit. While phones began appearing in stores or communities in the 1880s, it wasn’t until party lines became popular that individuals had phones. And while we like to think that electricity has always been around, it might not have made its way to the Miller farm when this photo was taken.

We know that the Miller family has had far from a white picket fence existence. Each generation has had it’s struggles, but what we have always been able to count on is each other. May we each have our own fences to help us when needed, to keep us secure and safe or just a pretty thing to look at.

Posted on by Michelle Anderson

Lucky

I didn’t use to think I was lucky. I was the only grandchild who remembered Kermit. I felt that there was a lot on my shoulders to hold the scant memories I had of him tight and not think about or talk about them. No one else had them so if I talked about them would it be bragging?

I remember him being tall, but then almost everyone is taller than I am. I wanted to be tall, but I feel I am more Eunice and Lydia then the taller, svelte women on my mothers side of the family. Being short does not make me feel lucky. But then I think about the one strong memory I have of Kermit. While it’s sad, I cling to it as hard as I can.

I was three. I lived in Lexington, Kentucky with my parents, Raymond and Joyce and my younger brother Mark. We got the call that my dad needed to return to illinois quickly if he wanted to say goodbye to his father. Kermit was sick and in the hospital. They felt he would soon die. I remember driving in the car what seemed like a LONG time. Mark and I had just learned how to sing the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and I’m sure we must have driven my mother crazy singing it as we drove to pick up my father who was in Indiana working.

I remember being at the hospital, a big thing during those days. Children were not allowed in the hospital, and they had to get special permission for us to visit. Mark and I were supposed to sing our new song for him, but it ended up being a solo when he wouldn’t sing with me. I remember Aunt Wava standing by his bed, a sheepskin lying across his bed. His hands stroked the fleece. Afterward, Eunice took us out into the hallway and peeled an orange for us to share. Sometimes I smell an orange and it takes me back to that time.

So am I lucky? I am blessed beyond measure.

Posted on by Michelle Anderson

Unknown Eunice & Kermit

This weekend, Nathan Schneiderman married his Emily, and I’ve enjoyed seeing all the photos from picturesque Mexico. It looks like they’ve had a lovely time and many blessings on their union. When I looked to see what photo I had planned for today I discovered it was a photo I’d already done. So I got to looking through some pictures I still need to scan and came across these lovelies. And since I believe Kermit and Eunice were at the ocean, I wanted to share them.

Ok, I don’t know for sure they are at the ocean, but now tell me if I’m wrong, I do not see Eunice getting her feet wet, shoes and all, to go in any body of water that’s not an ocean! Based on the style of her hair and some other photos I have in which she looks similar, I think that these photos were taken around 1955. I love that they got as close to the ocean as possible. The first time I saw it and was able to go in, I was in jeans, and nothing was going to stop me from putting my feet in the Atlantic. In the middle photo, it looks like there might be a pier or a water break.

Now, my dad says that Kermit and Eunice would go to the Florida Keys with family friends, but to me, these don’t look like Florida. I could be wrong, but Eunice’s coat looks too hefty for the warm Florida temperatures. At first, I thought Kermit had something on his tie, but I believe that’s just the design. But Eunice is wearing a lovely corsage on her coat. I’m left wondering and wishing I knew where they’d gone and what they were doing, as it looks like they were having a lot of fun.

Posted on by Michelle Anderson

A Bright Future

Here we have Brinton, Isaac, Kermit and Lydia on a brisk bright day. Unfortunately, we don’t have a date on the back of this photo, but I would assume it was taken in the 1920s based on how young Brinton, Kermit, and Lydia look. Since the image is a little out of focus, their clothing does not give us any clues as to the date of the photo. While I’d like to say it was winter time as there are no leaves on the trees, it could be early spring or late fall.

Brinton was Kermit’s brother, senior by 13 years.  He was a pastor and had a church in Streator.  That’s how Kermit met Eunice.  At first, I thought the photo might have been taken at the Miller farm, but I don’t think so based on the house you can see in the background. Maybe the Millers had been visiting Brinton, and it was his house they are next to.

For some reason, when I see this photo I think of Bonnie and Clyde or John Dillinger, criminals of that time. Maybe it’s how Isaac is standing with his hat shadowing his eyes with his long coat and hand in his pocket. Or perhaps it’s Kermit standing behind him with his jaunty cap and easy stance. Or the fact that Lydia and Britton don’t have a hat on. Since Brinton was a pastor, I know he wasn’t a criminal, but for some reason, my brain has already written a story about the infamous adventures of the Miller Gang. Don’t you think it would be a bestseller?

Posted on by Michelle Anderson

Florida!

I love to go to Florida. The ocean, the warm breezes and sunshine, lots and lots of sunshine. During the winter Kermit and Eunice liked to go to Florida too. They started to go to Florida with their friends George and Lorraine McDonald. When they would go, usually Don and Ruby would stay with the kids. But one year, they all went for a wonderful week spent in the sunny shores of Florida.

Their trip started in Oregon, Illinois where they took the train to downtown Chicago. Once in Chicago they made their way to Midway From Midway, they flew on a DC7 aircraft which could carry 90 people to Miami. Then from Miami they rode on a Greyhound Bus to a place called The Greyhound Keys. This key is located half way between Miami and the Florida Keys. I found an aerial photo which I found interesting. It looks like a wonderful place to rest, relax and enjoy the sunshine that one so desperately seeks in the winter months.

The Greyhound Bus Company received permission from the interstate commerce commission to purchchase all of the Florida Motor Lines and changed the name to the Florida Greyhound Lines in 1945. Sometime in 1947 they began construction on the terminal and restaurant/rest stop facility. In 1955 the US Postal Service authorized a station post office with the name Greyhound Key. The postmaster was the restaurant manager.

In 1966 Kampgrounds of America purchased the island from the Greyhound Company and gave the island a new name, Fiesta Key. This island has been known as such ever since.

There were more photos then I usually work with for a posting so I took them and turned them into a movie. The year that the whole family went, George and Lorraine’s daughter went with them to Greyhound Key, she is in a photo with Wava. Even though spring is right aound the corner, I sure would like to be in Sunny Florida right now.

Posted on by Michelle Anderson

Siblings

I love photos with Kermit in them. Here we have him and Maye in Adeline outside their mother, Lydia’s house. I would estimate that it is the late 40’s to early 1950’s. The kodachrome photos we have of Isaac with Lydia seem to be a bit older and the date on them is 1952. 

At any rate, there’s lots to focus on in this photo, so let’s begin. My eye is first drawn to their hands. They hold the hands similarly but with different hands on the top. And i wonder what Maye has in her hands. Then I look at her cute outfit with a pin at the neck and cute snap pumps. I think they are open-toed, but I can’t be sure. And finishing off her look is the cute hat that sits back on the top of her head. 

Complementing Lydia’s look is her brother Kermit, who is smartly dressed in a suit and tie with nice dress shoes. The only thing that’s missing is a hat.  Men have it so much easier when dressing up. What’s not missing is the traces of snow. My yard looks precisely like this currently. But it must not be too cold as they are taking the photo without coats. 

Of her four children, Maye and Kermit were the only of Lydia’s children who lived close to her. So I’m sure this photo is to commemorate a holiday, birthday, or special gathering when they were able to gather as a family and be together. 

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Posted on by Michelle Anderson · 1 Comment

Kermit, Tired

As I look at this photo of Kermit I’m struck by two things.  One, I never saw Eunice use this door, so to see Kermit sitting outside on that stoop intrigues me.  I wonder why he’s sitting there of all places?  And then as I look at him, even though it’s blurry, I feel the tiredness that he seems to feel.  The definition of tired is to feel in need of rest of sleep.  And then I wonder if Kermit himself felt tired.  Was it just for a full days work or could it have been more? 

I have been blessed with an extremely entitled life.  I’ve never known hunger or want for basic items to live.  I’ve been encouraged to voice how I feel and told that people are proud of me for a job well done.  I’ve never been denied entry based on the color of my skin.  And I’ve never had to stand up and demand to be seen as a certain gender.  While the only battle I have to fight is that of being a woman and making less than my male counterparts, I have a good job. But I imagine that any of those things would be enough to make one tired.  And when you’re tired, it makes everything hard.  Even just life is hard. Hard to get up.  Hard to keep going.  Hard just to be. You need rest from the struggle.  To just be able to exist and feel productive.    Being tired is such a negative that at times it’s easy to listen to that inner voice that tells you a task is too great for you to accomplish.  

This past year was hard.  I’d gone a whole year without getting Covid and then once I had it, I felt paralyzed by it.  My very presence threatened others, my grandson, my children, my spouse, my parents.  All I wanted to was to be comforted by my mother, because let’s face it who doesn’t want their mom when they are sick, and that was the last thing that was possible.  After I healed and returned to work but I didn’t return to society.  I was scared of the thought of getting covid again and It took me several months before I realized that mentally, I was tired. And that the only way I could make it better was to rest my brain.  I read 200 books last year.  I will probably never read that many again, but it was because of Covid that I did.  Reading helped my mind rest and escape from being tired.  I could then look around, rested and think what can I do right now to help?  To make every person I meet and every situation I’m in a little better?  So at the end of the day I’m tired, but it’s because of a job well done.  

I encourage us all to find something we care about, making hats for the homeless, putting up a free library at your house, volunteering at your local animal shelter, taking meals to seniors, something that you can be proud of how you changed the world for someone and made it a better place.  I think Kermit would be proud of us all for that and say “Good Job, now have a rest”