Some very special family photos.

My grandfather was an avid photographer for most of his life. My family literally has boxes upon boxes of his photos, slides, and memorabilia. Recently my father began a massive project to digitize my grandfather's numerous trays of slides. They are a real treasure. The slides document my family's life from the late 1940s through the mid 1970s.

I never met my grandfather, but these photos have allowed me to get to know him in a way I never thought possible. As I'm sure you can understand they have great personal significance to me and to my family. So the decision to share these on the internet where anyone might take these photos was a difficult one for me, but in the end I decided that I wanted to share my grandfather's images with my dear readers for several reasons. My grandfather was a truly amazing person and I don't think his images should be locked away forever. Secondly, my readers have been so supportive of this little blog in its short life. I know you will enjoy these photos and appreciate them for what they are. Thirdly, these photos are a great piece of history. They document a time period through the eyes of the every day people who lived it.

I've posted only a few photos today, but please enjoy these precious memories from what I believe is the summer of 1952. I ask that you do not redistribute them.

My Grandmother is in the red skirt set to the far left, my great-grandparents sit in the two chairs farthest to the right, my Great-Aunt sits in the front in a lovely lavender swim suit. I love the cars parked behind the group.

My Aunt Donna and my Grandmother wade into the lake. My Grandmother has on such a lovely skirt set. I think I shall have to make one of my own.

My Grandfather Ray Bixler and my Father's older sister Donna.

My Grandmother is in the black swim suit on the right holding my Aunt Donna. Next to her in the blue swimsuit with the swim cap is my Great-Aunt Mable holding her son.