Family Journal_008
Item
- Title
- Family Journal_008
- Alternative Title
- Family Journal
- Creator
- Karen Blessen
- Date
- 2016
- Description
- The image is a close-up of an open journal displaying two pages filled with handwritten text in English. The writing is in black ink on cream-colored, lined paper. The left page discusses the role of the "mistress of the farm," detailing tasks such as raising children, making food, and gardening. A side note mentions the writing subject's abilities in cooking and baking, but lack of patience for needlework or gardening. The right page reflects on personal feelings and family dynamics, describing a sense of resentment and lack of understanding from a child’s perspective. There is mention of observing family members, including a pregnant daughter, and pondering what kind of behind-the-doors conversations might have occurred. At the bottom of both pages, there are references to names and what appears to be a signature or attribution, "Christian Lacroix."
- Identifier
- 021_022316-042416_family_journal
- Dates Completed
- February 23, 2016 - April 24, 2016
- Keywords
- Family; Parents; Grandparents; Maternal aunts and uncles; Childhood memories; Ghost busting; Revisionist history; Love; Forgiveness; Lingering ghosts; First pet; Pudgie the dog; Gift and loss; Ray of light extinguished; Grandmother’s life; Mother-daughter relationship; Hard work; Treasonous child; Reimagining childhood; Understanding; Devotion; Loyalty; Protection; Perspective; Kip Lott; Piece 24; Prayer pages; Mantram pages; Afiza; Mowgli; Hope Trevino; Mauricio Navarro; Diane Van Buren; Artist attack; Rape; Grandma Asche; Grandpa Asche; Grandma Blessen; Living room conflict; Tension; Arguments; Yelling; Smoking; Drinking; Super collider metaphor; Bringing color; Childhood letter; Betrayal; Friendship loss; Grandma Asche’s offspring; Time off; Pets; Animals; 1964–2016; 2016 elections; Political noise; Centering chart; Grounding; April 21, 2016; Prince dies
- Transcription
-
Left Page:
"mistress of the farm - raising kids, making food for a large family and farm hands, laundry for all these folks, gardening, active in the church, raising flowers, making bouquets, putting on beautiful farm to table dinners - with china, linens, silver, embroidered tablecloths and napkins. Some of the most intimate relics I have of her are the linens.
(Side note - while Mom was a great cook... a patient cook and baker... she did not have patience for needlework or the green thumb for gardening that Grandma did.)
Grandma sat in her chair - the chair that I have in my living room here, and saw us all."
Right Page:
"Me - a treacherous, treasonous, child, who'd been her tea party buddy, then traiter, who resented her, feared her illness and frailty, felt little love or affection for her... for my childish reasons of jealousy, lack of understanding.
She saw:
Dad, Grandpa, and the endless smoking, arguing, elevated emotions and voices.
Dad, Mom, and Me. Mom - Grandma's 44 year old daughter who got pregnant (Mom: "I had to get off the farm") In those times, what kind of behind doors crying, yelling, recriminations must have gone on?
Candy, Bebry, Sue C. Terry's - no other family I can think of had grandparents living in the household together." - Rights
- To inquire about usage, please contact Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. These images are for educational use only. Not all images are available for publication.
- Is Part Of
- Family Journal
- Relation
- Image Gallery