Day for a picnic

This was a day in the mountains - or some sort of wilderness area rather, there are no mountains to speak of in Louisiana - that we went picnicking with the Brunson family. In the image above Sylvia and I (Kathy) are adorably posed in an awesome relic of a tree :-) I am guessing we are about 4 and 5 years old. (Sylvia 5 and me 4)

 In the picture above Lauren Brunson is leaning against the tree, then Cheryl (about 3 years old) Jeff Brunson, Sylvia and Me (Kathy) standing with my back to the tree. Looks as though all us girls are decked out in our cute little MaryJane shoes. Looks like an outhouse in the background.

 An adorable picture of Cheryl peeking around a tree

Jeff Brunson and I wading in the creek, while my mom wades the creek with her pencil skirt and her handbag. Ha ha ha - so 1960's housewife of her.

Fig trees & Easter Time

My mother sewed up cute little Easter dresses for us to wear on Easter Sunday. Bonnet and all. She told me that she did not have a pattern for this hat so she just made it up. Little chinese coolies in gingham hats. About 1960....but Cheryl is still in diapers, so maybe '59 :-)  Left to right; Sylvia, Cheryl, KathyWe had a fig tree in our back yard in our first Crowley, Louisiana home.  Apparently my mom or dad liked the way we looked in it, because they used the color film for this shot.  Left to Right; Kathy, Cheryl, Sylvia.  About 1959-1960

(above; Cheryl, Sylvia, Kathy) Posed in a tree wearing galoshes. It rained a lot in Louisiana.

Yvonne is born! November 15, 1960.  Who thinks my dad looks like Lance?

Four cute girls posed for a snapshot.(Left to right; Cheryl, Sylvia, Yvonne, Kathy

 Ahhh - our beloved dog, Fluffy. We had him until we left Crowley in about 1965. He was a crazy dog. When we got in our old blue Rambler station wagon to go to town he would chase us all the way into town with his tongue lolling out and us cheering him on. Funny dog.

 Same day...we can't all seem to look at the camera at the same time, can we?

Yvonne does not look a whole lot older than the pictures with her in the stroller, but she appears to be crawling and sitting up now, and based on the brown leaves present on the porch, it must be fall now. I actually remember the dresses Sylvia, Cheryl and I are wearing. Still nobody looking at the camera. 

 The two pictures above are likely Easter - Purses and matching outfits indicate that. Cute as buttons.

 Cheryl, Sylvia, Yvonne, Kathy. About 1962

 Cheryl, Picture seems to be taken on the same day as picture preceeding it...and below is me (Kathy) on the same day. First day of school maybe? 

A Beaverkill Day

Front row left to right (in glasses) Jacquelyn Murray, Kathleen Murray (Aunt Kathy), Patrick Murray,
Kathy Willich, Cheryl Willich, Baby Murray (Elizabeth I think), Sis (Lethona Lyons), Helen Williich (Mamie)
Back row left to right, Caroline Murray,  Gary Dittmore (My uncle Gary), Sylvia Willich, Linda (last name elude me now) Bernard Murray (Uncle Bernie)

Caroline Murray in front

Cheryl Willich bending over , Sis (Lethona Lyons)

Kathy Willich, Jacquelyn Murray, Barbara Dittmore, Lewis Dittmore, Sylvia Willich, Gary, Linda

My Dad's plane

These pics were taken in about 1964 or 1965 in Beaverkill, Livingston Manor, New York. We Willich kids flew up to Beaverkill from Crowley, Louisiana where we lived,  in my dad's small plane along with Sis, or housekeeper. My Dittmore grandparents drove up from Leonia New Jersey to see us. It was about a four hour drive for them to get there. Our Murray cousins lived in Mawah, New Jersey.

Front row left to right, Cheryl Willich, Barbara Dittmore, Marlin Dittmore, Gary Dittmore
Back Row, Lewis Dittmore, Sylvia Willich, Kathy Willich
Same Day in Beaverkill

Hemlock cottage

I love these people and I love that place. I have only happy memories of my time spent there. Historically, my great grandfather Theodore Willich I and his wife Sylvia Mattman, purchased many acres in the Catskill Mountains.  You can read The Story if you would like to. He gave many acres to the BSA for a campground. Three homes were retained on the property, the Stone Cottage where Mamie & Papa lived, the Hemlock Cottage where we all stayed when we came to spend weeks in the summer and the Farmhouse where my dad's cousin Sylvia and her family lived (Linda in above pictures is her daughter.) I have a picture of the stone house somewhere, but will have to dig through Grandma Sue's pictures to find it. I will add more as I find pictures.

This is a picture of my dad as he is flying the plane. September 1963 is when the picture was developed...

That's all for tonight folks.

Kathy & Reese?  Reese and Kathy? Who knows anymore.