*July 4, 1894...My grandmother's birthday*

[CaliforniaPeggy]

Today I honor her memory...

Her parents saw, and lived, the American Dream...

They came from Sweden, met and married here...

She was their oldest child...

She was a bright, hard-working, motivated lady...

She and her husband raised their six children on a farm outside Chicago...

They had a pump in the kitchen...

She would kill and clean chickens for their meals...

She baked bread every week...

And still had time to go into Chicago for concerts...

She lived through the World Wars, and the Depression...

She did not let adversity shrink her soul...

My Grandmother! How much I still miss her, and her example!

I wonder what she would say if she could see what's happened to her beloved country...

Her birthday, today...

I salute her!

[UpInArms]

1. A lovely remembrance, dear Peggy

Our grandmothers were near in age ... mine was born June 12, 1894 ...

I miss her still ... she definitely made it possible for me to be who I am today ... her faith and love were amazing

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Thank you so much, my dear UpInArms!

Mine also played a large part in helping me to be who I am today. She saw me with different eyes than my parents.

I miss her too...

[barbtries]

2. Happy birthday Grandma!

My grandma Blanche was also born (06nov1889) to immigrants from Sweden, in Nebraska. The 2020 census shows her as having been born in Sweden but I'm pretty sure she just told them she was Swedish.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Thanks so much, my dear barbtries!

Sounds like your grandma Blanche had an interesting life too.

The date says "long ago" but it doesn't feel that far away to me. Just yesterday...

[cate94]

5. Wow!

My grandmother’s birthday was July 4th as well! I’m not sure of the year off hand, but I think it was 1886. Mine grew up on a farm in Lisle, Il, about 30 miles west of Chicago. She was the oldest, so she would drive the horse and buggy to the train station in Naperville, to pick up her parents on the weekends. They both worked in the city. Her uncle John ran the farm.

We have a picture of grandma, sitting in her chair in front of the picture window. She was wearing one of those foam lady liberty head bands and holding her hand in the air like she was holding the torch. The flash from my mom’s camera reflected in the window exactly above the hand she held up. This was when grandma was 95. My mom almost fell over when she got her pictures back, because she didn’t know the flash went off, as it was early afternoon when she took the picture.

Happy birthday to our grandmothers!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. Wow, what a great story, my dear cate94! Thank you for sharing it.

I can just see the photo from your description. It looks wonderful!

Yes indeed: Happy birthday to our grandmothers!!

[monmouth4]

6. Happy Birthday to your dear Grandmother, she resisted...n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Thank you so much, my dear monmouth4! She did indeed. n/t

[Boomerproud]

9. My maternal grandmother was born June 1,1883

to Bavarian immigrants and lived on a farm 20 miles from Akron all of her life. Raised 7 children during the Depression. I realized awhile back that she was 37 before she could vote. Lost her eyesight in her late 50s. She passed one day before the March On Washington in August 1963. RIP Grandma.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. What a great life your Grandma had, my dear Boomerproud!

She was tough to survive all those tough years and live a long life as well.

RIP, to your Grandma, and to my Grandmother.........