52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (Week 14) "Favorite Recipe": Black Cherry Salad

My family had – and still has – a lot of good cooks. What I remember most as a child was my paternal grandmother Cauble’s “Chocolate Pie”! Yum!! And then my “Mama Stuart” (my maternal great-grandmother) made a “Big Ben Cake”. 

How can I choose a favorite as asked to do in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (Week 14) "Favorite Recipe"? Don’t make me, please. I'll try, but honestly, there is not one favorite recipe for me. 

My maternal grandmomie Dennis made the following BLACK CHERRY SALAD. It was one of my favorites as a kid growing up so I'll put it in the spotlight in this blog post.

Black Cherry Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package black cherry Jell-O
• 1 can black cherries
• 1 can pineapple
• 1 small package cream cheese
• ½ pint whipping cream
• 1 cup pecans
• Miniature marshmallows

Instructions:

1. Drain the juice from the canned cherries and pineapple.
2. Prepare the Jell-O according to the directions on the package, substituting the cherry and pineapple juice for the liquid.
3. Dissolve the cream cheese in the warm Jell-O mixture.
4. Add the drained cherries, pineapple, miniature marshmallows, and pecans to the Jell-O mixture.
5. Whip the cream and fold it into the mixture.
6. Refrigerate until set.
7. Serve chilled and enjoy!

It's easy to make and a cool, refreshing dessert. With the hot southwest Texas heat we're having right now, this Black Cherry Salad may be on our table this weekend. 

I asked ChatGPT 4o to put the ingredients and instructions into recipe form. Above is it's format. And I got something extra. Here's a little limerick ChatGPT 4o wrote for me: 

"In a dish of black cherry delight, 

With fruit, nuts, and cream pure white, 

Mix Jell-O with care, 

Marshmallows in there, 

A salad that's truly a bite!"    

- Revis 

This content was crafted for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, focusing on the theme "Favorite Recipe" this week. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (Week 8) Heirloom: The Piano of my childhood

Memories can surprise us, emerging when least expected. The prompt "Heirloom" from the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge instantly brought the sound of my daddy playing the piano to my ears—the piano that was a cornerstone of my childhood, adolescence, and college years.

Countless mornings as a child in west Texas, I found myself seated at that piano, fingers dancing over the keys in the quiet hours before the school bus arrived. Even after 60+ years in my parents' home, its black walnut frame remains as stunning as ever. This piano, once owned by my great-grandmother Nina Ada (Baldridge) Dennis—whom I affectionately knew as “Mama Dennis”—was a cherished gift from my great-grandfather, Oran Martin Dennis, during their time in San Angelo, Texas.

The piano passed down to my mother and is destined to be inherited by one of my sister’s sons.

Mother's piano today

I can still hear my daddy playing Mama Dennis' piano, the joy of music from that magnificent piano echoing as a daily presence. Can you hear it too? It’s my daddy playing, weaving a tapestry of memories.

If only that old piano could sing...if only....💗

- Revis

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: (Week 3) - Favorite Photo

Week 3 of the 2024 series, "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks," is dedicated to "Favorite Photo." Sifting through my large photo collection, each snapshot resonates with its unique charm. The vintages from the 1800s to early 1900s breathe life into ancestral names, while the more recent captures cherished moments with kin (parents, grandparents, great-grandparents) or my own childhood.

This week's spotlight falls on a captivating photo from the 1940s, nestled within my great-grandmother, Nina Ada BALDRIDGE Dennis', album. The identity of the elegant lady pictured remains a mystery to our family. However, a strong intuition suggests her connection with Mama Dennis' youngest son. Regrettably, the writing on the back is partly obscured, leaving her story just out of reach.

I uploaded the photo to Steve Little’s Chatbot, Genealogy Eyes, and in the prompt asked it to describe the suit this woman was wearing circa 1940s. The description included the following: She was wearing a classic suit that was a staple of women's fashion around the era of the early 1940s. The jacket’s sharp, structured shoulders were popular due to the influence of military uniforms and popular during World Ward II. The blouse she wore (with a ruffled or lace collar) was another fashion element during the 1940s. The fullness of her hair, styled in soft curls, complements the overall look and reflects the hairstyles popularized by Hollywood actresses of the era. The accessories, while not overly prominent in the photo, were likely minimal, as the war years called for some austerity in fashion.

The writing on the back of the photo is not clear. It’s smudged in placed, and parts missing because of partially being glued down in the old photo album.

The following is from Genealogy Eyes analysis:

- The top line is still quite obscured, likely by a smudge or a blot of    ink. However, the word "affection" is partially visible, suggesting the message may be one of fondness or endearment.

- The phrase "Nouvel An" stands out more clearly now, confirming the New Year's connection.

- The date "1-1-1941" is unmistakable, serving as a temporal anchor for the message.

The rest, while still a tad cryptic, seems to include a name that could be followed by a signature or perhaps another short message. The handwriting style and the content suggest a personal note, typical of greetings exchanged during festive seasons like New Year's.

Ferrania's presence here as a watermark or a logo reaffirms the Italian origin of the photographic paper, which was indeed a popular medium of the era.

Can you read the back parts of the photo that are legible? Is it French? Let me know in the comment box. 

Did I say I love photos? 😊 I’ll be watching the blog posts of those that are participating in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

I hope you enjoy the photo of this beautiful woman - whoever she is! 

 This content was crafted for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, focusing on the theme "Favorite Photo" this week.

-Revis

Valentine's Day 2023

Today is Valentine's Day 2023. I was thinking about the excitement as a kid of taking Valentine's to school for classmates. Would I get candy? Do you remember these "Sweetheart" candies? You can still buy these "full of sugar" hearts! 

Going through my never-ending stash of photographs and memoraphilia, which my mother kept for years, I came across this Valentine that my sister and I sent to my maternal Grandmomie, Eva Nell Stuart Dennis. 

Do you remember giving Valentine's to your parents or grandparents? Girlfriend/boyfriend? Best friends? Did you give candy or flowers?

From my furry buddies (Callie and DT) to all of you, I wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!  

- Revis

Treasure Chest Thursday - Old Things!

 What's a heirloom, really? As I pondered this (yes, I ponder...it's an old saying we said in the red sand area of Texas where I grew up known as the "rolling plains"), I wondered, was it something very old? Was it something special, but rare? Just what does it mean to me? Or to you? 

Merriam-Webster's definition includes: something of special value handed down from one generation to another.

I'm lucky. No, I'm blessed. As I look around my home, I have quite a few "heirlooms". Pieces of furniture that belonged to my family and my husband's family. Paintings. Dishes. Silver set and gold flatware set. Old bible(s). Jewelry. 

Jewelry. 

Not expensive jewelry, but special jewelry. I have a few pieces that belonged to my Mother's mother, my Grandmomie, Eva Nell Stuart (b. 10 Mar 1914-Roby, Fisher County, Texas - d. 11 Jul 1981, Roby, Fisher County, Texas).

What makes this jewelry so special (besides being hers) is that Eva Nell and her family suffered at least two (that I can recall) fires that destroyed their homes and all that was in it. Pictures gone. Furniture gone. Everything lost in the fires. So having anything that was hers is a keepsake and special to my family.

Here's my Grandmomie Eva Nell Stuart Dennis and two of her sisters, Marjorie Stuart McCuistion, and Lucille Stuart Carter. Notice my Grandmomie has a brooch or pin on in this picture. 

L to R: Eva Nell Stuart Dennis, Marjorie "Marge" Allen Stuart
McCuistion and Mamie Lucille Stuart Carter

 And below are the pieces of jewelry I have in my possession that were Eva Nell's. How I would love to talk to her and ask her where she got the pieces.  

1st Picture: Top Left: Bracelet, Brooch. Lower left: Pins
2nd Picture: Closeup of the bracelet

I hope that these pieces will continue to be passed down in my family. But you never know what will happen to them. The trend today is minimalist. Many younger people don't want anything that belonged to older family members. The "china" plates (used only for special occasions back in the day), the flatware (silver), old photo albums and beautiful armoires or buffets are thrown out or given to Goodwill (or other organizations). 

Do you have heirlooms from your family? If not, do you buy old pieces of furniture or jewelry at antique stores or auctions? 

As I look around my house at the things that belonged to my ancestors, I am left with this thought: "Oh, if you could only talk!! What things we might could learn!!"

-Revis 

52 Ancestors: Week 3

Week 3: Longevity

I am still playing "catch-up" in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge. Longevity could have gone a lot of different directions, but I'm going to stick with posting about one of my ancestors who lived life the longest and who was one of the main reasons it took so many years to discover who her mother really was.

Nina (pronounced "nine-ah") Ada Baldridge was born in Hays County, Texas on 17 August 1878 to John David Baldridge (21 October 1850-TX - 31 December 1917-Harwood, Gonzales County, TX) and his second (2nd) wife Jemima Elizabeth Stroud (3 April 1856-Lockhart, Caldwell County, TX or Parker County, TX - 10 August 1882-San Marcos, Hays County, TX-probably, unproven, no record found of her death or burial place. Stroud Family Bible). She died at the age of 91 on 3 February 1970 in San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas. 

Nina married Oran Martin Dennis (10 Sept 1879-Guadalupe Co., TX - 13 August 1956-Tom Green Co., TX) on 4 November 1902 in Kerr County, Texas. My family called her "Mama Dennis" and him "PaPa Dennis" or "PoPo Dennis".

Oran Martin Dennis and wife, Nina Ada Baldridge Dennis
with two of their grand-daughters.

I remember Mama Dennis as a young child. Fleeting memories, but memories of a lady with jet-black hair. Much like the picture above, but close to the end of her life at 91 years old.

Over the years, family members had these memories of Nina. "No one really knew how old Mama Dennis was". "She always dyed her hair. Always!" "She said she was younger than Papa Dennis, but...." This last comment almost always ended with a laugh!

Nina Ada Baldridge Dennis, you were almost 92 years old (not 82 years old) when you died in 1970 in San Angelo, Texas. You lived a long life. Much longer than you would have your family to believe.

Look for more to come on Nina and her parents in the future. 

Revis