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Friday, January 8, 2021

Uncle Jan A Role Model

 

Picture from 1947 with Dad on the left, Uncle Louis, Aunt Nelly and Uncle Jan helping with harvesting potatoes.
Grandpa Van den Munckhof had purchased the land in1943 in Dad's name and Dad started to work on it after Easter 1945 for making a living. 
From Easter 1945, Dad no longer went into servitude, working for a big farmer, as he did since age 15.
He had moved back in with his Parents...  
That's also why his siblings, still living with their Parents, got involved helping out.
July 1950 Dad & Mom between the Fava Beans.
Those plants grow 1 meter tall and need to be planted together as they tend to fall.
Loved the velvety inside of those long beans when opening them up for gathering those broad beans.
We ate them a lot!
By the way, Mom was pregnant with me in this photo!
Uncle Jan made lots of photos, and he frequently helped Dad out before he started his own work as a house painter.
It was also Uncle Jan that made all of my baby pictures!
Very grateful to him for having done so!
Being also a first tenor, like Dad, and singing in the same choir, they spent more time together.
~
My 19 months younger sister Diny has always been very resentful because of my baby pictures...
Because my Angel Sister was 13 months older than I am, she would have been the FIRST grandchild in the Van den Munckhof family. 
So Uncle Jan did capture me frequently, also as he came to help Dad out in the field.

Sometimes, goodness is misunderstood...
The kind photographer, Uncle Jan on April 4, 1959 on his wedding day...
In 1984 we got invited for their 25th wedding anniversary in The Netherlands but could not be there.
Traveling from the U.S.A. was not always feasible for such events...
Uncle Jan is the Godfather of my youngest brother Jan, who got born before Uncle Jan's marriage.

Stay tuned...

Related posts;
{Papa is 90 today!} | Showing some of my baby pictures taken by Uncle Jan

{60 Years Ago} | Showing some baby pictures taken by Uncle Jan

24 comments:

  1. It's wonderful to have all these old family photos and to know the stories behind them. One of my uncles spent years doing our family tree and had all the information gathered in a book. I was very disappointed when he and my aunt died to learn that my cousins had donated the book to a museum. Would have been nice if each family had been given a copy to benefit from all the research that went into the making of it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Tammy,
      Yes, the stories behind certain photos are priceless and so important to be saved.
      What a heartless deed by your cousins for donating the book done by your Uncle, to a museum... Some people lack any sensitivity.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  2. Bellissimi ricordi,buon fine settimana Mariette!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cara Olga,
      Grazie e ci sono davvero bellissimi ricordi!
      Un abbraccio,
      Mariette

      Delete
  3. Hello Mariette, Such great family photos. I know that farming is difficult and often problematic work, but it does provide it moments of beauty and satisfaction, especially, as you say, if you are working your own land.

    Now that you mentioned your baby pictures, I hope that we are going to get to see some of them!
    --Jim

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    Replies
    1. Dearest Jim,
      Yes, those are valuable photos and I'm fortunate to know the stories to them.
      Meanwhile, I've added two links below the post where you can see some baby pictures.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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    2. Hi again, Awwwww, for the baby photos, but I think my favorite was the black and white one of you in front of the ocean with the wind-swept hair.
      --Jim

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    3. Dearest Jim,
      Thank you and yes, that was my very first encounter with the ocean...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  4. Really wonderful souvenirs. I did not realise beans plants grew that high.

    God bless you all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Victor,
      Yes, broad beans grew rather tall.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  5. Lovely memories. I will miss relatives who no longer exist, other than in memories and photographs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Anne,
      We all do miss our relatives and loved ones that are no longer with us...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  6. All these old photos bring back very nice memories of our dear parents and relatives. I have tons of them, trying to scan as many as I can, as you did with yours.
    My husband grows Fava beans every year in our garden. We just love them, contrary to many other people who do not eat them!
    Many hugs, dear Mariette!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Marie-Anne,
      Yes, such old photos from parents and relatives tell the story of who we are and where we came from.
      Wish that we could find fresh Fava beans here... I've always loved them.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  7. Reading this made me think of my late Uncle Johm my favourite uncle

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    Replies
    1. Dearest Jo-Anne,
      Thank you for thinking of your favorite Uncle due to this story.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  8. Wonderful photos! It’s amazing to know you were in your mom in that photo. Your parents were a beautiful couple and how sweet your uncle Jan made all your baby pictures.
    Happy weekend, Mariette xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Tamago,
      Yes, those are very special photos and especially Mom, being pregnant with me...
      Forever grateful to my Uncle Jan for special photos.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

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  9. Your parents indeed make a beautiful couple and they had a beautiful daughter that I know here...you. I enjoyed the vignette about Uncle Jan and seeing his wedding picture too. And yes, I have found through the years that goodness can be misunderstood. One takes comfort knowing that good was intended.

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    Replies
    1. Dearest Katie Isabella,
      Thank you for your kind words!
      Goodness way too often is misunderstood...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  10. Replies
    1. Dearest Janey,
      Yes, those certainly are treasures.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...