Me And Grandpa

My Grandpa passed away on my third birthday.  Even though I lost him at such a young age, I have two vivid memories of him.  And these photographs capture those memories perfectly.

Grandpa was a smoker.  He used Prince Albert loose tobacco and would hand-roll his cigarettes.  He would always let me blow out his match.  I thought that was the greatest thing in the world.  This photo of him kicked back with a cigarette is just how I picture him in my mind.

My grandparents had cows.  They would get up at the crack of dawn each morning to milk those cows and would sell the milk.  When we were in Mississippi visiting, I would always get up and go to the barn with them.  My Grandpa would see this as a perfect excuse to get out of milking.  He explained that he had to hold me to keep me from getting my feet dirty:)  

After his death, I continued to get up with Gramma to "help" in the barn.  My reward for this work?  I got to take a coffee cup to the barn with me.  I would dip the cup in her milk bucket and drink the warm milk!  I thought it was the best stuff in the whole world.  Kinda turns my stomach to think of it now...