My paternal grandmother, Mary Susan Parker, nee Osie Mae Brown, born May 1911, has just celebrated her 99th birthday. Grandma Parker, as she was known in my house growing up, lives in Heber Springs, Arkansas now, after many years in Little Rock, and before that, Scottsdale, AZ. Before moving west to Scottsdale, Grandma lived in Conway, AR, after moving into town from Maynard, AR after she and my Grandfather, Bob Parker, finally decided to quit their farm.
My Aunt Mary Sue and Uncle Larry also live in Heber Springs, while my cousin Susan lives in Little Rock. My Aunt Vicki is from New Mexico and therefore has a little further to go to attend, but attend she does. Uncle Larry, Susan's Husband, and Vicki's Partner, round out the guest list, while party horns and tiaras with sparkles up the festivity quotient.
These are my PEOPLE, and I see my face in Grandma Parker's, Mary Sue's, Susan's and Vicki's, reflected back through the twin prisms of DNA and time.
in the corner of our back yard; "Black-eyed Susan" was my grandfather's nickname for his much-younger bride...
