Friday, October 23, 2009

The Ghost of Great-Grandma?

Look at the pictures below. Do you see her? The lady with the black braids and the white dress? In the background?
Now do you see her? I think it's the ghost of my Great-Grandma, Melinda Lucinda Valentine Sanders Prater. She died way before I was born, but she was a full blooded Cherokee Indian, and I've always been fascinated by her. When I was little, I would ask my grandmother what her mother-in-law's name was, just to hear her sing it off. She would tell me in a little sing-song voice with her eyes twinkling and then chuckle at the end.


The other morning I was sitting at the dining room table and I happened to look out the kitchen door window. I saw a woman wearing a white dress, just standing across from the house. My heart kind of jumped, and I got up to take a closer look.

The dress was long and she was leaning on the diesel barrel, her black braids shining in the morning light. I could see her sun-dappled facial features plain as could be. She was young and beautiful and looked like she might be waiting on someone special. Great-Grandpa, perhaps?

I'm just playing with you! :)

I couldn't resist getting my camera and capturing the image. I thought the barrels, hose, the camper top, and the foliage all conspired to make a little Halloween ghost story image of someone I hold dear, even if I never met her, except through my granny's sing-song recounting of her name.

By the way, she's still standing there...waiting. :)

3 comments:

Leah said...

ha! you totally fooled me. happy early halloween!

Archie and Melissa said...

hi sharon!
oh you totally had me believing too!

happy halloween!

xoxox
m

Doug Fireman said...

One never knows when and where we will meet those closest to us and that includes our ancestors.

What a lovely story of your great grandmother. I was struck by your words, and she's "still waiting there."

You know her
through the sing song naming of your granny. You've had waking glimpses of her, maybe heard her voice carried on a wayward breeze, or seen her in a dream.

Knowing her as you do, have you ever thought of drawing/painting
your version of this cherished ancestor, your great-grandmother?

Cheers