I remember that my grandmother did not think much of Idlewild vacations when her children were growing up and they rented places because she still had to do all the cooking, washing and other chores she did at home, but without the familiar home tools. Everybody else loved it and they probably went out on the water in a row boat and went swimming and fishing and visiting friends. Maybe the older ones went to dances.
I understand your grandma’s feelings about family vacations.
Me too.
They all look very serious. I am in total sympathy with your mother on the vacation issue.
My grandmother, but yes, me too.
Your grandmother looks great in the photo. But I can remember summer vacations that were wonderful for everyone except my mother cooking endlessly on a wood stove trying to keep all the active kids fed.
This is my comment and I don’t know why I’ve suddenly become anonymous. I hope it’s a good sign, gulp.
It’s ok. Who can understand what these blogs do with comments?
My mother refused to go on camping vacations, which my father would have loved. She said it wouldn’t be a vacation for her, just more work.
I too can fully understand your grandmother’s feelings, at having to do all the work but outside the comfort zone of her own home – a reason why I am not a fan of self-catering holidays, unless you can afford to eat out.
Wonderful photo. I can sympathize with your grandmother. We go to a beach house every summer for a week.
The only vacations I took when the children were home were to visit family members. I probably caused more work by my visit than I added for myself.
Understandably it was practically not a holiday for Mum. Ay, now am I in Arden; the more fool I: when I was at home, I was in a better place: but travellers must be content. (As you Like it)
It’s a fine group portrait. Their wardrobe does not look like vacation casual but more like Sunday second-best.
I’ve wondered about the clothes too. Maybe they went straight from church. Why would they? Or maybe they attended church while in Idlewild.
They do not look very enthusiastic about getting their photo taken on this occasion. My mother enjoys holidays as my father cooks when then are away – so she gets a real holiday!
That sounds wonderful!
I hope your grandmother eventually got some work-free vacations.
She did, after the children were grown.
Love the family shot – so serious. Your grandmather was a fine looking woman. I agree about camping type holidays. We used to go caravanning and I look back now and realise it wasn’t much of a holiday for my mother.
Yes, I don’t think camping was much of a holiday for my mother, and she had to be very organised, planning the meals and buying all of he food befire leaving home. Lovely family photo.
Krtistin, Where exactly is Idlewild? Looks like Barbara is the one family member with her eyes closed for the pic. Isn’t there one in every bunch?
Idlewild MI is 5 hours north of Chicago, 4 hours northwest of Detroit and half an hour from Ludington, MI and Lake Michigan.
Families the world over getting together for a group photo. Little do they realize how much these photos are going to be appreciated. To a certain extent the memory fades without these prompts – the little things like a particular pair of shoes or sox, a tree, the curtains on the window and so on.
My husband worked for the U.S. Forest Service & only took a few days off at a time in the summer as that was fire season & they needed all the help they could get. So I was the one who took the kids on camping vacations. I grew up camping with my family & loved it. I, however, did not follow my Mom’s example of cooking big meals in camp like bacon & eggs & pancakes for breakfast & etc. We ate cold cereal for breakfast, sandwiches & chips for lunch at the beach, & a quick one-pot meal for dinner, or we went out. And since we usually only went on holiday for one week, there was no need to do laundry. Those were good vacations! Now we rent cabins, but I still don’t do much cooking. Cabins generally have microwave ovens & TV dinners come in all flavors – or we eat out! 🙂
Yes, those vacations do change once the children are grown.
Idlewild. During your years going to Idlewild did you ever hear your parents, grandparents or your aunts/uncles talk about a lady named Mrs. Spisseringtom (this spelling is probably not correct – I’m going by sound). She rented out rooms in house to vacationers during late 1940s/1950s?