I was inspired and delighted by shaintiques’ posting of his familial-archive picture of his pipe-smoking lady cousins! I didn’t want to steal any thunder from that post and so decided to try my own. The picture above is of my grandfather, taken in 1923 or 24 at the latest. (He was born in 1888.) The little top of the child’s head in his lap was my dad. My family is of German extraction and Grampa’s pipe is a very folksy example of that tradition. What I find even more remarkable about this picture, is that it was taken, developed, and printed by my grandmother herself on a farm well outside of North Washington, Iowa… miles and hours away from any place that could have provided those services. She passed tragically around 1930 or so. As for the pipe, I’m fairly certain it went to pipe-heaven long before I was born. I hope everyone enjoys the pic! ::