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| Kenmore Inn (located near Kenmore) ©Mary Montague Sikes |
Among my first memories are those from the grounds of Kenmore, the historic home of Fielding Lewis, brother-in-law to George Washington, that is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. My mother was friends with the founders of the Kenmore Association and she loved being a volunteer at the old restored mansion. I was about four years old and Mother always took me with her. It was nice to visit the kitchen that was separate from the house. Wearing a stylish black hat and dark suit, Mother used the silver service to pour tea for visitors to go with the traditional gingerbread made there from a colonial recipe. Perhaps I was jealous of the attention she gave others, but to this day I dislike gingerbread.
Somewhere, I have a photograph of Mother serving tea, but I can't find it now. I, also, have photos taken by a professional photographer of Mother and me in colonial costumes, standing on the steps of Kenmore. He took of picture of me alone on the Kenmore grounds and made a large print of it for display in his downtown business window. I don't know what eventually happened to it. I suppose all those pictures helped the Kenmore memory live on for me.
Several months ago, we visited Fredericksburg for a college class reunion. I didn't get to Kenmore, but I did take photos of the nearby Kenmore Inn, a bed and breakfast and restaurant, that also holds many memories for me.
What about you? When were your first memories?
8 comments:
That's a cool first memory. And experience.
I remember snippets from when we lived in Japan the first few years of my life. I remember speaking fluent Japanese although I've forgotten most of it now.
You need to stop by there sometime and see what other memories the place stirs up.
My earliest memory is from when I was three and the hamster we had when we lived in Pendleton, Oregon.
That's pretty cool that you can remember something like this...except for the gingerbread:) My earliest recollection is sitting on the chesterfield and looking straight to my feet. I was wearing my beautiful navy blue slippers. They were smooth and soft probably trying to be a soft leather(but they weren't). They came over my ankles so they were booties and had a border of red and white flowers near the top like one sees in Europe. I was clicking my feet together and was so happy and felt safe with my booties. I bet my Oma and Opa sent them to me. My mom told me I might have been 3 years old.
I often wonder the same thing— What part of my memories are real, and what are just my imagination.
Thanks for sharing a lovely memory!
Alex, that would be so exciting to speak fluent Japanese. I wonder if it would come back to you.
Diane, good thought about going back to Kenmore. As a child, walking home from school, I would run past Kenmore in fear of seeing the ghost of Fielding Lewis on his horse.
Birgit, what a lovely memory of your beautiful slippers! Thank you for sharing.
Trevann,I'm glad you wonder about that, too.
Thanks for visiting, Raine Balkera.
Hi Monti - wonderful early memories. I remember our first home (for 19 years or so) - it was a farm house ... before the whole area became an urban jungle on the fringes of London, now absorbed into it. It is interesting looking back ...
This sounds a great blog hop to be involved with to spur the writing up of past times ... cheers Hilary
PS I hope all is well ... thinking of you both ... H
Thank you for your comments, Hilary. The edge of London sounds like an adventure for a young girl!
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