the postcards

this summer at the family reunion my grandfather's things began their arduous journeys into new homes. for some things, like the 42 postcards i sent him over two years, it was a returning. a reintegration back after a meandering detour through my grandfather's story picking up memories of post offices, dry fingers, and my grandfather's throaty chuckle.


here is the collection.
roughly arranged by color {of course}.

a few of my favorites:

this one is from the 1st of august, just after he broke his hip. it reads:

hey grandpa,
i've been waiting for the perfect person to send this to--there was just something so cute and quirky about the picture. i'm glad i waited. you're the perfect recipient. it depicts you and the rest of the mikesell clan. heal!
nathania

this one evidently arrived with a red arrow pointing to the top of the building. one of my big fascination with postcards are the secret stories they collect on their journey to their recipient. rarely does the story leave such a clear sign of its passage, but here you have it: a mysterious red arrow.

this lily postcard dates from my time at the art studio. this is one of the many images we would have the kids paint.

this one reads:

may 8, 2007

...thanks so much for such a wonderful visit. it's always such a joy to hear more sections of family history.
i love the postcards! {referring to the collection from his parents onward he passed on to me} i poured over them for a bit last night with my best friend. they are gorgeous!
nat.






another dated the same day {may 8th, 2007}:

hi grandma & grandpa,
i've decided what i want to do with some of the postcards. i think i'm going to make a tapestry of the postcards. sew them together like a patchwork quilt. there are so many of them that don't have writing on them it would be a great way to display the images. you don't mind if i alter them?
nathania

a year later i received a small package with the only letter from him i think i ever received {birthday and christmas cards were always signed in my grandmother's hand}. the package contained a few more postcards and a notebook of stickers.

2/2/08

dear nathania,
this quaint artifact, the collection of hotel stickers came from the gracious age, around 1910, when my mother spent about 10 months in europe with my grandmother. the "grand tour" of the era--all changed by WWI which nobody then recognized it was lurking on the horizon.

people traveled deliberately those days, with big luggage like trunks--especially steamer trunks, which carried a whole closet of accessories in a unit, aboard ship (10 to 16 d a trip) and then by train. inexpensive handlers were available at every stop, some of which were weeks long.

i recall some hotel stickers (those to be stuck on baggage as "brags" of where one had been) as late as my 1st europe trip, 1964.

these, like all the postcards, a present to you--do as you wish with them.

love you! grandpa mike

10.01.07

....here is a beautiful autumnal taste of tiffany. iv'e been resisting the fall for the last few weeks, but suddenly the colors won me over today. i'm such a sucker for pretty colors.
much love, nathania






12.13.07

grandpa--
this is a postcard for you. to thank you so much for the legacy you've given us grandchildren. a life well lived, saturated in the sciences, travel and people you love. you have shared it so vibrantly with those of us around and i have always been proud to belong to your family legacy.
nathania

the first i sent out was in early may of 2006 {as near as i can tell from the blurred post mark} and the last i sent was this one, postmarked a mere five days before his death which was also the day i started this blog.