Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Pop Pop: My Great Grandfather

A tribute to my Great Grandfather, Melvin E. Cole, on my Mother's side of the family. He had a really hard life and was a small, wiry, gruff man who smoked unfiltered Camels and Lucky Strikes. He grew beautiful flowers and took great pride in them. He also kept finches. We didn't understand his gruffness, as kids, but now I have an appreciation for his life and what he went through.

Pop Pop, great grandfather, mines, child labor, finches, smoking, coal mining, Pennsylvania, Lucky Strike, Camels, unfiltered cigarettes

3 comments:

malbectruths said...

Beautiful portrait. I find myself feeling the same way. I would want to talk to him now; not run away.

C. L. Deibler said...
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C. L. Deibler said...

Absolutely. He was so scary when I was a kid. So grouchy and so wrinkled- lol! I feel differently now, of course.