The Butterfly Birthday Book
by Renee Van Dyk
The Butterfly Birthday book is a treasure that was already old when it came into my mother’s life. Stories of whole lives are hinted at in the simple recording of my ancestor’s birthdates, and the dates they passed away.
My Mum - Sandra Elizabeth Kemf - 17th of March, 1964 - was 8 years old in 1972.
She lived at the top of the hill from her nana and could walk down the hill to visit her.
“There was a little three-legged dog that would chase us down from half way”. My mum liked visiting her nana very much- “She let us play with the vegetable peels and sew on Sundays.” When I was little and I would put tomato sauce on my dinner, mum would tell me “My nana always let me put tomato sauce on the roast lamb”.
When you slept over at nana’s house it was a real treat to have a look at her special book before bed. She had a big, proper dressing table, with embroidered doilies and heavy combs and brushes. You would sit on nana’s bed and she would take the birthday book out of her ‘drawer of special things’. “I loved the flowers in it and it was so pretty,” As my mum flips through the pages there are beautiful illustrations of butterflies and flowers in dull yellows and muted. “I remember it being more gold and sparkly then it is now”. Mum finds the page she is looking for. ”I remember asking if I could have it when she went to heaven.”
My mother’s nana, Ida Wright, passed away in 1977.
Ida was born in 1919 or 1918 or 1916. The year on the entry on the 16th of April has been crossed out and re-written a few times. The quote that is paired with this date is “Work for some good, be it ever so slowly; Cherish some flower, be it ever so lowly; Labour- All labour is noble and good.” Mrs Osgood
by Renee Van Dyk
The Butterfly Birthday book is a treasure that was already old when it came into my mother’s life. Stories of whole lives are hinted at in the simple recording of my ancestor’s birthdates, and the dates they passed away.
My Mum - Sandra Elizabeth Kemf - 17th of March, 1964 - was 8 years old in 1972.
She lived at the top of the hill from her nana and could walk down the hill to visit her.
“There was a little three-legged dog that would chase us down from half way”. My mum liked visiting her nana very much- “She let us play with the vegetable peels and sew on Sundays.” When I was little and I would put tomato sauce on my dinner, mum would tell me “My nana always let me put tomato sauce on the roast lamb”.
When you slept over at nana’s house it was a real treat to have a look at her special book before bed. She had a big, proper dressing table, with embroidered doilies and heavy combs and brushes. You would sit on nana’s bed and she would take the birthday book out of her ‘drawer of special things’. “I loved the flowers in it and it was so pretty,” As my mum flips through the pages there are beautiful illustrations of butterflies and flowers in dull yellows and muted. “I remember it being more gold and sparkly then it is now”. Mum finds the page she is looking for. ”I remember asking if I could have it when she went to heaven.”
My mother’s nana, Ida Wright, passed away in 1977.
Ida was born in 1919 or 1918 or 1916. The year on the entry on the 16th of April has been crossed out and re-written a few times. The quote that is paired with this date is “Work for some good, be it ever so slowly; Cherish some flower, be it ever so lowly; Labour- All labour is noble and good.” Mrs Osgood
