Saturday, November 26, 2011

Sepia Saturday: Catch of the Day

Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family history through old photographs.

This week the Sepia Saturday prompt is a photo of a market that is rich with inspiration:  boys holding watermelons, baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables, signs advertising the catch of the day, signs promising “Honest weights, Square dealings.” 


So many ways to interpret this week’s theme!  But the drawing of the fish caught my eye – probably because I remembered this picture.



I have no clue who these men were except for the 2nd man from the left.  That’s my maternal grandfather Orvin Davis as a young man in Shenandoah, Virginia.  Judging by the first man’s waders, I imagine they had gone fishing along Naked Creek just a mile and a half from town.  It looks like they had only one pole between’em, but they caught a nice string of fish, likely smallmouth bass, catfish, or trout.

My grandfather was not really a fisherman, or at least when I knew him.  But he did enjoy crabbing.  My grandparents often took me along to a ramshackle bait shop on Military Highway in Chesapeake where they rented a little rickety boat. Some string, some chicken necks, a net and a basket were all we needed for cheap fun in St. Julian’s Creek. 

After we caught a bushel, we’d go home and Grandma would rinse them off with a garden hose.  Sometimes crabs got loose sending me squealing all over the yard, but a crab was no match for my grandmother.  She knew where to grab them. 

Then she would steam those beautiful blue crabs in a pot.  She’d cover the kitchen table with newspaper and everyone would gather around to crack and pick crabs all evening.  The only “side dish” was crackers and mustard. 

Looking at this photo makes me wonder what yummy side dishes the guys had with their fish that night.

12 comments:

  1. A great family memory. I wonder who all the other guys were. Looks like they had a great time!

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  2. Half the fun of fishing is displaying the catch!

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  3. Makes my mouth water hearing about those blue crabs....imagine one pole for all those men, that way they could really take turns or let the best man fish! Fun reading and a good photo

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  4. Great photo of the men coming home with their catch. You made me hungry thinking about crab - yum! Jo

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  5. All that talk of blue crabs made me very hungry. Who needs side dishes.

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  6. What a great photo and wonderful memories. I would love to join you at your grandmother's table 'cracking crabs'.

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  7. A fine old image which gives rise to some fine old memories. Your description makes us all feel as if we were also around that table cracking cooked crabs

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  8. They were obviously proud of the catch for someone to have taken the picture.

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  9. Lovely description to go with the picture Wendy. I’d have been squealing around the yard with you!

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  10. Great photo! It's so common a photo of the fishermen bragging, but enjoyable every time.

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  11. A classic image. By amazing coincidence I drove past Military Highway in Chesapeake just this morning, on my way home from Virginia Beach. The old Tidewater crab shacks and fish houses were part of my memories too. The crabs and fish that one caught were always better than those you bought.

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  12. Hi Wendy! I loved your photo and stories. I can just picture you running away from a loose crab.

    Thanks so much for stopping by to see me.

    Kathy M.

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