Welcome...

We hold open the Internet door to you, our extended family. You're invited to be a part of YOUR cousin's extended family site. This Blog has been created with the hope that along the way all of us, young or old, will be able to introduce ourselves to some and basically share our lives with each other. Time and life always brings about change and those days of dedicated gatherings with the extended family are behind us. Through technology and a good dose of dedication let's bring our family closer, regardless of our geographical locations. We ask that you check the right side of the page and if you wish, write us with your contact information, we suggest your email address. Please check our listing of birthdays and notify us of mistakes or omissions. This is a work in progress and will only get better with YOUR additions and your photos that we would love you to email us so we can post for all to enjoy. Your suggestions for storylines on life back then or just as importantly life now with the newest generation carrying on our family names. Our email list is small, initially we ask that you forward our first Blog posting to those that aren't on our list and ask them to email us if they wish to be added each month.

 

This first edition takes a few steps back in time to revisit memories of life at Christmas, a monthly recipe that belonged to Grandma Harriet Burns, a monthly profile of a relative who loves the fast lane and has some fun memories of a very long gravel driveway leading to yellow jackets. A pig plate guessing game...where did it reside? Also, some vintage photos we hope you will enjoy.

 

Remember, this Blog is not about vintage, with your help it will be a mix of then and now. Don't be shy, we welcome your input and feedback. In the meantime...enjoy!

 

Sarah Ann (Burns/Hampshire) and Rich (Kee)

 

P.S. We ask that you not be too critical of the grammar and spelling...we're old but we write from the heart.

Eight is not enough...

The start of it all. Check out the portrait and all roads lead home to this family. We plead guilty to not knowing what we should about our family history but having said that we reach out to those that can shed daylight on our family roots and the stories we can all appreciate and learn from. Write us please and share, we'll all be happier as a result. From Pennsylvania to New Jersey, New York and beyond let's compare notes.

In 1966 the 'kids" gather to celebrate Grandma Harriet Burns' birthday at the home of Sal and Kurt Staiger. 

Nineteen forty...

Front row left to right, Graydon and Donald (Spog). Middle seated, Hannah Ruth. Back row, Tom and Aunt Martha (Grandma Harriet Burns sister).

Christmas at Grandma Harriet Burns...

How many of us remember those words "Ok, time to put your toys down, get dressed, we need to leave for Grandma's?" Christmas back in the day consisted of morning at home opening Santa's gifts and then for us it was up the Parkway, necktie in place and orders sent to the back seat that we were to behave, no running down the hallways, put the Lincoln Logs away when you were finished, don't you dare touch the door to the dumbwaiter and be sure to thank everyone for your gifts. This mantra was repeated I'm sure to all cousins throughout the extended families en route to Grandmas' on every December 25th.

For those of us that experienced this back in the 50's and 60's it was a scene right out of the Leave it to Beaver culture. Men dressed in suits, wives with pearls, aprons in the kitchen...kids with their Sunday best. No t-shirts, ball caps or Nike running shoes permitted on the grounds. The heat was never regulated and we endured what seemed like over the top sauna temperatures...always seeking an open window to get a breath of fresh cold air. Don't knock over the canary stands...not to mention get too close and totally freak them out. Candy dishes were strategically placed throughout the apartment, many containing ribbon candy. The life span of those figs rolled in sugar was safe with me.

 

After several hours of which we typically didn't abide by the earlier parental threats, one or two 'timeouts' for some infraction or another we would eventually collect our gifts, usually something that had our monogram on it from Aunt Bea, Aunt Harriet and Grandma, knitted sweaters from the aunts that we foolishly didn't appreciate at the time, received hugs and kisses from everyone and once bundled up in our winter gear headed for the car. The sisters would decide who was hosting Easter and off we would go. The car pointed home where our favorite Christmas toys awaited us. Only in time did wisdom creep into our lives for when looking back most of us realized the real joy of the day was not the toys at home but rather the extended family that we were blessed to be a part of.

A step back in time...

September 1953...New York meets New Jersey. Relatives gather for Richard Kee's first birthday in Woodbridge, NJ. Home of Don and Hannah Ruth. Pictured: Left to right; Pete Staab, Bill Burns, unidentified, Hannah Burns, Bette Staab, Pete Kee, Ruth Burns, Carolyn Burns, Richard Kee and Don Kee.

Family spotlight...

He was the favorite of Aunt Elizabeth (Bea) and knew exactly who to go to as his ally throughout the years. His name is Pete, the eldest son of Hannah Ruth and Don Kee. He has a charm that he unapologetically used throughout his growing up within the Burns family. In the eyes of the Aunts, he could do no wrong.

 

Today, after leaving his footprints in Metuchen, NJ; Long Valley, NJ; Castleton, VT; West Port, NY he has finally settled down in retirement calling Murrieta, CA home. Happily married to Cathy for nearly eight years now Pete enjoys his friends along with golf and his love of custom automobiles.

 

After dedicating thirty eight years to the communications field he retired from Verizon in 2003. A career he is proud of, culminating in his management role on the team responsible for restoring the communication data service for Wall Street immediately after 9/11. As a result, being onsite at Ground Zero during that time will always have a profound impact on his life.

 

If not for leisure travel or taking on his favorite golf links, he can be found working on his collection of restored custom cars. Always an admirer of fast cars growing up, time now permits his passion to be a reality. To mention a few, a yellow '32 Chevy, '32 Ford roadster, restored pickups, '55 Chevy Nomads, custom one of one Harleys or his latest addition a '32 three window red coupe. Along the way he has won national recognition and awards for his driven art.

 

When talking about the family Blog and discussion centered around growing up in the Burns family Pete's favorite memories were tied to time spent at the Rosses. He recalls visiting the original home on Young's Road...no need for a security system back then, they had a boxer called Chang. Afterwards, the new home was built on the property and when we would be invited to enjoy the Fourth of July we navigated around a collection of black and tan terriers that Aunt Bea had shadow her every move (Personally my heels lost more than one encounter to the rust colored Betsy, never liked those dogs). Pete recalls his curiosity led him into the old jeep on the grounds only to be confronted with the ever present yellow jackets. Did we ever avoid a holiday there without someone not getting stung near the pool? It didn't matter the temperature, it could have been sixty two degrees on the 4th, we weren't going to pass up the opportunity to swim in a "in ground pool"...living the high life for a day.

 

Both Pete and Cathy wish everyone well and would love to hear from you. If you find yourself some day in Southern California please know the door is open, family...no matter what generational level is always welcomed. Mention your love for Aunt Bea and you'll probably get to drive one of the rods!

Family recipe of the month...

GRANDMA BURNS' MOLASSES COOKIES

2 1/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda (one tablespoon hot water)

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

6 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup seedless raisins

Sift flour, ginger, salt, and cinnamon together. Dissolve baking soda in one tablespoon hot water and now combine butter, sugar, egg and mix all together. Add flour mixture, and add six tablespoons sour cream, and mix well.

 

Drop tablespoons of dough on a cookie sheet a couple of inches apart. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. (Watch them--may take less time.)

This is an actual recipe Aunt Bea (Elizabeth) wrote out and gave to Aunt Edna.

 

 

Name that residence...

Anyone recognize this vintage wall plate that was displayed over the years in the kitchen of one of the family? Write us and take a guess! For those old enough to remember, it oversaw many a great cheesecake baked in it's presence.