Dorothy Tennant Mckowen 1917 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Today, June 9th, would be my mother’s birthday. A few years ago, I began a project
to commemorate our family history (especially for my grandchildren in Costa Rica)
to get to know in a timeline of pictures and recreations in Second Life, the founders who began our family history, on my side going back as far as my grandmother. their great-grandmother.
I am realizing I might have inherited my poetic genes, from my grandfather, who when he named my mother, wrote this beautiful poem.
Dorothy
One bright warm day in early fall
Before old winter had made his call
And before the flowers had gone to sleep
And the robins and bluebirds had ceased to peep-
A little flower opened her eyes
And gazed her first on the shining skies
She wasn’t a lily,- a rose- or a fink
Just a little born baby that made you think
That from the top of her head to her little pink toes
She’s the sweetest flower that in the world grows
The very day she came to town
She turned our hearts quite upside down
For her very coos were so sweet and caressing
And every day since, she has been such a blessing
That we realize fully at each smile & nod,
She is rightly named “Dorothy”
“Gift of God”
George E. McKowen
June 9, 1913
Milwaukee Wisconsin
I compiled some amazing old pictures, my grandfather, George had made into a few albums, that are still in fine condition and built some scenes in Second Life, reconstructing both my mother’s family home and my own. My avatar serves as the written caption storyteller…Enjoy it!
This is a very personal family history, but I share it with you my beloved fellow poets and friends, to commemorate an amazing woman, my mother on her, would be, 110 year old birthday.
Please click to play in large screen
Digital Rabbit Hole 
Oh this is the sweetest…❤️❤️❤️ my mommy heart is melting.💓💓💓 your mom must be very very happy wherever she maybe now.
I love how you wrote the poem because it feels like you are giving tribute to all the moms out there..
I tried to play the video but it isn’t working on my device. I will come back again tomorrow and see if it will work. I am excited to see more of your mom and your heritage.❤️❤️❤️
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Aww thank you and actually the poem, was written by my grandfather when my mom was born. I love it too and now know where my genes to write poetry come from. I am so sorry you could not play it here on WP,, I hope you figure out away..There are some really beautiful old shots and…well it is my history too:):) Thanks Mich for visiting and hope you can get it to play.
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Oh, hon, what a beautiful project. It will mean so much for your family. I love the poem too. Sending you lots of love and thank you for sharing with us your treasures 🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Thank you my sweet friend, for your inspiring comment and it means the world to me that you appreciated what I was trying to show and convey in this video. Sending you love, all good thoughts from me to you Gabriela.. 🙏🤗❤️🤗
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My pleasure hon. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Love you.
xoxo
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what a beautiful, tender story ❤️🥰 i loved the video, seeing what i had only heard about before! oh, so well done!🤗😘👍🏼 thank you for this amazing sharing, truly a treasure, dear friend & soulkin🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼💕
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Oh soulkin, thank you for all your kinds words of appreciation for this project. These photos were just in a drawer and I thought, “What a waste…they are historical!! And then all my 5 grandchildren here (Spanish is their 1st language) have no idea about this part of their history…so I felt I needed to do this now. Part 3 is my trip to LA and my life, the birth of my daughter…and that is completed. I am now working on 4 the last part that is my trip to Costa Rica and the rest:). Big hugs and thank you for this wonderful comment. Talk tomorrow Soulkin, inshallah:)
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oh goodie, more to look forward to!🥳🌹this is a wonderful project you do🤗😘🙏🏼❤️🥰
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Thank you soulkin, it is a true labor of love:) Yes more to look forward to 🦋
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So beautiful! Amazed once again at the lovely framing of your family history (back over a century!) you’ve put together. I know your mother was and is extremely proud of and happy with you.
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Thank you so much and it should be noted you helped put my Fox point home up in Second Life, up while I was building the neighborhood for a 3 second shot overlay of my dad and me:) Lots of work for a few seconds of footage but thank you again and glad you approve of the final version
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♥️
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🙏🌹
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Happy Birthday to your mom in heaven Karima! This is just so touching and such a lovely way to pay tribute to her rich life and yours. Love all of the pictures and of course always your beautiful choice of music! 💞
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Aww thank you Cindy and glad you enjoyed these pictures, some over 130 years old (my young Gramma) I loved working on this and have two more parts, and the last is set entirely in Costa Rica. Oh yes this music is very special…all his music is..Peter B Helland.He has a wonderful YouTube Channel. I have used two pieces of his for YouTube, but I bought the license for it. Thanks again sweet friend for commenting and enjoying🙏❤️🙏
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So beautiful Karima💕
Thank you for sharing your history 💕
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Thank you so much Maggie for watching it. I know how much these old pictures mean to you too. They truly are priceless and I wanted to conserve them better, by making this video. It seemed appropriate to share it today, my mom’s 110th birthday:) ❤️🤗❤️
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The video was such a unique and beautiful way to display the photographs Karima❤️
They are indeed priceless as they are a part of us and our ancestry❤️
The younger generation has no idea or clue with their endless “selfies”🙄
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It truly is amazing how these old photos hold up.. before digital, there was no comparison with the developed roll quality..that seemed to fade and in humid weather stuck together etc. Ah yes, the Cult of the Selfies…hmm could be the title of a poem:)
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A lovely poem your grandfather wrote for his little girl 🙂
I finally got to see this video, and I love how it turned out. Beautiful pictures of beautiful people, and you picked just the right music for it, too. Thank you for sharing this with us ❤
Hugs, Joey
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Ahhh so glad you could finally see it and on your new computer too. Aww they looked like they were having a good time didn’t they? Yes, my poetry gene must come from Grampa George. and he had the most gorgeous handwriting too…wow!! Yes, this music is so nostalgic…it touches me every time:) Thank you for this wonderful comment Hugs🤗
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Absolutely beautiful tribute production, darling Sissy-Poo! I truly enjoyed viewing and reading your treasured family history. Thank you for allowing us into your life ((hugs)). I wish I knew even half of what you’ve managed to save and share! On a side note, April 18th is significant for me as the birth date of my grandfather.
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Awww thank you Sissy Poo..Yes you are most welcome and I am so glad you enjoyed an intimate look into a bit of our family history. Aww your April 18th is a joyous date… When it comes around, I go to the cemetery on LINC and put flowers and on a rainbow on my dad’s grave. What a blessing to have that Memorial and you my Sissy Poo and eternal blessing to have you in my life..Hugs Sissy.🤗❤️🤗
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Wow, stunning photographs and a deeply moving life story. Thank you for sharing this!
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Thank you jer, this was snd still is a labor of love. I have finished two parts more and half the trip down the Pan Am. It’s still an ongoing process
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Very moving family history, thank you for sharing such intimate family history with us.
Tragedy tends to make us grow up quickly and set out in a long windy path. 🙏💚
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Thank you so much Cassa for taking the time to view our family history..As you might have guessed there is more..and perhaps at a later date I will post the next part. At this moment I am still compiling the last past that will bring us up to all the kids, grandchildren and high points of Costa Rica. I agree with you..One thing my father’s death did for me, was make me a poet and a much more sensitive , questioning child. Yes parent loss to death or divorce can change dynamically the future as we are growing up. Thank you for your reflections too 🙏🌹
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How sweet a tribute to your mother and what amazing intention went into it. Love the chance to see too your family photos and get a peek in on your family history. ❤
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Hi Layla, thank you for commenting on this tribute and yes, it was a total labor of love:) Aww thank you for enjoying seeing a bit into my family history.. that’s very kind of you to say:)
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This poem is so heartfelt and touching. I love it. What a beautiful treasure to keep!
Your family video is very well done!
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What a great post!
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Thank you so much Dawn. I’m happy you enjoyed it:) My grandfather was the poet..I had no idea until I started digging.
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