Growing up in Miami, I got used to storms. Fast ones. I could smell the rain coming. It was a distinct scent that clung to the screen door. A storm was on the way and would arrive within minutes. In the summer, we could count on a daily afternoon storm. It blew in quickly fromContinueContinue reading “When Rain Came through Miami”
Category Archives: Joy Washburn Gillis
Mom’s First House
When I was very little, we lived in Biscayne Park, and we would go to visit my grandmother, Eunice, just a few minutes away in North Miami. Sometimes I would stay over at her house on Friday night and spend Saturday with her. I always loved spending time at her house. It wasn’t until IContinueContinue reading “Mom’s First House”
Wish I Could Have Met My Grandfather
I wish I could have met my grandfather on my mom’s side. I understand why that didn’t happen. But I wish it could have been different. When my mom, Joy, was five and her younger brother, Hal, was three, their parents (Eunice and Edgar Washburn) divorced. My mom’s dad moved from Miami to West PalmContinueContinue reading “Wish I Could Have Met My Grandfather”
Gillis & LaSenius Thanksgiving Traditions
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Today I’m remembering some of my family’s traditions from years ago. The Gillis family lived in Miami, Florida for a while. I’ve seen photos from the late ’60s, when I was two and three years old, where family gathered with us for a Thanksgiving meal: my aunt and uncle, Florence and CharlesContinueContinue reading “Gillis & LaSenius Thanksgiving Traditions”
Exploring Generations 