One of the customs of Christmas Day after @vickiknits blueberry stratta and coffee, is to call relatives and catch up. Sons and daughters and my father had their turns, and then I spoke with my Uncle Jack’s daughter. Jack was a photographer for @life magazine in China during World War Two and his daughter Jackie is now 81. Sometimes conversations head sideways and today Jackie asked me if I knew how her father had lost his right thumb? This is not unusual for Holiday talk in my family, so I told her I would check on the early photographs I had, to try and get an idea when he lost his thumb, if not how. The first photograph is Jack in China in 1945, thumb clearly missing its tip. The second image is Jack as a Scout, and it looks like his thumb is complete as he holds his walking stick. Vicki reminded me with a very ominous look that my mother also was missing the end of an index finger. I’m not too concerned, but may sleep with gloves on tonight. If you made it this far, I posted a snap of the stratta just to take the edge off the rest of the story. Happy Christmas! Be well, and keep all your digits. #uncle #jackwilkes @life #magazine #photographer #ww2 #china #1945 #rolleiflex #120 #bnw #film #blancetnoir #黑白 #heiyubai #blancoynegro #siyahbeyaz #shirokuro #blackandwhite #filmisnotdead #istillshootfilm #filmisalive #fromwhereistand #pdx #portland #nw #northwest #leftcoast #oregon #family #legacy https://www.instagram.com/jimhair/p/CX7czKzlWP-/?utm_medium=tumblr