This photo always makes me smile, and brings back fond memories of the Mirota farm in Readington Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. I love when family actually jotted down the year right on the picture and put down their own caption.  On the left, smoking the pipe is Grandpa Joseph Mirota – I’m not sure what kind of cap that is on his head. He’s listed as a farmer in Readington Township on the 1920, 1930, and 1940 Federal Census returns.

His wife, Sophia Sczcerba Mirota, looks to be holding a ring with a key, with another funny cap, and their daughters Mary and Genevieve are the two taller gypsies. The two boys could be their sons, Joe, Jr., and Stephen. The other girl was a girlfriend. I’m thinking this could have been the costumes for one of the Mirota barn dances. Any other ideas?

My favorite Super Bowl Commercial on Sunday was the Dodge Ram truck one, “So God Made a Farmer” as read by the late radio broadcaster Paul Harvey. Watching the farm life images made me a little weepy and nostalgic for my own NJ childhood, in what was then still a rural farming community in Hunterdon County.

Being a farmer was hard work, but my family shared many funny stories, and always took time to see the natural beauty all around them. They were generous with their time and love. My sister just reminded me yesterday about how our grandpa used to give us little Valentine Day gifts. We took turns being the lucky chosen one to light his pipe. Sometimes a pipe smoker will cross my path, and the tobacco smell brings me right back to my childhood.

Friday Funny is a prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites about family stories or images that make them chuckle. Friday Funny is a daily blogging prompt found on GeneaBloggers, as suggested by Jennie Pak of They Came to Montana.