My Blue-Eyed Sisters

Jodie and Karen Landry at the Texas Renaissance Festival in Magnolia, Texas, on October 19, 1980.

I thought I would write a post about my two older sisters.  Jodie was the oldest of us six siblings and she died in 1989 at the age of 36.  Karen was the third and she died in April of 2020 at the age of 63.  My brother-in-law Brian (married Karen) shared a photo with us remaining siblings.  It was of Jodie and Karen from back in 1980 when he met Jodie.    It reminded me of some of the photos that I had taken back then and haven’t looked at lately. 

So of course I got my photo album out and decided to scan and work on the photos.  The photos were a little dull and a bit blurry, so I never was very pleased with them.  But 40 years later I can make some changes to those photos that make them much more pleasing.  At least I think so.

The event was the Texas Renaissance Festival and Jodie was selling the pottery that she made.  She had a booth set up and she had her flute with her so she could play a bit while waiting (and to get people’s attention).  So Karen and Brian went to Texas to check it all out.  It was Brian’s first time to meet Jodie and he remembers her playing the flute when they walked up to her booth. I went on the weekend of October 19th with Karen, my younger sister Jamie, and her now husband Allen after getting a glowing report from Karen and Brian.

Leaf vase by Jodie circa 1980

Jodie sold a lot of pottery at that festival.  She had mugs,  plates, bowls, vases, canteens, and some miniature pieces.  I bought this vase with carvings of leaves on it at that festival.  It’s my favorite piece that I have of hers.  I have a few other pieces, but I never did get any of her miniature pieces.  I wish I had a few more of her work, particularly one of those miniature ones.  She had tiny jars with lids that fit on them.  They were so intricate.

One more thing before I close.  I have to say more about those blue eyes.  Karen was sometimes insecure about her appearance.  She was also fond of the color blue.  So she was starting to get a little bit jealous because she thought that Jodie had bluer eyes than she did.  Jodie disagreed with her the first time she said it.  When Karen said it again, Jodie decided to put the statement to the test.  She brought Karen to a mirror where they could sit and compare each other’s eyes to see who had the bluer eyes.  After both of them looked back and forth from their own eyes to the other’s for a few moments, they had to laugh.  There was no distinguishable difference!

I miss those blue eyes.