One of the main topics of discussion at the family reunion on Saturday was identifying people in handfuls of old photographs that various cousins had brought along.

The other main topic seemed to be travels to China. No less than three of my close relations ('Close' as in genetically close, not physically close, or even personally close, since two of them could walk in the room and I wouldn't recognize them.) have traveled to China in the past year.

But the photograph IDs were fun. If maybe horribly unscientific.

From notes scribbled in the margin, we know the couple on the right in this photo...

are my grandparents. And we know who the gentleman in the foreground is. But we still have no idea who the other people are. (Or why the man in the cab of the truck is holding up a copy of "Western Farm Life.")

We're pretty sure my father is in this school picture.

The boy in the middle at the front looks a lot like me at that age, so I'm guessing that's him. My sister thinks he's the kid in front of the bus door, sideways to the camera. But really, we have no clue.

And then there were two copies of this photo floating around.

Does that tell you something about the priorities of our family back then? That in a day when cameras, film and prints were horribly costly, they took a picture of...

Their cows?

My thought was maybe the watering tank was new, but it doesn't really look that way. Looks too used.

No, someone took a picture of their cows way back when. And now, not quite a century later, people in our family are still holding on to it.

I don't know why.

And I will guard my digital copy with great care.

I don't know why.