Birthday Cakes

When it came to birthdays, Mom always went "all out" 

with a cake!  She was very creative and crafty!

There was always some kind of theme

from the cake to the decorating to the games played!

She had this little "book of tricks" on how to do these

sort of creations, and it was always a treat to be able to

look through the book and dream about next year's cake!

Baker's Coconut Cut Up cakes:

Life was a bit more formal "way back when."

We wore dresses all the time!

Even Moms who came to help with the party 

were dressed in dresses as well! 

How did us girls survive all those skinned knees

without pants to cover them?

And, of course, Mom's home made cakes

meant we got to lick the beaters!!

Summer of '65

One of the family traditions during my growing up years

was "the big vacation" we took to Minnesota

where my parents' were raised. 

We always drove, it took almost 4 days.

We would go in the summer and stay about 3 weeks

visiting family and taking part in family life, traditions.

This first one was Summer of '65

I come from a line of farmers

in the western part of Minnesota.

Here's Uncle Jim, just a part of his work day.

I've always felt that I should have been born in a different time,

or maybe lived in a different place.  I've always loved

being outdoors, enjoyed nature and the seasons.

And I've never been afraid of hard work!

I've always wondered if I could make it as a "farmer's wife". 

The daily chores that come with farm life, raising crops and animals,

and of course, your own family.

Here's my sister with cousin Jerry on the pony.

I sure don't remember it's name!

It evokes a different time, different culture

and in reality I know it could be harsh living,

dealing with snow and blowing cold,

the flooding that comes with spring after a hard winter,

and the humidity of summers.

But there's also a joy in watching the results

of all a person's hard work:  planting, harvesting.

Even the small joys of tulips and daffodils as they poke through

when spring arrives!

Bye Chevy, Hello Rambler!

Long long ago before DIY became what it is today,

my mom was a WHIZ at making things look fancy!

This simple table and stool was covered to match in pink checks!

In the center, there is a two drawer cedar jewelry box,

a gift from a trip to Minnesota, 

that still sits on my dresser today, 50+ years later.

 Not sure what this "sit in" was about ....

was I in some kind of time out?

or was I just being really grumpy?

They're towing our car away.....

Across the street, you can see the Armory

and such a little tow truck!

In the backseat of this Chevy

was my indian feather headdress I liked to wear.

I was sad about losing that for days.

We replaced the old Chevy with a new 1963 Rambler

by American Motors.  I remember it being fun to have

a brand new car!  Seat belts weren't installed in this car

until federally mandated in January 1968. 

Lori and I had the whole back seat to ourselves!

No AC, crank windows, AM radio, standard shift --- it was awesome!

When I was in grade school, I had to write something,

and I recall writing about hearing my Dad leave for work

early in the morning, with the "Roar of the Rambler" ....

It must have had a distinct sound!

New Baby Sister!

Oh. My. Goodness!  A new baby in the house -- to a four year old girl,

I'm sure it felt like she was going to be my own new baby doll!

Check out that smile!

(and the hat and gloves ... must be time for church!)

Through our growing up years, we stopped at this same spot

for a family picture along Camden Avenue

whenever we went to visit my Uncle Bob and Aunt Shirley.

I wonder if that grimace on my face is from

the sun?  or my hair bows are in too tight?

Strollers weren't what they are now, that's for sure!

This one definitely didn't fold, but maybe the handle part did.

So much fun pushing my sister around!

I was pretty young when we lived in the duplex on Maude

I remember wearing footie pajamas

Dad bringing cherry popsicles when we were sick

Lori learning to walk, pulled the cover off the arm of the chair,

broke the glass and cut her foot so bad she couldn't get in the tub!

My mom stepped on a thumbtack

Eating a lot of Bean with Bacon soup

and grilled cheese sandwhiches

It's odd how memories sneak in to be remembered 

when you least expect them!

I remember the street being tarred, piles of asphalt in front

of the house, picking up one heavy piece and dropping it on my foot.

I still have that scar.

Good neighbors

Odd neighbors

and neighbors I don't recall at all.

Fashion!

Fashion is no match for a woman with a sewing machine!

Growing up, I vividly remember the outfits my mother sewed for us girls.  She always wanted us to look nice, and now that I look back on it, I have to wonder the reasons behind it all.  As a young girl, she grew up on a farm, and did without a lot of things other girls who lived in town might have had when it comes to fashion.  It was the 1950s and that had a lot of influence on emerging fashion.  The war had ended, and people were coming into a better way of life.  And then there was Jackie O --- as Mrs. Kennedy she carried a lot of influence in ladies' fashions.  (Easter Sunday ca 1965)

Research on the old adage “no white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day” rule is said to have originated in the 1930’s when the very wealthy began wearing nothing but white during the summer. This represented leisure (think country homes and croquet) whereas dark colors were associated mostly with the working class.   And while that might have been the adage, for some reason, we always had new white shoes and matching purses for Easter!

And then there's gloves (and it's own set of rules!)

• A well-dressed woman wore gloves and a hat outside the home for all but the most casual occasions. 
• 
  
• Gloves should be worn on the streets of cities and large town, when going to church, to a luncheon, dinner or reception; a dance, a wedding or an official function. They are also worn to a restaurant and in the theater.
• 
  
• Gloves must always be removed before eating, drinking, smoking, playing cards or putting on makeup.

No matter for the inspiration, my sister and I were always well dressed -- and matched!  Mom enjoyed sewing, and she created many many outfits for my sister and I.  For the whole family, in fact!
Check out this lovely brown plaid for the entire family!   *giggles*  
I happen to know in this instance, the material was a very good price!

And this only covers 1965 and 1966 ....
there were many more memorable outfits, but that's for a later post!

Happy Memories :)

Santa's Village

Up in Scott's Valley just off Highway 17, hidden in the local pine and redwood trees 

was Santa's Village.  The park had its own freeway exit off Highway 17, 

and as of 2016, the freeway exit signs still read "Santa's Village Road".

(Get a load of those cars!!)

In 1956 the Lawridge Dairy dairy farm leased it's land 

to a developer who built "Santa's Village".

It opened in May, 1957.  The main rides were a bobsled, 

a spinning Christmas tree and Santa's Express train.

There was also a petting zoo, a huge Jack-in-the-Box 

and equally large Santa's boot, and an Alice in Wonderland hall of mirrors.  

The park closed it's doors in 1979.

(That's me on the left, Jerry and Jimmy Lee on the right)

The one vivid memory I have of Santa's Village was deep in the park 

there was a pole covered in frosty "snow" .... You had to climb up an 

incline to get up there and actually touch it!  We'd scrape our fingernails 

on the pole to gather up some of the frosty goodness to try to make 

a snowball to throw at someone!

1962

Maude Avenue

I chose to post this photo because it shows quite a bit of the house we lived in when Lori was born.  We lived here from 1963 to 1966.



Here's how it looks in 2016.




I have a lot of memories of this first home.  I attended Kindergarten and First grade at Fair Oaks Elementary.  I walked to school.  I'm guessing my mother walked with me.  It was a thing back then!

On the other side of the fence are some trees -- still there, and very large now!  I called it my forest.  I would often take a book to read under those trees.  I've always been a loner, could always find what I needed when out in nature.  I loved that forest!

Back then, Maude was a dead end.  At the end of the street was the parking lot to the park, and the back of the high school where the baseball field was.  I took swim lessons at the high school!

I was roller skating one day, and I zoomed up to the front porch and couldn't stop in time.  I crashed into the step, fell and chipped my front tooth.  That was a bad day for me ......


it created a broken tooth smile for every single picture until I was in high school.  I was very self conscious about it.  And even though it's been fixed, the habit of not smiling as often has stuck with me, I think!








Across the street was the Armory.  There was an older gentleman who was always there, and when he'd see me, he'd give me an orange soda from the machine ... in bottles!    This is the only photo I could find that looks like the armory I remember.  There was a time it was a shelter for the homeless.  Inside was like a huge gymnasium sized room, and a cafeteria type kitchen.  I often wonder how my life might have been different if we'd stayed in this home a while longer?  but moving when we did was probably a good thing.  Maude is no longer a dead end street.  Wolfe Road now curves into Fair Oaks, and there's a lot of traffic that goes through there.

Just a bit of insight into my growing up years!

Head West!

When I was three years old, my parents decided that "Heading West" was a good idea.  And my mother's sister, Margie, and her family came along.  We lived in apartments in Sunnyvale, close to the Steamship Park (Serra Park).  They lived upstairs, we lived downstairs.  Both Dad and Uncle Jim found jobs at Stanford University doing all kinds of maintenance.  When the school year was over, they cleaned out professors' homes and dorms.   They also both worked for Mike at the Shell Station on the corner of Bascom and Hedding (In 2017, it's a Chevron station now).

Somehow, we ended up with a large white three wheel trike - not a kid size, but larger! and rode it everywhere.  We all shared, those were easier times.   I know the sisters were happy to be together - but it didn't last.  They went back to Minnesota; that was a very sad day indeed!    Times weren't easy back then.  If my memory serves, Dad was driving a '53 Chevy

We went lots of places ... the zoo, touring Stanford U, The North Pole (At Santa's Village) and all the local parks!