Friday, March 6, 2009

Postcard Friendship Friday #6

Ida Cason Callaway Gardens


It's Postcard Friendship Friday!

What caught my eye about this postcard is the notation on the back. The hybrid rhododendrons pictured on the card are called "Cynthia". These were propagated for the Rhododendron Trail, planted by the Ida Cason Callaway Gardens along the Appalachian Trail near Chipley Ga, about 50 miles north of Columbus Georgia.
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The card is not dated either by writer or the postmark, so I got out my Hello Kitty CSI Kit and determined it was probably written in the mid to late 50's for 3 reasons. 1) The Ida Cason Callaway Gardens opened in 1952, 2) the purple 3 cent Liberty stamp was in use in the 50's and Chipley GA. was renamed Pine Mountain by 1960.

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The message reads:
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Tue. Eve - Staying at Garden Motel tonight. It's beautiful! Didn't cover many miles today. Stopped at college to see Ron Marren. Also a couple of young people from Gull Lake. Going to Weeki Wachee Springs in Fla. tomorrow - 525 mi. Enjoying our trip so much. 70 degrees at 5:00. Love, Us
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It was mailed to Pentwater Michigan - a small village of less than 1,000 people (2000 Census) in Oceana County in west central Michigan on Lake Michigan. The young people she referred to are from Gull Lake which is near Kalamazoo. They may have been attending West Georgia College which is now West Georgia University.

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Weeki Wachee - 1950's
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My take on the back story:
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Wanda and Ted are taking a driving tour of the South in their new maroon Buick. They are unencumbered by children, pets or Ted's mother-in-law to whom the postcard was mailed. They are dutifully visiting friends along the way and taking in gardens and botanical sites at every opportunity.
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They have had to send their breakfast plates back to the kitchen on several occasions because of the mushy white mass of something called grit (or is it grits? Wait until I tell Elvira about this!) that those antebellum cooks insist on plopping next to their 3 minute eggs. The waitresses all say "Now, Hon, you just try them! We would all just die if we didn't have our gree-uts in the mawnin!"
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Wanda is not quite sure what this Weeki Wachee springs is all about either, but Ted has heard about the mermaids that eat bananas and drink Coca Cola and breath underwater. He absolutely insists they drive an extra 525 miles just to see this. His foot hits the gas just a bit harder each time he imagines his face pressed against the glass of that underwater theater.
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Wanda looks up from her knitting every single time he strays over 50 mph. He's told her to keep an eye out for the Florida border. The Welcome Station gives everyone free orange juice and the rest rooms are air conditioned!
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For more Postcard Friendship Friday Fun pop over to see my dear bloggy friend Marie at Voila! Vintage Postcards

23 comments:

Marie Reed said...

My first thought was... I hope that she writes 'her take' on the message! I read faster and faster scrolling my little heart out and... voilĂ ! Hooray for Musey! This also reminds me of my childhood with the free orange juice mention! I was always so excited to cross the border for my little vitamin c filled paper cup of goodness! I also went to go see Weeki Watchee with my Memie (grandma) ahhh.. the memories!

Pat said...

Great post, Cynthia! I should dig out some of my postcards...but am not sure I have so many...will look.

Am posting an Orient Express photo on Monday...

steviewren said...

Postcards complete with a message on the back are the best. Loved the play by play!

Sometime in the 60s the gardens turned into plain Calloway Gardens....I know because we went there on vacation more than once. My parents loved the place. I think I have postcards collected from our side trip to the Little White House in Warm Springs....bet Wanda and Ted made a stop there as well.

Sreisaat said...

I agree with Steviewren, the message at the back is great!
I do hope I have your Hello Kitty CSI Kit as I have recently inherited old postcards from my husband's granny and I need something to help me figure out the postmarks :)

Postcards Crossing

Betsy Brock said...

Great investigating, Sherlock! And the message is great...

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

I just love this Muse Swings!!
Prince and I go to Callaway Gardens often and it is still a place of beauty. I love the description given by the sender.......
Tha's beautiful!!

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Linda said...

Hey, I have been to Callaway. The flowers are absoulty beautiful!! They put on a lovely Christmas show every year. Blessings

Chris Overstreet said...

Your backstory is not only logical, but plausible. Ted was misinformed on one point, however; the mermaids drank NeHi back then. They've since had to switch to Diet Dr. Pepper.

MuseSwings said...

Chris - there's no end to commercialism!

petra michelle; Whose role is it anyway? said...

Thoroughly enjoyable, Muse! Tickled by your imagination running away with a bit of information and creating an interesting story!

dmarks said...

I've been to Pentwater and Gull Lake.

You knew Liquid Illuzion too? Do you also know Awake in Rochester?

Beth Niquette said...

I simply adore your blogspot! I love reading about old postcards. Your stories are so interesting! Thanks for dropping by my blog--and you're right, crunchy hearts ARE better!

Catherine said...

I love the way you extrapolate from the postcard message. Very creative.
Your researches to date are so complete. Well-done.

ChaChaneen said...

Oh my friend, I'm enjoying your stories more than the postcards! ha ha

Keep 'em coming, it is so fun to read what your going to come up with! I applaude your creative writing skills once again!

Lavinia said...

Wah! I want free orange juice!

Wonderfully amusing take on the back story of this post card. You only left out the part about Wanda bracing her hand on the dashboard whenever hubby put the pedal to the medal a little too hard... tee hee.

By the way, you had best be bringing along your
Hello Kitty CSI Kit on our Orient Express adventure. Especially the fingerprint dusting powder!

Anonymous said...

wow, that's some interesting trivia AND investigative work on the probable date of the postcard! :)

by the way, where does on get a hello kitty CSI kit? did i miss a CSI:sanrio series? hehe.

sandy said...

Loved your take on it..much more interesting that the actual writing on the post card..funny...enjoyed it a lot.

Courtney said...

how fun! stopping by from sits.

Sparky said...

Lovely postcard. And the back story was great. I felt like I was there in the car traveling with them. You really outta write for Hollywood. You'd do a much better job than any writers currently there my friend!

Uh oh, I see Lavinia Lightfingers is up to something on Monday. Better keep that Hello Kitty CSI kit handy like she said. [tee hee] ♥ ∞

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I love the backstory! I remember the first time I had grits -- I was on vacation with my husband and we stopped for breakfast in Virginia in a little town somewhere along I 95. We saw them on the menu, and ordered a side of them. We both loved them! Honestly though, there isn't much that we don't like when it comes to food..lol

Jeanne Estridge said...

Did they go to -- what was that place in Florida with the glass-bottomed boats?

Mescrap said...

Such interesting post :)

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

It looks like a lovely place, and so great to have the message - plus embellishments! Great story. Sorry to comment so late - I've been away.