Postcard Frienship Friday - A Salty Sea Captain

Welcome to another Postcard Friendship Friday sponsored by Marie at Voila! Vintage Postcards!

Today's' scenic Florida card shows royal palms and bougainvillea. The description on the back of the card reads:

Bougainvillea not only comes in a purple color, but in yellow, orange, white, pink and crimson. Florida is the land of gorgeous flowers and she leads all other states in the variety of soils, crops, fishes, trees, flowers, herbs and birds.

So there you have it. It must be true because it says so on the postcard!

Many varieties of palm trees grow in Florida including the showy royal palms pictured on the card. The only palm that is native to Florida, however, is the sabal palm. It is called by several names including cabbage palm and palmetto and is designated as the official state tree. This is the tree that gives us heart of palm salads. It grows wild across the state, and is such a slow grower that mature trees are transplanted from wild areas to landscaped areas.

The salt tolerant Sabal palm graces our beaches.

A closeup of the papery and very showy flowers of the bougainvillea.

The postcard was posted on June 11, 1956 in St. Petersburg Florida and mailed to Marion, Iowa ( near Cedar Rapids). It reads:

Dear Friend.

It was some surprise for me to hear from you. I haven't spent much time in Galveston for I have been going to sea for 35 years. Have just quit and living here in Florida. 2946 Pinellas Pt. Dr. So. St. Petersburg.

Yours truly

Charles L. Lorer

Charles' lived in south St. Petersburg, just a few blocks from the (then) brand new two lane Sunshine Skyway bridge.

Hopefully, after 35 years at sea, Charles relaxed and enjoyed his retirement in the Sunshine State. Perhaps he met up with Gladys "Red" Mullroney - recently bereaved of her 3rd husband - who at age 60 was still very sprightly and looked rather fetching in her bobbley flamingo earrings, toreador pants and halter tops. She hooked on to Chaz, as she insisted on calling him, for mid-morning shuffleboard and also made sure he sat next to her (and NOT that Clara Sommer person) at the Egg N' I during late breakfasts.

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His somewhat salty language was a nice change from the tea and bridge ladies. Red was quite sure that his cherry blend pipe tobacco kept the mosquitoes away better than her patio collection of citronella candles. He still swaggered a bit when he walked, as though he had just stepped off a ship - perhaps it was because he was within hearing distance of the waves lapping at the edge of St. Petersburg's shore.