Sunday, August 30, 2009

Two Mystery Objects

I hope your Sunday
Is as lovely as mine!

With a pretty Hoya blooming!
And now for the mystery objects - Can you guess what they are?
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OBJECT #1

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What is this?



Another view of the same object. I know what it is. I'll let you know on Tuesday


Object #2

I don't know what this is. It's growing on my property in Florida in the shade. It's been growing for about 3 years, is about 3 feet tall with long leaves. It hasn't bloomed, just keeps adding leaves. The stem is woody and you can see that the leaves are veined in one direction and split along the veins. Do you have any idea what it is? I haven't a clue - although it looks vaguely familiar. I will tell you what it is on Tuesday - only if you tell me.


Thursday, August 27, 2009

Postcard Friendship Friday - Shades of Blue


Postcard copied here with the kind permission of CardCow.com
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Happy Postcard Friendship Friday! It is happy indeed, because we are looking forward to the return of our PFF host, Marie of Voila, Vintage Postcards! You have been missed, Marie!!!
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Today's card is the official postcard printed to commemorate the wedding of Alice Roosevelt ( the eldest of President Theodore Roosevelt's 6 children ) to Nicholas Longworth on February 17, 1906. This is one wedding where I am sure the Father of the Bride was happy to hand his daughter over to another's responsibility.
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President Theodore Roosevelt once said: “I can either run the country or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both.”

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Alice became an immediate celebrity when her family moved into the White House. She christened one of Kaiser Wilhelm's ships and was known thereafter as Princess Alice.

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Alice, Circa her 1903 Debute

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Alice, once described as the "ambulatory Washington Monument", lived a long and very colorful life. She was known as a rulebreaker in an era when women were under great pressure to conform. Her exploits were legendary. She smoked in public, rode in cars with men, stayed out late partying and was seen placing bets with a bookie.
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Martha Graham: "After one party they both attended early in 1920, my mother described Alice as having been in a very carnal sort of mood, She ate three chops, told shady stories and finally sang in a deep bass voice: Nobody cultivates me, I'm wild, I'm wild."
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And what does this all have to do with shades of blue?


The public adored their beautiful Princess Alice, and once it was made known that Alice's favorite color was a particular shade of blue grey, the color was dubbed Alice blue.
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Alice blue is a light steel blueish-cyanish color that sparked a fashion sensation in the United States.
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The hit song "Alice Blue Gown", inspired by Longworth's signature gown, premiered in the 1919 Broadway musical Irene. The musical was made into a film in 1940 starring Anna Neagle and Ray Milland.
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Joni James' version from her album Little Girl Blue
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The color is specified by the United States Navy for use in insignia and trim on vessels named for Theodore Roosevelt."

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Alice Blue" is also one of the original mid-1990s X11 color names which became the basis for color description in web authoring.


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It appears the card may have been mailed to Miss Mona A Reed on the wedding date in order to obtain a souvenir postmark. However, as you can see - or not see, as the case may be, the Post office did a smashing job, and the postmark is nearly unreadable. The address still exists. Dix Street was named after a prominent Worcester physician by that name.
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A view of Worcester, 1902


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It was mailed to Worcester (pronounced wooster) in central Massachusetts. This was once a thriving paper mill and loom town. The Victorian mill architecture is a reminder of the days that saw the inventions of barbed wire, the monkey wrench, the first American Valentine's Day cards. No, Worcestershire sauce was not invented here.
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Worcester Factory Worker
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A Shot of Worcester's Sister City, Worcester England

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Alice Blue Gown (Lyrics)



In her sweet little Alice blue gown
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When she first wandered down into town
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she was both proud and shy as she felt every eye

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and every shop window she'd primp, passing by
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Then in manner of fashion, she'd frown

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and the world seemed to smile all around
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Till it wilted she wore it, she'll always adore it

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her sweet little Alice blue gown
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Song Name: Alice Blue Gown
Songwriters: Harry Tierney, Joseph Mccarthy




A few parting shots...I mean words...from our American Princess:


Of her quotable quotations, Alice's most famous found its way to a pillow on her settee: “If you can’t say something good about someone, sit right here by me.”
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Senator Joseph McCarthy, who had casually asked her "How are you, Alice?" she stated that the garbage men, taxi drivers and street sweepers in her neighborhood could call her by her first name, but that he could call her "Mrs. Longworth."
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She informed President Lyndon B. Johnson that she wore wide-brimmed hats so he couldn't kiss her.
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On another occasion, asked by a Ku Klux Klansman in full regalia to take his word for something, she refused, saying "I never trust a man under sheets."
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And when a well-known Washington senator was discovered to have been having an affair with a young woman less than half his age, Mrs. Longworth quipped, "You can't make a soufflé rise twice."

Friday, August 21, 2009

Postcard Friendship Fresno Friday!

The linen card shows the home of actor Irene Dunne in Holmby Hills, California. Irene designed this southern plantation style home with her husband, New York dentist, Francis Dixon and lived here until her death in 1990.


Irene Dunne, 1898 - 1990
Irene Dunne was once described as the most deserving actress never to receive an Oscar. I definitely agree, having seen many of her movies.

Today's postcard found it's way into my hand the night after the Mister and I enjoyed watching Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer in the 1939 film, Love Affair. If you've not seen this movie, put it on your must watch list.
Charles Boyer and Irene Dunn enjoyed several glasses of pink champagne in this delightful movie


The sudden popularity of pink champagne caused a shortage as it flew off the store shelves.
You will recognize the plot of Love Affair.
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An Affair To Remember (1957), with Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant (sigh) is a re-make of this movie.
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It was remade once more in 1994 as the charming, but quite forgettable Love Affair, starring Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, and, in her last feature film appearance, Katharine Hepburn.
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Dahling, I'm having daja vu with my pink champagne
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Love Affair was Irene Dunne's favorite film, but her favorite co-star was Cary Grant.




The Awful Truth is many of our fans have not seen The Awful Truth. And that's the truth, awful though it may be.
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They starred in three films together, including The Awful Truth (1937) My Favorite Wife (1940 and Penny Serenade (1941).





The postcard was mailed from Fresno California on February 5, 1942

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It was addressed to Manset, Maine which is on the southwestern side of Mount Desert Island. The island lies near the southern entrance to Somes Sound, the only Fjord on the east coast of the United States. It provides spectacular views of several mountains including Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.
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A glacial rock on the peak of Cadillac Mountain.
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I have provided a satellite picture of Manset Maine overlooking the buttery bay for your convenience.
Pass me that fork, would you please?

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The card reads: .
From Mrs. H. Bingham
84 Andrews, Fresno, Cal.
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Am very busy now as I put in 3 hrs a day typing in defense council office and every 4th day 6 hrs. shift on anti aircraft warning service. The war is terrible. I hope it never reaches here.
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Mrs. Bingham may have worked for the 583rd Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion at Camp Pinedale which was located about 8 miles north of Fresno.


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I often wondered about the name Fresno. Frezzz-no. Who made that one up? Sounds like a diet drink.

Well, it was actually named after two particular ash trees that grew near the town of Minkler on the Kings River. One of the trees is still alive and standing. What have ash trees got to do with Fresno???



Fraxinus Depitala


Genus Fraxinus -the pronunciation sounds a lot like Fresno! - are the true ashes, and are in Oleaceae, the olive family, along with olives and lilacs. The tree's common English name goes back to the Old English æsc, a word also routinely used in Old English documents to refer to spears made of ash wood.

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A picture of mail boxes in the main Fresno Post Office for our delightful host of Postcard Friendship Friday's, Marie at Voila! Vintage Postcards! You are missed, Marie!!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday to America's Friendliest City!



Today's postcard is the Court of Four Seasons at the Panama Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, California, 1915.
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An article about the Exposition stated it is no longer to necessary to say "the known world" as all of the world is known, and mapped and presented to those who attend the Exposition. This huge exposition opened just 8 years after the devastating San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906. It was held on the waterfront, by the Golden Gate Bridge and the Presidio.
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The Exposition was built on the same location that held a Tent City for quake survivors.

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The PPIE brochure reads:

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"The Panama-Pacific International Exposition is an encyclopedia of modern achievement. You are afforded an opportunity to make a comparative study of the methods and manners of modern civilization; the conditions and means of living—the hygiene, the religions—in short, the objects and accomplishments of all the peoples of all the world. Such an event will not occur again while you live."
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The breathtaking electric scintillators, aka floodlights, at the Court of Four Seasons


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An auspicious visitor to the Exposition was beloved American Author, Laura Ingalls Wilder. Laura, who wrote of her pioneering adventures in the Little House series of books, visited her daughter Rose in San Francisco. Together they toured the Exposition. Click on the link to read her memoirs of her visit!






The large display of modern acheivements could not be seen in just a day or two. A month long visit was the recommendation. Season tickets were available and included an photo identity card.




The postmark reads San Francisco, Cal, October 16, 1915 4:30 PM


The writer says:


Be good Mother. I'm at the fair for the last time. Gee I will be glad to see you all. So by by

your (?)


It is addressed to Mrs. Elizabeth (?)

Delphos Hotel

Delphos Ohio

Delphos is located in north west Ohio, and was founded amidst the Great Black Swamp in 1844 on the Miami and Erie Canal by the German-born Reverend John Otto Bredeick and his brother Ferdinand Bredeick, both from Verl, Germany. The Canal brought early prosperity to the community, providing access to Toledo and Cincinnati. By the 20th century, the Canal had declined in importance, but railroads provided access to markets.
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Delphos is known as "America's Friendliest City". I will attest to that, as I called Delphos this morning to clarify a couple of questions and my call was put directly through to the Mayor! Now I ask you, is that not proof positive of the friendliest city in America?
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My question to Mayor Michael Gallmeier was about the Delphos hotel. I could not find information on a hotel by that name despite an exceptionally well documented on-line history of Delphos. The two period hotels mentioned are the Beckman House and the Phelan, both built in the late 1800's

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The Phaelan Hotel c.1881

Picture Compiled by Robert Holdgreve, President of Delphos Historical Society
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Mayor Gallmeier suggested I call the Lehmann Furnature Store. It is housed in one of the old hotels - the former Phaelan Hotel, as it turns out. My thought is that perhaps the writer was just referring generally to "the" hotel in Delphos. Folks could get away with just providing the postoffice with a name and a city. The card was summarily delivered as requested. It was not returned 3 months later shredded and sealed in a plastic snack sized baggie with vague threats pencilled on the steamed envelope flap. This, of course, was back in the time of 2 digit telephone numbers, no Social Security numbers and certainly no zip codes.

Perhaps the postcard was delivered in this mail carriage.

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The carriage is on display at the Delphos Postal History Museum.


Hop aboard and visit our Postcard Friendship Friday Host, Marie at Voila! Vintage Postcards! for more postcard fun.

As always , thank you so much for stopping by! I LOVE your comments and enjoy your visits as much as I enjoy investigating the friendly people and places of these wonderful old postcards

Friday, August 7, 2009

Postcard Friendship Friday - Orange You Glad It's Friday?


Welcome to yet another Postcard Friendship Friday hosted by Marie of Voila! Vintage Postcards! I am really enjoying these! Another investigative adventure!
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Today's Postcard is the vintage version of " My friend went to Florida and all she brought back was this t-shirt. In this case, the postcard shows "the box of grapefruit and oranges I promised to send you from Florida" fallen off the truck and laying by the side of the road.

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The card is postmarked December 18, 1913. It was mailed to Tottenville, Staten Island, NY. I always thought Staten Island was just Staten Island, but it turns out it has many named neighborhoods. Tottenville is 1.7 square miles, and at the southwestern most tip of the Island.
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It is mainly a white middle class neighborhood with many beautiful Victorian homes. Turns out the first Spanish settlers did not arrive in Tottenville until about 2002.
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The Tottenville Staten Island Ferry is the main mode of transportation to New York City.

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Here is a picture of the Staten Island Ferry

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Or perhaps this is it.

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The card is addressed to Annie E. Cole on Johnson Street and reads:

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Dec - 18 -1913 - Piedmont, Fla

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Dear Friend - We have been in Fla since Nov. 19 - Enjoying the lovely mild weather and eating all the oranges and grapefruit we can. The weather is so warm that ladies still go out in the streets in the thinnest of summer dresses. No coats. It seems more like Sept. to us. We can't realize Xmas will be here in a few days. Hope you rec'd my card from Jacksonville. Wish you and your sister could spend a winter in Florida - Mr. V.D. sends regards to you both.

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Lovingly A.V.D.

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I told you what would happen if I found one more grapefruit on the breakfast table!

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I've had so much vitamin C I'm starting to see double!
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Piedmont Animal Hospital
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Piedmont Florida? I had not heard of it either. It appears it was a town or village or unincorporated area just outside of Apopka in Orange County. I found a neighborhood called Piedmont Lakes which I assume is what is left of the turn of the century Piedmont.

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Orange Grove House Of Refuge
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I came across this historical marker while looking for pictures of orange groves. It's very interesting - you can enlarge it to read.
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Carroll Building. A historical (yawn) building in Apopka.

Apopka is the Indian word for Potato Eating Place. Is too.

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Apopka, which is part of the Orlando Metropolitan area is yet another example of a town that originally received electrical power (in 1914) from the local ice company - the Apopka Water, Light and Ice, Incorporated.

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The Apopka area is growing and expanding and is pleased to be the site of a new Lowe's, a Home Depot, a Staples and two (2) Chili's Restaurants. I've been near Apopka several times, but have never knowingly been within the city limits.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Hello My Saucy Friends!





Tiffany and Heather have a saucy blog. It's called The Secret is in The Sauce. Are you among the 2890 members who know that the secret of success is support and the secret to support is in this Sitstahood?!? It is a group of women bloggers dedicated to supporting one another by leaving comments. Lots and lots of comments.





Tiffany and Heather are dedicated to bloggers meeting bloggers, blog recognition and shout-outs. They have been kind enough to announce several of our Bloggy Adventures which resulted in new participation and new Sitsta friendships.





Why do I mention this? Because I am honored to be the Featured Blogger at SITS today!

Since you've stopped by, how about a refreshing glass of pink lemonade. Perfect for a Sitsta Summer day.



If you are new to the Sitstahood click here to sign up.




Way to go Heather and Tiffany! Thank you!

Recognition works both ways!

You two are true Sitsta's!