Hi! Hope you had a fun and restful Memorial Day weekend. I’ve written before about my fascination with old photographs. I’ve been buying old beach snapshots on Ebay and wherever else I find them. I’ve hung a group of them on the wall of the staircase at The Breeze Inn, along with a 1920s wool bathing suit that was also an Ebay find. You know how it is. Once you get started, these old pics start turning up everywhere. The photo above is part of a large stash sent me by my friend Barbara, who lives in the charming town of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Most of the photos were old cabinet cards, which were formal photographs taken by studio photographers in the late 1800s and early part of the 20th century. As far as I can tell, many of the ones Barb sent were done in and around Columbus, Ohio. The photo above was just a poorly cropped snapshot. But I do love it, especially the stern look of the little girl on the left. Was she the big sister, admonished to watch her siblings while the parade passed by? I love little sister’s bloomers, and the shy smile of younger brother.
How can you not imagine a story for the little girl pictured above, as part of a large composite photograph of a First Communion photo? For you non-Catholics, the first communion is a big ritual for children, usually in first or second grade. Girls get a white dress, and in my day, a white veil, prayer book, white patent leather pocketbook and itchy white socks. I’ve named the little girl above Bernice. Isn’t she just a little pickle? Maybe she just pinched the little boy sitting in front of her. I’m thinking his name is Arthur and he would love to turn around and poke ol’ sourpuss Bernice right in the nose. And she’d rat him out in a second.
Here’s a fuller view–my scanner cut off the priest’s head, but believe me, he’s probably responsible for a lot of the sour looks on the children’s faces. Except for the dark haired kid on the top left corner, with the smug grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. I think he’s plotting sumthin’.
Which brings us to these two little charmers. I’m calling them Theodore and Oliver. Aren’t they nicely turned out for a day at the shore? Don’t you love Theodore’s “Life Guard” shirt? The beach looks pretty rocky to me, leading me to believe maybe their seashore is on a lake, not the sandy Gulf of Mexico beaches I grew up loving. I’ve been buying more pix on Ebay, so I’ll post them when they arrive. Until then, hope it’s sunnier where you are.
I went junkin’ in NY last week. I PROMISE I looked for beach pix for you. No one seemed to have any!
Vicki
I love these! What a fun idea to collect them for The Breeze Inn.
Speaking of pictures, I’m dying to know about the skirt the lady’s wearing on the front of your new book (which I’m so excited to read I can barely stand it)
I love the couple and their son on the beach, that is a classic!
I often buy, or “rescue,” letters and photos that are ripped from scrapbooks and sold by the piece. Recently adopted “Nancy’s” photos, country club invitations, spinner mood door sign, and other memorabilia. Nancy is probably in a nursing home or has joined Stilty, the collie in one photo. I couldn’t stand her life stuck in a corner of an antique shop so I brought it home with me.
Candice from “Under the Honeysuckle Vine”
http://candice-ransom.livejournal.com