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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Vintage Halloween Fun

It's been a while but I really do love the mid-century ads from Life Magazine.  Enjoy these vintage Halloween Ads!

Brach's Halloween Candy for Trick or Treat

October 20, 1958 Life Magazine
Brach's Candy For Trick or Treat

October 19, 1959 Life Magazine
Brach's Halloween Candies

October 1960 Life Magazine

Kraft Fudgies (illustrator Whitney Darrow Jr.)

October 20, 1958 Life Magazine

Kraft Candies Fudgies & Caramels

October 26, 1959 Life Magazine

Curtiss Candy Baby Ruth & Butterfinger
Saf-T-Pop, Curtiss Chum Gum, Circlets, Caramel Rolls, Penny Logs

October 1960 Life Magazine

Fleer Dubble Bubble Gum

October 29, 1956 Life Magazine

Post Treat-Pak (illustration by Dick Sargent)

October 28, 1957 Life Magazine

Post Treat Pak

October 26, 1959 Life Magazine

Reddi Wip

October 27, 1958 Life Magazine

Hawaiian Punch

October 26, 1959 Life Magazine

Kool-Aid

October 26, 1959 Life Magazine


Sunkist Frozen Fruit Punches

October 1960 Life Magazine

Alka-Seltzer "Feel UP to the fun that's so good for you . . ."

October 22, 1956 Life Magazine

Sylvania Bue Dot

October 21, 1957 Life Magazine

Chase & Sanborn (illustrator Whitney Darrow Jr.)

October 29, 1956 Life Magazine

Budweiser

October 1960 Life Magazine

Dutch Masters, the fine cigar

October 26, 1959 Life Magazine

Friday, October 17, 2014

Happy 55th Anniversary Mom & Dad!

My parents were wed October 17, 1959 and are celebrating 55 years of marriage today! 

Fall 1957, Dad was a student at the University of Washington and living in Terry Hall. He had previously spent a year at Whitworth where he was Pre-Med.  He didn't feel he was Pre-Med material and tuition was very expensive so he transferred to UW in the '55-'56 school year (? I think . . .). Here he is studying in his UW dorm room:



Fall 1957, my Mom was a 17 year old freshman at the University of Washington - she pledged a sorority and planned on earning a degree in Communications.
On campus at the UW:


My Dad writes this about their meeting and dating:
"October of 1957, I went to a sorority/fraternity open house (referred to as  "Stock Show") with Phil LeMoine and another Phil.  I noticed Bev - a short little blond in a red dress who was open and friendly.  It turned out Phil LeMoine had been trying to get us together.  We dated through April 1958 (mom had been quite sick with mono during the winter months so we didn't have very much contact then) when I joined the army - we said good-bye but kept writing." 
Mom threw a going away party for Dad before he left for boot camp and this is the earliest photo of them together (my grandparent's basement).


As my Dad wrote, my Mom was very sick that fall.  So sick that she had to drop out of the University of Washington.  Dad went off to the army before earning a degree because he still didn't know what kind of degree he wanted to earn.

"I was 16 weeks at Fort Ord (8 weeks basic, 8 weeks clerical training).  I was shipped off to Korea September 1958 for 13 months returning October 10, 1959.  Our only contact was by mail after the mono interrupted seven months we dated."
Last year, Dad gave me an old reel-to-real audio tape - we no longer had any way to listen to it. For his birthday, I had it digitally transferred and it turned out to be an audio letter he sent to my Mom while he was in Korea. It was so sweet!
I really don't know the story of the wedding proposal but a week after he arrived on leave, they were married.
The wedding shower the weekend before:

October 17, 1959





My Dad continues:
"We had a brief honeymoon in Portland, Oregon when I had to leave for my temporary assignment to Fort Benning, Georgia where I awaited my next orders.  I returned for Christmas and then left on January 5, 1960 for  Fort Sill, Oklahoma for Officer Candidate School where I couldn't take my wife.  She finally joined me August 1960.  If you count it up we had actually been together for four or five months from the time we met in October 1957 until August 1960 - our romance was primarily in writing.  I remember we ate out one night at a Pizza place in Oklahoma - we went to pay our check but someone else had picked it up for us because they had noticed us as a young couple in love - we have returned the favor to a couple of other couples during our life together."

Dad finished his time with the Army in 1962 at Fort Hood Texas - he felt his time in the army was the very best choice for him at that time.  They moved up to Seattle (with baby me) and joined civilian life; Dad started his career at Boeing. My sister Kristin was later born and time marches on.


Dad decided to take advantage of The G.I. Bill and go back to the University of Washington while still working at Boeing. In 1976, he finally earned his BA in Psychology.


The next year Mom began her quest for a degree again by taking courses at Bellevue Community College where she earned her AA and transferred to the University of Washington.  She became one of those knocked up college girls so she dropped out again. Of course we were delighted when my sister, Sarah was born.

They celebrated their 25th Anniversary in 1984 - when their oldest had been married a year and a recent graduate of the University of Washington, their middle was a senior in college and their youngest was a Kindergartner.


After Sarah was in school, Mom returned to the UW and finally graduated with a BA in English Literature in 1987.


They became Grandparents the following year in 1988.


My parents have fun together; they have stayed by each other's side.  I'm so grateful for this.
1988


1993


2003


2003


2004


2008


2009 - Their 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration with some of their wedding party (Phil Lemoine who originally wanted to introduce them to each other is next to my Dad)


2012 Mom and Dad with their three daughters, three sons-in-law, three grandsons and three granddaughters.


My parents have definitely modeled persistence whether it's achieving educational goals or sticking with each other through thick and thin.
Congratulations, Mom and Dad!  Cheers for  many more fun years together!



Saturday, April 19, 2014

More Vintage Easter Postcards

I find vintage holiday postcards delightful! 
Easter Greetings!!


Easter Greetings
Postmarked 1911


A Joyous Easter


Easter Greeting
Christ our Lord today has risen,
Sing his praise forever more,
Lift your voice reach him in heaven
That your soul he may restore.



A Joyful Easter


Fond Easter Wishes


My postcards from last Easter are here.


Saturday, March 29, 2014

Vintage Cherry Blossom Time in Washington DC

There is an informative timeline of the Cherry Blossom trees in Washington DC found here.
I "knew" that the Cherry Blossom trees had been there since 1912 (my daughter was there in 2012 for a school trip that happened to fall on the 100th anniversary). The National Park Service link above mentions that the hope for Cherry Blossoms goes back even further.  And that Japan even gifted 2,000 trees in 1909 (coming by way of Seattle!).  However, those trees were infested and the lot was sadly burned.

Japan gifted 3,020 trees in 1912 and they were successfully planted.  In 1965 an additional gift of 3,800 trees was made by Japan.  Propagates of the 1912 trees still exist.

Generations of visitors have enjoyed these beautiful trees.


"Washington Monument, Cherry Blossom Time, Washington, D. C." H. H. Rideout


"Cherry Blossom Time Washington, D. C. - The Japanese Cherry Blossoms around the Tidal Basin is considered the most beautiful Photographers' Paradise in the World. Thousands of Visitors from every State in the Nation and Foreign Countries, view this Nature's Magnificent Attraction each year. The Festival is held around April 1st Annually."


"Blooming of the Cherry Trees Washington, D. C. This event in the Spring attracts thousands of visitors. Washington Monument is pictorially framed with these blooms." Color by Mike Roberts  Postmarked April 10, 1969. Message reads:
"Hi! Isn't that a beautiful picture on this postcard? The thing is, it looks just like that it's 80 degrees out. We visited all the 'tourist-traps' but after all they are interesting. We leave for New York tomorrow."


"Lincoln Memorial and Japanese Cherry Blossoms, Washington. D.C." " Lincoln Memorial and Japanese Cherry Blossoms, Washington, D. C. The Lincoln Memorial, modelled after a classic Greek Temple, is situated on an eminence in Potomac Park on the banks of the Potomac River. From the far side of Tidal Basin., the view as pictured here is very beautiful and attractive, especially in the early Spring when the Japanese Cherry Trees are in bloom."


"Lincoln Memorial Through Cherry Blossoms, Washington, D. C."


"Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D. C."


"Cherry Blossom Time in Washington, D. C." "Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Background" H. H. Rideout. Postmarked August 19, 1949


"The Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D. C. During the cherry blossom season in early spring the beautiful Jefferson Memorial is surrounded by pink blossoms."


"Cherry Blossom Time Thomas Jefferson Memorial Washington, D. C. - The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is located on the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. It is constructed of Danby Vermont marble for the exterior and Georgia white marble for its interior. This Historic Shrine with its setting of Cherry Blossoms is one of the most beautiful sights in Springtime, and is visited by thousands each year."