1 May 1955 “Thank you, Photos, and May Day”

First off, I am thankful to all of you who took the time to leave comments. It was definitely a hard time, these past few days, with the passing of my little dog.

As it happened, as it often does with pets, our little Gilbert carried a heavy weight on his shoulders. We very often, with our loved pets, place upon them the cares and woes we sometimes just can’t face. They are the unquestioning friend who let’s you cry on their shoulder, never asks why and never judges you. So much weight on the shoulders of that little dog. The leaving of my parents. My mother’s horrid disease. The final days of my youth. All of that and more tied into 12 pounds of furry smiles and tail wags.

I am, truly, glad to be in the midst of this project when it happened. And in many ways the projects lessons of maturity and ACTION have helped me to come to terms with these things. The passing of my little dog allowed me to final open up and cry. I saw the importance of a grave. A marker to what once was. A place I could toss the dirt, shed my tear and say goodbye to my youth, my mother, my little friend and a life that had gone.

Yet, here I am with flowers for the grave. Apple trees to grow and make food for my family. Work to be done. Projects to undertake. Letters to write. Posts to do. A life has formed up around me when I really felt I was hiding from an old one. I am thankful and relish the maturity and ACTION of my new days. Again, thank you. I shall not dwell. As, the world awaits and there is so much to do. So many things to create and enjoy and bake! Onward, we march, we homemakers. We are a tough lot.

I thought something light and visual would be good to follow yesterday’s blog. I just had to post this photo as it is so sweet and funny. How lucky these young men are, considering had they been born 10 years earlier they may have already contracted the dreadful disease.

Credit: Image donated by Corbis-Bettmann
Leo Casey watches aghast as Charles Buzine, 6, receives a shot of polio vaccine. Leo's up next. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 29, 1955.

 

I found this image on a blog who posts found photos. Isn’t it fun?

For some reason I feel he should be called Charles or Filbert or something along those lines. I love that on ‘school photo day’ he is expected to wear a suit and tie and how about that darling hankie? You know his mother ironed that one!

Here is the TV Guide for this week: Aren’t her matching gloves and scarf adorable. I really think the fashions of those time took guts! It takes some pride of place and real confidence to wear polka dot gloves and scarf. It takes the same confidence and charm to wear a pink flowered hat to the grocery store. I never want to look back and think, “Oh, at least I blended in and nobody noticed me.” Especially when I see the smiles I sometimes get from older people. It is funny how an outfit, remembered, can bring a smile to someone’s face. They were proud of their clothes and have fond memories. I have to say if I saw someone sporting an 1980s outfit of acid washed jeans, baggy shirt with shoulder pads, neon jelly bracelets, jelly shoes and ratted burnt blonde hair, I would not think, “oh, how lovely to see someone wearing the 'old style,” Maybe it is just me, though, maybe there are a lot of you out there who do remember the 1980s and 90s fashion fondly, myself I think I cannot.

I found some nice photos on a genealogical site for Arkansas, so I hope they don’t mind that I am displaying them, but I found it rather interesting to see average people in the mid 1950’s and what they would have worn.

This is the Wheatley family. I was surprised that the young boy is wearing dungarees while in town and even the youngest daughter is sporting sneakers. These ladies have nice casual skirt top combinations. Although I adore the dress on the woman on the right. It looks almost dressy and yet what comfortable open toed shoes. I thought this family almost looked modern (except for the mother’s shoes, which I love and have a pair similar in red and white) This one is from 1955 and I really like the younger mother’s (on the right) dress. I think I will try to make something similar. I have not touched my machine since March, but come May that will change. Sewing day will be inserted into my routine, perhaps it will share ironing day. Most of the men seem rather casual, but all the ladies are sporting dresses and skirts and they all look fresh. I think dresses in the summer are so much more comfortable than anything else and they do look so nice. The young mother’s shoes are quite nice. A strap always helps give a nice turn to an ankle, don’t you think?

This young mother looks quite comfortable. Her shoes are sensible and if I had to venture a guess, I don’t believe she is wearing a girdle, or perhaps it is a more ‘relaxed’ girdle. The little girls dresses are darling. I am sure not many will agree with me, but I hate to see little girls nowadays wearing mini versions of jeans and sweats or those horrible velour ‘track suits’. If I had a little girl (which luckily for her I do not) she would be in all kinds of darling dresses. If mummy can clean and garden in a dress, she certainly could play in one. And I LOVE the playsuits of this time period for children. Practical and yet adorable and look at the little matching beach jacket. So much nicer than seeing saggy wet disposable diapers (nappies) at the beach!

This one feels so ‘me’ while doing my shopping (though sometimes I wear heels) I love that hair length and style! So breezy and cool.

Well, Happy May Day. I am not sure how any of you or if any of you celebrate this holiday anymore, but in the 1950s there were parades and queens and maypoles etc. Here are some pics

This would have been how my fictional grandmother would have celebrated it, most likely

I vaguely recall a story my mother once told me that when she was a little girl, they would gather posy’s of forget-me-nots and pansies and violets and hang them secretly on the doors of the older people in her town. It sounded lovely. I don’t know if anyone celebrates it anymore, does your town?