50's style

I have been enjoying (and marveling) over the items for sale in this 1957 Montgomery Ward catalog.  Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs were present in my house during my growing up years. I remember sitting on the couch with sister, Debbie, while perusing the girls section saying, 'If you had to wear an outfit on this page, which would you choose?' And oh, happy day when the Christmas catalog arrived each winter!

 I love these dresses. Sadly, our culture has lost its feminine edge.

I suppose if I managed to squirm into one of these restrictive looking girdles, even I could sport a tiny waistline!I feel myself gasping for breath just thinking about it.

 The catalog features fabric for sale, luggage, tools and even siding for one's home. I miss leafing through a catalog. Somehow, internet shopping isn't quite the same.

 Summer finds me outside in the garden making art in my flower beds. Now that fall is here, I'll bring my art back inside. First step - restoring some sense of order to my messy studio space.  Newly acquired what-nots accumulated in a pile on my desk....

I created this page in my art journal with vintage wallpaper scraps - a new favorite because of the texture of the scraps.

 

I cringe to even say it but the holidays are approaching and I have gifts to make.  Focus, Susan, focus!

Planet Earth

 

 photo courtesy of mail.colonial.net

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors to that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.


Carl Sagan

A child's perception

First of all, my disclaimer. I was not deprived as a child! I had all I needed plus extra thrown in for good measure...

The following items represent wealth.... at least in my childhood brain:

 

*hood ornament on a car
*push button locks on car
*push button windows on car
*a TV remote
*having more than one TV in one's home
*home with a large entryway
*a bedroom dresser light with wooden,         storybook figures
*showing up on first day of school with largest box of Crayola crayons
*not sharing a bedroom
*airplane travel for family vacations
*an above ground pool (obviously an in-the-ground pool was out-of-the-question)
*owning more than one swimsuit at a time
*owning a bike with more than one speed...

The list goes on and in my adult mind it's both amusing and amazing because so many of these items are not only attainable in our present day, socioeconomic culture but are dwarfed by far more extravagant indulges.

Although a bit dusty and needing a some repairs, I was delighted to stumble upon one of the above items at a garage sale. I bought it for $2, cleaned it, made a new lampshade and it may grace soon-to-be-born grandson Landon's room. The honey pot houses a hurdy gurdy that plays 'Rock a bye Baby'. The lamp itself is nothing fancy and I believe my delight in it stems from the desire I had as a child to have one sitting on my bedroom dresser. I would have been rich indeed!!!

I made this flannel and minky quilt for Landon, too, with enough leftover fabric for a tag blanket.

Come soon, little Landon!

Summer happenings

No, this isn't Harvey in a death pose! Glynn's summer long project has been replacing our backyard deck. Harvey enjoyed the cool concrete on a hot day (and needed a bath afterward!)

Photo courtesy of flickriver.com

Having never driven across Chinook Pass, Glynn and I did just that last month. The alpine flowers near Tipsoo Lake with Mt Rainer as a backdrop were breathtaking.  We spent the night in Yakima in the upstairs turret room of the historic Rosedell Bed and Breakfast.

Late July found us in Oregon for our annual family time in Sisters. Cooper loved hose time, pool time and cousin time.

 Last week found us in Colorado Springs visiting Stephanie and Matt. The Springs sits at 6500 ft in elevation. We feel it when we climb stairs or walk up hills. (When Matt first arrived at Ft. Carson in the Army years ago, he was told it takes two months to acclimate to the altitude.)

We rode a cog train up the the 14,100 ft level on Pikes Peak. Once the train reaches the top, it only stays on the summit for 40 minutes due to challenges one could experience with the altitude. Pikes Peak is a famous hiking destination and as I was dizzily walking around the summit I saw many hikers coming up the mountain. It takes around 7 to 10 hours to hike the trail, one way. Most purchase a ride down the trail on the train.  The view is tremendous and I felt a special bond with John Denver and his song, Rocky Mountain High!

                               Pikes Peak, Glynn's nemesis, juts up in the middle of this picture. 

We all developed slight headaches as a result of our mountain climbing. Glynn became quite ill that evening due to altitude sickness and by bedtime I had a roaring headache. I have since taken mountain climbing OFF my bucket list of things to do before I die! 

I know. The next photo is random. I was sitting in the back seat after Steph bought a witch hat to spruce up for a Halloween costume.  Amusing.

 

 

My chicken flock is reduced to two girls. Big Momma had what appeared to be a tumor near her vent. While we were gone friend Shari found her dead, no obvious trauma except some exposed innards. Apparently chickens get cancer, too. RIP Big Momma. I'm heading to Lattins Cider Mill this morning to buy two more girls.

I need a miracle

photo courtesy of cinemaseekers.com

We all know the uncomfortable feeling of being in our car while idling next to a homeless(?) man or woman begging for a handout at an intersection.  In a millisecond, ones eyes furtively access the situation while ones brain begins making a judgment call. "He can't be that needy if he can afford cigarettes" or "She's young. Surely she could get a job flipping hamburgers somewhere."

These days I force myself to make eye contact, if possible, and give a smile. Regardless of his situation, the homeless (?) person standing too close for comfort is a human being.

Their tattered, cardboard signs all read the same: "Homeless/no job/no food/no money". Except for the sign I saw yesterday which simply read, "I need a miracle."

I gave the man a smile then stared straight ahead while contemplating the meaning of his words. Does he need a miracle because substance abuse has shattered his life leaving him destitute? Or is he one of millions who lost his job in this challenging economy and cannot find a new one? Does he hope for a miracle because the future looks grim and he sees no hope of better circumstances?

In simpler times I could have invited him out for coffee and asked him to share his story.  Instead, I drove on by with a heart full of turmoil.

His simple proclamation, 'I need a miracle' is an emotional plea felt by many in light of the challenges not only in America but throughout the world. A stalled economy, climate change, non-ending wars, resource depletion, poor academics, bi-partisan bickering in politics, the rise of obesity, famine, cruelty to animals, lack of respect - the list grows longer as I grow older. 

As I endure the necessary but annoying presidential election season I wish I had the nerve to stand on a street corner holding my own sign that would read  'BE THE MIRACLE'. Instead of placing hope in a mortal human being who is a puppet for an ideology, what if we each did what we could to change our world? 

How about supporting your local economy (and small business owners) by purchasing products made in your community or state? Be a conscientious consumer of our natural resources. Quit eating processed, junk foods to stay healthy. Become involved in your child's education. Spay or neuter your pet. Say 'please' and 'thank you' to others thus being an example to the next generation. Quit looking to our government for hand-outs.  Get off your tush and become productive! Wake up, America! Quit living by default.

I'm not stupid. I know that the challenges we face are more complicated than wishing someone a nice day. But I also believe that small changes can result in a happier life for all.  

So... while wishing each other love, light and happiness, pet your cat, walk your dog and head out to the local farmer's market.