One more...

One more Thanksgiving card to share, this one is embellished with sparkle...some sort of sequins.

I gave all but one of the cards to my friend Melinda as a hostess gift--thanks for including me in her Thanksgiving celebration.
Even though we only spent a few hours together, it was worth the 2-1/2 hour drive each way.
That's what's so great about where I live: so many places are just a hop, skip and jump away.
I can go to the desert, the mountains (where there's snow), the big city Los Angeles, or over the border to Mexico.
Awesome.

Vintage Thanksgiving

More of my vintage postcard collection:
Thanksgiving represents not only being grateful for our fortunate circumstances, but also a hope for continued fruitfulness.
Fruit, therefore, is an appropriate symbol of abundance.

A turkey and strawberries, 1910.


Embossed and tinted cherries


Angel in a chef's hat, 1910.
Feast and flowers.
Flowers represent religious significance (thanks to God and the harvest), joy, ceremony, and so much more.


Gathering, and harvest, 1910.
Maize, in addition to representing an element of the first Thanksgiving, symbolizes fertility.
The edges are gilded, the image is embossed.

As an aside, the best part of this card is the letter on the back.
It is from Viola to Paul. The first sentence, "I guess you think I am dead..."

A lot of collectible postcards are patriotic
(this one was mailed in 1907).

This one also symbolizes bounty and fruitfulness and plenty, right down to (I surmise) the phallic placement of the turkey head.
I've always been fascinated with symbolism, so immediately when I saw this card, what came to mind for me is a tarot card, The Sun (Ryder-Waite deck)
The card represents accomplishment, renewal, and hope.

I wonder why Thanksgiving doesn't have a song?

I adore the illustration on this vintage Thanksgiving postcard.
The colors are muted and the image beautifully rendered.
The woman seems confident and lovely.
It is dated 1913, and is postally used, a note from Lula to her cousin Ella, announcing she'll be coming home for the holiday.

Thanksgiving used to be my least favorite holiday.
Note the past tense.
This year I will be driving up to Hollywood again, to have dinner with my friend Melinda.
Melinda, along with her family, has generously offered to share her favorite holiday with me.
Her gesture is so very welcoming, and her enthusiasm contagious.

I will be making cranberry cake.

Vintage Postcard

I will assume, by looking at this site, or this site, that this postcard dates pre-1915.
Too, the stamp called for is one cent.

I enjoy collecting postcards, especially with beach-themed illustrations or photographs.

In other news, I bought wood today to lay my own floor.
I wanted bamboo because it's environmentally friendly, but considering cost, I couldn't find a floating style within my price range.
I didn't want oak, but I settled for red oak because of the price (there was an automatic rebate, so I got $150 off).
Too, it was less expensive because it's a light to medium wood, while the trends today are for cherry or dark woods.
My brother is going to help me install it.
Pics soon!

San Diego History

I wrote previously about my grandmother being at Tent City for her honeymoon in 1904 (post here)
Coronado's history is fascinating to me.

I recently purchased this original flier, dated 1919, advertising new amenities at Tent City


Here are some of the fees and information, such as "furs are only needed as an adornment".
(click on image to enlarge. The 'all sizes' icon over the flickr photo page will enable you to zoom further)


Vintage postcards of Tent City
This one postmarked 1906


Moonlight


Main Street


A later postcard, this one from 1944


And this, the creme de la creme...
Two photographs of what I assume is a family (or perhaps two families) in adjoining bungalows (or tents, or cabanas, whichever you prefer).
The seller I purchased these from didn't realize what she had, so I was able to buy these for a song.
Her description is interesting: "The photos show 13 people dressed for the beach in c.1899. The men are wearing coats and ties. The women are wearing full length skirts or dresses. The boy is wearing a tie. His only concession to the beach is that he is barefoot!
They are standing in front of two different tents. One is tent number S27 the second is tent S29. The tents are made by the San Diego Tent and Awning Company. There must have been a regular tent city on the beach because the tent was on Wyoming Ave."

The expression on the boy's face is priceless (again, click on image to enlarge)

Magical Mysteries...

The way I post most of my photos here is via Flickr.com
The really cool thing about that is that I basically get two audiences--some people just cruise Flickr and comment on people's images.
There are pools (groups) of photos posted regarding certain themes, years, kitsch.
I know at least one blogger who stopped blogging and just posts to Flickr now--her collection of vintage images garners almost a cult following.

People can comment on the images I post, and I can comment on theirs, then I can see the responses as they come in.

I posted the back of a vintage postcard several months ago, because I love the beautiful penmanship, the calligraphy probably delivered by quill, and the ancient postmark.

I asked if anyone could translate the words.
Today, someone finally did just that.
Imagine my surprise.
I was told, "You have to read it in a mirror and the first line from the bottom to the edge : Que cette carte te trouve en bonne santé, ainsi que ta mère.
Je t'embrasse
Jean !"

I consulted Babelfish for a translation.
The message is just a basic well wishing, "That this chart finds you in good health, like your mother."

How fascinating!
What inspired the backward writing?
Such a delicious mystery.