BILL WITH BOY along Columbia River Highway, 1920

The Columbia River Highway in Oregon is a lovely drive with a lot to see. Along the way you have Portland (which has Powells!!!) and then the river just moves along through the Bonneville Dam and beyond. Beautiful campgrounds, waterfalls, boating, windsurfers...

Here's Bill back in 1920 along the highway at one of the many vista stops. Hope he wasn't traveling too far on that tire.

An image for Father's Day, whether this is his son or not. Today would be a nice day for a drive with dad.

WHEELS LOOM VERY LARGE in our lives

This is Connie. Other than that I know nothing about her. These photos were bought at the same estate sale where I bought the shot of Frank Sinatra in purple golf sweater and pants. The home where I found Connie had all sorts of interesting things, though the condo itself was pretty dreadful. Very odd use of space. But that's okay, because I found a small box of photos so I was happy. And of course when I got up to the table to pay suddenly the people holding the sale realized there was a photo of Sinatra and the price for him went up. Okie dokie, whatever. I wanted Frank in purple. Frank was the star of the sale. Connie was just a little girl with an affinity for wheeled vehicles.

Can you remember all the wheeled vehicles you've had? Carriages, tricycles, the first two-wheeler with and without training wheels, the first car? Wheels play a very big deal in the lives of many of us in this country. 

Horses also seemed to play a very big part in Connie's life. As did golf. That is if the other photos in the box were here as an adult. I didn't buy any of the shots of her on horses. They were all dressage and jumping shots. Not particularly interesting except to someone who likes dressage and jumping. I have enough photos I took myself in England of jumpers to last me a lifetime. I don't need to buy any. 

Anyway, I enjoy looking at Connie's evolution with the wheel. Reminds me of my own childhood, though she was born decades before me. This last shot specifically reminds me of a little car, a little blue Cadillac convertible, in some sort of a car place in Hawaii. I don't remember why my folks went there. I don't think it was a dealership, could have been an auto parts shop. I don't know, but they had this kid size Cadillac on a shelf near the ceiling. It was a peddle car and I longed for it. I imagined myself tooling around the neighborhood in that pretty little car. I don't believe I ever told my folks how much I longed for it. I knew it was way out of our price range. It was a rich kids toy. Funny thing is it was always there. I don't ever remember going in and seeing it gone. 

Click on image to see it larger.

Oh yes, I have another shot of Connie, I think, when she's older in a golf cart. Yes, wheels played an important part in Connie's life. At least from my limited perspective.

Mr. Roberts and A REALLY BIG TREE

The final in the series, for now, of Mr. Roberts and friend. This one was taken at the Wawona Tree in Yosemite. The tree was hollowed out in 1881 and fell down in 1969. 

Click on image to see it larger.

I can't really explain what it's like to see a really giant tree lying flat on the ground. I was standing next to one up along the Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt County, California last fall and the story about it falling includes a neighbor miles away saying when it came down it sounded like a huge train wreck. Nobody was there to witness it falling, but it took several other trees down at the same time. And if you're thinking "big" tree I'm talking BIG TREE. You'd stand at the roots and you couldn't see the other end. Redwood forests are amazing places. Now people cutting holes through redwood trees so nutcases can drive thru, not so crazy about that. However, I did ride through this one as a child in a green Oldsmobile. For a kid it was a pretty interesting experience.

To see old postcards of the Wawona Tree and other drive-thru trees click on Image-Archeology.com.  And to read a wee bit about Redwoods click here. 

Pinch me, I'M DOING THE HULA

I have an album of photos of a woman named Jean who took a trip from San Francisco to Hawaii aboard the S. S. Manoa back in the late 20s or early 30s. The Manoa was part of the fleet of ships owned by Matson Lines. I'm just not sure exactly when the trip took place. I have no other information about her except for shots of her standing in front of things in Hawaii or aboard ship. There are also some snapshots of her friends. This shot is one of the more "wild" shots in the book. 

Go Jean, go! Shake it baby, shake it! Kick up your heels and let your hair down. Go native and feel the lahala mat beneath your bare feet. Catch the scent of a plumeria as the tradewinds blow by. What happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii...except for the gossip the whole way home aboard ship. 

I'll just call this the Vernacular Photography Hula. It is a category. I must hunt for more.

Additional silliness: I just found this and had to add it. It fits the fun feeling of women out on their own taking a cruise to Hawaii.