PARADING in 1906 Santa Cruz, California

For this weeks Sepia Saturday I am sharing a photo I purchased the other day. A mother and her two daughters, the Rooney family, taking a stroll in Santa Cruz, California in 1906. With all of the American flags flying we can only guess the occasion. Now, if dear Margaret had been writing the copy on the back we'd know exactly what day and time this was shot. Oh Margaret, I miss your efficiency because the dates written on the back of this have mother, born in 1864, giving birth in 1865 and 1867. I know things grow really well in the islands, but not this well.

Click on images to see them larger. _______ UPDATE: A comment has been kindly left by Norkio which fills in the pieces about these lovely ladies: Caroline McShane Rooney was born in the Sandwich Islands November 1862. She married Peter Rooney in 1884. Their three daughters were: Erminnie (1883), Adelade (1885) and Alice (1887). In 1900 they lived in Lincoln, CA which is close to Rocklin, Roseville and Folsom CA, all three of which are slightly northwest of Sacramento. Caroline had a sister named Rachel who never married, born in 1866 who died in 1949 in San Francisco. The census taker in 1910 noted that Rachel McShane lived with the Rooneys in San Franciso, but gave her age as 20 years. Daughter Alice lived to be 95, passing away in 1982 in San Francisco. She did marry Lafayette Mann when she was 19 which would have been 1906 or 1907. They had two daughters, Marjorie and Helen. Lafayette was 19 years older than Alice and had been a surveyor for the American Fruit Co, while Alice was a fruit grader - early QC specialist. :-) They were married at least until the 1930s, which is when the census information stops. When she passed away, her married name was Stiles. T.H. stands for Territory of Hawaii. _________ From Robert McDonald: Also, an update to Norkio's comments...Lafayette Mann died in 1935, after which Alice married William Stiles. Caroline McShane actually married Peter M. Rooney on her 20th birthday in 1882 in Makawao, Maui. Caroline died about 10 years after this photograph was taken, in 1917. One last tidbit, Caroline's mother was born in England, moved with her family to Australia at age 15, married at 16 and had 2 children, then moved to Hawaii at age 20 before having another 7 children!

He had AN ITCHY TRIGGER TONGUE

I don't know about you, but if a neighbor said, "You oughta see my dog fire my gun. It's a hoot and a holla!" I'd be running for cover. I'm not fond of dogs with firearms in their mouths. Don't ask me why, it's just one of those things like lima beans. I don't like 'em.

If'n I was one of them thar birds in the pen I'd be movin' fast at the first click of that dog cockin' that gun. Maybe it's just me. Perhaps in some circles dogs doing target practice is considered normal.

Is it REALLY A PARTY IF NOBODY COMES?

Ever get the feeling you were invited to the wrong party? Or that you were the only person invited to the party and not even the person throwing the party bothered to show up?

Click on image to see it larger.

Then again, maybe you just read the date wrong on the invitation.

Poor woman is one taco short of a combination plate. Viva la Fiesta!

Bought today at my favorite antique store.

What Does it MEME?

I was politely tapped on the shoulder by Doug at Crazy As a Cool Fox with a meme in which I'm supposed to tell 7 things people, specifically you people out in the net-therlands, don't know about me.

1. Both my eyes are the same color, my strands of hair not so much.
2. I have a photo on my desk in a small gilded frame of an old woman in a house dress, socks and slippers, holding a shotgun. She's not real. She's a soft sculpture doll.
3. Next to the old woman sits a bobble head of Tim Gunn who politely tells me to "Make it work" whenever I push his button.
4. I have a cat that looks like a jackrabbit, no a bobcat, no a jackrabbit, no a bobcat. He's two, two, two cats in one.
5. I've won several awards for the work I do in my day job.
6. I was at the last concert the Beatles ever gave and no, I didn't scream. My friend would have slugged me.
7. I find the number seven of dubious character so I probably should have stopped at six.
8. So because I don't trust the number 7, except when it's on its own far away from the other numbers, I'll give you a number 8, which is almost always voluptuous, unless drawn by someone in a hurry...I'm fiercely private.
9. And I'll throw this one in just to let others know with me the meme stops here.

Margaret's GREAT-GRANDSON, Catalog Model

According to what's written on the back of this photo, this is Margaret's great-grandson, Robby. Now, it might just be me, but I'm thinking he grew up to model men's wear in Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs. He just has that semi-forced-casual look.

What do you think? Robby, the Male Model?

COWBOY Charles

All I can tell you about this fella is his name is Charles and he was sitting behind Margaret on the train in the photo two days ago. There's no writing on the back, so apparently this photo did not belong to Margaret, otherwise we'd know the exact time and date of this occasion.

As to what is going on? Your guess is as good as mine. It's a fella with his gal, perhaps a gambler with a very reserved dance hall girl? No? It would be easier to believe he was a gambler if he were holding a deck of cards instead a pack of cigarettes. And I'm guessin', and mind you this is only a guess, he's not a real cowboy who rides a horse because I see what I believe to be a Ford in the corral behind him and it ain't no Mustang.

Perhaps it was a costume party and he was going as a slick cowboy gambler dude and she was going as ummmmmmm...a housewife. Whatever is going on they're definitely early 1960s middle class Americans out to have a yee haw time. I'm guessing he was a big fan of Maverick.

Oh Margaret, Margaret, why didn't you write something on the back of this one?

Just another image from the Three Buck Big Box of Photos.

Also, this weeks Sepia Saturday entry.

Margaret CUTTING THE CAKE

For your viewing pleasure I give you Margaret and Jesse cutting the cake on their 33rd wedding anniversary on September 9, 1949. You can see from some quick math on the back that they were wed in 1916. That means that as of today it's been 94 years and 1 day since they wed. Let's hope it was a long and happy marriage, though I doubt they made it to their 94th.

I do so love cutting the cake photos. Celebrations, though the participants do not always appear to be in a celebratory mood. Margaret and Jesse were. Let's hear it for Margaret and Jesse, ordinary people living ordinary lives with special moments.

Her Name is MARGARET

The little lady with the almost obsessive need to write time and date on the back of her photos is named Margaret. A special day for Margaret will be featured tomorrow. For now, here's Margaret aboard the train in Salt Lake City. She reminds me of my grandmother and would have been around the same age when this shot was taken.

And stay tuned for Saturday's post which features the fella behind Margaret. It's oddly special.

Again, a dandy from the Three Buck Big Box of Photos.