To Influence

 

I follow a woman on Instagram who is a self-described Influencer.  She is “age appropriate” for me meaning that her suggestions, ideas, etc are based on my general age group and older. Her styles of clothing choices are often ones I like for myself, and I have purchased a few items based on her recommendations.  While I don’t always agree on what she might present, I know that I have a choice in agreeing or not; she is not forcing anyone to do or purchase anything she suggests. She is also very open about partnerships, commissions and items she receives for free to promote from these brands. Meaning she gets paid for the promotion. 

It’s unfortunate that all people who define themselves as Influencers aren’t as honest and open as she is. Some actually do prey on others who are often easily influenced, gullible or very naive.  There are people who are elderly, those with mental illness, medical conditions, etc who get wrapped up in the gloss of an Influencer only to fall victim to something unscrupulous and destructive. And the destruction is often great and extends to families and beyond. There’s always a big picture; unfortunately, there’s no regulation or control being conducted with these individuals. 

The Britannica Dictionary defines the word ‘influence’ as: “The power to change or affect someone or something; the power to cause changes without directly forcing them to happen”. If someone has power, which might mean a strong online presence, and/or someone who is very skilled in speaking/talking to sway people into doing what is intended for personal gain, who is regulating that person? There should be checks and balances and accountability. 

If a person’s business is conducted online, and that person collects a fee, expenses and/or gifts for whatever it is they are promoting about themselves, then credentials (meaning resume, work experience, timeline) should be online, too. Potential customers or clients should be able to scrutinize beforehand whether or not to choose to engage with someone they might hire for whatever purpose. Legitimate businesses usually offer these things on websites. Why aren’t Influencers required to do the same?

Instead, we often see a reinvention along with new hashtags and word usage such as “I have extensive experience in…” Fill in the blank. And it seems to change often. What makes a person qualified in saying they do what they do or are? Superfluous words? I personally want to see their experience and have the ability to verify it. Most real jobs require a resume with recommendations; if a person is selling her ability to do something via online, she should have to do the same. It also used to mean lying on a resume was grounds for dismissal, so this very thing should apply to those who influence, or call themselves ‘digital creators’ too, I suppose. 

I’ve previously mentioned in this blog the inability to understand why people follow Influencers and how it seemed to me a popularity or ego grab. Although I loosely follow the one mentioned above, I still don’t get it in general. It’s important to protect your online interactions and do due diligence when engaging with anyone you don’t know. Hopefully, there will be types of regulation and accountability for this “profession” in the future.

"When you turn around..."

 "When you turn around, you'll see something I bet you've never seen before. If it takes your breath away, then you'll fit in nicely. If you don't feel anything, then maybe you don't belong here." ~ from the book Daniel's Esperanza, by Veronica Randolph Batterson 

I've decided to join in; it is my quote, after all. As mentioned in at least two other posts on this blog (see "That Quote is Attributed to..." from September 20, 2016, and "That Quote from Daniel's Esperanza" from May 23, 2021), this little quote from my book, Daniel's Esperanza went viral after publication in 2014. It continues to pop up. 

It has been used with and for inspirational memes from around the world (appearing/accompanying various languages), photography, retail, ranches, art, furniture, interiors, exteriors, slogans describing the state of New Mexico, the unofficial slogan of New Mexico by the tourist department from what I can tell, NM government officials, blogs, camps, travel, other books, etc. In fact, I just recently became aware that the retailer Boot Barn used it in some Instagram photos over five years ago; and it seems there's some quirky reference they might have used it in a commercial that I don't have access to viewing.  

All great, and as I have stated in the past I really appreciate it when the quote is used properly attributed to me. There's a little murky line crossed, however, if retailers are using it to make money without my permission and not compensating me for using it. I also don't wish to dwell on all of the times it has been used improperly, with no credit to me whatsoever. 

Thanks to all who have done it the right way. I photographed the above in Colorado and New Mexico. All prints are available for purchase on Fine Art America.

Independence Day - July 4th...the 250th Celebration

 "We hold these truths to be self-evident..."

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the final wording and adopted the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson. However, it was July 2, 1776 when the Continental Congress declared its freedom from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence would not be fully signed by all of the Founding Fathers until August of 1776. 

So July 4th has always been recognized as the official anniversary/birthdate of the United States of America.

We're still youngsters compared to the rest of the world. Set aside politics; celebrate safely and proudly. And if you must enjoy the fireworks, please make certain your pets are safely inside with music or the television turned up to help stifle the noise. It is frightening for them. 

Happy 250th. 

Every Brilliant Thing

 I saw Mariska Hargitay last week in Every Brilliant Thing on Broadway, and loved it. ❤️ 

It was 1972...

...or thereabouts. I was very young but still obtained an album (that's what we called them back then) called K-tel 20 Power Hits - Volume 2. 

I'm pretty sure it was gifted to me, probably from my mother because of one of the songs on it; however, she clearly had no idea about one or two of the other tunes that probably a girl my age shouldn't have heard (maybe). I actually believe it was a Christmas gift, more than likely to play on a new record player (that's what we called them back then, too).

The reason this came back into my orbit is that I heard a song the other day on Sirius XM radio called Green-Eyed Lady by a group called Sugarloaf. Then one thing led to another as it usually does, I went down the rabbit hole of nostalgia and remembered the song was on the above mentioned album. It's a song I remembered before all of the others came rushing back to me (or before I actually did a Google and Youtube search, too).

K-tel (Kieves Television) was a recording label and did compilation albums back then of hit music, and apparently it's still in existence today. According to an overview, it was known as the "Spotify of their Era" (mostly of the 1970s and 1980s). 

While I won't list the songs, I will share three of them (via Youtube) that might give a glimpse into the time and how this one album influenced a young girl. 

Peace Will Come by Melanie. Boy, how the words resonate even today, and did it ever shape me. Someone made a comment, "Melanie was the flower child in all of us", and with this song that is true for me. I grew up understanding and feeling these words, interpreting them in my own way. I recall sitting cross-legged in clover fields making clover garlands and crowns for my hair (great luck if a four-leafed one was found); and drawing peace signs with the BIC four color (red, black, blue, green) retractable pens in my notebooks. And I just remembered the pens as I wrote this. Google them...no doubt there is info out there. 

The other songs shared from this album, Shakin All Over by the Guess Who because it's a fun song and so definitive of the 1960s. The other is from the Partridge Family (Doesn't Somebody Want to be Wanted) because I watched the television show, so why not? And I like the song.

Oh, how I wish I still had this album, simply for nostalgia's sake, and I like a great many of the songs on it.  A full list of the tracks can be found online. As always, thanks for reading this blog. 

Maypole Day

 May 1st. May Day. Maypole Day. Rebirth. New beginnings. Spring.

I have a vivid memory of (when I was very young) celebrating Maypole Day at a local high school where one of my aunts served on the May Day Queen Court. Given the timeframe, I would have been under the age of five. That's a pretty powerful memory. 

As little girls do sometimes, I thought my aunt looked like a fairy princess. As required then, she wore a long, formal ball gown with evening gloves. My memory wants me to recall that the dress was pale yellow for some reason, but the history and customs of the Maypole Court and Dance indicate it was likely white. Either way, I thought her to be so beautiful. Even though she was not crowned May Day Queen (or May Queen) that day, watching the festivities surrounding the custom and the coordinated dancing around the Maypole held a strong enough fascination for me. I recall it decades later every May 1st. And for a few years in elementary school, I took part in Maypole Dancing, too, until the practice was nothing more than a memory. 

It is likely that my aunt is somewhere in one of the two photographs here. Same timeframe, same location. And somewhere in the crowd, I sat with my grandmother watching the pageantry of it all with wonder. 

 

Also, regarding my last post on Cedar Waxwings, I found a photograph of one of the crabapple trees in my front yard in full bloom. There were three of these trees in my yard at the time; the smallest one was in the back that I referenced in that blog post. As always, thanks for reading what I post here. 

It was 1978 or so...

When you were a teenager and you had your driver's license....the volume was up on the radio in that car. It meant freedom. This song was playing at some point. The windows were probably rolled down, too (we didn't push buttons to do this back then).  Heatwave's 'The Groove Line'.

Then Homecoming Dances in the fall (maybe prom, as well, but I was still too young to attend those)...the second song was a slow dance feature. Decades later and nostalgia rules as it always does. 'Always and Forever' by Heatwave.

Cedar Waxwings

 Sometime in March or April about a dozen or so years ago, I watched a gift fly into view from my kitchen window in Chicagoland. A flock of the most beautiful birds suddenly swooped into my sightline, attacking a crabapple tree in the backyard. Attacking might not be the correct word, but it’s how it initially looked. They were actually feasting. Perhaps the words frenzy, frenetic, frenetically could be applied, but hopefully there’s the visual. Out of control.

First, I had never seen such a bird so I had no idea what was going on or why, not to mention a flock of feathered beauty acting a little crazy; secondly, as a photographer, I automatically grabbed my camera wondering how I could get outside without scaring them away. And third, the Original Best Girl was suddenly at my side ready to join me. You see, she was my canine supermodel and my camera meant she and I were going outside for adventures. So I couldn’t resist her soft brown eyes and go without her. Believe it or not, my girl and I went outside and stood about four feet from all of the activity and it didn’t phase the party at all. 

Getting a clear and good photo of them proved difficult, however, regardless of how close I was to them. They were moving around the tree so quickly, tossing back the berries and passing them around. I had no way of knowing where they were going next. Fluttering times a thousand. Even Lily, Original Best Girl, sat there mesmerized. Our presence did not bother these gorgeous birds. And just as quickly as they arrived, they departed as a flock. Done. Gone. Never to be seen again. 

My dog looked at me as if to say, “What just happened?” Even she had forgotten about the camera. The really only clear photograph I got that day is shared here. The image can be found on my Fine Art America/Pixels site. 

It took a bit of searching to find what type of bird had briefly entered my world that day, but they are called Cedar Waxwings. Described as social songbirds with pale yellow bellies and black masks, they travel in flocks following fruit sources (the berries left on my crabapple tree). They are also known to get intoxicated on the fermented berries they eat. Check. So I concluded that’s what I saw that day…it explains the way these birds were acting, and how oblivious they were to me and to my dog. They imbibed a little too much, and now I affectionately refer to these stunning birds as Little Drunk Bandits (note the black masks). Just for fun though.

That day was the first and only time I have ever been in the presence of a Cedar Waxwing. Right place, right time, gift sort of thing. At the time, there were two other crabapple trees in the yard so I wondered if they had hit those trees, as well. If not, I got lucky that day because the tree they chose was the only one visible from my kitchen window. Bird’s Eye View. Sorry, couldn’t resist. And call it a lucky gift if these beautiful birds ever decide to visit, however briefly it might be. 

Valentine's Day

 For those of us who kept them, wrote in them

When we were young

And decades later.

Written words formed from shyness, sadness, awkwardness 

Introverted, quiet, expressive, artistic.

Conveying thoughts, revelations, anger

Love, sadness, ideas, creativity, happiness.

Misunderstood, unrequited, forlorn

Release, emotions, low and high.

Diary or Journal

Hidden away

Hoping no one ever found them.

Happy Valentine's Day (for those who recognize the day, and those who simply write about it). 🩷

Clink to Fourteen

 Our Christmas decorations are put away for the year, we've eaten our share of New Year's Day black-eyed-peas for luck, and we're now in search of our "healthy new us" era. While it does seem like just another resolution or two that one will eventually break (as usual), I have sincere intentions of following through with all of my goals. They are for myself and no one else. The fact that I am a list maker and always have been should at least help, although as I've aged it seems I have strayed from the "writing it down and checking it off" bit. I need to reestablish that part...another goal. 

As for this blog...it has seen fourteen new years and fifteen months of January. It will be a mystery as to how much longer I continue with it, and someday it will simply end as most things do. No fanfare or build up. 

Thank you to all who continue reading what I have to write. It is so very appreciated. I hope 2026 is a healthy, happy, safe and prosperous year for all. 

Cheers, or as the Grand would say as she raises her cup (of milk!), "Clink" as we all hold up our glasses (of our drinks of choice) and make a toast. 🎉

Happiest of Holidays

 Peace, love, kindness and light to all.  Merry Christmas. 🎄🎅

Perspective

 In the last few years, I've found it difficult to travel with my cameras. The weight of them along with the lenses and gear have gotten cumbersome for me to handle, and airline restrictions for carryon luggage don't help. Carrying and lifting are a struggle these days with the fear of pain and injury sending me back into physical therapy. 

My Canon telephoto lens weighs about three and a half to four pounds; when attached to a camera that weighs as much or more, that weight is unbearable for me to carry supported with a strap around my neck and in my hands. So I've had to balance which cameras to use and when. Car travel is easy by tossing the gear into the car, but I still need to gauge distance and be limited by how far I can walk to get the shot I want. 

The last two international trips I took, my Leica Q2 accompanied me. It's a much lighter camera, easier to carry and less of a hassle. It does a great job and I'm happy with it, however, it can't compare to my Canon DSLR cameras, and it certainly doesn't have the zoom capability of my telephoto lenses. But we settle.

This summer, car travel allowed for the Canons. Below is an example of reality and what I see through my camera using a telephoto lens. It was during a visit to Algoma, Wisconsin on the Crescent Beach boardwalk along Lake Michigan (Door County Peninsula). The subject is the Algoma Pierhead Lighthouse. The first photograph shows me sitting on a bench using my camera to take a photo of the lighthouse in the distance. The other two are a couple of shots that I got using a telephoto lens. And after a long walk along the boardwalk and beach, I was grateful for the bench which allowed me to stabilize the camera a bit. I thought it interesting to share this.

The other photos are autumn shots of the beautiful time of year, with one image framed and hanging on a wall. All are screenshots of images on my Fine Art America and Pixels account.  As always, thanks for reading my blog.

MollyBoy TV

 Edited for Disclaimer: March 2, 2026. Since I initially published this post, I've learned that perhaps the person running MollyBoy TV is either taking a break from this channel, and/or is starting another channel of interest and redirecting. At any rate, this post is NOT an endorsement of donating funds to him or to any influencer, for that matter. As always, take caution with your personal interactions. I published this post due to the enjoyment of watching his reactions to music that was relevant to myself and my generation, nothing else...and it was free. No funds, fees, or costs.. Thanks for reading. 

In my April blog post (Thrifting's Revival), I briefly mentioned how I'd gone down the rabbit hole of watching reaction videos/reels of a younger generation listening to music (from my generation) for the first time. I don't have a Youtube account (if I did, I'd subscribe to his channel) but there is one I do watch there regularly. 

MollyBoy TV is a young man from the United Kingdom. That's all I really know about him, other than the fact that he brings a breath of fresh air and genuineness to what he does. And that's reacting to music he's hearing for the first time. His facial reactions are glorious to watch, and he's also very knowledgeable. But what is so nice to see is a younger generation of individuals discovering for the first time music that was so important and relevant to me (often when I was his age or even younger). Great music and a greater appreciation for it. It appears he has many subscribers of my age bracket; perhaps it allows for a connection somehow that has gone missing. Music is a lifeline. It heals, soothes, supports, offers an understanding, and is open to interpretation. 

If I could offer song ideas to him, some would probably be: 

Journey: Any but particularly "Lights", or "When You Love a Woman", or "Wheel in the Sky", or "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin"

Anything from my blogpost of October 19, 2021 (The Playlist of My Youth). This can be viewed by clicking the highlighted link, or searching for the word 'playlist' in the search bar on the front page. I've even shared a few Youtube songs/clips throughout this blog (some have been removed, however, which I don't really understand since sharing is allowed here and no money is made).

And just for fun, I'd like to see his first listen to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" because his facial reactions would be off the charts and quite entertaining alone. 😊

Check out MollyBoy TV and subscribe to his channel if you're on Youtube. I'm so happy to have discovered it. Sharing one of his clips below; it can link you to his full channel. 

Firefall

 I saw Firefall in concert several years ago in Snowmass, Colorado. It was during a visit to Aspen that fortunately coincided with seeing these guys perform. I remember it being a beautiful evening outdoors, everyone sat on lawn chairs or blankets; it was cool enough to need a jacket while watching a gorgeous sunset behind views that were forever. The icing was seeing a band from my younger days. 

Sharing. 'Just Remember I Love You' and 'Cinderella'.

Victoria Holt

 

Victoria Holt wasn’t her actual name. Neither was Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr, or any of the other monikers she was known to use. She was not someone who created aliases for disguise, but a woman, utilizing various pseudonyms, who happened to be one of the most prolific British authors of the twentieth century. 

Born Eleanor Alice Burford in 1906 (and later Eleanor Hibbert), she wrote over 200 novels, publishing several books per year in different genres employing eight different pen names. Her final novel as Victoria Holt was published in 1993, the year of her death.

It was the Victoria Holt series of books that I read and loved, with the first being Eleanor Hibbert’s first one written in this genre, Mistress of Mellyn. I discovered it in a school library and was hooked. Classified as Gothic Romance Suspense, the Holt books took place in the 19th century with the setting of many being Cornwall. In fact, there was much speculation at the time that Victoria Holt was actually Daphne du Maurier because Mistress of Mellyn was similar to du Maurier’s Rebecca. Obviously that wasn’t true, but the Holt series of books are similar in tone.  

I’ve long had a fascination with Cornwall in the UK which probably started with these books. I finally visited last year and the entire area is as beautiful as I imagined it to be. Ironically, it was in Cornwall that Burford (married to George Hibbert) came up with the name Jean Plaidy. The Hibberts lived in the town of Looe in Cornwall, overlooking Plaidy Beach during World War II. Eleanor Hibbert would later continue to spend her summers there. Again, I was so close. During my visit last fall, I enjoyed a day in Polperro, a ten minute drive (less than five miles) from Looe. I wish I’d known this information at the time; however, it is clear how the area influenced Hibbert’s books.

I’ve read all of the Victoria Holt novels, purchasing the newer ones when they were released, and finding the older ones in used bookstores. Some of the older books that I own are probably library copies, and I bought many of them at John K. King bookstore in Detroit, Michigan (which is worthy of its own blog post — I highly recommend a visit, for the experience if nothing else). But I love them all; I’ve read a few Plaidy and Carr books, too, but I have a lot of catching up to do in those genres. And I still collect the special hard copy and paperback books to own, even though I now read most books on my Kindle for convenience, especially when traveling. 

There is limited information on Eleanor Hibbert’s personal life, but by the time of her death in 1993 Hibbert had sold 75 million books translated in 20 languages under the name Victoria Holt alone. I highly recommend this fabulous author. 

ABBA and the Bee Gees

 I came of age with ABBA. When I was in high school, their songs were getting played on the radio and I became aware of them even though they had been around a little longer. When I was in college, some of my girlfriends and I drove to Florida for spring break and ABBA's music was everywhere. It is what I think of first when I recall that trip. 

Their music brings such wonderful memories for me; one can say nostalgia is in overdrive when I hear one of their songs and I probably know the words to most, if not all, of them. Last year, I saw 'ABBA Voyage' at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, and a couple of years ago those same girlfriends from college and I got together for an ABBA tribute band concert. Add the stage productions and movies of 'Mamma Mia', and well, I continue to attend anything ABBA related. I probably always will. Their music gets me dancing and singing. Most importantly, it's music that makes me happy. 

The Bee Gees had hits before I discovered them, too. The movie, 'Saturday Night Fever', revealed their music to me and I've loved them ever since. Feeling nostalgic today.

Sharing a couple. 

It was 1982...

 

From the 1982 archives...I was in college and working at a radio station. The first photo is marked April of 1982 and was taken by a fellow photography student. I was sitting in the University Center between classes. On the table in front of me are a cup (probably Coca Cola, as it would be a few years before I turned strictly to Diet Coke), a salt (or pepper) shaker, a couple of text books, and something dark which could've been my tripod. Without a doubt, my camera was just out of the frame and nearby. Of course early 80s hair, along with triple pierced earlobes (most of which have grown closed), and overalls of the era. Of course it's a black and white photo, but I remember those overalls very clearly. They were pink! I was probably wearing my pink Chuck Taylor Converse high tops to match.  I'm certain I had a sketch book with me, as well. This image pretty much defined me at the time. 

The second photograph is of the same timeframe although it isn't dated; however, the years coincide.  I'm in the production room of the radio station where I worked, and I've no idea what I was doing...maybe a VoiceOver for a commercial. Oh, to say...rising with a bullet on the Billboard Charts again. I suppose only radio people would understand that statement.

Finally, the songs below came out around 1982 and were definitely playing on that radio station. To remember the young girl in these photos listening to them at the time...nostalgia.

Songs You Remember

Once again, I'm sharing a couple of songs that bring nostalgia for my early days. Good ones. I was a new mom in the early 1990s. Both of these were released at that time around 1992 and 1993 (I think). Check out the lyrics. 

Neil Young's 'Harvest Moon'; 'Ordinary World' by Duran Duran. 

Thrifting's Revival

Several years ago, I owned an antique store in the Chicagoland area. Over time, I moved to about five different locations with my final stop being in Peoria, Illinois. In the end I’d grown tired of moving merchandise in addition to the difficulty and expense I found in maintaining fresh inventory to sell. While I lived in the suburbs of Chicago, Peoria was an ideal place due to proximity and because it allowed me to visit my daughter while updating/working the shop. She attended university there. 

I have always loved antique, vintage and old. Antique stores and estate sales were usually always part of our weekends. As I mentioned in some of my other blog posts, part of the beauty and quality of the pieces included knowing the history and imagining the lives of the previous owners. It seemed a natural progression to simply open a shop. 

The idea of this blog post originated due to discovering a younger generation’s interest in thrifting. Of course, when you watch one reel on social media of a thrifter’s “find” you’re then inundated with endless reels of the same or related content. Watching them can be addictive if you aren’t careful, but I’m so happy to see young adults rediscovering beautiful pieces and bringing them into their lives; in addition, they are being very creative in repurposing some of those items. I applaud their cleverness. And thrifting isn’t necessarily antiquing, but the line gets a little blurry when stores, auctions, and estate sales carry/sell much of the same merchandise. Timeframes and eras don’t necessarily matter in defining a type of store or how someone collects anymore. 

Over the years, I came across some odd and very unique kinds of items in addition to the “normal” things one sees in antique stores. One such piece was a wrought iron plant stand that measured about seven to eight feet in height with the top curved into what looked like a bird cage. There were about four “arms” curving out from it which would hold plants in addition to the base. To add to the oddness of the find, I purchased it at an estate sale being held at a monastery. Because of its size, it was a challenge to get home. But it was so beautiful once cleaned, and it was certainly the center of attention in my shop. I envisioned how lovely it would look in the solarium or conservatory of an estate somewhere; eventually, it sold but it took a while. It was something I wish I’d been able to keep but had no room or place for it. 

Other unusual things I encountered over the years while buying inventory: a wooden coffin with lid/cover (c.19th century) being used as a storage chest in a home (DID NOT buy that one); creepy dolls that give you nightmares; skull mounts and taxidermy—in memory of someone’s pets…didn’t buy any of those either. I generally passed on more than I purchased, so it goes without saying I attended a lot of sales. But the best things were often hidden or unassuming, many of which came in box lots. 

Which brings me to the photograph I’ve included in this post. I obtained it in one of those “lots” and I’ve a full container of these old photos with some dating back to around 1800 (maybe earlier). Given the description accompanying the image, it’s one of the odd finds and discoveries, which I purchased at an estate sale in Batavia, Illinois. 

The photograph measures about 8 x 9.5 inches and is mounted on stiff cardboard; these were known as cabinet cards. I can find no information on the historical photographer named A. Lund, but that’s not unusual. There is also no date, but given the style of clothing and hairstyles of the women, I’d guess it was taken anywhere from the 1880s to 1900, plus cabinet cards originated around 1860. The description of the photograph is:

“This picture was taken at a shower for Emma Anderson Swanson. A mock wedding was held. Most of the women are employees of Bellevue.” Then it proceeds to list most of the names of those in the photograph. 

The history of Bellevue. Bellevue Institute was a private school in Batavia, Illinois that was chartered in 1853. In 1867, it was purchased by Dr. Richard J Patterson and the institute was renamed Bellevue Place, a private sanitarium for women. Its most notable resident was President Abraham Lincoln’s widow, Mary Todd Lincoln, who was a patient living there from May to September of 1875. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the building was eventually converted to apartments. 

My first antique shop was located in Batavia and I regularly drove by this building. Looking at the photograph and based on the description that came with it, I wonder about the unnamed women and the ones who were not employed at Bellevue. Were they patients? Why a shower? Why a mock wedding? Given the possible timeframe, could any of them have encountered Mary Todd Lincoln? Ironically, the Emma Anderson Swanson mentioned isn’t listed as the “bride” in the photo. The woman in the top hat is an unknown (no name was given), but it gives shades of Abraham Lincoln in my opinion. I suppose I’ll continue trying to find information regarding the names of some of the women, but so far I haven’t been successful. I would so love to know their history. That’s what antiques do to me. 

Yes, I’m happy the “old” is being discovered again. I’ve also fallen down the rabbit hole of reels where this same generation is discovering my generation of music…watching them listen for the first time to a song of my youth, and like it, is pure joy. 

Happiness. 

 

Cinderella ~ 1965

 

I somehow missed this milestone. Missed it because it was something so relevant to me as a child. Last month marked the 60th anniversary television release of the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical production of Cinderella. 

It starred Lesley Ann Warren, Stuart Damon, Ginger Rogers, Celeste Holm, Walter Pidgeon, and so many other talented individuals. Warren was only eighteen when she was cast in the title role of Cinderella; and Damon, Prince Charming, might be better known and remembered for his portrayal of Dr. Alan Quartermaine on ABC's General Hospital. That alone is worthy of a future blog post here. 

One Saturday evening at her grandmother's house, the little girl sat on the floor, eyes glued to a screen that showed people singing and dancing. Suddenly a beautiful princess appeared destined to find the prince of her dreams. The child hugged her blanket closely, in her very own little corner. 

I was that little girl. 

In my Own Little Corner

Songwriters Rodgers and Hammerstein

I'm as mild and as meek as a mouse
When I hear a command, I obey
But I know of a spot in my house
Where no one can stand in my way

In my own little corner, in my own little chair
I can be whatever I want to be
On the wings of my fancy, I can fly anywhere
And the world will open its arms to me

I'm a young Norwegian, princess or a milkmaid
I'm the greatest prima donna in Milan
I'm an heiress who has always had her silk made
By her own flock of silkworms in Japan

I'm a girl men go mad for, love's a game I can play
With a cool and confident kind of air
Just as long as I stay in my own little corner
All alone in my own little chair

I can be whatever I want to be
I'm a slave from Calcutta, I'm a queen in Peru
I'm a mermaid dancing upon the sea

I'm a huntress on an African safari
It's a dangerous type of sport, yet it's fun
In the night I sally forth to seek my quarry
And I find I forgot to bring my gun

I am lost in the jungle, all alone and unarmed
When I meet a lioness in her lair
Then I'm glad to be back in my own little corner
All alone in my own little chair