Mitzi's Miscellany

Update on My Brother's Booth

Today I'd like to show you some of my brother Mike Maran's treasures.  He's an antique dealer too, and sells his wares at the Antiques Market of Williamston, here in Michigan.  His booth is right behind the cashier, so you can't miss it!  Mike always has a mix of Arts and Crafts furniture, art pottery, Native American art, and oil paintings.

These cast iron bookends depict Charles Lindburgh, "Lucky Lindy".  He was a huge American hero in the 1920's:

This glowering portrait once hung in the Argonaut Club, a club for Detroit businessmen to meet and mingle years ago:

A beautiful matte green glaze bowl with matching flower frog, Bradley and Hubbard brass candlesticks, and a nice oil painting:

Cast iron ship bookends:

 

Weller art pottery:

I can't identify all of the pottery here, but the vase on the right with the yellow spears is Roseville's Mostique, a popular pattern with collectors:

 

A dramatic framed illustration from Harper's Bazaar:

Hand-hammered items are sought after by Arts and Crafts enthusiasts, like this serving set:

Native American pottery:

 Rookwood pottery:

 More Native American items:

Pretty glazes:

 Rookwood again:

 Weller:

More Rookwood:

 

I think it's fun how each dealer develops their own style based on their area of interest.  Mike is very particular about what he puts in his booth.  You would never find anything in there that doesn't belong with his theme.  It's a carefully curated collection.  If you are looking for Precious Moments figurines, you won't find them there!

Mitzi

Happy Mother's Day and Miscellaneous Pictures

On Saturday I returned home from Naples, Florida, after helping my mom hold an estate sale at her home.  It was a huge success, and I think we both deserve a pat on the back for all the work we did before, during, and after the sale (if I do say so myself)!  Although I'm not spending Mother's Day with my mom, we had an early Mother's Day celebration while I was in Naples.

My mom Lucile and me:

 

While getting ready for the sale, we had a little fun and discovered some unexpected items here and there.  Does anyone recognize what these hats represent (below)? 

The hats were popular briefly when Martha Stewart was put in prison for lying to officials about insider trading.  I bought my mom and dad the hats as a joke.

Little Jezebel, my mom's dog, loved being in the center of all the activity during the sale prep:

And when we went out for dinner, she was on her best behavior:

....so she got a belly rub from our waitress:

My mom sometimes carries a purse that looks like Jezebel.  Poor Jezebel looks a little confused by it:

Here is a view of the entrance to my mom's townhouse that's been sold.  She had an artist paint a "rug" in the foyer just for fun:

We sold everything, even the potted flowers and palms:

Beautiful bougainvillea around the pool:

Even the yard waste in Naples is pretty:

Family friend Clorinda with her dog Sophie (left) with my mom and Jezebel standing under a gorgeous arch of bougainvillea blossoms in downtown Naples:

Here's a lovely "Mother's Day" image to end this post:  a mother duck and her ducklings that I saw walking right through downtown Naples:

I hope you all enjoy your Mother's Day today!

Mitzi

Three Generations

When I visited Naples, Florida recently, I helped my mom pack some family treasures and made some discoveries along the way.  First and foremost, my mom showed me our family bible from her side of the family.  It came with her grandparents all the way from England on the boat, and eventually made its way to Isabella County in mid-Michigan, to a small town called Mt. Pleasant, where I was born.

My grandma, Harriett Pitkin Audlin, was born on January 1, 1875.  Believe me, she wasn't wild about the middle name "Pitkin", and we aren't really sure where it came from, either!  Also, note below where it says "One child died an infant June 1881".  I'm surprised that only happened once.  Infant mortality was very high back then.

A beautiful chromolithograph marriage certificate:

And the inevitable deaths of the older folks....

Then, an amazing discovery!  My grandma was born in this log cabin!  I'd never seen this picture before.  And for my friends familiar with the Mt. Pleasant area, this was near Riverwood Golf course:

My grandma went to college at Central Michigan Normal School in Mt. Pleasant, which eventually became Central Michigan University, and became a teacher:

After growing up in a log cabin, my grandma was no stranger to roughing it!  As a newlywed, she and my grandpa lived in a tent when my grandpa worked building the new highways in Florida:

My grandparents returned from Florida and decided to start a business together.  No longer a teacher, my grandma became an entrepreneur and never looked back!

My mom graduated from Central Michigan College in Mt. Pleasant too, and also became a teacher.  That's my mom on the right, with the black hair:

She began to weary of the teacher's life, and after the antique-collecting bug bit her, she and my dad started an antique shop in part of our house.  Realizing that a creative outlet was the way to go, a full blown downtown store was the next step.  She and my dad set up The Mole Hole, which was a huge success in Mt. Pleasant.  She went from teacher to business owner just like my grandma.

A dear friend, Jack Harris, called in 1979 with an offer my parents couldn't refuse:  a store of his called the Wind in the Willows was up for sale in Naples, Florida, and he wanted to sell it to my parents.  They bought it, and loved their new life in beautiful Naples!

 

If only my grandma could see the beautiful home her daughter (my mom) has lived in for the last 15 years!  What a luxury, compared to a log cabin and a tent...

Now my mom is still in business at age 85, selling her antiques at Up for Grabs, an upscale consignment shop on US 41 in Naples.  She also works there once in a while,  usually at Up for Grabs Too, the expansion store two doors down.  Stop by and say "hello" if you are in Naples!

I've told my early story before, for those of you that are interested.  Here's one of few pictures I have with all three generations:  my grandma, mom, and me at Christmas with my grandpa and my brother Mike.  I got my Christmas wish, Winnie the Pooh and Piglet!

 

I used to live above the Mole Hole, which was an awesome downtown penthouse.  But I've had my share of apartment living, once above a garage, and another that had a constant parade of roaches.  I didn't handle that well at all! 

This is my home now:

Just like my grandma and my mom, I attended Central Michigan University and obtained a degree in education, although I was never a teacher.  I became a school psychologist, but I ended up working in the elementary schools just like they did.  My career spanned 27 years, but eventually I needed to pursue another dream and I retired early to run my antique business full time.

I'm sure people think I need my head examined for leaving a job that had such great hours, summers off, and other perks.  Now I work seven days a week, starting at 4:00 a.m.!  Not really from necessity, more from excitement and enthusiasm than anything.  I just love what I do, that's all!

So here we are, the Three Generations, at work in our businesses:

Do you share a special legacy with the women or men in your family?  I'd love to hear about it!

Mitzi

My Grandma's Journals

When you were young, did you keep a diary?  I did, and I think many girls from my generation did too.  My grandma Newton kept  journals throughout her life, and my mother is the caretaker of them right now.  Someday I'm going to read them.

 

 

I've always loved my grandma's pretty handwriting:

 

 

It's going to take a long time to read all these journals.  There are stacks and stacks of them:

 

 

I think it's nice to learn about the way your parents and grandparents lived before you came into their world.  In the picture below, my grandma is in the back row with her hand on her friend's shoulder (far right):

 

 

My grandma was a teacher for a while, just like my mom, and I've been working with elementary school  kids as a school psychologist.  All three of us graduated from Central Michigan University (previously Central Michigan College). 

This picture of my grandma and her students touches my heart, because the boy in the front row (left) has no shoes.  A poor farm boy from mid-Michigan whose parents wanted him to get an education:

 

 

Once my grandparents were married, they lived in a tent on the beach in Florida while my grandpa worked on the highways there.  I'm sure there are some interesting journal entries about that!

 

 

They became restaurant owners together and worked very hard, escaping the Great Depression by serving delicious dinners for 25 cents.  My grandma's journals include mention of the events they catered, the items on the menu, and other minutia.

 

 

Of course, once grandchildren started arriving, I'm sure there's a lot of space dedicated to them, including yours truly!  Here I am holding my Raggedy Ann and Andy that my grandma made especially for me:

 

 

Once my grandparents retired from the restaurant biz, they began a smaller business at Crystal Lake in Michigan:

 

 

Besides the everyday notes, the weather, and the mundane, I think journals served as a therapeutic outlet for people born in an era when the notion of going to a therapist/psychologist/counselor wasn't accepted.  A little writing here and there was a way of unloading your frustration with something and getting it off your chest.  The next day was always a clean sheet of paper, waiting to be written upon.

 

 

Do you keep a journal?  I don't.  I'm writing two blogs, and that's all I can handle right now!

Mitzi

Meet the Grandparents: The Pletkovics

I've written about my maternal grandparents before, who have an interesting background because of their various entrepreneurial endeavors, but haven't yet introduced you to my paternal grandparents, Matt and Mary Pletkovic.  What makes them special?  Oh, just a few things....

Allow me to take you to the "Old Country", where both of my grandparents came from back in the early 1900's.  Although eventually known as Yugoslavia, and more recently Croatia, back then their homeland was occupied by the Turks and called Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. 

 

My grandpa was the youngest of several children, and the only family member to make the bold decision to come to America.  As a parting gift to his parents, he saved enough money working in the coal mines to buy them a cow.  He recalled walking away from his home, hearing his mother sobbing.  He didn't dare turn to look back, knowing that if he did he would change his mind and stay.

 

Grandpa made it to America, settling in a Croatian enclave in Pennsylvania and working in another coal mine.  I guess that makes me a coal miner's granddaughter!  He lived at a boarding house with other Croatian-speaking coal miners.  Although my grandpa isn't in the picture below, it was taken in Pennsylvania during the same era:

 

My grandma overcame even more hardship to come to her new country.  Her older siblings and mother left her and her younger sister with their grandparents while they emigrated to the U.S., promising to send for them later.  My grandma's mother and older siblings happened to settle in the same boarding house as my grandpa in Pennsylvania.

There was famine in the old country, and while staying with her grandparents the grandfather died of starvation.  It's a Croatian custom to feed the children first until they are satisfied, then the adults would eat.  Apparently, there wasn't enough left over for my great-great grandpa.  Once this tragic news reached my grandma's mother in Pennsylvania, there was a renewed urgency to get the two girls to America.  Their mother struck a deal with a Croatian gentleman in the U.S., promising my grandma's hand in marriage if the man would pay for the passage of the  girls.  My grandma was only 15 at the time, but she was suddenly engaged and on her way to America!

Immigrants

During the ship ride, my grandma's sister came down with chicken pox.  Immigrants with contagious diseases weren't allowed into the U.S., but miraculously her pox disappeared the day the ship arrived at Ellis Island!  Unfortunately, a young girl who had bunked nearby caught the chicken pox and was sent back to Europe by the health inspectors.  Can you imagine how heartbreaking that must have been for her?  That might have been her one and only chance to come to America.

Ellis Island

To make matters more complicated, my grandmother didn't care for her benefactor, who she thought was too old (he was 15 years her senior), and the arranged marriage fell through, with some hurt feelings and a debt to deal with.  Grandma was swept off her feet by my grandpa, who was also 15 years older, but he had a romantic touch that made all the difference.  On his way to the coal mines he would press his palm into the frost on my Grandmother's boarding house bedroom window to let her know he was thinking of her.

After turning 16, my grandma married her romantic beau.  I just love their wedding photo:

 

 

 

Personality-wise, my grandparents were total opposites.  My grandpa was easy-going, calm, and affectionate.  My grandma was ambitious and kind of a handful but affectionate too.  She called the shots in the marriage, even at her young age.  In most traditional Croatian households, the woman runs the show, so part of this was expected.  But I'd say my grandma probably took it to another level.

After my dad was born, my grandma decided it was time to move away from the other Croatians.  She wanted her family to be American-ized, and thought staying where they were was keeping them insulated from the mainstream.  The family moved to Warren, Ohio, and my grandpa got a job in a steel factory, which was a move up from the coal mines.

 Warren, Ohio:

The family was complete after four children.  Unfortunately, when the Great Depression arrived, my hard-working grandpa lost his job.  The family somehow survived by growing their own produce and raising chickens.  My dad helped the family financially by shining shoes and collecting bottles for deposit.  My Uncle Joe often helped, because he was younger and cuter, and generated sympathy at the shoe shine stand.

 

 

Eventually, things improved and my grandpa was back at work.  My grandma worked at a factory too.  She had never had any formal schooling, and never learned to read or write, but all four of her children became successful adults.  You can see in the picture below how proud she was of her  children.  My uncle Joe is seated to her left, my uncle Mike on her right, my dad is behind her and my aunt Nikki is next to my dad:

 

 

My dad and my uncle Joe both served in World War II.  My uncle Joe suffered life threatening  injuries as a Marine when he was shot in battle at Okinawa.  A bullet hit his celluloid cigarette case and deflected into his arm, which was nearly severed.  For a time my grandparents thought he had been killed, but miraculously found out he had survived.  He spent a year in the hospital then more recovery time at home.

Eventually my grandparents moved to downriver Detroit, where there were abundant jobs related to the auto industry.  When it was time to retire, they moved to beautiful Tucson, Arizona.  I loved visiting them there and exploring the desert terrain.

My grandma was the kind of person that had to have the orange on the very bottom of the pyramid at the grocery store.  She would stand in line in the rain to save a quarter in bus fare.  If we took her out for dinner and she thought the prices were too high, she would refuse to order anything.  She was difficult, but we loved her!  And she's the only woman I know that would dissolve in giggles when watching the Three Stooges.  My cousins called her "Baba", Croatian for "Grandma", and my grandpa was "Dida".  I usually felt more comfortable with the traditional monikers.

I painted a little picture for my grandparents when I was a kid and they had it proudly hanging in the middle of their family room, as if it was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci himself.  My grandma was a fabulous cook, and  I loved watching her make strudel.  She'd start with a ball of dough and stretch it so thin over a table that you could read a newspaper through it.  She'd fill the rolled pastry with poppy seeds, apples, or ground nuts.

 

Both of my grandparents lived until their late 80's, which isn't bad for people that ate bacon and eggs almost every day!  I'm really proud of my grandparents and what they achieved in their lifetime.  They overcame a lot of hardships, first to get to America, then to get through the depression and raise a family during that difficult time.  They achieved their "American Dream", without a doubt.

My grandma and her four adult children gathered for my grandpa's funeral in 1975.  My dad is the one wearing an orange shirt:

 

 

Baba was never afraid to speak her mind.  But she was completely devoted to her family and friends.  She loved to laugh and had a playful sense of fun.  Here she is trying out an exercise machine! 

 

 

I wonder if there's a waiter that remembers an older woman who gave him a hard time about the taco platter that cost $8.95 at the restaurant where he worked in 1982.  He probably thought she was just a cranky old lady. My grandmother knew the cost of ground beef, shredded lettuce, and cheese.  She couldn't comprehend how a restaurant could get away with charging so much for a couple tacos on a plate that she could make for fifty cents.  I suppose if the waiter knew that she lived in a household where her grandpa literally starved to death in front of her, he might understand where she was coming from.  That saying "don't judge a person until you walk a mile in their mocassins" might apply here.  I still can't explain her infatuation with the Three Stooges, however.

Mitzi

Meet the Westies

Meet my Westies, short for West Highland White Terriers.  I have a female, Chauncey, and male, Cheswick.  They have the same father, but were born a year apart.  The Westie is a special breed, and I thought I'd share some of the characteristics of these affable terriers according to some newly published and little-known AKC guidelines (wink).

Westies like to insert themselves into photos whenever possible:

 

 

They often pee when you are conducting outdoor photo shoots.....

 

 

They stick their noses into everything.  In the picture below, Cheswick comes face to face with a vintage Halloween Woody Woodpecker mask:

 

They'll show off for the camera by striking a yoga pose.  Here we have Cheswick demonstrating the "Flying Dog":

 

 

They demand to be noticed by staring at you with a penetrating gaze.....

 

 

Both males and females make excellent "blog dogs".  They will sit at your feet while you work on the computer.....

But they crap out under the work table around 5:00 p.m.

 

 

They crave affection, but dole it out generously too:

 

 

They're always ready to go for a walk:

 

 

They're happy to keep an eye on the neighborhood throughout the day, free of charge:

 

 

They think everything their owner does is fascinating:

 

 

Westies enjoy watching TV, but they tend to get sleepy during the news:

 

 

The males tend to be fearful of thunder, hence the "Thundershirt" Cheswick is wearing:

 

 

Westies practically beg to be sprayed with the hose:

 

 

They like getting all wet!  They think the hose is a giant snake that spits out water.

 

 

There's always one lurking in the background, keeping an eye on you......

 

 

It was recently discovered that Westies are completely tone deaf.  Therefore, they won't file a compaint with the Music Police when their owner sings off-key to them.

 

 

They'll curl up by a roaring fire and listen to their owner belt out show tunes, product jingles and pop ditties for hours on end, without complaint!

 

 

And they are the best companions anyone could have!

I realize that mutts are just as capable as Westies of being good pets.  When there is a future vacancy at our house, it will be filled by either be a pound hound or a Westie rescue. 

Do you have a particular breed, mix or mutt you would like to brag about?  I'm all ears....

Mitzi

Meet Jack Harris: An Extraordinary Man, Part II

In my last post I introduced you to Jack Harris, a most special family friend and successful business owner (now retired) from Petoskey, Michigan and Naples, Florida.

Jack's greatest achievement has been his contribution to North Central Michigan College, a community college in beautiful Petoskey.  Jack isn't one to fritter away his hard earned money on Rolex watches, expensive cars and around-the-world party cruises.  Jack has generously donated over half a million dollars in sculptures and landscaping to create Harris Gardens at NCMC.  You can visit the NCMC website for a virtual tour and a fantastic video showing each sculpture and telling a bit about the artists who created them.

 

Jack Harris sitting on "Mobius Bench" by artist James Vilona

The land was just a patch of nothing to start with.  It's taken Jack five years, lots of inspiration, and a good landscaper to create Harris Gardens.  He selects the sculptures from candidates all over the world, and even chooses the plants that will be planted nearby.  NCMC has allowed him full artistic control, and I think they've made a wise decision.

 

"Interdependence" by Mark Leichliter

 

Jack just added three new sculptures in November 2011 to the existing 18, and he might not be done yet!  Touring the Harris Gardens is free of charge. Members of the community and visitors are encouraged to visit the NCMC campus to enjoy the sculptures.

 

"Time" by Carol Gold

 

Jack's goal is to help develop an appreciation for art in the community and provide a place for students to relax, study, and dream about their future.  Art has brought so much joy into his life, he wants to pass it on to others.

 

 "Time Columns" by Carol Fleming

 

This steampunk horse is a favorite with the students.  Men often point out the various implements used in the structure, most of which can be found on a farm:

"J-Bolt and Ghost Rider" by Dixie Jewett

 

 

"World Within" by James T. Russell

Photo Credits:  NCMC Website

Jack with "Dream Catcher" by Gino Miles

 

 

The Road Not Taken by Dale Rogers

Photo Credits: Interlochen.org

Jack's most recent contribution has been financial support to create a wing for a state of the art nurses' training program at the college.  It will be named the Jack and Dorothy Harris Center at the insistence of the college president after Jack and his beloved late sister Dorothy.

If you find yourself enjoying beautiful Petoskey, I know Harris Gardens will be on your list of places to visit.  Perhaps you'll sit and contemplate the generosity of Jack Harris while there.  Of course, he would want you to enjoy yourself by thinking of your own hopes and dreams.

Jack still maintains a youthful wonder about the world.  One of his  favorite sayings is from Peter Pan:  "Turn right at the first star, and straight on 'till morning".  I'd say he's headed in the right direction, wouldn't you?

Mitzi

Petoskey on Dwellable

Meet Jack Harris: an Extraordinary Man, Part I

To call Jack Harris of Naples, Florida a "dear family friend" is an understatement, but words fail me for once.  He's been a wonderful presence in our lives for many years, since 1973 to be exact, and I can't imagine what our lives would be like without his influence.  He was the key player in making my mother's dream of owning a downtown gift and clothing shop come true, and eventually both of my parents became full time entrepreneurs under Jack's expert tutelage.

Jack Harris and my mom Lucile Maran:

Although busily preparing for expected holiday visitors, in typical generous Jack fashion he agreed to let me invade his home last week with my camera and answered questions about his life and career so I could write this post.  There will be a "Part II" as well, but today I'd like to share some of the art that graces his home as I review his early career.

Near the pool is a copper enamel fish that adds just the right touch of color:

 

 

Originally from South Bend, Indiana, Jack became an elementary school art teacher in Fort Lauderdale after leaving the military years ago.  He's always had a deep appreciation for art and its many forms.  While teaching in Florida, he opened a small art gallery.  As he became familiar with other small business owners in nearby Pompano Beach, he noticed many of them had second stores in a small Michigan town called Petoskey.

"The Fool" invites you to touch his nose.  It appears many have done so:

 

 

Jack eventually visited Petoskey and fell in love with the town.  He had decided to quit teaching and became a full time store owner, moving from Florida and buying out a small shop underneath a wine and cheese store called The Mole Hole.  Jack had many ideas to improve the shop and set to work making it a magical place.

 

A beautiful ceramic cat in Jack's home:

 

 

The success of The Mole Hole led to other retail ventures in Petoskey, including The Wind in the Willows, which featured food and cooking items; Gallery One, an art gallery; and Toad Hall, a second gift shop with clothing in the mix.  Right around this time my parents met Jack, and he was just beginning to franchise the Mole Hole shops.  He helped my parents start their store in downtown Mt. Pleasant, in a building that was once the old fire hall.  It was a great success thanks to Jack's expert help and my parents' hard work.

The Mt. Pleasant Mole Hole in the 1970's:

Another colorful and stunning work of ceramic art from Jack's collection:

 

 

Many of the Petoskey retailers also had second shops in Naples, Florida,  because life in Petoskey slows down considerably in the winter.  Jack opened a Wind in the Willows and a Mole Hole on Third Street in Old Naples.  Ralph Polio was appointed manager of the Mole Hole and was a huge part of the success of the sprawling store.

At the height of the Mole Hole franchise, there were over 200 stores nationwide.  Jack gave each of them personal attention, such as accompanying the owners on buying trips to the wholesale markets and helping with store display and design. 

The Mole Hole in Marshall, Michigan has been in business for 34 years:

 

 

My parents sold their Mt. Pleasant store and moved to Naples in 1979 when Jack sold them The Wind in the Willows.  They've enjoyed great success there as well as Jack's companionship for over 30 years.  My parents are now retired and the store is owned by Beth Ressler.

Jack and Ralph's parrot, Snooki:

 

Jack's Naples Mole Hole occupied a large part of this block on Third Street which is now a Tommy Bahama clothing shop and Handsome Harry's restaurant:

 

 

 The Wind in the Willows, which Jack established in the Naples Mercantile building, built in 1914, was eventually sold to my parents who ran it for years on Third Street, then moved it to Fifth Avenue.  Now it's Campiello restaurant (this is getting complicated.....)

 Campiello Restaurant:

 

 A nice view from Jack and Ralph's back yard:

 

 

 

Even the coconuts seem extra pretty on Jack's property:

 

It wouldn't be Jack's yard if it didn't have art!

 

 

 

 A lucky dog:  Mandy, a rescue Jack and Ralph treat like a princess.

 

 

As we sat by the pool, I asked Jack for some business advice.  Because he did business the old fashioned way, in a bricks and mortar shop, his first piece of advice is to pick the best location you can, no matter what, even if it means starting very small.  Expansion can always come later.  His next bit of advice is to find good help, which isn't easy.  Your help have to actively sell for you when you aren't there, so hire wisely. 

 A touch of whimsy in the pool:

When ordering store merchandise, Jack always looked for items at a wide range of price points, "from $5 to $500", so there was something for everyone.  And although it required a lot of traveling, Jack felt it was important to buy at several wholesale markets.  He would typically attend the New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Dallas markets every year just to ensure that his stores had a wide variety of merchandise.

Even in the pool, there's something beautiful and unexpected to view:

 

 

Summers are spent in a cottage on tiny Oden Island, population 18, near Petoskey:

 

 

The cottage in winter:

 

 

 

Jack has accomplished a lot in his lifetime.  He's been a hugely successful businessman, a great friend, adoptive father, and devoted brother to his sister Dorothy.  But perhaps Jack's greatest achievement has been his contribution to North Central Michigan College, a community college in beautiful Petoskey, Michigan.  My next post will cover the "contribution", which is quite amazing, so stay tuned....

Mitzi

My Story: The 1960's

I was born in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, in 1960.  If you look at your right palm, and point to the center, that's where Mt. Pleasant is located within the state of Michigan.  Mt Pleasant was an odd name, because our town was flat as a pancake.  But it was a great little town to grow up in.  I often describe it as "Mayberry, with a college" back in those days.  From our house we could walk to the Central Michigan College campus or to the downtown Five and Dime.  I lived on the corner of Main and Cherry Streets throughout the 1960's.

I was kind of a porker when I was a toddler.  Maybe because I was always being pushed around in this contraption which resembled a shopping cart (below). I'm clutching Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls my grandma Newton sewed for me.  Aren't they adorable?

Holding on for dear life, with our yellow station wagon in the background:

My grandma also sewed this little dress with the smocked top.  I still remember the colors exactly.  She was so talented, always creating something with her hands.  She's responsible for sparking my interest in sewing and crafting.

My only sibling Mike is seven years older than me.  He took on a brother/teacher role that really helped develop my curiosity about the world.  Mike's room was full of fascinating collections of stamps, coins, rocks, shells,bugs, and antique mechanical banks.  He encouraged me start my my own little collections too.  Mike had an antique nickel slot machine that I frequently played with.  I thought it was better than any toy I owned, with all of its complex gears and the spinning reels of fruit images inside.

My kindergarten photo:

Mike's bedroom was down the hall from mine, and he would play his fantastic collection of Beatles, Yardbirds, The Who, and Rolling Stones albums while I was drifting off to sleep.  One summer I discovered Mike's cache of MAD magazines, and read every one from cover to cover.  What fun!

Every summer my cousins would gather at my grandparents' house in Mt. Pleasant.  We'd get out Grandma's photo albums that she had carefully compiled and pore over the pictures. Grandpa grew raspberries, grapes and peaches in his yard and I loved picking my own bowl full.  Every Labor Day weekend we would pick pears from their tree.  My grandma would always have delicious meals prepared, and after dinner, she'd be happy to make you a root beer float while you watched Lawrence Welk with them.  Just good old-fashioned Americana, the way life was supposed to be!

In the picture below, my brother Mike is on the left.  I'm in the center, with my mom, grandparents, aunt, and cousins:

 

We were allowed unlimited TV at our house, although the options were somewhat limited back then.  My clever parents set up a crafting table for me in our family room, and I don't think I ever watched TV without simultaneously working on some project. That's still my modus operandi.  For a while I wanted to be a dress designer, and filled a dozen Russel Stover candy boxes with paper doll clothes I created.

I started drawing elaborate dresses when I was in kindergarten (age 5):

I was an inquisitive child, and I pondered great mysteries of the 60's, such as:  What did they use on Gilligan's Island for toilet paper?  Why did cartoon characters always wear the same outfits?  Where did the women on Bonanza and other westerns get all the makeup, especially the mascara?  And lastly, why did Uncle Bill on Family Affair need a full time manservant, and why did he have to wear that uncomfortable butler's uniform?

My athletic prowess was evident from an early age, especially on the slopes:

 

I wore a fuzzy hat one winter that I remember loving for some reason.  It made me resemble a dandelion gone to seed.  We had a stylish dark blue T-Bird for our family car, seen in this photo of me with my dad at a ski hill:

Our neighborhood was full of girls my age, and I always had lots of playmates.  But when Carrie and her family moved into the neighborhood, things really got hoppin' and poppin'!  Carrie was creative  like me, and when we put our heads together we came up with some pretty interesting things.  She's been my lifelong best friend.

I was so proud of my first (and last) scrapbook, with the beautiful prints by artist Gwen Frostic:

Carrie and I were always working on some project, some more memorable than others.  Once we wanted to sew our own nightgowns, but without a pattern.  We selected red and white striped flannel, and added blue satin ruffles on the sleeves and yoke.  Kind of like lingerie for Bozo.  We were crestfallen when our creations didn't fit!

Remember the little pet turtles everyone had?  Carrie and I created a racetrack from yardsticks duck taped to the sidewalk, and organized the now infamous Turtle Races, with neighborhood kids cracking open their piggy banks to wager money on their turtles.  Luckily, we didn't get busted for illegal gambling!

 

If you've been reading my blog, you know my parents ran an antique shop in our converted two-car garage.  I accompanied my parents on many trips around rural Michigan to find wares to sell, and we would often be visited by pickers, inevitably during dinner time, with a truckload of goods for my parents to buy.  I didn't appreciate the finer points of antiques back then, but a lot of knowledge soaked in just from being in that environment.

For a while my friends and I published "Neighborhood News".  I was a bit of a bossypants, and most of it was written by me.  Could this be considered a precursor to my blog?

Girl Scout Camp was the highlight of every summer.  I still have recurring dreams that I've enrolled for camp and get notified that this will be the last year I can go, because of my age (I guess they discourage campers over 50)!  One summer my tent mates were three girls from Saginaw that I was placed with because I was such a happy camper and got along with everyone.  We became fast friends, and I learned a little about "big city" life, how to dance (at least a little), and how to braid cornrows.

 

So that's about it for the 1960's.  I'll have more of  "My Story" to share in the future when I cover the 1970's, so I hope you'll stick with me through the macrame owls, orange decor, and Watergate (I had nothing to do with it)!

Mitzi

Cool Off at Newton's Beach

During the recent heat wave, Newton's Beach on Crystal Lake was all booked up, but this weekend I might be able to squeeze you in, if you can manage the complexities of time travel.  You see, my grandparents owned Newton's Beach on Crystal Lake, Michigan.  Their little resort included several cottages, a trailer park, bath house, boat rental, and refreshment stand.  So get yourself back to the 1950's and have some good old-timey fun at Newton's Beach!

First of all, you need to decide the cottage in which you would like to stay.  We have the Octagon Cottage, my personal favorite:

The Cement Cottage:

Or maybe the Stone Cottage.  Although I don't have any interior shots, let me assure you the cottages are clean as a whistle and decorated with colorful bark-cloth curtains and rustic cottage furniture:

 

Here's the cottage where my grandparents live.  They stay nearby to make sure the needs of their guests are met at all times!

There's plenty of parking for your DeSoto, Studebaker, or Bel Air:

 

Once you settle in, you can rent a bathing suit and an inner tube and head for the lake.  Or, if fishing is more your style, you can rent a little boat and buy some worms from my uncle Clare and aunt Hazel, who have their own worm farm, and do some fishing on adjacent Mud Lake.

 

Can't you just feel the cooler air along the water?

 

After water activities, my grandma will make you a great lunch.  She's had plenty of experience cooking. She and my grandpa used to run the College Cafeteria at Central Michigan College, Newton's Dining House and the Harmony Restaurant.  With the Newtons in charge, nobody will be going hungry! 

But don't forget, you have to wait an hour after you eat a meal before you can swim, or you'll get a cramp and drown!

Later in the day you can take the kids for a Sno Cone and the carousel on Crystal Lake for a ride or two.  In the evening, there's a band shell on the lake so and the adults can listen to big band music and do some dancing under the stars.  Now doesn't that sound like the perfect day?

Hope to see you there,

Mitzi