Thursday, August 30, 2012

south of the border


Edited to add: I found out via darling Leslie's blog, Brookhollow Lane, that there's a brand new blog link party this weekend - A Favorite Thing on Saturdays at Mockingbird Hill Cottage. So I thought I'd link up this already posted entry since it's about one of my absolute favorite things - this ceramic donkey of my mothers.

It gave me untold moments of fun and pleasure as a child, playing with the buttons it held. 

Please forgive me, I may not make it around to everyone's blogs until next week.  I look forward to reading about all of your favorite things. 




A photo of my mom and brother taken on a day trip to Tijuana Mexico in 1957.  My mom is the second from the right, wearing a dress with what they called a "mandarin" collar back then - my brother is the second from the left, note the bobby socks, penny loafers and rolled cuff Levi's.

My mother used to entertain all of my dad's visiting clients and their families when they came to So. Cal. on business trips.  That usually called for trips to Disneyland, Santa Monica Beach and Grauman's Chinese. This group must have visited before and was looking to be more adventurous. 

I know the young man on the left is the son of one of my parents favorite people, a man my father worked for in the late 1940's and became the best of friends with.  They would meet up across the country, at various golf courses until his former employer and then beloved friend, passed away in the 1980's.  Sadly I haven't a clue who the other woman is with her darling son.

I don't know the back story of the ceramic burro, when it came on the scene and from where?  But I thought it looked like it could well be a souvenir of this trip to Tijuana and it holds a very special place in my heart. It was a fixture of my childhood. My mother always kept her stray buttons in it's basket and I loved to play with all the buttons when I was little.

I was so sad when I couldn't find it in it's spot at my parents house after my father passed away last year. I looked and looked, with no success.  There were only a few things I was specifically longing for and seeking out and they all proved to be illusive until the very end.  

And each time it was my husband who found them, this cherished ceramic burro and my mom's grandmother's baby doll.  (A couple things proved to have truly vanished without a trace WAH!)  Now I look for special places in my home for them, where I can always enjoy them.

9 comments:

  1. Such a cute vintage photo of your lovely Mom and your brother. One of the thing s I specifically looked for, after my Dad died, was an old violin.I'm going to do a post about it someday. Long story short, the new owners of his house found it(had it restored) and then presented it to me.It was such a nice thing to do. So you never know-I thought I'd never see that again. It was truly special. I hope you find those vanished items someday-they may turn up!

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  2. I"m glad your hubby found that cute little burro. Does it have buttons in it now? I love that you used to play with them. My mom had a little cookie tin full of buttons, and I loved to look through them. I'm sure that is where my button addiction started! lol! Happy weekend - xox

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  3. Thanks for the nice mention. I do love that darling donkey planter. I don't think I told you, but I have some similar pic's of my bro and I- maybe from Olvera Street? Not sure of the spelling. Glad you came to the party Sally! Happt Labor Day!

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  4. What a great family memory around that little donkey planter. How lovely that your husband recovered it for you.
    Joy

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  5. Good for your husband!!! I am so
    glad you have this special found treasure. Some things hold a special place in our hearts.
    Smiles, Dottie

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  6. The photo is so wonderful - it truly paints a picture of a specific time and place. Love it. And the burro planter is such a wonderful memory of your mom and your childhood. I love the bright colors. You must have been so happy when you finally found it. Treasures like this are priceless.

    Thank you so much for joining the party. Come back next week!

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  7. Sallie Ann, I wanted to add that I'm looking forward to exploring your blog! I'm a vegetarian and a child of the 60's as well. Thanks so much again for joining the party.

    Claudia

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  8. Hello Sallie - and thanks for the nice comment on Favorite Thing. I'm here in SF before leaving for Australia tomorrow with my best friend Paula so have a few minutes to tell you that yes, Torquay is where Fawlty Towers was set and there is a hotel where the cast/crew stayed while filming that hilarious series. There was a plan to tear it down some years back but people were to adverse to that, saying it was a 'national landmark', and it was saved and renovated and is still in business!

    What a lovely photo of your family in Mexico - and the ceramic donkey is delightful. We are always fortunate when we have family mementoes to enjoy.

    Hope you are having a great week.
    Mary - A Breath of Fresh Air

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  9. We have a nearly identical photo of my parents, aunt and uncle, right down to the Pancho and Cisco sombreros and the donkey painted with zebra stripes. I think it is dated 1952 or 53. Thanks for sharing.

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