It's the perfect time to share some of Steve Stuart's fun family photos, this time at charming Santa's Village! Here's Steve:
It’s off to Santa’s Village at Lake Arrowhead. And here I am with the great man,
himself. I should be about seven years
old in this picture. (I wonder what
button I’m wearing on my sweater-?) I
believe I’m standing in front of the Candy Kitchen – but I’m afraid I’ll have
to rely on others to ID the buildings and the rides, as I have little knowledge
of the specifics, although I did visit Santa’s Village several times as a kid.
[Editor's Note: Here is a typical pinback button given out to kids - presumably it's just like the one that Steve is wearing].
My mom, a couple of four-footed friends and me seem to be
enjoying ourselves, if the expression on my face is to be believed. That – or I’ve just fed the goats
jalapeño-spiked feed. (Hee, hee,
hee). And true-to-form, my mom looks as
though she just stepped out of a fashion photo shoot.
Okay, evidently I really didn’t try any ‘funny stuff’ with the goats, as I seem to be
getting a bit more up-close and personal, as this image would attest.
There will be more from Santa's Village - from Steve Stuart, and from me too!
Thanks so much to Nanook for more great memories.
Nanook, I love these pics! What is that hanging from the string around your neck? And is that a brownie camera that your mother is holding next to her sunglasses? I'm guessing that's a bag of goat food that she is also holding with the same hand? These pics remind me of childhood visits to Japanese Village and Deer Park and getting to feed and pet the baby deer. Once again, thanks Nanook! (And Major, too!)
ReplyDeleteThat's a true mom - dressed to the nines and still able to hold a camera, sunglasses, and goat food in one hand and sling a purse on the same arm while simultaneously managing to maintain an air of elegance and grace as she watches a pack of ravenous, half-wild weregoats devour her son. That's class.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Nanook! These are absolute treasures.
Great holiday time photos. Reminds me of my own visits to Santa's Village in Scotts Valley which was only 10 minutes away from were I lived.
ReplyDeleteI too was wondering what's hanging from the string around your neck. Bells or whistles? Again, thanks for sharing your family photos, Nanook. These are wonderful!
Brings back memories of my visits there in the late 50s (sigh). KS
ReplyDeleteLeave it to The Major to ID the button I'm wearing-! (Now, just what happened to it is anyone's guess). It probably vanished right-along with my check from "The Millionaire" TV series, handed to me by the actor Marvin Miller, several years after the series originally aired. Oh well - somehow I managed to hold on to Walt's autograph - certainly the greatest treasure amongst the three. Someone must've been watching from 'on high' in that instance...
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!-
I was trying to figure out what was hanging around my neck, too. I used to have a rabbits foot, but that doesn't seem to be 'among my souvenirs'. A house key, perhaps, along with some other goodies-?
That IS a Brownie camera my mom's clutching. I remember it well; although I had no trouble 'discarding it' when the Instamatic arrived on the scene.
Chuck-
You said it when it comes to Moms-! They're definitely a breed apart. If it was easy being a Mom, Fathers would do it-! As you pointed out, my mom handily displayed poise, grace, beauty and "Momness", simultaneously.
Ken-
My "necklace" contents remain a mystery. It's doubtful they're bells and whistles, as that wasn't my style back then - nor now, for that matter. That's probably a good thing.
KS-
Memories, indeed. It's a good reminder to insure we're making new memories each day.
Nanook, so assuming that your dad took this, your mom and your dad both carried cameras?
ReplyDeleteNow I'm having an additional memory of feeding the goats in the children's section of the Los Angeles Zoo. I bet you can't even allow people to feed animals anymore. I wonder how many people got their fingers bitten back in the day?
@ TM!-
ReplyDeleteMy guess is my mom was holding the Brownie for me - as that was my camera, if memory serves. The "official family camera" was a Kodak 35 Rangefinder, which was responsible for capturing these images.
TM!, guests can still feed the goats at the St Louis Zoo. And rumor has it that when the full Moon climbs above the trees in Forest Park, the goats sometimes feed on the guests...
ReplyDeleteChuck, better that the goats feed on the guests than the guests feeding on the goats.....like with goat burgers at the concession stands! I'm sure Knott's was just pulling the chickens right out of the park to meet the demands of the chicken dinner restaurant. ;-)
ReplyDelete