Superior Snoozers
I'm sorry to start your Sunday on a sad note, but Sue B. informed me that she has spoken to our friend Irene's husband Paul and her daughter Jennifer. Some of you may be aware that Irene has been fighting cancer for years; she recently returned home from the hospital, and is on hospice care. Let's all send our love and prayers, I know this is a terribly difficult time for her family and hope that they might find some comfort knowing that Irene brings happiness to so many people.
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It's "Snoozer Sunday™" again, though I think that these photos might be a teensy bit nicer than some of the Snoozers that I have inflicted upon you. You be the judge!
Both of these slides are from the 1950s, and both are from the Storybook Land attraction. Let's start with this photo of the Practical Pig's house of brick, it looks about as cozy and wolf-proof as any building I've ever seen. I like the whitewashed split rail fence, and the charming stepping stones leading to the front door. It looks like the Practical Pig even has telephone service, pretty fancy!
Next is this nice view of part of the village below Cinderella Castle, including some nice half-timbered buildings, and even a little vineyard (I think) in the lower left. The bridge with the Romanesque arches is lovely with its simple shapes and varied stonework.
As Sue noted months ago, it is likely that the tiny pumpkin coach has been there from the beginning (I originally thought that it wasn't added until sometime in the later 1950s), but it was just much lower down on the winding path to the castle. We can see it here! Is it going up? Or down? I can't tell.
15 comments:
Major-
Only the best thoughts to Irene and her family.
Oh my; sad news indeed. I guess I was assuming the best, these last few months, and that Irene was on the road to beating her cancer. But, where there's life, there's hope. I am definitely sending healing thoughts in her direction. Please get well, Irene.
Seems a bit silly to comment on photos after hearing that news, but that's what we do here. That, and keep each other sane; and offer up emotional support. So....
#1: In addition to telephone service, I bet Mr. Pig also has cable TV. Or maybe that round thing above the door is a satellite dish. (I know it's a window.)
I'm trying to figure out what the size of the cottage is; it's pretty hard to tell. Less than two feet? One foot?
#2: That does look like a vineyard, Major. Or maybe pole beans. Or maybe a shortwave radio antenna array. You can't miss the bright orange Pumpkin Coach in this image. The partial castle up on the mountain (hill?) looks like a futuristic home on the cover of a sci-fi novel. I wonder what the white streaks on the rocks down below, are meant to represent? I don't think it's snow. Maybe a flock of birds roosts there every night.
#3: I can't tell if the Coach is going up or down, either. I thought those might be horses on the left of it, but it's too indistinct to know for sure. And besides, wouldn't the horse be white? And what is that little white mound below, and to the right of the Coach? Marshmallow? Half a ping pong ball?
Thanks, Major. And Irene, try visualizing the cancer being defeated. It helped me get through my own fight with it.
This is very sad news. My thoughts for Irene and her family during this difficult time.
I am so very sorry to hear this news. I'm sending only good and positive thoughts to Irene and her family.
Praying for Irene, Paul, Jennifer, and the rest of her family and friends, for strength, for comfort, for hope, and for peace.
The low angle looking up at Practical Pig’s house is interesting, almost like it was taken by a child or a very daring photographer who had his or her camera just above the water. Or maybe the hill is higher and the boats lower than I remember.
It’s interesting to compare the 1950s image with this 2011 photo. The modern house is a pretty close replica of the original, although executed I think Mike was telling us in resin (I really wanted to type “concrete” after my goof yesterday, but I don’t want you all to think I’m a bigger idiot than you already do). The fence has been raised, probably to simplify maintenance, and the stepping stones are now a solid walk of cobblestones, probably changed for the same reason as the fence. One positive change I see is that they seem to have taken care of the green garden snake infestation. I know they help control the rodent population, but they are way out of scale.
Prayers for Irene and her family, and gratitude for her generous sharing of so many family pictures and memories over the years.
I hope a moment with these simple pictures of a favorite spot brings a quiet happy memory.
Thank you Major for the photos, as every day, somehow these seem right.
JG
Nanook, I hope her family sees today’s comments.
JB, I worried about pairing the announcement about Irene with today’s post (which I wrote months ago). I know that they vary in tone about as much as possible, but figured that you guys would understand, and I think she would too. I’m unsure about the size of the Practical Pig’s house, but if I had to guess, “about two feet” sounds like a reasonable guess. In the Cinderella Castle photo, we can see a couple of tiny signs right down by the water, I wish we could read them. You’d think that they would barely be legible to guests, too. Looking at that rocky outcropping to the right of the pumpkin coach, I thought at first that it was supposed to be covered with snow, which seemed odd. But it might actually be bird droppings?! Dumb birds.
K. Martinez and TokyoMagic!, thank you.
Chuck, of course most photos taken from the canal boats are from a low angle; it’s possible that a kid took these, if you put a child in charge of a camera, you never know what you’re going to get. Like a box of chocolates. In charge of a camera? Thank you for the link to the 2011 photo, it’s an interesting study in contrasts. I’m amazed at how often we see green garden hoses in Storybook Land, didn’t they know about sprinklers? Maybe they didn’t want sprinklers to constantly soak the little models every day.
JG, I have to thank Sue for informing me about Irene’s condition, and for helping me decide how to address it here on GDB.
Thinking the best for Irene and her family. These quaint little photos seem nice today, Major.
I always enjoyed Irene’s posts here. Sending good thoughts and prayers her way today. I agree with JG and Kathy! – these photos seem right today. Perhaps they remind me that some of the happiest things in life are often the simple things.
Sending good thoughts & prayers to Irene & her family.
Thanks Sue & Major.
-DW
STRONG Positive thoughts for you Irene and your family too.
I've been AWOL this weekend, but I had to tell Stu, Bob's Big Boy was the place to hangout on Speedway in Tucson during the 60s. Ate many burgers, fries and milkshakes on a Saturday night after a concert or just cruising Speedway. Nice to see you Stu. Thanks for sharing. Lots of memories. Occasionally an Orange Julius, but we got our food a BBB's.
Thanks Major for posting those great photos.
Kathy, thank you.
Sunday Night, I guess it only makes sense that, after blogging for over 15 years, I’d lose some people, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I met Irene in person, one of only a handful of GDB readers that I can say that about.
DW, thanks.
Mike Cozart, much appreciated.
DrGoat, I love the idea of those places that used to be hopping with activity and life on weekends, all the young folks hanging out and enjoying themselves in a warm, friendly place. There’s a coffee shop near me that used to be *sort of* like that, but it closed a few years ago. It’s been sitting dark ever since, I keep hoping somebody will reopen it.
Sending wishes for peace and comfort for Irene and her loved ones.
Sue, thanks for letting us know about Irene. Keeping her and her family in my thoughts.
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