The Problem with Processed Photos ...

This is a photo from 1982 or so ...
I remember picking up the pictures, and realizing the negatives didn't look like this at all!

I brought them back to the store, and they re-processed the lot.

With much better luck!

The thing is ... I kind of like the weird one!

It is with a heavy heart that I am NOT linking this post with Al's "Sunday Scans".
Alas, Al has decided to devote his time to his main blog, "Al's Photography Blog", where he will continue to delight us with his wonderful photography, and an occasional scan.
Thank you, Al, for taking the time and effort to run this meme.
I will miss linking in!!!

Pear Avenue

This is another photo (Polaroid this time!) that I found in Grampa and Grandma G's old photo album from their Western US road trip back in the late early 1980's.

The tiny sign in the middle of this barren looking area reads ...

"Pear Ave".

I don't see any pear trees ...

But then it doesn't look much like an "avenue" to me either!

If you have scanned something, be sure to link it up to Al's "Sunday Scans"!

To see signs from around the world, visit Lesley's "Signs, Signs".

Misc. Gnomes???

I was out this morning, taking pictures of my cold world.
As I walked up our country road, I noticed a bit of paper curled up next to the ditch, and of course I had to see what it was.

Turns out it was one of the oddest notes I've found to date ...
Miscellaneous garden gnomes?
On MY street???

Be sure to link up YOUR scans to Al's "Sunday Scans"!!!

Ann Onymous Visits the Facilities ...

To kick off Al's December "Sunday Scan's" postings, I present to you "Ann Onymous".
I found this delightful photo tucked into a photo album at the Goodwill (I ALWAYS thumb through these, you'd be surprised how many people leave a page or two of memories!).

If you have scanned something, please join us!!!

Did He Make It Big???

I found this entry on a Facebook page ... Josh Wagner was coming to Portland for a book reading and signing ... Note the only person who commented saying he was going to be there was one "Draven Ames" (this is important!).

This is the cover of a book I found written by Josh.

Signed to "Draven".

I somehow think maybe Draven didn't "make it" after all.

I found this book at the Goodwill Outlet Store!!!

To see all things scanned, visit Al's "Sunday Scans" - you still have a week to enter YOUR November scans!!!

My Favorite Halloween Photo ...

This was taken around 12 years ago ... and is one of my all-time favorite photos.

Yep, that's me (boy was I young looking then) and my twins (all growed up now, sniff).

Georgia is the vampire about to bite my neck.
Victoria is the lovely princess about to swoon.

Wonderful, isn't it?

To see wonderful and evocative scans, visit Al's "Sunday Scans" - there is still time to submit your November scans!

Cleeburg, Germany - Gasthous

I found this old picture of a sign in my Germany photo album.

I even remember why it was so important to me!
The first year my (ex) was stationed in Germany was spent in a downstairs apartment of a house in the tiny town of Cleeburg. The house was almost directly across the street from the local gasthaus!
This sign helped to guide me home in those first few months of driving in a strange country when I couldn't read the signs, and didn't know my way around (let alone knowing the language to stop and ask for directions)!

Have you scanned something lately? If so, be sure to link up with Al's "Sunday Scans" - there are still two more weeks to post your November scans!

To see signs from around the world, visit Lesley's "Signs, Signs".

Rag Doll Sheet Music

Look what I found at the Goodwill (LOVE that store!) just yesterday ...
Sheet music!
Rag Doll
by Nacio Herb Brown

Featured by
Constance Mering & Muriel Pollock
Recording Artists

Published by Sherman, Clay & Co.
San Francisco

copyright MCMXXIV (1924)

I was caught by the wonderful picture on the front - the rag doll on the wooden car being stopped by the toy policeman!
It's adorable!

And it's another delightful scan to add to Al's "SUNDAY SCANS"!!!
If you have scanned something, come join us for scanning fun!

Blue Swan Minikins - Sunday Scans

I found this unique advertisement in a bunch of old magazine clippings I picked up out of a dumpster at my storage unit years ago.

I don't know what amazes me more ... the style of the ad ... or the fact that the 'undies' are just 79 cents!!!

This is my first post to this month's "Sunday Scans"!!!

If you have scanned something, please link up to Al's monthly meme, and join the scanning fun!!!

Ppppplay Ballll!!!! - Found Photos for Sunday Scans

I found a package of slightly damaged photos in a bag of mostly garbage beside the road a while back.
I was dismayed to find someone's precious memories inside.

Someone who got to see a very special ball game ...

With players I don't recognize (sorry, I don't watch baseball).

Someone whose memories apparently included a photo op with at least one of the players!

It must have been a team much admired ... someone had a wonderful time!

It breaks my heart when I see photos like this thrown away.
That's why they end up in my "found photo" file ...

Now they will also end up being part of Al's "Sunday Scans"!!!

P.S. - Do you recognize any of these players? If you do, leave me a comment! These photos intrigue me!!! Also, if you have scanned something, be sure to join us over at "Sunday Scans" - it is a monthly meme now, and that gives you several more weeks to SCAN IT!!!

Vintage Cigar Bands - Sunday Scans

Each year a small town just to the northwest of us hosts a large "yard" sale in front of their middle school. The object is to raise funds for their high school dance team.

I hadn't thought about the sale in years, but last Saturday I "accidentally" found it while on my way to our family reunion. I just HAD to stop.

One of the small treasures I found was a tiny plastic bag filled with 80+ cigar bands. I was intrigued, and dug to the bottom of my purse (AKA 'the black hole of the universe') to find two quarters.

I took my find home and did some research ... I had no idea there are people who collect cigar bands! And this must have been part of someone's collection - they are all quite old, and some of them have never been used to wrap a cigar!

As with most of my finds, I am intrigued by these beauties. Who used to collect them? Why did they get rid of them? Is this their whole collection or just duplicates?
How did they end up supporting a dance team?

Once again, I will never know. But they are now part of my ephemera collection, and this sampling is this week's addition to Al's "SUNDAY SCANS". If you have scanned something, please share it with us! Al has decided to make this a monthly theme, so you have plenty of time to join us each month!

Western Union - Sunday Scans

I snuck off by myself to Goodwill yesterday - I found a few treasures, but mostly I just had fun.
I was overjoyed to find this wonderful telegram, it sparked my curiosity completely!

Apparently "John" was in Germany when his wife experienced a life altering event, and he was unable to be there.

Did she graduate from college?
Did she have a baby?
I'll probably never know!

I am submitting this wonderfully tantalizing Western Union telegram to Al's "Sunday Scans" - and I encourage everyone to join us - and show us what YOU have scanned!

Another Found Family Photo

I found this adorable picture in the stuff my uncle brought over after Grammie went to heaven. This is my dear darling sister - back in the 1st grade!!! She would have been about 6 years old.
Isn't she cute? I was always jealous of her long flowing hair (still am!), while mine was dry, frizzy and short. Sigh.

And don't you just love the outfit she was wearing?

I missed last week's "Sunday Scans", but now I am back! I am so thankful to Al for hosting this wonderful meme! Like I said last time, it would probably have been years before I looked in the box that held so many wonderful family treasures and photos. Thank you, Al, Thank you!!!

P.S. Al, Sissie Beth's computer up and died, and she wanted you to know she will be back to Sunday Scans as soon as possible!

Found at Goodwill - Old Photo

I was browsing through the books at the Goodwill Outlet store on Friday (the next stop for this stuff is the shredder and/or shipment overseas).

I found a series of books of "classics" (maybe 15 of them) published in 1910. I wanted so badly to buy them, but even at $2 each, it was beyond my limited budget. Sigh.

As I flipped through one of them, this photo fell out, and I was entranced.
So many unanswered questions ... who took it? Where was it taken? When was it taken? How did it end up as a bookmark?

I will never know the answers to those questions. But I know that from now on, this beautiful old snapshot has a history - with me!

Join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans" - and show us what YOU'VE scanned recently!

Found Family Photos!

When I was growing up, I always thought my Uncle Lawrence was the most handsome man in the world - even better looking than Elvis!
I also thought my Aunt Barbara was a queen - she had such a regal aura!

The baby in their arms is my cousin David ... the picture would have been taken in 1957 or 1958.

I love this picture strip of Uncle Lawrence and baby David.

Thank you again, Al for hosting "Sunday Scans"!
Without you, it would probably have been YEARS before I looked in that box of papers my uncle brought me after Grammie passed away - and these wonderful family treasures would still be hidden!!!

Donnie and Marilynn - Sunday Scans

This is one of a group of old photos I found in a photo album at the Goodwill several years ago. Most of the photos had been removed from the album, but I found 2 pages that were stuck together - pictures intact between them!

The picture is titled "Donnie & Marilynn".

I love the look on Donnie's face, and how Marilynn is standing on the upended log, not even noticing that her photograph is being taken - she's more interested in playing with the dog!

Please join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans" to show us what you have scanned lately!

How Many Tires???

These are more pictures I found in Grampa and Grandma G's travel album from a trip they took to the US West back in the early 1980's. I wasn't sure why they took a picture of this heavy equipment truck ... maybe it was the stark shadows???

Then I realized their interest. The large truck was catching up to this convoy of vehicles moving what appears to be a massive tank of some kind. There are at least 3 people visible in the photo.

Look at all of those tires!

Join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans", as we share all things scanned ... we want to see YOUR old stuff!

To see shadows from around the world, visit "Hey Harriet" for Shadow Shot Sunday!

Grampa Lester

Grampa Lester was born in 1894 in St. Johns, Portland, Oregon.
This photo was taken in June of 1912, when he was 18.
The "small lad" is John McCormick (a cousin).

This picture was probably taken on a rare family trip to the Oregon coast - via horse and wagon, over non-paved roads up and over the Coast Range. The entire trip took 2 months, camping the entire time! The extended family would caravan together, and share chores. Once they took a milk cow with them!

Can you imagine taking that kind of "vacation" now?

Join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans", as we share all things scanned ... we want to see YOUR old stuff!

Germany photos, 1987

We lived for a year in a tiny town in Germany (1986-1987) ...
Cleeberg. Such a beautiful place!

The best part was the drive to work, where we passed sleepy little towns, and beautiful German countryside.

This is the house we lived in ... we rented a tiny apartment in the basement.

And frequented the "Gasthaus" just down the street.

Best of all was the castle in the middle of town ...
(A private residence, so we never got to go inside -- but that's okay, I could see a glimpse of it from my little kitchen window, and dream big dreams!)

To see scans from around the world, visit Al's "Sunday Scans" - and show us YOUR old stuff!

To see signs from around the world, be sure to join us over at Lesley's "Signs, Signs"!

Fire Lookout Tower - Snake River

Back in the early 1980's, my ex and my brother-in-law took a road trip to extreme Eastern Oregon.

One of the stops they made was a fire lookout tower (I believe it was Hat Point, but I'm not positive).

The pictures were taken by my ex.

View looking down from the tower.

View of the Snake River canyon far below ...
I like the shadow of the fire lookout tower - to give you an idea of how tall it is!

Another view from the top of the tower, looking over the parking lot to the valley beyond ...

The Snake River far below looks like a mere thread!

To see shadows from around the world, visit "Hey Harriet", and join us for Shadow Shot Sunday.

To see wonderful scanned items, join us over at Al's "Sunday Scans" - and show us YOUR old stuff!