I am showing two photos of my collage board that is in my studio. I have several vintage family photos that I really love on the board. There are getting to be many vintage pieces of "Bling" jewelry that I have found here and there. The old jewelry is so much fun to wear, put it on a hat, scarf, and maybe a really cool apron. The top photo shows an old school picture on the left side, this photo is of me in the First Grade, late 1950's by the way. My mother, Tressa "Terry", is shown in the framed photo in the middle, she is about 20 yrs old in this photo. I just got this framed photo in 2009, after the disposal of my step-fathers estate. There were 3 of these, just enough for us kids. This is so special to me, a reminder of her that I didn't have before. She died in October 1996, and I still miss her very much.

Here is part of my collection of pearls. Some are vintage pearls handed down from my grandmother, mother, and mother-in-law. Some were purchased at a vintage store. One stand is real in all of these. I received them for Christmas a couple of years back. Pearls are the jewel for my sorority, Sigma Kappa. I think that is why they are very special to me. They speak of elegance, grace, and the formal occasions of gloves and heels. I recently saw the movie Julie and Julia, and that brought to mind that pearls can be for less formal wear also. I will be attending a wedding next month, and that will be a good time to wear the real ones. Now what else will I wear, I detest pantyhose and heels. Maybe dressy slacks, and a blazer. With jewelry of course.

Covered Bridge

This is the Office Covered Bridge in Westfir, Oregon. The bridge is really great. It is lighted for the holiday season, and there is a bridge lighting on the 1st Saturday in December. It was built to allow loaded log trucks to travel thru to a mill, so it is very tall. It has a sidewalk to allow workers to walk thru safely. This sidewalk is rare on the covered bridges here in Oregon. The mill is long gone. Now there is a rest area, picnic shelter, trailhead and information kiosk on the other side. There are several more bridges in Lane County. This one is close to my home and I drive by it often. Very iconic of another era, special, and fun.

Oregon Trail as described by women who experienced it.

This book "Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey" by Lillian Schlissel is my current reading material. I am doing some reading about the Oregon Trail for the background information for the biography of my great grandfather. This book is very interesting, with the true diaries written by the women who experienced the life changing journey across North America. Many of them walked barefoot 2000 miles, pregnant, with small children holding hands, and carrying a baby. I have such admiration for them. Most of the families had very difficult times. I think of myself as being pretty tough, but this experience is very eye opening for me. I have read the story of my families trip, and I so wish that I had a dairy from my great great grandmother, Elvira Hawley. She was very sick with "Mountain Fever". I have read several descriptions of this illness....extreme fatigue. very bad nutrition, and typhoid. I have to wonder what it was exactly? I continue reading and learning much. I do like this book that I borrowed from the local library. I will purchase a copy for myself and sister.