Today is a very special day.
It's my cousin Paula's
70th birthday
and I'm taking her (and you)
on a trip down memory lane!
on a trip down memory lane!
Tommy and Paula at the beach in Wildwood, NJ
Among my happiest childhood memories are those made with Paula in the
early 50s when our families vacationed at the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey.
Here, just for you, Paula, is one of Philly's Phinest, Bobby Rydell, singing
about "Wildwood days, party lights and wild, wild Wildwood nights!"
"Wildwood Days" - Bobby Rydell
(May/June 1963, highest chart pos. #17)
As I display a few more pictures taken by my dad,
the shutterbug, at fun-filled family gatherings of the 50s...
the shutterbug, at fun-filled family gatherings of the 50s...
sweet girl Paula on right
...there are a few more things I'd like you
to know about my cousin Paula.
to know about my cousin Paula.
Paula, more than anyone, was responsible for getting me interested in
pop music and pop culture. In the late 50s Paula got me started watching
Dick Clark's American Bandstand. She introduced me to the music of teenage
idols like Ricky Nelson and the boys from Philly which included the singer you
idols like Ricky Nelson and the boys from Philly which included the singer you
just heard, Bobby Rydell, along with another young Philadelphia dreamboat
and heartthrob - Fabian. In this scene from Bandstand, you will catch
glimpses of Fabian signing autographs (at 52 sec. and 1:20) as the
and heartthrob - Fabian. In this scene from Bandstand, you will catch
glimpses of Fabian signing autographs (at 52 sec. and 1:20) as the
kids in the studio dance to the Newbeats' hit "Bread And Butter."
"Bread And Butter" - The Newbeats
(Sept. 1964, highest chart pos. #2, ep. of American Bandstand
with Fabian signing autographs at :52/1:20 mark)
Speaking of Philly teenage idols, let's not forget the very popular Frankie Avalon.
In recent years, Frankie toured with Bobby Rydell and Fabian as a trio called
Dick Fox's Golden Boys. (Dick Fox is a Manhattan producer and promoter.)
Now let's turn back the clock to 1959 as cute and cuddly Frankie Avalon
performs his signature song-- "Venus."
"Venus" - Frankie Avalon
(Mar./Apr. 1959, highest chart pos. #1)
Cousin Paula and I lived in York, PA. Down the road a hop, skip and a jump is
the city of Hanover, hometown of the much loved girl group The Pixies Three.
To honor Paula on her special day, The Pixies sing their hit "Birthday Party."
"Birthday Party" - The Pixies Three
(Aug./Sept. 1963, highest chart pos. #40)
Cousin Paula was named after her dad, Paul, (above right) and that brings
to mind the Texas duo of Paul & Paula and their chart-topper "Hey Paula."
"Hey Paula" - Paul And Paula
(Jan./Feb. 1963, highest chart pos. #1)
"Hey Paula" by Paul and Paula reminds me of "Tall Paul," a top 10 hit
for Mouseketeer Annette Funicello in 1959. Here's a wonderful hybrid
video combining two vintage clips of Annette performing the ditty,
including the time she shrank to puppet size on Bandstand.
video combining two vintage clips of Annette performing the ditty,
including the time she shrank to puppet size on Bandstand.
"Tall Paul" - Annette
(Jan./Feb. 1959, highest chart pos. #7,
perf. on American Bandstand)
Paula, my dear cousin...
Feb. 1951 - posing before we went to Sunday school
... you were close to me from the
very start - a wonderful companion.
very start - a wonderful companion.
Thank you very much, Paula...
for being my childhood chum.
for being my childhood chum.
Thank you for igniting my passion for
pop music and for helping to make
my childhood years so much fun.
pop music and for helping to make
my childhood years so much fun.
In closing, here's Neil Sedaka with a
musical message just for you, Paula:
musical message just for you, Paula:
"Happy birthday, sweet sixteen!" (+ 54)
"Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen" - Neil Sedaka
(Dec, 1961, highest chart pos. #6, perf. on American Bandstand)
Hey, hey, Paula... I love you!
Happy Birthday, Paula!
ReplyDeleteTom’s dad, Walter, took some great photos of you and Tom as children. It was nice to see you, Tom, your parents and other family members enjoying fun times at the beach and elsewhere. Wish there were some pictures of you as a teenager.
I remember those cute little snow suits worn by young children in the 50's and 60's— I dressed my son in one. The pictures and words in this post make one thing clear— you were a big part of my husband’s life. I hope you have a wonderful day, Paula!
Hi, Kathryn!
DeleteThank you very much for being the early bird for this special post honoring cousin Paula on her birthday. Every day I am thankful that my dad was a photography buff and took hundreds of family pictures. They are priceless and so are the memories associated with them. Paula was indeed a big part of my childhood. We made many happy memories together back then and she is equally important to me now.
Thanks again for your visit and comment, Kathryn!
Thank you for this post, friend Shady … As Winter progresses and memories/ schmemories appear … ya … Feb and Oct are never that good. ya. Jennifer Rose would be 34 Feb26, ya … Anyway ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteThank you for coming to my cousin Paula's birthday party, dear friend!
I can understand why the months of February and October put your emotions through the wringer as you recall the birth and death dates of your daughter Jennifer Rose. I am very sorry for your loss, dear friend.
Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear cat!
Hi Tom!
ReplyDeleteIt must have been awesome to have a family member close to your age to “ chum” around with! Looks like you had a lot of family fun in your youth! The pictures were so sweet and classic! You made a lovely Family album with music chock-full of memories for Paula’s milestone birthday!
Happy Birthday, Paula!
P.S. little Tommy was such a little cutie!
Hi, Toni!
DeleteThank you very much for coming to Paula's party, dear friend! It is a pleasure to introduce her to you.
Yessum, cousin Paula and I were born the same year, nine months apart, and we shared many good times together at her place, at my house, at family gatherings and on vacations down at the seashore. Some of my earliest and happiest memories revolve around Paula.
Thank you again for your kind visit and birthday wishes, dear friend Toni. Have a great weekend!
Happy birthday, dear Paula!
ReplyDeleteI'm at work at the library and getting my groove on as I shelve books. Most of Paula's favourites are my favourites too.
Ah, those crazy Wildwood days! Cape May too. Your trip down memory lane made me smile.
Happy birthday and thanks for doing this, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThank you very much for dropping in and joining the fun as I pay tribute to cousin Paula on her birthday!
It means a lot that you took a break during work at the library to view these old family pictures and groove to these vintage tunes. I'm happy to know you and Paula have the same taste in music. Those of us who grew up in central and southeast Pennsylvania are familiar with those wild wild Wildwood days and nights. I'll never forget the first time I rode the Wild Mouse roller coaster down there. Cape May, Lewes, OCMD, OCNJ, Atlantic city, Barnegat Light, Point Pleasant, Asbury Park - most of the seaside towns you have visited, I have also visited over the years.
Thanks again for being here on Paula's special day, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteYou were such a cutie! I love old childhood photos and I loved perusing your childhood memories. I remember that roller coaster! I remember the fun pier in Wildwood vividly. Ah, it makes me look forward to summer - I'm planning a trip to Asbury Park; I'm paying off some debt and will save for a few days away. I think I will have to make a mix and include some of these hits. :)
I hope that Paula had a special day. Have a great Sunday, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm happy to learn that you remember the Wild Mouse ride. Are you saying they no longer have it on the pier at Wildwood? Maybe it is considered too low tech and tame by today's standards but, back in the 50s, it was the edgiest ride around. The cars jerked you in one direction and then another, making you think you were going to fly off the track and plummet to the ground. It was a thrill!
I'm glad to know you are planning another trip to Asbury Park this year. Make a mixtape of these old tunes and play them on the way to the beach.
I think Paula did have a special day and I thank you for helping to bring that about, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI haven't been to Wildwood in 18 years, so I'm not even sure. I'll have to ask an old co-worker who has a house in Wildwood. Since 2012, I've visited only the North Jersey beaches. I hope they did keep the rollercoaster!
Woohoo! I'm glad that she enjoyed. :) Have a great week ahead, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteIf your co-worker has that info please pass it along. I'm curious to know.
Thanks again for coming and have a nice Tuesday, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteWill do - in fact, I was thinking of e-mailing her today! I had a snow day; I applied to two jobs and I have my fingers crossed. They're not international jobs, but they are professional and would be my ticket to Canada. :)
I also cooked a bit today. Now, it's time to work on my Happiness Box Project display and my scrapbook. Have a great Wednesday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI have other friends in Central PA who are snowbound today. Seems like you took advantage of your extra spare time and put it to good use. I wish you all the luck in the world with those job applications. I am sure you will keep us posted about your progress.
Happy Wednesday to you as well, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteAs you know how unhappy I am here, I'm debating whether or not I should start teaching abroad a year earlier. I've been really trying to think; mom is threatening that they are going to move when dad retires, but I am not sure. I don't want to still be here to find out. I am finding that jobs here aren't in my field. We'll see.
Happy Thankful Thursday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear it, dear friend. I hope you can get it figured out. Sometimes the things parents say to us are meant to have the effect of a cattle prod and are not to be taken literally. They simply want to keep us moving forward toward a goal. Keep weighing all your options. I wish you the best, dear friend JM!
Happy Birthday to your cousin Paula! Anything that ends in a zero is a "big one". May she enjoy her special day.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thank you very much for coming over on a Saturday to help me wish my cousin Paula a happy birthday!
You're right, Kelly. I remember being age nine and looking forward to "the big one-oh." :)
Once again I thank you for coming by, dear friend Kelly. It was nice of you to help me extend birthday greetings to Paula. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
I loved this blog entry to celebrate our cousin, Paula's, birthday!!! I always love seeing pics of our family from when we were kids. It was nice seeing a pic of my Mom, too!!! I always enjoyed our "family get-togethers" of the "Terry Girls" and their families. I wish that I had appreciated them, then, as much as I do now.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Betsy
Hi, Betsy!
DeleteIt was so nice of you to leave a message on Paula's post, dear cousin! I am delighted to know that you enjoyed taking this stroll down memory lane with me and viewing pictures of Paula and other family members taken in those golden years of the 50s and early 60s. I was blessed to have cousins like you and Paula close to my age so that we could enjoy activities together, and I wouldn't trade our Terry clan for any other. There was an abundance of fun and laughter at every one of our gatherings.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts and memories with me and for helping cousin Paula celebrate her birthday. Enjoy your day and weekend, dear Betsy!
Happy Birthday, Paula! You and Shady are so blessed to have had each other during some of the most impressionable years of your lives! You shared so much...ah the beaches, and, the music! Shady credits you, Paula with bringing about his musical preferences. You knew they were in there somewhere, and sometimes it takes a girl to bring those tendencies to the forefront!
ReplyDeleteAll of the Paula songs are favorites and were so popular! "Hey Paula" is a much loved song, and brings out the romantic vibes in us all. Paul and Paula were such a sweet couple.
I had no idea there was such a place as Wildwood, NJ and a beach! Bobby Rydell's song "Wildwood Days" is a fun song, but I always associated beach songs and activities as being in California. I love all of your beach photos!
Since I like surprises, I don't scroll down to the end of your posts, Shady in anticipation of more excitement to come. I had my fingers crossed as I read, and lo and behold it was there! "Tall Paul"! My favorite Annette song and, Paul song! I have to tell you I watched this one twice! I thought I saw a picture of Paul Anka in that video. He was adorable, but not very tall, was he!
This is quite a celebration, Paula and Shady! I think the photo of you two in snowsuits is adorable...you both are looking a bit worried. The kiddie pool picture is awesome, and I like the last photo with the kite! You have so much to look back and smile on!
Thank you for sharing these moments with us dear Shady, and thank you Paula for allowing Shady to introduce you to us! May this be the best Birthday ever for you. How can you miss with Neil Sedaka singing "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen"!
Take care and have a great weekend, Shady! We have a drab, cloudy day in the low 30s with some drizzle on the way. Hope your weather is tolerable! ♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteThank you very much for attending cousin Paula's birthday party, dear friend. I'm so glad you could come!
Well, I think you hit the nail on the head, Suzanne. In the mid 50s my big brother turned me on to rock 'n' roll. If cousin Paula hadn't introduced me to Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon and other teenage idols in the late 50s, I might not have developed a taste for the kind of sugar sweet romantic pop songs they performed. In fact, I would say that Paula opened up my thinking back then and is chiefly responsible for my eclectic taste in music today.
Yessum, Paul & Paula (real names Ray Hildebrand and Jill Jackson) were a great duo, and I was excited to find that nicely remastered clip of them performing their signature song "Hey Paula." The success of that single is credited with inspiring many other male-female duos. "Hey Paula" is an ideal example of the sweet, innocent nature of teen pop in those pre-Beatles years. "Paula" - Jill Jackson - went on to a solo career as a country singer.
You didn't know that Wildwood is a THING? :) Oh yes, those of us who lived in the mid-Atlantic states are well aware of Wildwood. It has been a favorite beach destination for generations. The East Coast has many great beach towns from Florida to New England.
Yessum, I remember you telling me that "Tall Paul" is your favorite Annette single. I like "Tall Paul," "First Name Initial" and "O Dio Mio." You're correct. You do see Paul Anka with Annette in that video. Annette dated Anka and he wrote his hit song "Puppy Love" about her. I think you are correct, Paul Anka was not very tall, and I didn't find anything stating that "Tall Paul" is about him. By the way, Annette was the best friend of "Mary Stone" - actress Shelley Fabares from The Donna Reed Show.
That picture of us crammed into the kiddie pool was taken on our patio in the mid 50s shortly after we moved into that house. A few years later my dad bought us a much larger pool for the back yard and erected that basketball goal for me, the one I showed you in my "Hoopla" post last month.
Thank you again, Suzanne, for coming over on a Saturday and for offering such a wonderful comment for Paula's birthday. I'm very happy to know that you enjoyed the old songs and pictures. Keep warm over there in Texas and enjoy the rest of your weekend, dear friend!
And how different the world would be if Paula hadn't turned you on to music! Happy birthday to her.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThanks so much for coming over, good buddy!
You're right. I probably wouldn't even be blogging these 10+ years if not for Paula's early influence. I certainly wouldn't appreciate as many different styles of music.
Thank you again for sharing birthday greetings with my dear cousin Paula, good buddy Alex!
Tom, I am so touched I don't even know how to thank you. I have never in my life felt special enough to have a tribute on a blog. I can't stop watching and listening. It is truly amazing how good it feels to remember our younger days. I sound very old saying this but it was a simpler time.
ReplyDeleteWe have such wonderful memories and it's great to think about those days. Just for the record, I loved all those guys but for some reason, Fabian was my favorite. Also, I wanted to look like Annette! I really thank all the new friends who left a message for me to have a Happy Birthday. Thanks to you and to them, I will.
Thanks so much for the memories.
Love you much.
Paula
Hi, Paula!
Delete(Or should I say "Hey, hey Paula"? :) I am very thankful that you allowed me to publish your reaction to your birthday post, a tribute that is richly deserved because you are that special to me, and because I owe you so much. How can one put a price tag on memories like those you and I created back in those early years? These old pictures tell the story of our happy youth, each image worth a thousand words. It was indeed a simpler time, wasn't it, Paula? There was widespread agreement that we should be sweet and kind to one another and promote goodness and decency, and those values were reflected in popular songs, on television programs and in movies of the period. I miss those years more than I can express. You are one of my main links to those happy days of the past and I am grateful to you.
I remember you liking Fabian, but I didn't know you wanted to look like Annette. With dark hair I believe you would have closely resembled her!
Yes, Paula, people are coming here from across the country and down from Canada to wish you a happy birthday. It makes me happy to know that I made you happy today and I thank you for sharing your impressions of the post with the other readers.
Once again, happy birthday to you, my dear cousin Paula, and may you enjoy many more!
I just tried to file my income tax online. This should have been fairly easy since I've been using the 1040EZ form since 1982, but I made some sort of mistake or left something out or committed some other crime against humanity that the web site gleefully informed me of, but NOT HOW TO FIX THE DAMN THING! I tried clicking on "help" but was told that I had to reword my request (for help) about three times until I just decided to use the "send email". They answered pretty quickly, like within seconds. Except that all they would tell me is that I made a mistake BUT NOT HOW TO FIX IT! Finally I said screw it and just printed out a form that I could fill out myself. Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteWhy am I telling you all this? Just to inform you that listening to your song selections have calmed me down considerably. I especially liked hearing "Bread and Butter" again. Happy birthday to you cousin Paula, and thank her for me for introducing you to pop culture. If not, I wouldn't be making these weekly visits (come to think of it, you might want to blame her.)
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThank you very much for coming to my cousin Paula's birthday celebration, good buddy. I appreciate it and I know she does, too. (You can read her comments above.)
You seem to be yearning for the simpler times of the past when we didn't get tangled up in so much red tape. Would "1040EZ" qualify as an oxymoron? (I always thought "oxymoron" was the irritating ad pitchman for OxiClean stain remover. :) I hope you get your income taxes filed and that you will remember to sign over your refund check to me. :)
I'm pleased to learn that these oldies but goodies had a calming effect on you. I am thankful there are so many vintage clips available from those earlier years of American Bandstand so that we can see how the teenagers dressed, danced and behaved.
Thank you again for dropping by to wish cousin Paula a happy birthday. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a great week ahead, good buddy Kirk!
Paula,
ReplyDeleteYou've always been my favorite cousin too. (Sorry, Tom. You and Keith were second and third respectively.) I've always been more comfortable with females than males. So many more males than females are into competition ... and, I'm not much into losing ... which I usually do when competing.
When I first logged into Outlook today, it's calendar showed a pop-up saying:
Today (16-Feb-2019) is Paula's 70th birthday.
I was about to send you a Happy Birthday note when I saw Betsy's e-mail pointing to Tom's tribute. (Great job, Tom.) I'll probably still send you a birthday e-mail, but I'll say it here too.
Hope you have a great day and that the year ahead is your best ever.
Terry and Dorothy
😘 😺
Hi, Terry!
DeleteHi, Dorothy... the wonderful wonderful cat!
I am very excited to see you, my friend and cousin! Thank you for coming to spread birthday cheer to our wonderful cousin Paula. I also thank your sister Betsy for getting the word out to you and other family members and letting you know about my special post in Paula's honor.
I hear you, Terry. Like you, I find it easier to relate to females, and for the same reason you mentioned. I have a special place in my heart for Paula and Betsy.
This tribute post was a year in the making, Terry. The idea occurred to me early last year and I have been tweaking the draft ever since. Along the way a couple of the embedded song videos disappeared on me, and it was unnerving. Fortunately, new HQ vids were uploaded to YouTube in time for me to insert them into the lineup and the post was published in the form originally envisioned.
I'm sure you agree with Paula, Betsy and me that we were blessed to grow up as members of the Terry family. We had many wonderful times. We were a family of good humor. We laughed easily and often. We genuinely got a kick out of each other. How fortunate we were compared to many families past and present!
Thank you again, cousin Terry, for choosing my blog as a means of reaching out to Paula and letting her know how much you care about her. Be good to yourself and your kitty, have a great year and come back and visit Shady's Place any time you're in the mood for a sentimental journey home.
Happy Birthday to my cousin-in-law Paula!
ReplyDeleteI was definitely not a Dell Rat. I was there twice. First time I was there I met your cousins Tom and Dave. 50 years later your cousin Dave and I are still married.
I have to comment on your cute coat you are wearing on your tricycle. I had the same coat. Mine was blue with a black velvet collar and buttons.
I hope you are enjoying your birthday!
Cheryl
Hi, Cheryl!
DeleteThanks so much for swinging over to share a birthday greeting with Paula. I know Paula will be thrilled when she reads your message.
I didn't realize you only made it up to the Dell twice. Looks like you met Mr. Right at the "den of iniquity" since you and Dave are still together after all these years. I congratulate you both!
Indeed that was a cute coat Paula was wearing while riding her tricycle. Until recently when I came across those pictures in my family album, I had completely forgotten that I wore an ivy league cap as a very young boy.
Thanks again for attending Paula's birthday party, dear Cheryl. I hope 2019 is treating you well and that you will stay in touch and visit me again here at Shady's Place - your home away from home.
Thanks Tom for sharing. My family would go to Wildwood each summer for two weeks. Loved the rides and food.
ReplyDeleteHi, Janice!
DeleteThank you very much for joining me and others as we wish cousin Paula a happy 70th birthday. I also thank you for sharing your anecdote about vacationing at Wildwood each summer. I was always a great believer that you need two full weeks vacation to recharge your batteries. In the 1970s I visited Myrtle Beach nearly every September for a two week stay. The weather was delightful down there right after Labor Day. I loved the foods on the boardwalk at Wildwood and other beach resorts. I had my first taste of pizza at the shore and my first soft ice cream cone. I loved the Taylor Pork Roll sandwiches sold on the boardwalk along with Thrasher's French Fries and salt water taffy.
Thank you again for dropping in, dear Janice. It is a pleasure to welcome you to Shady's Place and I hope you will come again soon!
Happy Birthday, Paula! What a pretty little girl you were. It is wonderful you had a cousin to hang out with. I have never heard of Wildwood, but what a great place for kids! I am 68, so we grew up in the ame era. I loved the song, Paul and Paula. This is the first time Ive seen the singers. Such a romantic song. But Neil Sedka's Sweet Sixteen song is one of my all-time favorites. It was lovely seeing a loved family member of Tom's here. God bless you this day. May his hands be upon you.
ReplyDeleteHi, Belle!
DeleteThank you so much for coming, my dear Canadian friend. I am delighted to see you!
I didn't realize until today that people like Suzanne, who was raised in Kansas City and Texas, and you, who were raised in California and have spent the rest of your life as a Canadian citizen, might never have heard of Wildwood, a very popular resort town on the Jersey coast. Perhaps you never even heard Bobby Rydell's hit record about it. I'm glad you remember Paul & Paula singing their lovers' duet "Hey Paula," one of the sweet pop ballads that defined the innocent pre-Beatles era. Over the decades, Paul & Paula have occasionally reunited and performed together at live shows. I am a tremendous admirer of Neil Sedaka, a terrific, prolific songwriter and recording artist who, incredibly, has still not been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Millions of fans believe it is high time this pioneer of popular music for teenagers gets the recognition he deserves.
I'm so glad you enjoyed looking at the old pictures of my cousin Paula and other members of our family. Thank you again for spreading cheer on Paula's birthday, dear friend Belle. I wish you and your wonderful family many blessings in the coming year!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful and sweet post! I know your cousin,Paula loved this birthday tribute. Please pass on warm wishes to the birthday gal. The photos (you two looked so cute together) and mewsic were spot on. Most of the artists I know but not all of the songs so I appreciated the introduction. Have a good weekend, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteI am pleasantly surprised to see you here on a Saturday night, dear friend. Thank you very much for being here to offer birthday wishes to my cousin Paula! I know she will appreciate your visit, as do I.
As I told other readers, I am very thankful that my dad was such an avid shutterbug. Over the decades he snapped thousands of pictures, all of them priceless to the family members who posed for them as well as their descendants. I also thank dad for making sure 99% of the pictures were captioned and the people in them identified, and the pictures were carefully preserved beneath clear plastic page protectors in hardbound family albums. Dad did the job right!
I'm also happy to know you enjoyed the selection of artists and songs from the late 50s and early 60s, the time span during which Paula exerted her influence over me and turned me into a fan of American Bandstand and artists that appeared on the show including those golden boys from Philadelphia, Annette and others in the teen pop category.
Thanks again for making time to visit this evening and for your cheery message for Paula, dear friend Cathy. Have a wonderful Sunday and a great week!
Tom,
DeleteI think it's wonderful your dad was an avid shutterbug but not only that he preserved the identify of those in the photographs. That's something that gets tricky when family members are no longer around or people's memories begin to fade. You have some excellent memories entact thanks to your dad! He did a great job behind the lens!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you for returning to chat, dear friend!
Yessum, I don't know what I would have done if I had found hundreds of loose, unlabeled pictures in a box. As it was, my dad spent just as many hours captioning his pictures and inserting them safely in albums as he did taking them. I am thankful his hobby, his passion, was photography, and that he always took multiple shots at family gatherings to preserve those good times forever. His compositions were often creative and experimental, too, based on ideas he found in photography books.
Thank you again for your kind visits, dear friend Cathy!
😊
Delete:) :) :)
DeleteThanks for dropping by, dear friend Cathy, and have a terrific weekend!
Oh my gosh Tom, what a sweet post for your cousin Paula! Happy Birthday to her and I wish her many, many more! I love old photos and videos and these are fabulous. How cute you both were. I read some where that cousins are our first best friends. I think that looks true in your case. The songs were spot on for her and I enjoyed them too! My favorite photos are the ones on the bikes. How adorable those outfits were and the one where you're hanging on the fence shows an ornery little guy face! Hope you have a wonderful weekend and again, Happy birthday Paula!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThank you very much for dropping in on a Saturday night, dear friend. It was so nice of you to be here for Paula on her special day!
I'm excited to know that you enjoyed the pictures my dad took all those years ago and the vintage tunes I picked for this special occasion. Every song reminds me of Paula and those happy years growing up with her in York. Clearly we were best friends back then and still feel the same about each other today. I look like one of the Little Rascals (Our Gang) in some of those pictures, don't I? :) My dad usually made his subjects wait and stare into the sun for a long time while he composed his photographs. I might have had a "scrunched-up" face because I was tired of looking into the sun and was whining about it. :)
Thank you again for taking time to visit and for your wonderful remarks and birthday wishes for Paula. Have a nice Sunday and a safe and happy week ahead, dear friend YaYa!
You know, Tom, as always, there were new-to-me songs in this post, but I know the names of most of the artists. (Annette Funicello, Neil Sedaka, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Fabian). Of course how could I ever forget "Venus" and "Bread and Butter"?
ReplyDeleteI dated a guy my freshman year in college whose aunt owned a house that we visited in Wildwood Crest, and my family spent vacations in Atlantic City, Cape May, Rehobeth Beach and Ocean City, N.J., but I never heard that song about Wildwood.
What captivated me the most were the photos in this post that represent time travel into my childhood. I did a double take with those pictures of you and Paula in snowsuits, on your tricycles and in family gatherings. Especially on those, I could have easily transposed my head, and that of my similarly-aged cousins onto the pictures of you two side-by-side as best buddies. Except for the different adults with you, it would have been accurate because the scenes were so similar. I had the exact same type of tricycle and snowsuit, and also had a much older brother. (BTW, is that a home delivery milk box behind you on the porch in the snowsuit picture? We had one of those too!)
It tugged at my heart when I remembered feeling so accepted, loved and protected by my family, all of whom from that generation are gone now. They gave us such a good, solid start in life, didn't they? The pictures even made me fondly remember their gentle requests to tamp down our loud squealing and silly laughter, and some wild carryings-on that could have been hazardous to our health. How I miss those days of innocent trust and sheer joy!
Like yours, when my family gathered at special events or the holidays, we inevitably had to pose for pictures. There was even more of that with the advent of the Polaroid. I still remember the 'pop' of the bulb and the after image in my eyes from the camera's flash. I own many photos from that time, and in the colored ones, red eyes invariably showed on both me and the dog. Back then, there was no way to photoshop it out!
On many summer evenings, we had family gatherings for corn roasts, and much like you and Paula, there were a few cousins my age. That time certainly does seem simpler and more innocent, doesn't it?
Back then, our biggest concerns were recycled mayonnaise jars filled with the lightening bugs we'd caught. Or our tired arms from stints cranking the handle of the home made ice cream machine. (Some grownup suggested, "Let's put some of that excess energy to work...".) Being found in games of hide-and-seek would mean we would be "IT". (No relation however to the Stephen King novel and movie...)
Seeing these pictures, I can almost hear us being called momentarily from our fun. The parents, aunts and uncles we so took for granted, literally and figuratively "had our backs", and had us stand still for a few minutes as they put their loving arms around us. We all smiled for the camera, capturing for posterity those truly happy days.
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Hi, Kathleen!
DeleteThank you very much for making time to compose another sensational comment, a two-parter no less! I am sure Paula will be delighted by all you shared here and thrilled to know that her post has generated so much interest and discussion.
It is always a pleasure to introduce you to oldies you missed the first time around. Keep in mind that a high percentage of the recordings I present on the blog were new to my ears until recently when I discovered them while doing research. Through blogging I have learned that I missed a lot of great music in my youth because, like you, I had filters on my ears and only exposed them to certain styles that interested me at the time.
I am happy to know that you remember the names of the artists in the post if not all of the songs associated with them. As an aside, just between you and me, to this day I am still mistaken for Fabian Forte and mobbed by female fans at malls. The only way I can break free and escape is to sing:
Turn me loose, turn me loose I say
Gonna rock'n'roll long as the band's gonna play
Gonna holler, gonna shout, gonna knock myself right out
So turn me loose
Thanks for listing Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, another seaside town I visited often during childhood and my teenage years. I think I forgot to mention that popular beach destination in previous replies. I believe our families were vacationing at Wildwood Crest when my dad snapped that first picture of Paula and me.
It pleases me that you can relate to the family gatherings, trike riding and other experiences frozen in time by my dad's camera. The box behind Paula and me in that oldest photo could indeed be a milk box or perhaps a bread box. I remember having bread delivered to our house. We also had an "egg man," an old guy nicknamed "Pop" who came to our house every Saturday morning smoking his stinky cigar and selling farm fresh eggs. By the time he and my mom were finished chatting, the whole house reeked. :)
I agree with you about a generation lost, replaced by a lost generation. Most children today do not have the benefit of growing up with the same sense of safety and security we enjoyed. We were very fortunate to have entered the world in the 1940s.
I well remember posing for a picture and being dazzled by the flashbulb and watching after images float around my field of vision. I also remember all the red eyes in family pictures taken in the past. At one point my dad bought a bank of photography lights that stood on a tripod. Those lights could have illuminated an airstrip at night! They threw so much light on us as we posed that it was blinding, and gave off so much heat that we nearly melted before dad finally clicked the shutter. He was a perfectionist. :)
When we lived in the country before moving to the suburbs of York, we had an outdoor fireplace and picnic table and roasted corn every summer. Like you and your cousins, we caught lightning bugs in mason jars. As you might know, people in other parts of the country call them fireflies. We also played hide-and-seek, Tag - You're "IT" and other low-tech and no-tech games that offered exercise as well as plenty of fun and laughter. How can electronic phone games and video games compare to what we enjoyed?
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I love these pictures! Preserved in this veritable time capsule are the simple pleasures of childhood: The newfound empowerment and mobility of pedaling three wheels. The ocean surf tickling and pulling sand through tiny toes. A kite nearly as big as its owner with a proud smile to match. A neat big book about birds. (Hm-m-m.. No video games and cell phones. Imagine that!)
ReplyDeleteBirthdays might mark our accumulated years, but who cares? The places, events and expressions on these photos, and the songs that were specially selected to go with them, make the numbers irrelevant. For a few minutes, we can put our sometimes overwhelming worries on the back burner, let ourselves go back to being four or fourteen again, and refresh our original and in-dwelling joy and fun-loving spirit.
We simply cannot allow time and all that's happened to us extinguish it. George Bernard Shaw probably said it best. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."
Tom, thank you for this beautiful and heartfelt tribute to your dear cousin. As always, your work is a remarkable gift of kindness and honor to her, your family and everyone who sees it. Making others happy and valued is the legacy the folks in these pictures would choose I'm sure! They raised you well!
Paula, thank YOU for being such a good friend to Tom from your very beginnings together. You had no way of knowing the ripple effect your sharing of a favorite aspect of American culture would have on his life and those of others. However, his extensive and still-growing knowledge and appreciation of music and culture shown on this blog prove it. All these years later, it has a life of its own that goes on to enrich him and so many others!
So Happy, Happy (belated) Birthday to you, from one of Shady's grateful friends who reaps the rewards of your influence every week here on Shady's Place. I am glad to meet you, and I pray that the seeds of kindness you planted will continue to grow and bear sweet fruit in your life too!
Hi again, Kathleen!
DeleteMy dad liked to use props in his photo compositions. That explains the picture of me holding a kite and Paula holding a bird book. I remember flying that kite on a hillside one windy day in March, possibly that same day. With that large kite tugging in the wind at the end of a hundred feet or more of line, it took all my strength to keep it under control. At times it felt as though I was going to be pulled off the ground and take to the sky along with it.
As I am sure you have discovered, it is therapeutic to use the relaxation and meditation technique in which you "go to your beach" in your mind - let your mind drift back to a place and time when you were truly happy. The scenes in this post, my memories, and those implanted in your mind, the ones you shared in your comment, allow us to go there and re-experience that feeling of happiness. I believe Geo. Bernard Shaw got it right. Play is a vitally important activity in our lives from beginning to end. Shady Del Knight says, "Never grow up - never grow old."
It's funny, Kathleen. In email exchanges I have had with cousin Paula, she doesn't remember having influenced me to the extent I described here. She was not aware that she, more than anyone, sparked my interest in American Bandstand and the teen pop genre of music. Whenever I think about any of the artists featured in this post, my mind immediately jumps to Paula and my early exposure to them. Paula and I watched Bandstand together at her apartment and she played records of this type for me on the record player in her room. That's how it started. I was there and I can testify that it is true.
This tribute post for Paula will still be on the front page on my blog this Thursday when she and I mark the sad eight year anniversary of her dear mother's death. My Aunt Norma died Monday, February 21, 2011. Aunt Norma was also responsible for more happy childhood memories that I could possibly count, as was her husband, my Uncle Paul.
Thank you again, Kathleen, for coming by and for sharing so much with me and with Paula and the other readers. Paula has found a genuine friend in you. I wish you a safe and happy week ahead, dear friend!
Look at those photos of you and Paula as children!!! Such cutie patooties!! What a sweet sweet sweet post in honor of your cousin. I love the pictures and the songs you put to them. I have a sister in law named Paula and now I have some songs to think about when its near her birthday.
ReplyDeleteHi, Holliberry!
DeleteThank you very much for dropping in to experience this special birthday celebration for my cousin Paula. She will be delighted to see you here, dear Texas friend!
I'm glad you liked the vintage photos taken by my dad. Dad rarely had time to actually sit around and enjoy the family functions. He was too busy up on his feet, circling around, composing shots, measuring distances, checking his camera settings and snapping pictures of everyone. I'm excited to know you have a relative named Paula. It is quite possible these songs will pop into your noggin whenever you think about her.
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Holli, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Well Happy Belated Birthday to Paula and Happy Birthday week! I loved that first song with the video of the beach and the old rides that look like so much fun to be on. You must be happy to find and have all these pics and you were both cute but I bet you both got into some trouble as any good kids do. Love these songs and listened to them and enjoyed them
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thank you very much for coming to cousin Paula's b-day party, dear friend!
Yessum, I was excited to discover that video containing old footage of kids and teens having fun at Wildwood. Too often when I come across a video of that kind, the sound quality on the song is poor. This one offered great visuals and great sound, plus it is Bobby Rydell's original studio recording, something about which I am very picky.
I am indeed thankful to have in my possession several family albums passed down to me after the death of my parents. I scanned some of the best pictures in them for use in this post and others. Seems my dad spent most of his life looking at the world through his camera's eye.
I agree that Paula and I were both cute, but she was a very well behaved young lady while I was a "Little Rascal." :)
I'm very happy you enjoyed the nostalgic songs and pictures, dear friend BB. Thanks again for coming over and helping me celebrate Paula's birthday. Enjoy the rest of your week!
I remember all the Paula songs.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember when Annette was on the Zorro TV show ?
Happy Happy Late Birthday
Let There Be Cake !
cheers, parsnip
Hi, Gayle!
DeleteThank you for coming to the party, dear friend. Cousin Paula will be pleased to see you!
I watched the Zorro TV series, but didn't remember until now that Annette had a role in it. In fact, as IMDB reminds us, Annette played two different characters between 1959 and 1961. Annette played Anita Cabrillo in three episodes and Constancia de la Torre in one episode. I watched Annette in her own TV series Annette and just last year watched her five appearances on Make Room For Daddy - The Danny Thomas Show - in the role of Italian exchange student Gina Minelli who comes to live with The Williamses.
Thank you again for dropping by and wishing cousin Paula a happy birthday, dear friend Gayle!