Best Comb-Over I've Ever Seen!

Brownies on Parade 1956

That's my older sister Cathy holding the American flag, marching in a parade in Grayslake, Il. Look at that intense woman on the left carrying her purse on her arm like the Queen of England - she must be supervising the Girl Scouts marching ahead. Is that a DeSoto parked on the side? And look at that old house with the wrap-around porch in the background. I loved parades in Grayslake; my friends and I would decorate our bicycles with crepe paper and attach playing cards to our bike frames with clothes pins so that they riffed against the spokes of our wheels making a cool flappy sound. We were a disheveled bunch trailing along the end of the parade waving and riding proudly.

Bryan Runs the L.A. Marathon

It's a shaky film sequence, but there he is on the other side of the street, white cap with a bill, black shorts, white top, cheerfully waving. This was in Beverly Hills - he began at Dodger Stadium - and he appears to be doing just fine!

Beannachtaí na Féile Páraic oraibh!

St. Patrick's Day Blessings Upon You!

My husband, Larry Armstrong, took this photograph in Belfast, Northern Ireland during "The Troubles". These children, brother and sister, were playing in this blown-out, war-torn neighborhood vacant lot with a broken down pram in The Falls Road. Though they gave Larry permission to photograph them, the brother became extremely protective of his sister, holding her close and scowling at the camera. Every time I look at this photo my heart breaks.

As I mentioned a few blog posts back, this is the photograph that Larry donated to a charity auction at Stephen Cohen Gallery here in Los Angeles. A very pleased and lucky Aaron Eckhart won the photograph with the highest bid.

Happy 17th Birthday, Ryan!

This is a picture of my nephew Ryan on his first birthday. He's my young sister Debra's son. This Saturday Ryan turns 17 years old. He doesn't look so much like this anymore; he's over 6 feet tall now and he's just steps away from becoming an Eagle Scout. He is also an accomplished musician, a phenomenal student and, his most endearing quality, an avid Three Stooges fan. He still calls me Aunt B and he's still a ginger and I'm so proud of him.

Happy Birthday, Ryan - I love you and please don't hate me for posting this adorable picture of you.

Really???

Fill Up With Sky Chief!

Rand Road Garage, Wauconda, Illinois. My grandfather built this building and ran his service garage for decades before moving to Arizona in 1960. I remember wandering around this place when I was little. It was always spotlessly clean and well-organized.

My grandparents lived in the little house next door - my mother grew up there. Behind the house and the garage were several acres of land they owned that they planted with fruit trees and crops of all kind.
This is my mother's dog Laddie with my grandpa's garage in the background. Throughout her life my mother had four collies all named Laddie. I wish I would have asked her why she gave all her dogs the same name. Now that I think of it, all her cats were named "Boots". I'm fortunate she named me Beth.

Does anyone know the year, make and model of the car in the background? I'm curious.