52 Ancestors: Nature

This weeks' blog prompt is nature.  Being that I don't know of any ancestors who were necessarily "one with nature", I thought about my own experience with nature.  And just like those who came before me, I was never one to love nature or spend much time in the outdoors.  My parents were even worse when it came to that so they didn't really push us.  Sure, the kids in the neighborhood stayed outside until it was so dark we couldn't see any longer - our favorite games were Kick the Can and Statues.  But I've never really been interested in hiking, gardening, skiing, or boating.  Except for Camp Campbell in Boulder Creek - boy did I love THAT place!

I'm sure things have changed a lot over the years but back in "the day", there were Family Camp sessions every year.  We always went during the summer - August, I think - but I don't remember if we went for one or two weeks.  I have very few photos to share but they are all stored vividly in my mind.  Boy, that place was a lot of fun.

I can visualize (my dad used to love to say that) the little cluster of cabins surrounding the bathrooms/showers where we would stay each year.  There were about 5 cabins and I think, for the most part, two families shared a cabin.  I remember the names of most of the families - why do I remember that when I can't remember what I had for dinner last night?  I'm guessing the reason I remember it so well is that many of the families had older BOYS and I'm sure at some point I had a crush on one or all of them.

This was a big deal for my parents as they really didn't like to camp.  Sure, we slept in cabins and there was running water to shower and flush but sleep in a sleeping bag?  On a bunk bed?  Yikes!  There was a big mess hall where everyone would gather for meals - when it was time to eat someone would ring the big bell on the porch and everyone would gather.  And when it wasn't meal time, the adults would sit around and play bridge while the kids roamed around and played.  There were canoes, swimming, tire swings, and lots of hiking.  I also remember spending time in the outdoor chapel where we would sing, perform skits, and spend time as families.

Camp Campbell, outdoor chapel

We also spent a weekend there every spring - it was so fun to reconnect with people we hadn't seen for awhile.  My parents played bridge with many of these people so maybe it was just exciting to have the families together, even if for just a short time.  My memory isn't quite so good with these outings except for one thing - GETTING LOST!

I must have been about 8, which means my sister was 11-12.  A group of us all went hiking and the big kids were told to be responsible for the two little ones - Linda and me.  Why parents would let this group of young kids go out alone is beyond me but times were different then and I'm sure the bridge table was calling.  So off we went.

At some point the older kids were ahead of Linda and me and in a split second we looked around and we were alone.  ALONE!  The forest is fun when there are a bunch of kids but when there are just two young girls, things changed in an instant.  I remember it was pouring - what do I know, it was probably drizzling - but I do remember being wet as we walked through the mud.  My memory is fuzzy but at some point we had to maneuver up a mountain (MUD!) to get to a road.  In later years I would tell people that I ate dirt.  But we made it to the road, walked for awhile, and finally a truck with some teenage boys came along.  I'm sure you're cringing right about now but yep, we climbed in the truck and they took us back to camp.  And as we climbed out of the car the adults started clanging that big bell which was their signal to those out searching that we were back!  Phew.

We had a lot of fun at that camp.  Many nights we'd meet in the mess hall and learn square dancing - what fun!  Even the parents would join in and we'd dance and laugh the night away.

One of my most treasured memories was Crazy Hat Night - now that was a blast!  Of course, the only pictures I've run across of our time at Camp Campbell was of Crazy Hat Night so maybe that's why I have such vivid memories.  Dad even captioned some of the photos in the Family Photo Album.

Family Camp 1958
Christian Dior Creations
Sister, Me, ???

We were really strutting our stuff!

Family Camp 1958
Miss America Deb

And then a few years later.

Family Camp 1961

I learned to dive at Camp Campbell as the older boy in the cabin across from us, Bill, would give us a diving lessons.  And at the end of the session we'd have a swim meet and rowing races.  I'm sure I came home with a medal or two but the fun was in participating.

As I was putting this post together, I ran across a poem in my mother's handwriting telling about our time at Camp Campbell.  Actually, it looks like it was a song sung to the tune of "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" by Allen Sherman. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3_xiUYMnXA.  Sing it with me!

Hell-o Hous-er
And Tip Bell-a
Here we are at
Camp Camp-bell-a

Camp is ver-y
En-ter-tain-ing
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops rain-ing.

I went boat-ing
With Gene Fol-ey
He is such a 
Role-y pole-y

You re-mem-ber
Gor-don Coll-ins
He is al-ways chas-ing af-ter lit-tle darl-ins.

We are hun-gry
We are starv-ing
Dear-est Ol-ga
Please start carv-ing

We've been danc-ing
With our teach-er
She is such an ab-so-lute-ly gor-geous crea-ture.

I tried ping-pong
And shot a-head
Then was beat-en
by Shel On-Stead.

We went hik-ing
In a big bunch
But it got fog-gy and we came in late for lunch.

Let us stay
We love Camp-bell-a
Don't leave us right in the cit-y where it's us-ually so clean and pret-ty.

Let us stay Ton-y Mer-cant
Let us stay we're all so vib-rant
We'll be back to fro-lic in the sun and have a lot of fun.

Hell-o Gil-bert
Hell-o Cart-wright
Are you read-y 
For a big night

We have had our
Toil-et train-ing
And what goes on at night nev-er real-ly needs ex-plain-ing.

Wait a min-ute
It stopped pour-ing
The muds not deep
Our spirits soaring

Play-ing Ken-o
Is like Ren-o
Ex-cept there is not a strip join or Cas-in-o!

Oh boy, what memories!

Memories of Mom

If there is one person in our lives we should be thinking of today it is our Mother - the person who gave us life.  I realize we celebrate all mothers but really, if not for our own mother where would we be?  But Mother's Day seems to have a different meaning now that my mother is no longer with us and the memories just swirl around in my head.  So today I celebrate my mother, Geraldine Martin.

This is the earliest photo I've found of her - I'm guessing she was about 6 months old.  Look at those cute little shoes!

Geraldine Martin, c. 1928

And recently I've discovered some new photos in the small envelope her father held on to throughout his life.  They were not close so that fact that he kept them all those years makes it so special.  He even wrote on the back - not just the name but sometimes, the date and place.  After his death, his wife sent his things to my mother. 

Geraldine Martin
1023 Thorne, Fresno
About 1930

In 1930, my mother was enumerated with her parents at 1023 Thorne in Fresno - she used to tell me that she always remembered that address - and they owned the house.  In 1940, my mother's maternal grandparents, Edward and Mabel (McAboy) Fitzgerald, owned the house and were enumerated there.  My guess is that as my grandparents finalized their divorce, they sold the home to the Fitzgeralds.

And then in July 1931, Mom was hamming it up at the beach.  I think that might be my grandmother watching her.  This photo just brings such a smile to my face.

Geraldine Martin
July, 1931
3 years

I think this is from 1932 - what a little lady with her cute pin curls.

Geraldine Martin
c. 1932

By 1936, Mom was a student at John Muir School - interestingly, I attended John Muir Junior High from 7th-9th grade.  Do I remember that Mom told us she also went to John Muir, albeit a different school?  Mom would have been in 2nd grade - you can see her in the middle row, 6th from the left.

Room No. 6
John Muir School
Feb. 27, 1936

I also found this photo which I thought included Mom - little girl front row, center.  But the more I look at it the more I think it isn't her since the clothes don't look like something from the early 1930's.  Maybe it could be her mother?

And then she fell in love and was engaged to be married - this is the photo used in her engagement announcement in the newspaper.  What a beauty!

Geraldine Martin
1949

And then came kids.   And one of my most treasured photos celebrating not only my mother but HER mother and HER mother. 

Clara Fitzgerald, Geraldine Martin, Mabel McAboy
Sister C. Levy, Me
c. 1960

One of my favorite photos of Mom, also from about 1960.

And then the years marched on by and grandkids and even great grandkids joined the family. 

Mom, Sister, Me
Daughter #2, Daughter #1

And just like that, Mom turned 80!  She was so happy to be able to spend it with the three kids and our spouses.

80 years young - June 8, 2008

And here we are.  Another Mother's Day without her.  And in just 10 days, we will remember her on the 6th anniversary of her death.  And then 17 days later, we will celebrate the day she was born 91 years ago.

The years just continue to march on and I hold the memories close.  Happy Mother's Day, Mom!