Back when the world was flat and I was a child I had dreams - visions really - of the suburbs. The burbs were big news in the 50s and 60s - developments going up - the parents of us Boomers looking for room and land for all their youngins.
We lived in crowded Brooklyn. Didn't have much money or a car so I never got to go to the suburbs. Until one day my aunt took me to work with her. She worked for a Doctor who had just opened his second office - in the burbs of course - so he could keep all the patients who were moving.
I was amazed at all the green - trees and sidewalks and parking could live together!
Last week I was at my doc's office when I was hit with the most wonderful and startling memory. I was looking at a scene right out of 'My Day at Work With Aunt Pat'. The shadow the tree left on the ground, the big 2 lane road, the drive-thru bank across the road. Back then a drive-thru was a big deal.
I got the shot and then wanted to turn it into B&W, my memory was in B&W. It was a Commerce Bank and the two little red lines really popped out.
This poor photo has been through hell and back. What I lack in talent I make up for in tenacity.
I was determined to get those two red lines to show up but was so frustrated that they kept appearing uneven. Let me tell ya - I was saturatin' and croppin' and rotatin' - I had so many brushes open it's a wonder the Internet didn't crash.
Then I gave up LOL
Then this morning I drove by there and the REAL lines are uneven and the red is faded in some spots.
So here she is! My childhood memory of a magical land with a splash of red and all its flaws.
Please click here to see more RED
83 comments:
Unusual red post!
Thanks for sharing the story. I clicked on the photo, and there were the two red lines! I grew up in the suburbs, but my parents were city folks. I think they really enjoyed our big backyard and our garden. I took it all for granted.
Now that is special. I love the way you weaved this story into your Ruby Tuesday post for the day.
I am HERE.
Those two red lines really pop. You had me giggling a bit at the brushes and internet crashing :o)
Stop by when you have a minute, I have something waiting for you.
Funny, when I was a kid I was completely enthralled with city life....wanting to bust out of tiny-town USA. One of these days I'm going to play along with all of you Ruby Tuesday-ers,it looks like such fun... I would have even qualified today!
Ahh memories. It was interesting to go on this journey with you. Funny how we try to fix flaws we don't need to....
At first, I was thinking you were kind of cheating on the "Ruby Tuesday" thing just by using the red in the font but then you mentioned the red lines and I saw that you weren't cheating after all.
If you know anything at all about Google Reader, how to get it to work correctly, please let me know. Mine has not updated my posts since last Thursday although it seems to work ok with everyone else's posts but I actually have at least 7, maybe 8 new posts up since that time. ARRGH.
I remember Red in so many gas stations as a young'un. Mobil had the red Pegasus flying horse, Esso had red letters (and the red "Happy Motoring" over the garage doors), Shell with red lettering over the yellow shell, etc.
As we get older, does our memory fade in some spots, like that sign??
I love the theme- and the photo - and your tenacity. Memories through rose colored glasses, too.
Great story Dianne and a great photograph.
Beautifully done. You have such a creative mind. :)
What a great memory ... I grew up in the Bronx and the only trees I knew were those in the empty lots .. til we started going to the 'mountains' for the summer. That was when I discovered I was a true city kid .. bugs and such were IMO not worth the grass, trees and clean air ..
:-Daryl
that is a fun post and memory my son will be teaching people about the gospel he will also get many different service oppertunities
My husband grew up in NY City which is why we can't move too far away from the burbs here....It's nice to see something that triggers a good memory...
I love how you have the story and the photo all wrapped together in one lovely post! Nice one!
This is a wonderful post. Love the red type and the story... and I love the photo with the two red lines which really draw you in. I did love and relate to your battle with paint brushes and getting the confounded things to look the way you want them too. Thanks for a wonderful Ruby Tuesday. I love the tree shadows in this picture too and the composition.
Suburbia is a strange, magical land to me. It has its own special beauty.
dang...I thought you did one hell of a job...
You did a great job with that photo! Excellent!
When I was in college there was a guy who moved into my dorm who was from The Bronx. It's a long story how he got to the Univ. of Ark, but basically he was a baseball scholarship guy who tested positive and got kicked off the team, but was allowed to stay in school.
Anyway, he was blown away by 3 and 4 bedroom single level homes with multiple bathrooms, both a family room and living room and full one acre lots. He finally moved back home but not before we drove around town so he could take pictures of wide open spaces to show his family and friends back home.
ilanadavita - I like unusual, it fits my life ;)
thanks for coming by
leora - I love my yard! and my tiny patio. don't think I could live in the city ever again although I miss being close to art and well - and bars!
mimi - thank you so much! I love telling stories :)
ivanhoe - I just, today, signed up for a photoshop course. this is making me nuts!
I've come to love the 2 little lines now that I now they're screwed up in real life.
shelly - you should absolutely join in - you have so many great things to shoot - I always love visiting the farm
ellen - I'm glad you found it interesting, thank you :)
I think we try to fix things because we assume it was our mistake. I had such a good laugh when I realized the lines were truly messed up.
jeni - I would never cheat! Not at Ruby Tuesday anyway! :)
I e-mailed you a link that I hope helps!
ralph - I think our memories fade except for all the wonderful places that 'pop' kinda like the red lines :)
jood - thank you. I have a thing for themes and symbolism, always have. I was once told it was a way of controling a chaotic life - or mind.
akelamalu - thank you lady!
hilary - what a lovely thing to say, thank you. I've spent so many years working around the clock that I think my creative mind has just lost (or gained) control!
daryl - I like being close to the city but then I can go home. I love bugs - didn't know I did until I started rescuing worms from the drive and spiders from the window sill. Even the really ugly ones - I have a soft spot for them
marcia - glad you found the post fun, thanks!
I wish your son the best of all possible experiences and adventures. It's wonderful to be of service to others.
rambling woods - I was just standing by the car since I was early for an appt. and the memory washed over me. It was wonderful, so glad I had the camera
jientje - thanks! sometimes I worry that I talk too much :)
raven - I just have to laugh at myself while editing! it's like launching a rocket!
I love the shadows, they're what pulled me in and then the whole scene was like being back with my aunt.
sparkling red - the funny thing is, now that I've lived in the burbs for 5 years, I want a farm! or an island LOL
bond - thank you! I really appreciate that since I often think everything looks like crap.
jay - and thank you too!
I totally identify with that kid from college. Even now I'm amazed by towns further south of me where the roads are single lane and the woods are all still there and they have front AND back porches.
Great job and fun story.
Lovely story :O) I liked that there was only a tiny amount of red in the photo.
I enjoyed the photo and the story. :D
I've been a 'burbs girl all my life. Your story, reminded me of going on errands with my Grandpa when I was a little girl. He'd pull into the gas station and say, "Fill her up with ethol." Of course, as a fan of Lucy, I thought he was saying Ethel. :D
Dianne,
What a wonderful story and I just love the way you put it all together with your photo and the red lines in the building!
Very captivating - all of it!
Junie
The burbs, huh? Wouldn't happen to be The Loverly Isle of Long, would it? :D
Tink *~*~*
My Mobile Adventures *~*~*
That picture made me think of the '50's. Very nice!
Loved your story and your memory...even though I've lived in the country most of mu life. ;-)
What a nice story and you did a great job in the photo. The red really popped out!
I am a someone who appreciates well done subtlety and feel that less is more. So, I really dig this picture. Cheers Di!!
Hi Dianne, you did really good with your B&W with the RED bars. Thank you.
Now, what are those RED bars and what is their purpose?
I believe they are transmitting antenna sending customer snoop data to the BIG BROTHER hiding away at the bank.
Thank you for your nice visit, Adi is the most popular subject on my blog.
..
Dianne, what a great memory! I love it! I'm so envious of your motivation to participate in these projects! I love looking at and reading your contributions!
:)
Those red really do pop out in that photo. It was interesting reading how you've revive some memories from that place :)
Dianne, you had me rolling on the floor! So funny! Great photo that brings back memories... The two lines are great and are the requisite RED! Happy Ruby Tuesday!
What a great story Dianne, thanks for sharing. I can relate to this a lot!!!
www.mypoeticpath.wordpress.com
This was an enjoyable reading and the nostalgic photo fitted very well too. I liked your random rememberings.
Thanks for that Ruby Tuesday story. A splash of red is more than good enough, especially when -- like yours -- it is accompanied by an interesting tale.
I see the red lines! It must have been a wonderful memory jog. Nice story.
Is it possible that you may have more than your fair share of talent??? lol
The green I'm feling goes well with your red.
I was one of those kids who were Wow'd by the city sites. Tall buildings..no grass...few trees...I was in awe of it all. I seemed like a completely different world to me back 'then'. ha still does. lol
What a wonderful story....don't you just love how certain things trigger childhood memories.....I love the photo as well....
onanglewings - thanks!!
babs - I liked the small amount of red too, thank you. my memory was black and white ;)
askew - I love your Grandpa story!! I'm a big fan of Ethel, sometimes I feel like I am Ethel.
junie - captivating is such a great compliment, thank you!
tink - not this time lol - this time it's the lovely (kinda/miles from) shaw of jersey ;)
tammy - it did! even the 2 cars looked older. thanks :)
eg tour guide - thank you! I think we all relate to childhood memories even if they vary :)
ladynred - I appreciate that since photo editing, especially brushes and color, is making me dizzy. well dizzier ;)
matt-man - thank you sweetie! the photo didn't work any way but black & white and it was such a wonderful coincidence that the bars were the only red.
jim - Adi is wonderful!
the 2 lines seem so silly to me, Commerce has big red C's all over the building I don't get the need for the 2 lines but I love your theory lol
etk - thank you kid!! I appreciate that since I often feel not so motivated.
napaboaniya - it was startling how the memory hit me the moment I parked my car! glad you liked it :)
teach - well that is high praise from the Queen of Ruby! thank you and I love that I made you laugh!!
geraldine - thank you - it's fun to share memories and it's more gratifying when others relate to it.
chrome3d - thank you, glad you enjoyed reading my little story. the more I look at the photo the more the 50s come back to me
bobbie - I've come to love the splash of red after suffering over it for 2 days lol - thank you so much!
me ann - it was a great memory jog! thanks :)
tt - me? talent? come now! you know I could never admit to that! that would be downright healthy thinking and I fight healthy thinking wherever it rears its evil head!
love you lady
come to NY and we'll paint the town red.
smalltown rn - I do love memory triggers and I'm realizing that photography helps them along! I'm sure you know that too since your photos are always amazing.
wow, i'm not usually a fan of partly desaturated photos but these red lines stand out just perfectly! well done
the fabulous catnip lemon/tomato or is it an apple .. arrived and Gus has been stoned ever since ... thank you from him and us for the recco ... he slobbered all over the tomato/apple so I am giving my sister's new baby Milo the lemon ...
muaah ...
:-Daryl
Girl, you always seem to crack me up! I loved your story! You are such a dear heart and your blog is so full of your life that at times I feel as if I am reading right out of a book of Dianne. Thank You for always putting "you" out there in every form of your being. I love that you are so "real". :-) Your sincerity shines through your posts.
I live where there are very large, old trees all around me. This Village is full of them. They are beautiful to look at and the shadows they create can be so amazing. Its very country like, and gives off a warm and cozy feeling. I also know I could never live in the city. It is just to crazy ass busy for me. Thank You for sharing your story with us Dianne. Nice Ruby Tuesday! I will be back playing next week on my new chat blog.
Hugs Sweetie,
Kimmie
Wait, I thought Brooklyn was a suburb! I've been in Manhattan too long.
I really love the cropping with with large shadow sort of guiding you to the red. Very cool.
Very cool!
juliana - Wow! thank you!
daryl - I'm thrilled!! Everybody wins!! Money for strays and Gus and Milo get to party. I love that place. I posted about them a while back, I think I'll do another one soon. Thanks so much for letting me know :)
kimmie - I've been so terrible, I haven't been by in a while! thank you so much for you very kind words!! In addition to the shadows I love the sounds old trees make in the wind. I'm coming by later tonight as soon as work calms down.
knight - all of us in Brooklyn always felt like a suburb compared to Manhattan. I remember when I went to clubs every weekend the disdain for the Bridge and Tunnel Crowd lol
my friends and family in Brooklyn still refer to Manhattan as "da city" - makes me nuts.
thanks for the kind words about my photo!
karen - thanks!! :)
Dear Dianne,
What a story to follow your work of photographic art.
I like your fighting spirit. Edison said," A genius is 3 % talent and 97%sweat and work.
You got what it takes.
I guess we grew up in about the same time. Lots of Norwegians had their first home in Brooklyn, their church and their food store.
It's all gone now.
The times sure are changing.
Maybe we have become wealthier, but the old squareheads still talk about the spirit of togetherness and good neighborhood
back then in Brooklyn.
I might be wrong, I've never been there.
Thanks for the pic and the good story.
From Felisol
It's amazing how the simplest thing brings back such joyful memories. Excellent job weaving that story in with your participation in Ruby Tuesday... it was a precious contribution ;)
awesome. it looks modern and vintage all at the same time
felisol - Bay Ridge, Brooklyn had a large Norwegian community for as long as I can remember! they even had Norwegian Day parade which was unusual in Brooklyn - very few groups had their own parade. If I remember correctly the Norwegian community started leaving in the late 80s, younger generation buying homes on LI or in NJ. It is impossible to afford a home in Bay Ridge! A 3 bedroom with no driveway and a tiny yard sells for 1.5 million and up!
thanks for visiting :)
anndi - "precious contribution" - I love that, thank you
lisa - thanks!! as tammy said it has a 50s feel which is what sparked the memory.
First of all, I like how you used red text for Ruby Tuesday.
Secondly, I love the way you wove the story into the photo, or is it the other way around? Beautifully done.
I know what you mean about memories from childhood. Sometimes they are in black and white, and sometimes something will just pop into my mind, usually if I'm listening to an oldies station!
It's a great shot! And a great memory!
I LOVE that picture...It reminds me of another time, too! The simplicity of The Gas Station as we once knew it---when a man would come out to help you....It was a much more civil time, in a way, wasn't it?
What "burbs" did you go to? I grew up in a "burb", only they didn't even call them that back then...(lol) Great Neck.
Oh, I fogot to say I love that box on your sidebar..."Me too."
I would love to put that on my sidebar, as well.....Is it alright if I copy it and save it to my pictures? Do let me know.
Ok, Dianne...you already know that I'm DYING about this photo, because it's BLACK and WHITE!!!
God...what a great freaking shot!
And such a wonderful story to go a long with a wonderful photo.
And SEE...you're much more talented than you think!
Thanks for the great share!
Nice photo and great story. The red really does pop out! :)
Great story AND picture! I love B&W shots with color accents. I especially love this one because of what it means to you.
patti - I love oldies stations and they do bring back great memories. I'm glad you liked the photo and the story, thanks!!
michelle - thanks. love your new profile pic, you look adorable!
oldoldlady - I feel funny leaving out the hills part lol
I moved to Monmouth County, NJ - not far from Sandy Hook.
I am very familiar with Great Neck. I have family in Whitestone and we'd always go to Great Neck for dinner - a wonderful little Greek place right by the railroad.
Take whatever you like from my sidebar - I took the ME too from fellow blogger 'Meno' - it's wonderful when it passes around.
ron - black & white is just necessary sometimes! glad you like it and the story :)
urban buddha - I was worried that the red didn't work and was then pleasantly surprised. thank you!
tink - I love how you 'get it' - I felt the same way about your view thru the trees photo - I knew how much you loved that view and that made it special.
Stunning photo with a story to match! Thanks for sharing!
Morning, dianne: My old neighborhood is on the Western side of Cincinnati...which doesn't sit well with the snobs of the wealthy East side. My street still looks remarkably unchanged and could be featured in "That 70's Show" or "The Wonder Years" because that's what the 70's were like for me as a tike. Thanks for rekindling many wonderful memories of the simpler joys todays kids miss out on with BMW's and Ipods. We created our own games and "magic" with imagination and heart.
Speaking of heart, (((HUGS))) to you for your steadfast support of Gunner Gillespie's battle with cancer over at my site. What an amazing heart you have, dianne! lol!!!!!!!!!!!
What a wonderful post! My childhood memories are JUST the opposite! I was from a rural town and couldn't wait until I could get to the "city"...or somewhat close. After a few years living with lots of traffic and lots of people, I realized just how good I had it in that rural area. Now my favorite places are wide open with few cars and people!
Love this shot and what you did with it!!
RLL - thank you lady! appreciate that :)
Michael - I do so little in the face of what Gunner and his family are dealing with. I wish there was more than donations and thoughts, I want a fix! a cure!
I'm glad you enjoyed the memories and I agree, the entitlement today is actually taking childhood away from them
kerri - thanks, glad you like the shot! I'm with you about open space! My whole body feels different, better when I get away from the craziness.
Great picture Dianne - makes me want to experiment with black and white as well.
pink dogwood - you should! black & white can really add to the message of certain photos. and try sharpening and playing with film grain - that's what I'm doing right now with some of my B&Ws. I'm taking a Photoshop class in Septemeber so then I might know what I'm talking about ;)
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