1963 - My mother on beach with cigarette

Mom on the east coast beach on a beach chair. My sister climbing onto her lap. These days, she would be talking on a cell phone with her hand up like that. But instead she's got sunglasses and a cigarette. My mom smoked until about 1967, she stopped and never smoked again. But, at that time, it was very much acceptable.

1963 - On the way to girl scout camp

I think this must have been later in the summer back in California, I think I'm going to Camp Bear Paw or similar. I'm decked out in my girl scout duds and the straw hat. But mostly I'm interested in my Brownie camera. I don't think I ever got many pictures and I never liked camp. I just wasn't the girl scout, I leave that to my daughters.

1963 - Yale

I figured this must be Yale in New Haven though my family has closer ties to Harvard as my father and grandfather are Harvard grads.

The statue is of Nathan Hale ... class of 1783. And he went to Yale so...
Sandy and Charlie must have been visiting.

1963 - Rellies on the beach

During the summer trip on the beach house at some un-identified location (I bet Mary Ann would know). Left to right:

David Rosenberg
Mary Ann
Pam
Marilyn Rosenberg
Ruth Leichter (my aunt, my mom's sister)

(sigh), I still think of these people at these ages but 44 years have passed.

1963 - East coast beach birthday

I hope I'm right on the kids on this one. I'm going for the Rosenbergs. The cake says "Happy Birthday Charile, which would make sense on that summer east coast trip, as his birthday is in July. He's looking full of himself to right by the cake Next tohim is Mary Ann with the big hair and pointed chest. I'm to the left of her wearing my girl scout duds (why?). I think that's Susan Rosenberg at the end. On the left side of the ttable is Malcolm. Maybe Kenny and Joanie Rosenberg? Just a guess, maybe? Maybe Aunt Gert looking on?

We're on a screen porch at the beach. Don't know what beach, I don't remember going to the beach but somebody obviously had rented a house there.

1963 - East coast beach shot

Wow, I'm guessing on some of these kids. Pipe up with ideas. I think we are at the beach on the east coast. Going from right to left, I think that's Sandy (age 11) doing the little hip wave. To Sandy's left is Charlie doing the power superman pose (and looking good). Sitting on the rock near his right foot, I think that's Susan Rosenberg (AKA Flash, my second cousin from Delaware) Sitting on the other big rock, I think that's my cousin Mary Anne Leichter with the big hair. Watch the next picture, you'll see some more big hair, I think she was into it. And she's MUCH older than us. On the left, is my sister Pam (age 4), I've seen that bathing suit in other pictures. Fortunately she not wearing her glasses or her eye patch. The boy on the far left, wow, it doesn't really look like Malcolm Leichter, could it be Kenny Rosenberg?

1963 - My grandparent's house

My grandparents Ginsburgh's house in Belmont Mass during a summer trip. I missed it the first time and almost the second time but, if you look closely, there are three children sitting on the front step. You can zoom in on the higher quality picture (this is one of the few times where there is a disadvantage using the smaller picture). We're looking a bit dejected. Why were we sitting on the front porch, had we been thrown out by my grandmother in exasperation? And why was my father across the street taking a picture?

One interesting thing about this house was that there were no fences in the backyards (different than California) so the houses opened up onto a common grassy area. I vaguely remember the much more old-fashioned house that my grandparents lived in previously. In an old neighborhood, two stories, kind of old a mysterious. A gate opening up into a little garden, lots of stairs. This was much more modern, up to date.

1961 - Close with Pam and the kitten

This group of pictures closes out 1961. Somehow I feel when I finish the series of slides that I leave it forever. I've experienced 1961 in our family for weeks but, like all things, it's time to move on.

We'll leave with two pictures of two year old Pam wearing the dreaded eye patch. And little else. It must be the summertime. I think the setting was the Zwissler's backyard in Arden Park on Arroyo Grande. They had a detached garage and workshop where there were always cool things hidden. Could be a sawhorse in the background or maybe a built balance beam.

The second picture shows Pam stroking one of the Zwissler kittens. Their two momma cats, Stripes and White Nose (names describe the obvious) regularly turned out batches of kittens. In fact, our cat Misty was one of the Zwissler kittens. Once I got to go over to watch a little of kittens being born in their den. Very very exciting.

Who knows which batch of kittens born in 1961, these were. 46 years ago. The toddler Pam likes them.

1961 - Cookout with the Zwisslers

Sandy and Charlie along with Gary and Karen Zwissler having a barbecue hot dog cookout. In our backyard. Who let Charlie and Gary have those sharp sticks? Sandy definitely looks more than 2 years older in this picture. Maybe Sandy is standing on the bricks...

1961 - Sandy ALL dolled up?

Where WAS I going? Some kind of costume party? I'm all fixed up with an exotic midriff outfit, heels, jewelry, flower in my hair, gloves. I'm made up to look like something. But what? I'm 9 years old in this picture. I'm looking pretty darn pleased with myself. Two year old Pam is on the border

1961 - Pet population

The Ginsburgh family pets in 1961. Don't know how my father got both of them to pose like that. Scotchy, cocker spaniel and Misty, tabby cat.

My parents were never big on cats, Misty was the only cat they ever had. Tabby tom cat who lived outside. We had him for a number of years, eventually he disappeared.

Scotchy, the beloved family pet, also lived outside most of the year. He put up with kids and generally enjoyed being a family dog. My parents bought him on impulse during a 'ride in the country'. They saw a sign advertising cocker pups and they decided to take a look. They picked out a black and white puppy. "What's black and white" asked my father. "Scotch" replied my mother, referring to the popular brand of scotch whisky. They were always social drinkers.

So we had Scotchy for many years. In the spring, my mother had all of his long coat shorn off for the hot Sacramento summer. In the morning, he would be a shaggy dog and in the afternoon, he would look completely transformed.

He liked tennis balls and running around the yard. When I first learned to read, I want to read out loud endlessly which my mother could not always do. "Go out and read to the dog" she would say. She would take me out to the backyard and sternly commanded the dog to sit. He would sit and listen to me read. Or I believed that he did.

1961 - Pam with her patch

My sister has always had reduced vision in one eye. Likely congenital though my mother worried it could have been caused by oxygen in the premie incubator. When she was a toddler, the doctors thought that they could make the 'lazy eye' work by patching the good eye. So my sister had to wear very thick glasses as a young child and have her good eye patched for periods of time. Not fun for a toddler or anybody else. I remember that the patch was attached with some foul smelling brown stuff.

My sister remembers that much of the time, things looked pretty fuzzy for her. This approach did NOT work by the way.

1961 - Three in the front yard

Sandy and Charlie are all dressed up, maybe to go to sunday school. I remember the red crinoline (again with the slip that stuck out), I think it was dotted swiss. I think Pam was supposed to be in the middle. But, again, my father is taking too long, and she's not waiting. She's broken ranks and is darting towards the folks with the camera.

Nice shot of the brick wall. I think those are wax begonias in front of the wall.

1961 - Front of Arden Park home

This was a likely botched shot of my brother but there's a clear view of the front of the Arden Park home in 1961. The turquoise stucco with the redwood stained trim. The screen door. The brick wall constructed by my father with the wrought iron columns supporting the lattice to shade the living room. It really was a smart idea to combat the heat and intense sunlight of the Sacramento summers. Two large camelia bushes and some other shade plants. Maybe a honeysuckle vine on top? Bamboo shades in the kitchen window. No trees in the back high enough to see over the house.

Compare to a similar view of the same home 46 years later. The upper lattice is still there. Different posts. Maybe those bricks are the same, maybe not. Honeysuckle vine is gone but one of the camellias is still there as well as the shrub beneath the kitchen window. New living room window. Wood panel still there but now painted. That front walk was not there in 1961.

Attractive in both views, I think.
Sandy Barnes

1961 - Ginsburgh/Beittel kids

A gathering of the Ginsburgh and Beittel kids on the back patio of the Arden Park home. I would say it was during Thanksgiving but look at the leaves on the trees, maybe it was during the summer. The adult in the picture is a young Dan Beittel.

Left to right
Mark Beittel
Pam
Lynn Beittel
June Beittel
Sandy (holding Misty the cat)
Charlie
Dan Beittel

46 years ago. Where are they now?
Mark living in Trento, Italy with wife Giovanna, daughter Micolle
June living in Washington DC with husband Eric, daughter Maya
Lynn living in Hilo, Hawaii with husband Matt, son Abe

Sandy living in Seattle WA with husband Dennis, adult children Danny, Susanna, Ilana Naomi
Charlie, living in Chicago with two cats
Pam, living in Lafayette Indiana, daughter Teresa

Dan Beittel lived for many years in San Rafael, CA, passed away recently

1961 - Living room in Arden Park home

A view of the living room in the Arden Park home. I think the furniture had been recently re-upholstered. Somehow, they were able to do a lot more ambitious projects, things that would likely be out of our reach. There used to be a shag carpet but that looks different, possibly they replaced the carpet. My mom still has that table, I think. A camelia in the brandy snifter (my mom liked that). There was a divider right by the front door that had some plants, possibly philodendrons. Card table could be stored in the wood divider. To the left in the foreground we two seldom used doors with decorative screens with pressed flowers and butterflies (real? who knows?) that led to the screened porch.

This room is still used as the living room but it now opens up to the left in the background to sunroom (the former porch)

1961 - Thanksgiving in the backyard

That same Thanksgiving with all of the kids. We had a swingset at the back of the backyard. Pam and Carla on the slider. Lynn Beittel look at us from the swing. I think that was Carol G, a young woman who lived with the Gittelsons who is helping me with the trapeze. Dan Beittel and Don Gittelson are leaning on the fence supervising.

There was another picture from this same set that shows me swinging on that trapeze. I'm going up and my underpants show from underneath. I was always SOOOO embarassed. A few months ago when I was in Rockford, I destroyed that slide.

1961 - Brownie pumpkin carving

I'm sure this was a dad/daughter event. I think that I'm on the front row in the plaid shirt. Some of the faces look familiar

1961 - Pam on the back patio

Two year old Pam with glasses and curly pigtails on the back patio of the Arden Park home. That patio really could be the thick concrete that Dennis W was marveling at. My father built the brick flower boxes with the decorative driftwood collected by my mother.

That building in the distance. I remember it but I was never really sure what it was, some kind of poolhouse. Certainly those people there, they were in some other mysterious universe. I don't think that building is there now.

1961 - Visiting the Beittels

Now we are in San Rafael. On Barberry Lane in Terra Linda, visiting the Beittels. That's their sedan in the background. Maybe we are waiting to go in? Charlie looks like he's been cooped up too long. Don't know what mom is doing with PAM

1961 - Kids at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in 1961 must have been at the Ginsburghs. All of the kids in the backyard. It's sunny but it looks like fall. From left to right
Alan and Carla Gittelson
Mark Beittel
Sandy
Charlie
Pam
Lynn Beittel

Where's June? Off, up to some mischief no doubt. She still is!

The kids are all standing just about where the swimming pool is now. Look how dressed up we are, people don't get up for Thanksgiving now.

1961 - Pam's curls

Even as a baby, Pam had wide stovepipe curls. My mother was so proud of them and would brush her hair into thick ringlets. This was my father's attempt to capture the curls on a two year old. You can tell that my mother has just brushed them. But Pam did not keep too still. I remember the watch.

1961 - Pam's action shot

Two year old Pam and her wheelbarrow in the backyard. Complete with her curls and her glasses. The doctors even wanted to give her contact lenses as a toddler back in 1961 but my mother would not allow it unless they also gave my mother contact lenses. Which they wouldn't, I don't know why.

But an action shot by my father with the container caught in mid-air while being flung by Pam. She's on her way with that wheelbarrow.

You can almost feel the heat of the Sacramento summer.

1961 - Charlie in his space helmet

There's Charlie (age 7) in 1961 in the backyard in his Scott McCauley space helmet. Looks like he might be holding some gun that goes with it. The helmet, has
"McCauley" written on it, was based on the television series "Men in Space" which aired 1959-1060 and featured drama based on projected space travel.

Charlie thinks it's real.

Sunny open backyard.

1961 - Sandy and Charlie in the flowers

Sandy, age 9, smelling the flowers, probably the crepe myrtle tree in the garden area of the backyard in the Arden Park home. That area has now been built up and there's a beautiful swimming pool is located there.

Just found this companion picture taken the same time, with Charlie and Sandy. Same flowers, nice smile. Looks like summer.

1961 - Another day at Disneyland

We must have gone back to Disneyland for a second day. This time Mimi and Carla Gittleson came with us (they are in the picture anyway). Mim was always quite stylish, notice the big hair. We're there bright and early. Charlie is already a bit squirrely. I'm waving for extra effect.

When my mom looked at these pictures a month or so ago, she said 'I still have that purse". And she does, I remember the purse.

In the second picture, Charlie is clearly losing it. Things are not going his way. It may be that Disneyland is just too much for him. Or not enough. I don't look too concerned, as usual, I'm lost in my own scene.

1961 - Along the road

On the trip to Southern California. Some sort of a inspirational site, maybe a Mission? We're dressed up, including two year old Pam, Charlie in shorts. As I've mentioned, my parents were very invested in the children being dressed properly. Some sort of scenic arcade, I don't know where this was.

Those California hills in the background. Some sort of garden but it's not very colorful.`

1961 - Into the pool

An iconic family shot taken during the 1961 Disneyland trip. Sandy and Charlie jump into the pool at the Anaheim motel, that might be the Disneyland sign at the entrance to the park in the distance. Father managed to get us in an action shot. Sandy flops into to pool (much like I do now) but I'm in the air with arms outstretched. Charlie somehow manages to get so much lift from a standing position on the concrete edge as he gracefully dives into the pool.

Different strokes, etc. Nice job getting us both in the air. I remember the bathing suit, striped blue and turquoise in a terry cloth type fabric.

1961 - More Disneyland

Charlie got lost sometime during the day in Disneyland, probably playing here on Tom Sawyer Island (don't know if they have it any more). It was a long enough lost event that we spent an hour or so (at least that's how I remember it) looking for him and I think he ended up in the official 'lost kids' place. He was pretty upset about it (age 7). So in the next pictures, he's looking pretty chastened and he's staying pretty close.

I think this was another active attraction, Swiss Family Robinson. The Yesterland site says this was opened until Nov 1962 so maybe it's something else?