Friday-August 6, 2021

Dear Marion,

 Watches and clocks have long been a fascination for me, not just their pure function but also the beautifully crafted mechanisms that come together and create a functioning piece of design. This love of watches and clocks goes back to my first memories. Dad’s watch- worn only on date night, Sunday church, and holidays, our neighbors’ Grandfather Clock next to their front door chiming on cue as it should in their traditionally designed home. This home was of the type, that as a child there were imaginary lines that we as children were not allowed to cross ...not on the wall-to-wall carpet and certainly not to sit on the furniture outside the kitchen or my friends’ bedroom. That grandfather clock(actually I think they had 3) represented something I wanted so badly and thought when I am old enough I will save up to purchase one for my own home. Even at that age between 5 & 10, I knew with the style of home we had, mid-century modern, there was no chance of you or dad making that purchase. I may not even have mentioned these desires to you until I was probably in my thirties when for the record I not only could purchase one if I wanted but no longer had any desire to own a grandfather clock. Watches, however, ranked second only to shoes for a very long time and I think I have recently begun gravitating toward them once again. Leather straps, metal link, grosgrain, braided straps all are well ranked in my longing to wear and appreciate. We now have phones to tell us the time, but there is something very cool about a wristwatch. Nostalgia ...maybe.

  Time, this week was marked by another milestone in our family...one of your grandchildren crossed the threshold into their twenties without even a glance back at their teen years. This moment rang a bell. I remember thinking at that crossing, what have I accomplished, and am I on the right path. Time may move quickly, fashions come and go but some things are the same and I have often heard people of this age wondering out loud whether they are designing the right path for themselves. It’s difficult to understand that there is no absolute right way or quick solution in this time. You need to have these experiences and make these decisions right or wrong yourself ...perhaps with a little guidance or even a nudge from the more seasoned well-wishers.

  I have always enjoyed mixing my patterns and colors and sometimes even my styles but as I have evolved or simply changed from one decade to the next, my responsibilities and needs have all played a part in influencing this change. Summer months remain a fun time to explore pattern and mixing them in your wardrobe or interiors. There has been a push towards whites and the use of texture which I love but I also crave fun colors and that can be done in a small way or on a larger scale depending on your commitment and finances. Speaking of color, last week I spotted a red leaf that stopped me in my tracks on my morning walk… and every day since I have become aware of more changing leaves. They are a bit hidden but they are coming and a reminder much in the way time keeps ticking, Summer is leaving a glimpse of the next season around the corner. There will be new colors flooding my senses with new recipes desired and another lifestyle change.

 Schools will be picking up again and with that students and teachers exploring new concepts and potential interest will be sparked. On our porch one recent evening, the river breeze containing a slight feel of a change in the air, a crispness which believe it or not prompted me to actually grab a blanket. I enjoy all of the four seasons, but there is something about that type of evening air that prompts me to take stock in where I am and what unexpected adventures lay waiting around the corner. I started reading a mystery,” The Devil May Dance” by Jake Trapper a few days ago and as it takes place during the reign of Frank Sinatra and The Rat Pack along with the political period of President John F Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F Kennedy it conjured visual snapshots of the style of that period. Suits with skinny ties, slim or form-fitting dresses for the women, cocktails in the evening, the influence of The Mob, and murder against the backdrop of Hollywood in all its glamor. Glamor, murder, corruption... Entertainment at its best.

  While this book is entertaining and I give credit to the author Jake Trapper for creating such vivid visuals of the characters, it reminded me of the many opportunities available today that were not often available in the 1960s. I remember growing up and feeling shocked at how few career choices there were for women during your coming of age. Of course, you were a young teenager when WWII ended, and a child of immigrants. There are moments in the book where I have a strong, uncomfortable feeling regarding the position of the female characters, how they were treated, spoken to, and what their opportunities must have looked like at that time.  There is for sure much more work that needs to be done for women and persons of color as well as lifestyle choices and acceptance, but when I think about how different and unaccepting we were as a nation, I think much has changed. And yes, still more needs to happen. 

  On a morning walk, I met a local woman who saw me taking photos of an Egret or Heron, and as she approached the bird flew away. Our conversation began with an experience a few years ago as she walked, the Heron walked alongside her, she began a conversation whereby the bird walked along for a good while until they approached the field. It wasn’t that hard to believe, she was quite kind and interesting.

Talk soon,

Forever Yours

Quote:

Someday perhaps change will occur when times are ready for it instead of always when it is too late. Someday change will be accepted as life itself.

Shirley MacLaine 

American actress, singer, author, activist, and former dancer

… and once a member of The Rat Pack

Born 1934