Tuesday, January 29, 2013

High School Years...Homecoming 1972!

Homecoming 1972...
Anyone who has watched such shows as “Glee” and “High School Musical” will know that Drama Club is often ignored, while Football and Cheer Leading programs get most of the attention.  American Fork High School was …for the most part…no exception.   But since our school was full of very nice kids, “class warfare” wasn't as intense as it might have been.  There were the usual tensions between “Jocks” and “Cowboys.”   Pot smoking “Hippies” kept to the shadows.  If they were there, I wasn't too aware of them.  To any former “Cavemen” reading this, these are my memories of American Fork High School…you may remember things differently.  But that’s okay…we all look at life through different lenses.

"Andy Williams is my favorite singer" said no teenage girl ever. 

When I was still in junior high, I remember an afternoon spent looking at yearbooks with my friend Kathleen.   This is not important to the story…but I just had to share this bit about Kathleen.  She was a wonderful, sweet, intelligent girl.  But she had a fatal flaw.  While most of the other girls in our neighborhood were crazy about The Monkees or The Partridge Family…she was Andy Williams’ most devoted fan.  Huh!?  Her closet door was plastered with his pictures and his music was the sound track to games of Twister.  “Moon River” and right hand red!  

The hit of "parent chaperoned" boy/girl parties.

 Anyhoo...as Kathleen and I looked at all the pictures of kids having fun in sports, clubs and activities at AF High, I made a vow that I would make the most of my high school years.   My children would find me in lots of yearbook pictures!  I never was one of the “popular” crowd but I was an enthusiastic Caveman supporter.

Drama Club...
My favorite picture.  George and I are both on the front row.
I am the girl on the far left ...George is on the far right.
We were probably fighting that day...lol!

Since I fully intended to be a famous Broadway actress someday, I knew that Drama Club was the “place to be.”   Learning scenes and pantomimes for competitions was a lot of work.  But I knew that if I ever wanted to star in the school play I would have to pay my dues.   Drama Club kids were the most fun kids in the school. ..just what this shy girl needed.   At any moment a group of us could spontaneously break out in song.  I have fond memories of a lunch-time musical number…complete with choreography…of a Kellogg’s Raisin Bran commercial…it was brilliant!  Another time my friend Randy brought the house down with “We represent the Lollipop Guild” from the Wizard of Oz.  Being tall for a Munchkin…he was hilarious!

Actual Yearbook Photo...not!

We were a pretty close-knit bunch of kids who thought ourselves very clever, but I’m sure we got more than our fair share of strange looks in the hallways.   I will write more another time about the plays we were in.  This story is about Homecoming.   I have my husband to thank for bringing back these fun memories.  A few days ago, George came across some old negatives that I didn't know existed.   It was like unearthing lost treasure...our Drama Club Homecoming float!

“Happiness is…” Homecoming 1972

Our drama teacher and club adviser was Mr. Gardner.   Such a nice guy and so handsome…we girls would just stare at him dreamily.  Half the time we never heard a word he said.  But when he announced that this year Drama Club would create an entry for the Homecoming Parade…we were all ears!   He warned us not to get too excited…we probably wouldn't win the prize.  He believed that “politics favoring the football team and cheerleaders” would prevail.   But he did encourage us to prove him wrong.  


Happiness is...

The theme was “Happiness Is…”   Snoopy as “Joe Cool” and “Happiness is a Warm Puppy” were everywhere that year.   What kind of float would we build?  Since we were playing the Springville Red Devils we chose “Happiness is Deviled Eggs.”  We envisioned a football field where “Mighty Cavemen” clobbered giant devil eggs with clubs.  How cool is that?

The finished product...

Building the float was so much fun!   I have no idea how we came up with the paper mache eggs.  But they were works of art in our estimation.


Watching other people work is exhausting!

My cute friend Marilee getting ready for the parade.

Those evil "Deviled Eggs" must be cracked for good!

After the parade some of us took our show on the road.  George and Randy...and a few others whose names I wish I could remember...thought it would be fun to wear the eggs in the middle of a busy Main Street intersection and "withdraw into their shells."  We thought the honking cars were hilarious.  Then for some reason we took the eggs to Lehi and proceeded to annoy the citizens of that community.  We had to celebrate somehow...we won Best Float in the parade!   It just goes to show...politics aside...Drama Club was the best!

Dear old AF High
Yes, we will love you 'til we die.
Your colors bright,
Of red and white,
Will be a beacon in the night.
Dramatic Arts,
And Ball and Track,
We always bring the honors back.
We'll sing your praises to the sky
We'll always fight for AF High!
Rah! Rah! Rah!

If you haven't noticed...Drama is mentioned first in the school song...so take that, Football!

I'm sure it was my performance at Half Time that won the game.
The Cavemen pounded the Red Devils for a 44-27 victory!
Best Homecoming ever!

Madison...enjoy your high school days!
Note:  I was having trouble remembering the correct words to the song.  Thanks to an article written by Ruby Buhler called "Origin of the American Fork High School Song" I was able to get it right!  Sadly, Ruby passed away a few weeks ago.  She was quite the local historian and a lovely person.











Wednesday, January 23, 2013

German Memory Quilts!

A Few of My Favorite Things...
When I was a young teen I got a used sewing machine for Christmas.  I enjoyed making my own clothes, but I soon discovered something I loved even more...quilting!  Grandma Zetta taught me how to put a quilt on a quilting frame, but I was pretty much self taught when it came to patchwork.  My first patchwork quilt consisted of wonky rows of roughly rectangular blocks made from the scraps of fabric Grandma Patta gave me.  My boyfriend George was thrilled with his Christmas quilt...so thrilled that he's still around...even though that quilt is long gone.  He supported my quilting habit and took pictures of many of my creations.  Today I found the scrapbook of quilts that I made while we were stationed in West Germany.  It was so much fun to see the patterns that I designed myself.  Being far from home I was influenced by the symbols and culture of my adopted country.  My skills were far from professional, but I spent many a long winter's night sketching and piecing together my German Memory Quilts.

Germany 1977 to 1981
Memory Quilts 

I  regret that I never made one of these quilts for myself.
They were gifts, or sold to American servicemen's wives to earn extra money.

My favorite...loved the colors.

This quilt was made for one of George's officer friends.
It was a farewell gift when he went back to the States.

Some Favorite Blocks...
Represents the coffee mill I bought at a flea market in Bremen.

Oh, how I loved the sight of windmills.
The block on the right is my favorite nutcracker.

Wooden shoes were also worn by old German farmers.

A Dutch design...Northern Germany was so close to the Netherlands.

Gingerbread Heart from the Christmas Markets.

Hansel and Gretel Bears.

Cuckoo Clocks!  And really ugly German wallpaper.
I could never understand the popularity of that wallpaper.

A cute little Dutch miss...and more little birds.

So many memories!  I am so grateful that George took pictures of my quilts.  Even though it's been more than 30 years...it seems like only yesterday.




Monday, January 21, 2013

Year in Review...Top Five Posts 2012!


Looking Ahead...Looking Back
I have been working to put together my Blog Book for 2012 and it's going faster than I expected.  As each month ends, I cut and paste my blog posts to a file in Word.  I love how Word keeps the format of my blog, so it appears on paper pretty much as it does on my computer screen.  I do need to adjust how much content appears per page...but that is pretty much done by adjusting the size of the pictures.  I can save the file for later...or print it right then.  I buy the 3 or 4 inch binders from Walmart and decorate the outsides with pretty papers...like designing a scrapbook page.  It's fun!  I can also make cute divider pages for each month.  When I'm finished I will post some of the pages designs.  It's been fun to re-read my blog as I put the pages in my binder...my year in review!  I  am posting today my top five blog posts...by readership...for 2012.

Top Five for 2012...
#5
My silly fear of making phone calls...what's up with that?
Telephobia...A Love/Hate Affair

#4
This was my Ipod, Madison!
My Junior High memories.
When I Was Your Age, Madison

#3
What's more fun than a Christmas circus?
Cirque d' Noel!

#2
Christmas crafts to reflect my memories of Germany in the late 70s.
German Christmas in My Office!

#1
My life as a third, fourth and fifth grader.
When I Was Your Age...McKenzie & Macy!

Thanks for visiting my Top Five for 2012!
What was your most popular post?

A favorite Valentine found at an antique store.

Note to those having picture problems:  I composed this blog on Google Chrome...no upload difficulties at all.  Yay!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Repost...Life is a Fiesta!

Getting back my blogging mojo...
I guess it's my turn to have Blogger be a pain in the upload pictures department.  I sure hope this isn't going to be a continuing problem, since I haven't posted since December.  I feel like I'm losing my blogging mojo.   I haven't anything new to blog about...but I have visited several blogs where my friends have mentioned how much they hate the lack of color in their homes after putting Christmas away.   My answer is to share an old post from September of 2011 called "Life is a Fiesta."  Fiesta Dinnerware is so fun and colorful in my kitchen that I almost don't miss the Gingerbread Fantasy thing I had going on!

Life is a Fiesta...
We all have a little collector bug living inside us. What do you collect? My sister Patti, collects vintage tablecloths, "Crap I've Made" blogger Char, collects Pyrex bowls and casseroles http://crapi'vemade.com/, and my daughter Sascha collects "Alice in Wonderland" themed dolls. I collect too many things, but my all- time favorite is Fiesta dinnerware.


Fun, colorful Fiesta has been charming homemakers since 1936 when it was introduced by Homer Laughlin Pottery at the Pottery and Glass Show in Pittsburg. It was cheerful, inexpensive and came with almost unlimited accessories and "go alongs" like glassware, flatware, and serving pieces. Just the thing to help brighten the gloom of the Great Depression. One of the things that makes me extremely loyal to the brand is that they are now, and have always been, "Made in the U.S.A!" I started collecting Fiesta more than a decade ago. I love how they come out with a new color a couple of times a year. My favorite color...of course...is Scarlet! =D


These are my everyday dishes. Most of what you see is Fiesta.

This hutch features vintage Fiesta pieces, with a few modern plates.
Some of the cream, patterned china was designed by other companies to "go along" with Fiesta

Fiesta is available at Macys, Kohls, and other major department stores. If you are interested in collecting vintage Fiesta, The Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta can be found on Amazon.com. Maybe your library will have a copy. O-Lay!

I hope you enjoyed this blast from the 2011 past!


 
Yikes!  I can't even download any thing from my my signatures file.  I do hope things are better the next time I try to post!