A Fair to Remember

When I was growing up in Oklahoma, nothing heralded the coming of Fall like the Tulsa State Fair. The Fair usually blew into town with the first cool temperatures and crunchy leaves and brought with it an air of excitement and tradition. One of the things that made the Tulsa State Fair so wonderful was Bell’s Amusement Park, a charming park that was open most of the year. The Fair was connected to Bell’s, so in addition to the Fair rides, the Midway and the exhibits, you also had the perk of your favorite rides at Bell’s. The big white wooden roller coaster, known as ‘Zingo’ was Bell’s crown jewel. Built in 1968,‘Zingo’ was a series of giant hills and breathtaking drops, up to 82 feet. You entered the park by walking under one of the hills of the roller coaster, excitement growing as you heard the ‘clack clack clack’ of the coaster and the happy screams of its victims. Being old enough to ride ‘Zingo’ was a definite rite of passage in my day. There was also the ‘Phantasmagoria’ spook/fun house that you rode through in a cart (a notorious make out ride), the ‘Himalaya’, which went round and round to the sound of sirens and loud music du jour, and a big ominous Ferris Wheel. One of my all time favorites was the giant Super Slide, that we flew down on old burlap sacks. I think the Super Slide was removed sometime in the late 1970s or early 80s, as I’m sure it was pretty dangerous. Other favorites included the Log Ride, the Octopus, the Scrambler and the Super Round Up. A day at Bell’s was always a dream come true for me and I often got to go there for my birthday. The Fair was like Bell’s on steroids. Although I don’t really care for Fair food, I like the smells, I love to walk around and people watch, check out all of the rides and revel in the cool night air. When I was in Middle School, my friend, Karen and I were allowed to go to the Fair by ourselves (during the day only). Wow, did we think we were grown up! We spent a dizzying day riding rides and looking for cute boys all on about $20. When I was in high school, the Fair was the ultimate date. I mean, it had all of the perfect romantic elements – the opportunity for your date to win you a stuffed animal (thus proving his manliness), the prospect of holding hands as you walked around the Midway, the pleasure of getting to wear one of your brand new sweaters in the cool weather, and the chance that you might kiss on the Skyride as you glided way up over everyone and swung gently from the cables. Oh, yes! A kiss was quite possible, being that he was the most manly-stuffed-animal-winning thing this side of the Arkansas River. Alas, I am now grown and Bell’s amusement park is no longer. It was closed a couple of years ago and ‘Zingo’ now sits somewhere in a warehouse, quiet and dismantled. I drove by where it used to be one time and was devastated to see a huge expanse of concrete and grass where my Mecca used to be. It actually hit me harder than I thought it would and I swear a couple of tears slid down my cheeks. Maybe I can find a cute guy to take me to the Fair to cheer me up. Maybe I’ll even kiss him on the Skyride.

Mimosas

No, not the kind you drink at baby showers. I'm talking about the trees. I parked my car under one the other day and it reminded me that my Grandparents had two huge Mimosa trees in their front yard when I was a kid and I spent many happy hours perched up in them. I loved their soft, fern like leaves and the feathery hot pink blooms that smell so good and attract butterflies and hummingbirds, too. There is something about the way their branches spread out so wide that makes them perfect for climbing. My Grandparents also had a gigantic Weeping Willow in the backyard, that made a perfect playhouse under the fall of branches in the cool shade. My friends and I would set up little homesteads in there and play all day. There was also another tree of some sort in the backyard that had very slippery bark. My Granddad could take out his ubiquitous pocket knife and slice off a little twig from that tree, about the diameter of a pencil, cut a notch or two in it and the bark would slip up and down it, making an instant whistle. It was so cool! Sadly enough, as I zoom into look at their old house on Google Earth, I see that the Mimosa trees are no more. The Weeping Willow is gone, also, but there is a tree where the 'Slippery Bark' tree was that could possibly be the same tree and it looks like the big Magnolia is still out front. The neighborhood has changed. It was so 'out in the country' when I was a kid. I still remember hearing the far off train whistles at night and sleeping with the attic fan on and the windows open. Long white curtains fluttered gracefully in the breeze like friendly ghosts and I always woke in the morning to a chorus of birds and the smell of something delicious cooking in the kitchen. I spent a lot of time at my Grandparents' red brick home when I was a child and was allowed to eat as much ice cream as I wanted. I am almost afraid to drive by the house when I go to Tulsa to visit, because I think I would be overcome with memories and sad that it didn't look the same. God forbid someone has neglected it. I remember every tiny detail of that house, from the copper pulls on the cabinets to the tiny hexagonal aqua tile in the bathroom and I still dream that I'm there quite often. Sometimes my Grandparents are even there with me and I know, in my dream, that they have passed on and what a rare opportunity I am afforded to get to spend some more time with them. Next time, I'll be sure and look out the big plate glass window in the front room and see the Mimosa Trees. I know they'll be there!

Favorite Things - Turquoise Ring

When I was a little girl back in the 70s my parents used to take us for a little ride out to Catoosa, Oklahoma (just outside of Tulsa, where we lived) to visit a jeweler named Wolf Robe Hunt. He was native American and went by the name 'Chief Wolf Robe' and as a child, I had no doubts that he was a Chief. I loved going to his shop because we were allowed to play outside, with all of the cats while my parents shopped for turquoise and silver jewelry. Every once in a while, the curtain would draw back and you would get a peek at Chief Wolf Robe and to me, it was like the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. My parents still have several pieces of his jewelry and this ring was handed down to me. (I apologize that in the pic both my nails and the ring need polishing) It's still very much in style and I get lots of compliments when I wear it. I saw one of Wold Robe's bracelets on ebay the other day, but it had big silver eagles on the sides of a large piece of turquoise -- not really my style. It was over $200. I don't have any idea how much my Mom and Dad paid for these pieces, but I know that I treasure mine. It reminds me of the 70s and that's groovy. Speaking of groovy, check out my seasonal blog banner! My friend, Dale, made it for me as a surprise today and I just love it. Check out her blog link -- Sea Dream Studios. Her artwork is so beautiful and whimsical. It's like nothing you've ever seen. She also made me some cards to go with the Sea Glass jewelry that I sell. Hmmm...I could open a shop and be Chief Moongrl. I DO make a good Indian!

My Favorite Things - Part 2

Feeling a Cold War coming on? Come on over to my garage! We inherited these relics from my in laws. They are civil defense containers of hard candy (carbohydrate suppliment, anyone?)

...and Saltine Crackers. So, if you're ever locked in my garage (uh....I mean my bomb shelter), remember these are in the corner and there's usually vodka and beer in the frig out there. Weird, huh?

My Favorite Things - Part 1

Sure, I like raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens as much as the next guy. But do you ever look around your house and think about what your favorite things are? You know, the things that you would want to grab if your house was on fire...beyond the family, the cat, the photo albums, jewelry - wow, I'd better move some of this stuff closer to the exit! I'm not a super materialistic person, no matter what my ex husband says, but I like some stuff. Most of it is of no real value, only to me. :)

Books signed by the author:

I have four books that are signed by the author. Let's start on the far right. Anne Rice signed this copy of 'Tale of the Body Thief' at a bookstore signing. I really like her books, especially 'The Witching Hour' and am a big fan. No, I was not dressed as a vampire at the book signing. I have a life and I know the difference between real and pretend. Most of the time. At the top is Ann-Margret's autobiography, signed my the fabulous lady herself and her hubby, Roger Smith. I also obtained this at a book signing. When it was my turn I said to her "Tommy and Viva Las Vegas are two of my favorite movies", and she looked up at me and smiled that Hollywood megawatt smile and said, "They're two of my favorite movies, too! Would you like to meet my husband?" (I don't really act wierd around celebrities and I've met a lot of them, so I don't think I was giving off a stalking lesbian vibe) and Roger came out from the back room and he signed the book, too. They were both very nice and she is a beautiful lady and if I were a stalking lesbian, I'd go for her.

Next to the left is 'The Outsiders' by S.E. Hinton. If you are unfamiliar with this book, it was written about my hometown, Tulsa, Oklahoma back in the 60s about the rivalry between the rich kids and the poor kids. It was a favorite growing up and I was glad to see that my son had it as required reading in 9th grade still. The book was changed to the East side vs. West side when it was really the South side vs. the North side. I was a Southsider. When the movie 'The Outsiders' was filmed, I was a senior in high school and since it was filmed in Tulsa, it was all the buzz. I got to meet Matt Dillon and actually taught him how to drive a stickshift because he liked my car (I drove a 1967 Triumph GT6 - guy magnet!!!) I was a little disappointed that he didn't thank me when he won the Oscar for 'Crash', but it was rumoured around my school my senior year that I was dating Emilio Estevez. I did nothing to encourage that rumour, nor did I do anything to squelch it. Many of the kids that I went to school with got to be extras in the movie and I still like to watch it and see those kids. My girlfriend, Angela is a limo driver and called me one day from Tulsa. She said "I am driving Susan Hinton today and also C. Thomas Howell and Ralph Maccio for the DVD premiere of The Outsiders!" I had her stop by the bookstore and buy a hardcopy of the book and get it signed. She did! And yes, it says 'Jana - Stay Gold' The book on the far left is kinda cool. It is one of the later Madeline books, "Madeline in America", which was written by the original author's son. What makes it extra cool is that it is inscribed to Don Henley's kids and signed by the author. I was given this by a friend/neighbor who's ex-nanny had also been the Henley's nanny and they had given the nanny a bunch of books. She gave it to me after I helped her do some organizing one day and she said that her two boys wouldn't appreciate it and for me to go ahead and take it before her husband sold it on ebay. What are your favorite things? More of mine in upcoming posts!