Monday's Postcard: Cliff Walk, RI

Can you believe that I have never been to cliff walk?? Yes, I am fascinated with these huge mansions, and the trail is a designated National Recreation trail. Some day I will go...it is on my bucket list.

Ryan and I will be hiking in August for the Washington Trails Association. We are looking for pledges to contribute for the protection and maintenance of Washington State Trails. Please consider making a donation, no amount is too small!!  Just follow the link posted below. Thanks so much!!

http://www.gifttool.com/athon/MyFundraisingPage?ID=1468&AID=2449&PID=369509

Monday's Postcard: Large Letters Cities

I posted earlier about Large Letter Postcards. Here are more from my collection. Not states this time, but cities! And I am still on the lookout for many states to complete my collection of all 50. :-)

Ryan and I will be hiking in August for the Washington Trails Association. We are looking for pledges to contribute for the protection and maintenance of Washington State Trails. Please consider making a donation, no amount is too small!!  Just follow the link posted below. Thanks so much!!

http://www.gifttool.com/athon/MyFundraisingPage?ID=1468&AID=2449&PID=369509

Hike-a-thon History

I thought I would fill you guys in on a little Hike-a-thon History. My first Hike-a-thon was in 2005 and I did not even take photos!! I did hike 45 miles and raise $900. And I wrote up my adventures on my website. www.amandaarkebauer.com




The following year in 2006, I did take a few photos. www.amandaarkebauer.com And this was the year that I started my "Amanda from Seattle" blog, so there were lots of blog entries, although the best one is probably Beach Logs Can Kill!! Beach Logs Can Kill!!
I hiked 45 miles again and raised  $1,181
In 2007, August started with my car giving out while my sister and I were camping on the Olympic Peninsula!!  But I was still able to hike 50 miles and raise $1, 005 dollars.  2008 was memorable for my hike along The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk in London. And I was able to hike 50 miles again, which seems to be my steady contribution!! We raised $1,600 that year!!




One of my favorite Hike-a-thon years was 2009, when my sister and I went camping at Fort Stevens. I hiked 54 miles that year and raised $1, 425.  2010 was memorable because Ryan was thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail that year. I hiked 50 miles AGAIN and raised $1, 120.  2011 was my first ever backpacking trip! Here in Washington State at the Baker River Trail. We raised $1, 175 dollars and I hiked, you guessed it, 50 miles!! Last Year, I was scrambling to get my miles in because I took a break to fly out to Paris with Ryan while he continued on to start his Camino de Santiago hike! But I did make it to 52 miles and we raised $1, 075 dollars. This year, we had to scrap plans to go to Colorado. Too many wildfires threatening the Colorado Trail. Now, Ryan plans to hike the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier.






 I have lots of Seattle layovers to hike around the Puget Sound area and later in the month we hope to go on a camping trip here in Washington.

Please consider making a donation this year, no amount is too small!! Just follow the link posted below. Thanks so much!! http://www.gifttool.com/athon/MyFundraisingPage?ID=1468&AID=2449&PID=369509

Monday's Postcard: Colorado Bridge

I am fascinated with these three different postcards of the same bridge in Colorado. The Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge was constructed in 1929 at a cost of $250,000 and at the time, was the highest bridge in the world at 1,053 feet above the Arkansas River.


It is that time of year again, Ryan and I are getting ready for our August Hike-a-thon for Washington Trails. Ryan will be leaving soon to begin his thru-hike of the Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango and I will be doing Trail Angel duties along the way. This will continue into August, so the first part of our August hiking will be in Colorado. Then we return home and start hiking trails in Washington State that benefit from our fundraising efforts. Please consider contributing to the cause--Just visit our fundraising website at the link below and pledge a little or a lot for Washington Trails. Thanks so much!!  


http://www.gifttool.com/athon/MyFundraisingPage?ID=1468&AID=2449&PID=369509

Monday's Postcard: Florida Oranges

Believe it or not, I lived in Florida for several years. I am amazed by the history of the state, it fascinates me. The postmarks on these postcards are all from the 1950's.

June Reading

Books I read in June

Salt, Sugar, Fat, How the Food Giants Hooked Us  by Michael Moss (library) this book really has me looking at my eating (and cooking) of processed/canned foods from the grocery store.
The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen reading more in the Rizzoli and Isles series
The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie (library) this book got great reviews and it is part of a series, I might have to check out more by this author
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan (library) great story about the ballerinas who inspired Degas
The Third Son by Julie Wu (library) about a Tawainese man who leaves during the time after WWII when   the Chinese and Japanese were fighting  for control of Taiwan, for a better life in the US. I enjoyed it
Truth in Advertising by John Kenney (library) enjoyed it, I am a fan of Mad Men and this is an advertising story from present day
Snapper by  Brain Kimberling (library) great, memoir type story of a boy from Indiana. He is also a birder, loved it
Dirt Work by Christine Byl (library) great book about a woman doing trail work in Glacier National Park and Alaska much better than wild by strayed
All But My Life by Gerda Klein (library) a holocaust memoir made into an HBO film
The Last Runaway by Tracey Chevalier (library) loved this book about a Quaker quilter who is involved in the Underground Railroad in Ohio
Kinsey and Me by Sue Grafton (library) short stories loved it
Finding Betty Crocker by Sue Marks (library) nonfiction about the creation of Betty Crocker as a marketing tool very interesting
The Sunshine When She's Gone by Thea Goodman (library) father runs off with infant daughter okay
The Edge of the Earth by Christina Schwarz (library) story of an 1800's lighthouse keeper's wife I enjoyed it
The Dogs of Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz very sweet
Waiter Rant by The Waiter (library) after reading Heads in Beds and Kitchen Confidential, this was the obvious next choice :-)
Bay of Fires by Poppy Gee (library) murder mystery from Australia okay
We Need New Names by Noviolet Bulawayo (library) I liked it
Southern Cross the Dog by Bill Cheng (library) story of a black man during the Jim Crow era. Interesting
Last Ape Standing by Chip Walter (library) about human evolution very very interesting, quite enjoyed it

20 books read this month

Monday's Postcard: Shanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls were very popular in advertising through the 1920's and 30's. I have also read a great book by Lisa See called Shanghai Girls It is a fictionalized account of sisters who are calendar models in China during the 30's.

Monday's Postcard: California Desert

The California Desert is so exotic. Both of these postcards are postmarked from 1942. "Spring Time on the Desert, Cholla Cactus and Daisies in Bloom" and "Date Gardens on the Desert."

Monday's Postcard: One of my Oldest

The undivided back of this postcard says "This side is exclusively for the address"


This is one of my oldest cards. It is from Niagara Falls, Canada and features the Legend of the White Canoe.
It is a postcard with an undivided back. The entire back of the postcard was for the address and stamp. The front of the card would have the picture and a space for writing your message. Although, not always would there be space for your message, this is why you see many postcards of this era with writing on top of the photo or picture of the card. In 1907, they began producing divided back postcards which made it possible to put the address and message together on the back of the card. It prevented the face of the card from being written on and used cards became more collectible as a result. So I can date this postcard as being pre-1907.

Monday's Postcard: Victoria, BC

Victoria, BC, Canada.

May Reading

Books I read in May



Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner (library) I enjoyed it --about two literary professors and their wives tracing their marriages from when they first meet til the end of their lives
The Patriotic Murders by Agatha Christie  a Hercule Poirot originally titled An Overdose of Death
To Sleep with the Angels The Story of a Fire by David Cowan and John Kuenster An elementary school fire in the 1950's in Chicago, very tragic
Life after Life by Kate Atkinson (library) interesting way to tell the story (downton abbey era family) with alternate timelines--
The Next Time you See Me by Holly Goddard Jones (library)--great mystery, highly recommend
Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell (library) Great short stories by the author of Swamplandia
Dear Lucy by  Julie Sarkissian (library)   Poignant

The Under Dog by Agatha Christie short stories
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (library) still with my fascination of the orphan trains, this is a fictional account and I loved it, made me cry
America's Cheapest Family gets you Right on the Money by Steve Economides (library) great advice for saving money in your day to day budget
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys (library) YA and very entertaining, although somewhat predictable. I hope to read more by this author
Murder at the Gardner by Jane Langton Boston Mystery I read, since I was spending time in Boston at the end of the month :-)
The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory (library) I enjoy reading about English History from Philippa Gregory, she really makes it come to life for me! lol
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult (library) a holocaust story, not my favorite Picoult, but entertaining none the less
Flora by Gail Godwin (library) I loved this book, it really spoke to me. I think I am going to buy it so I can read it again and again. It just touched something in me--very summer of my german soldier or something
The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory (library) More English History from Gregory, this one had ties to the Joan of Arc story, pretty interesting
The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen books that the TV show Rizzoli and Isles are based on

17 books read this month

Monday's Postcard: Kalakala

These are some of my favorite postcards of the Kalakala ferry boat in Seattle, WA circa 1935. The Kalakala was the World's First Streamlined Vessel and postcards circulated around the country, along with news reels, and newspaper and magazine stories. She became an international sensation. In a 1963 poll, Seattle World's Fair visitors voted the Kalakala the second biggest attraction after the Space Needle!

Monday's Postcard: Colorado Pikes Peak and Red Rocks

These postcards are from 1938 of Colorado Pikes Peak and Red Rocks. It says that the pueblo was built to match the area at the park of the Red Rocks and serves as a museum, curio shop and refreshment stand.

Monday's Postcard: Large Letters States

I love the Large Letter Postcards. These cards evolved from turn-of-the-cenury greeting cards with black and white images of women's faces that spelled out a woman's name or the year. The use of views of a city or town were next in the evolution of the postcard. The large letters spelling out the name of the city or town were usually preceded with "Greetings from . . ."

The first large letter postcards date from about 1901 and they were of black and white photo montages or hand-drawn images in the letters against a black background. Large letter postcards reached their peak in popularity during the 1930's and 40's. Actual photographic images began to appear in the backgrounds. The cards from the 1950's are the most colorful.

I want to collect one of each of the 50 states and believe it or not, I still have a long way to go!

Monday's Postcard: Wilmington, NC

More postcards from where I grew up. A Large Letter Postcard from Wilmington, NC  and below it, we have Greenfield Lake in Wilmington, famous for their azaleas.

April Reading

Books I read in April



Cape Fear by John D MacDonald the book that the movie was based on aka The Executioners
Last Train to Paradise by Les Standiford the story of Flagler and the railroad to key west --bought this one on vacation in the keys and very much enjoyed it
In the Garden of Beasts by Eric Larson (library) I enjoyed it although Ryan thought I might find it dry I actually liked it better than Devil in the White City
Good Kids by Benjamin Nugent (library) quite enjoyed
Free Fall in Crimson by John D MacDonald ballooning, the movie business alot going on in this one
The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (library)  YA fun, very Lemony Snicket/Harry Potter fantasy
The Carrie Diaries by Candance Bushnell (library) cute, I was watching the series on TV and thought I'd try the book
The Garner Files by James Garner (library) autobiography and I am a James Garner fan 
 Making Habits, Breaking Habits by Jeremy Dean (library) trying to make new habits (exercising and eating right)
We live in Water by Jess Walter (library) short stories awesome, the same author that wrote Beautiful Ruins. Great stuff
Cinnamon Skin by John D. MacDonald I just read this one a couple of months ago...but I am rereading the books in order and had to do it again :-) which is fine with me because this is one of my favorite Travis McGee books
The Lonely Silver Rain by John D MacDonald
The Boy by Lara Santoro (library) Mom has affair with her neighbor's son--poignant
Life after Life by Jill McCorkle (library) wonderful, love her stuff
Above All Things by Tanis Rideout (library) great, about George Mallory and his climb of Everest -- a fictional account, I very much enjoyed it and highly recommend it
Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley the latest Favia de Luce book and I LOVE these!!
Killing Them Softly by George V. Higgins This was originally titled as Cogan's Trade and I read it YEARS ago!! But the recent Brad Pitt movie was based on this book and it was rereleased as Killing Them Softly. A passenger on the airplane gave me this book after he was finished with it. I noticed he had it and had started a conversation with him about the book and the movie. 
The Gilly Salt Sisters by Tiffany Baker
Catalogue of Death by Jo Dereske a Miss Zukas librarian mystery I always enjoy these
Unfinished Portrait by Agatha Christie writing as Mary Westmacott this is a gothic romance by Christie that she had published under the name Mary Westmacott --she only did 6 of these

20 books read this month

Monday's Postcard: Niagara Falls, NY

View of the Whirlpool, Niagara Falls, NY


Horse Shoe Falls from Table Rock, Niagara Falls, NY
These cards are from the 1930's and 40's.

Monday's Postcard: Bermuda

I discovered these postcards of Bermuda when we went on a cruise there in 2008. I was mesmerized by these paintings that were made into postcards.

I bought as many as I could find and then I found out that many of the images were collected into a book called, Glimpses of Bermuda, and I bought that too!

The artists were two ladies who lived in Bermuda. Many of their paintings are in the Bermuda National Gallery. Here is a website with some more details:

http://www.postcardcollections.fsnet.co.uk/artists/tuckers.htm

Monday's Postcard: Tulips

I am a huge fan of tulips, they are one of my favorite flowers and these postcards are from 1917 (the Happy Birthday card) and 1952 (the dark card). I have relatives in town visiting for the annual Skagit Valley Tulip festival. And I would like to wish a Happy Birthday to my cousin, DeAnna whose birthday is this week during tulip season!

Monday's Postcard: Valley Forge, PA

I began collecting postcards as a child while accompanying my Mom and Granny to Antique Stores and Flea Markets. I got dragged along on these shopping expeditions and after playing with the resident cat, my sister and I would be extremely bored. In order to give us something to occupy ourselves, my Mom would give us 50 cents and tell us to find something to buy. Postcards were often 5 or 10 cents. You could buy one or two and still have money left over for a Coca-Cola and a package of Lance crackers. While the older generation was debating the merits of chairs and tables. My sister and I were poring over boxes of cards trying to decide on the perfect one to buy. These postcards of scenes from the Valley Forge area were likely purchased while on a trip to Pennsylvania and Delaware visiting relatives.

Monday's Postcard: Easter Chicks

My Easter Chicks are from 1909 according to their postmarks. I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter Monday!