Contemplating.

Contemplating.
Wayzata, Minnesota

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Sepia Saturday -164 - 16 Feb 2013

May this house stand until an ant drinks the ocean and a tortoise circles the world. - Jonathan Carroll


SEPIA SATURDAY

Speaking of turtles, (as you'll soon discover is Alan's theme photo this week) it wouldn't be a complete turtle post, dedicated to turtles unless we begin with-


 
Our fascination with turtles!
 
Also, did you notice, I'm wishing you all Happy Valentine's Day as well!


Now, let the turtle stories begin!




The Turtle Lady Legacy
 
committed to continuing Ila Loetscher's work
 to save the Kemp's Ridley sea turtles from extinction.
They are a non-profit organization.




Well, nothing could be sweeter than to see a grown man playing with a tortoise.


My Sepia originates with the photo above provided by Alan, from Sepia Saturday blog, and his photo of Captain D. Michelson, of the Australian 2/2 Battalion with the regimental mascot, Tim the turtle, in March 1940.

It seems there's something about turtles and service men that go well together.  Below is Turtle Pond, at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.






A boy and his turtle.




Later becomes a man with his turtle!


There were those that spent life times tracking turtles like Archie Carr below,


this photo of Archie was taken in the mid 1960's while conducting a turtle tracking experiment.


Turtles or Tortoises which ever name you prefer, learning about them was all the same, "so much fun" like pictured here at Green Island in Tenafly, New Jersey in 1966,


Donald Zeiller President of the Tenafly Nature Center with Tom Reisner, checking out a friendly turtle, whose name I don't recall.




Curiously this subject of turtles, in and outside of their hard shelled houses, and their heads hiding or enjoying the journey has mysteriously led me to something else, possibly more interesting than turtles too!  Imagine that right?





Yes, to this place.  Well not actually this particular location, but the city of Fennimore.

More precisely where to go, or arrive from Fennimore, Wisconsin and how many miles it would take in September of 1939.


It all began searching turtles, (in our real world being 2013) where there are still a few brave established places of business open to the public.  Of course the main "turtles" there would be the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, at the Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum.

They also feature a lovely doll wearing a Wedding Gown made with over 2700 beads made from 1959.  As well as other fond memories from the 50's, 60's, and 70's, including Chatty Cathy (pretty cool right Kathy?)



Do you remember this darling little smile?



You didn't forget about the unforgettable and high in demand Shirley Temple dolls that are also inside this museum did you?


I'm going to stop right here because my post isn't about dolly dolls made of rubber, or other materials but rather real live female dolls..

 
Meet a few of the Fennimore, Wisconsin (dolls) or ladies posing for the camera at the Fennimore Wisconsin Tent Days Parade.
 
My search of a mystery lady may very well begin with one of these ladies.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.
 
 

Also, meet the dolls of Fennimore High School taking a photo moment in their sewing class (yes with needles and thread) and their instructor Mathilda Monteith.

Are you thinking the same thing, that my mystery lady may be one of these students?

What is all this mystery woman business? Could she be related to the mystery gentleman from last week's Sepia blog?



You see, this all begins when I stumbled across this picture, of a headless woman, perhaps of turtle heritage ? Why is her head hiding?

 


Who was that woman pictured? One of the real live dolls of Fennimore? 

Oh I do feel a road trip coming on, and a wee bit more finger dancing through google.


DON'T YOU JUST LOVE A GOOD MYSTERY?

When I discover more about the headless woman I'll let you know.  Hopefully there's a real mystery there too.


Stayed tune for next week's addition of "Who was that Headless (turtle like woman?) 




For more delightfully hard-shelled posts bursting with delightful information, either with or without turtles go here

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2013/02/sepia-saturday-164-16-february-2013.html



 

24 comments:

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

the headless woman is strange

i'm just saying

John said...

My assumption is that The Silent Woman is the name of a pub - based on the chauvinistic stereotype of the man who goes to the pub to escape his overly talkative wife.

I like the picture of the boy on the turtle, but wonder if that is food he is holding on a stick to propel the turtle forward, or if that is a croquet mallet. If the latter, that definitely adds a different dimension to the game.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Happy Valentine's Day to you too, Karen! Yes, I certainly do remember Chatty Cathy's (I always wished that it was Kathy with a "K", but then the Chatty part wouldn't have made sense).

The Silent Woman sign is so funny, and Tent Days Celebration (did you just make that up, or is that a real thing?). Loved all of your turtle pictures, Karen!

Kathy M.

Kristin said...

The headless woman made me think of the song about Anne Boleyn ... with her head tucked underneath her arm, she walks the bloody tower...

21 Wits said...

Kathy- I thought you might have liked the Chatty Cathy- but you're right the name wouldn't work! I didn't make up the tent thing either, it was actually written on the photo! More to follow about that town and it's headless woman!

21 Wits said...

Kristin- Oh yes a very good song- and there will be more to follow about her ...as the mystery unfolds!

21 Wits said...

John- thanks for stopping by! I'm thinking only happy thoughts for all my turtles brought here today! Ha! ha! But more on the mystery next week! Unless I win a trip which sail fly me somewhere without winter snow and Brrr! Ha! ha! No chance of that, haven't even filled out a contest form!

darlin said...

Turtles, my favorite symbolic creature! I love the old photos, wherever do you find all of these relics? I got a bit lost in the transition to dolls, now I will have to stay tuned to see how the dolls tie into turtles and Silent Women... hmmm

I think that I'll go on a turtle quest now and check out a few more turtle posts... can't resist this one!

Have a wonderful weekend Karen!

Brett Payne said...

I'm intrigued by the Fennimore Wisconsin Tent Days Parade - what was a Tent Day, or why?

Unknown said...

"Here is a woman who has lost her head / She's quiet now—you see she's dead".

Unknown said...

Don't get many headless women these days but lots of legless ones on a Saturday night.

Alex Daw said...

Hmmm....for once...I'm speechless....

Postcardy said...

My favorite picture is the boy riding the turtle.

Mike Brubaker said...

I would never have guessed that a tortoise could carry a stream of theme so far. Neatly done.

Bob Scotney said...

The Silent Woman has obviously drawn her head back into her shell! The boy on the turtle is a great picture.

Jenny Woolf said...

There used to be quite a lot of pubs called the Silent Woman. It used to be a sexist joke that the only way to silence a woman was to cut her head off. Ha ha, very funny huh?
Still, there is something a bit ghostly about it too so I think I prefer to think of it as spoooooky.

Bruno Laliberté said...

The teasing boy is taunting the tired turtle, (say that 3 times real quick) with a banana. They like that very much apparently. Possibly something they can't get themselves too easily, but soft and sweet food. Must be a nice change of diet.

As for the headless woman signage, I also believe it is a sexist joke aimed at their customers, and the wives they leave home, possibly on a regular basis...
Oh well!!
The joys of married life!!
:D~
HUGZ

Unknown said...

Well, where's the love for all of the people who have hard shells and snap at anyone who gets too close?

Little Nell said...

A delightful miscellany Karen. I'm just learning what that is and apparently the first recorded use of the word in English was in 1565, where 'they do entreate of diverse and sundry matters' - yes that's the word for your post. You led us from turtles, through dolls to a headless woman, and we can be sure that absolutley nobody else this week will have been as diverse or sundry :)

Helen Killeen Bauch McHargue said...

A wonderful thread and I love the headless woman. Very clever post!

Wendy said...

"You can ride my turtle" - now there's an invitation that would be hard to resist. LOL

Tattered and Lost said...

Bits 'n' pieces of so much fun!

As I watched Finding Nemo last night I was again in love with the surfer dude turtles. There's just something so serene about the face of a turtle. I cannot imagine ever intentionally harming one.

Now..the headless waitress...I want more!

larkswing said...

lol! Quite a fun post...and what a great theme for a road trip!

tony said...

ummm....I,m not sure about the Headless Woman Cafe......Is That really designed To Attract Customers?If it is Kathy,You Have Tortoise Something New About Retail Sales Strategies!