California Memory Collage

From: Heri
Heritage Memories from: October 2006
Location: California

Hi again! :)

I learned something from all my POH hostesses. Can't share every memory, every photo, every heritage memento! But I can share some highlights! For this set of memories? Call it a memory collage. It's my last set of my time in California with Deb. Take a look! :)

A visit to Costco


















Also went to what Deb called a hobby store. Look at the great clip art books from Dover (can you see me sitting on the display stand?) and the generations of Smurfs I met there!


















I've heard you can find most anything you can think of in online auctions. I didn't bid or spend any money, but I did get to walk a few steps off the sidewalk to visit the outdoor sign of:














Back closer to Deb's neighborhood? Take a look at me sitting on the ground. That's a curb cut so people in wheelchairs can easily get up and down between the streets and the sidewalks. What a good idea! I also heard some bird sounds at an intersection. Deb said that's another thing specially for people with disabilities. If you're blind or partially sighted, that sound tells you when the lights are changing and it's safe to cross the street. Wow. So much to learn about in this world. Deb used a handicapped placard in her car so she could park close to store entrances. Another nice thing for people with disabilities. :)









But with all our traveling around? I pumped gasoline into the car. Then? I sat back on the pump handle while Deb washed her windshield so we could see better. :)





Back at Deb's house, I got to see yet more heritage things. Ready?


Ignore that I'm hanging there from the top of Deb's walking stick and take a look at those two framed prints on the wall. They both have local landmarks in the village and town that Deb grew up in. I even saw the school she went to on one of them!


Also got to look at some vintage family photographs. Seems like all my hosts and hostesses love family photos!













Here I am at a lovely rose garden. There were lots of colors and varieties of roses there - each with their own name. There were signs everywhere telling us what we were looking at. But here, I decided to get up close to these red ones. They smelled great and I was careful not to get any thorns in my paws.

















Check out this sheet of Civil War stamps. More history! I saw a lot of commemorative stamps in special albums while at Deb's house. She's also showed me some first day covers where I learned about the special art and history engraved on the envelopes the first day a new US stamp is issued. One of those stamp albums has is all about immigrants Pretty cool! :)

















I got to sit in a palm tree! I saw all kinds of trees during my Traveling Heritage Express times, but here it was a surprise to see evergreen trees right next to palm trees! So much to see and learn!



















Deb loves to rent tv shows, movies and documentaries on DVDs. They come right to her house! Here I am getting ready to pack one up to stick in the mail.




Here's Deb and I out in front of her house. That's a pyracantha bush behind us. Now that's a mouthful to say! LOL



Here I am with my new shades just shortly before it was time to leave California and travel to North Carolina to meet Mike. That same day, Deb got me my very own credit card and a Parcheesi game that's just my size!











Gotta scamper off now. Til next time!
Your friend,
Heri