A Sunday Encounter

Brookfield Zoo, January 1970. The hat I'm wearing was a Christmas gift. It was very fashionable. Two faux-fur pom poms dangled from the bottom of its ties.

A fellow I liked to visit.

Brookfield Zoo, Autumn 1967. I visit again with the camel.

Primary Sources

"So next time you pick up a skein (or seven) of your favorite yarn, remember to say thanks to the little dude who gave it to you."

And don't forget about knitting with dog hair.

Sunday, with Camel

Brookfield Zoo, October 1962. I started reaching out to camels early in life.

Scenes from a Circus

I have disliked circuses (and parades) since I was a child. My Dad took me to a circus in the early 1960s. I found it overwhelming and frightening.

I don't remember seeing zebras at the circus!

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Chicago, Illinois, Spring 1962. I think this circus took place at the Chicago Stadium. That same year, the Stadium served as the scene for The Manchurian Candidate's depiction of the Republic National Convention. Fourteen years or so later, I saw the Beach Boys and Chicago in concert there.

Thanks for lunch.

I spent some delightful time today with a friend who likes cameloids.

Brookfield Zoo, March 1970. I reprimand the llamas because they refuse to share my treats.

Reach Out

When you're feeling blue, reach out to someone who appreciates you.

Brookfield Zoo, February 1970. I connect with a camel. I am wearing my fashionable, faux-fur hat, and I carry my first camera.

Amling's Flowerland

Amling's Flowerland, an historical establishment on North Avenue in Melrose Park, Illinois, used to be a key holiday shopping stop. A newer housing development popped up near Amling's in the late 1950s. The Amling's property took up several acres in Melrose Park's commercial zone.

(Melrose Park's motto was "Corporate King of the Suburbs.")

Amling's, like Kiddieland, played a part in building my early memory bank. I think it had a role in other people's recollections, too. Today, for example, when I searched for additional historical information about Amling's, I encountered an interesting detail. Many families mentioned in a decedent's obituary that the loved one had worked at Amling's.

When prom season arrived, the cool teenagers visited Amling's to buy expensive corsages and boutonnières. I remember following a relative to the back of the store, where the artists arranged the corsages. The smell of the ripe orchids, mixed with the humid, florist's air, made me queasy.

During the summer months, parents took children to the Amling's pond, which had a small raft of ducks. We fed Wonder Bread to the fat, white ducks. They were friendly ducks, and they never snapped at us.

In October, we visited the elaborate—and awesomely scary—Amling's Haunted House. After the fear of the haunted visit had caused us to "crawl out of our pelts," as Lithuanians say, we stepped outside and rode the Ferris Wheel on the Amling's property.

At Christmas time, Amling's sold "flocked" natural Christmas trees. One rarely sees flocked, real trees any longer.

The most fascinating Christmas tradition that Amling's maintained was its life-size Bethlehem village. The display consisted of (a 1960s understanding of) a Bethlehem replica, complete with statutes of all the players in the Christmas story. To a toddler, it was an impressive site.

"Amling's for … 'Every Bloomin' Thing'."

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. Amling's erected the Christmas stable near its pond.

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. The display featured life-size statutes of the Wise Men.

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. A camel followed the Wise Men to the stable.