Gifted to me was this century old art tutorial/poetry book.

The only reference I could find to Mabel Livingstone's Animal Drawing Book was in an educational article.

This darling book was listed in the article, Use of Classroom Libraries to Stimulate Interest and Speed in Reading by M. Elizabeth James of the State Normal School, Salem Massachusetts.

Published in The Elementary School Journal Vol. 23, No. 8 (Apr., 1923), by the University of Chicago Press, it was part of an extensive list of books "suitable for pupils of Grade II".

I love that the art lessons are told through rhyme.

Whoever owned this book, early on, attempted many of the illustrations. What I find incredible is the fact that the artist dated his/her work as March 1, 1931 with the disclaimer on each of "bad cold". So dang cute!

Glued within the book were several clippings of art lessons by Uncle Cobb Shinn. A quick search introduced us to this talented man who I am surprised not to already know.

Conrad X. 'Cobb' Shinn (1887-1951) was an Indiana-born postcard illustrator who sold a series of successful novelty postcard lines which included (among others) Charlie Chaplin, automobiles and the Dutch culture in the beginning years of the 20th Century. After serving in World War I, Shinn found the market for novelty postcards dwindling so he also lent his artistic skills to cartoon features and illustrating many children's books [including his own, under the nickname Uncle Cobb] which taught easy step-by-step drawing methods.

In his later years, the artist developed a small but thriving business as he migrated into the field of supplying electrotypes and stereotypes of stock cuts of photos and line art to the printing trade. In the days of letterpress printing, this was the forerunner of paper clip art and its successor, electronic clip art. He was so ahead of his time!

Not all of his postcard designs were comical. This Scofield-Pierson Co. postcard (1908), shows a portrait, by Shinn, of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and a bouquet of Carnation Flowers. I'm encouraged by Longfellow's unique words:

"And the night shall be filled with music,

And the cares, that infest the day,

Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs, 

And silently steal away."

We moved to Temecula in 1993 and it wasn't until we saw this plaque, in Old Town on Christmas Eve Day, that we actually ventured to explore this historic cemetery.

At this location, on December 24, 1907, Temecula Constable Preston Van Swanguen, knows as "Pres" by the folks in the small cattle town, was shot and killed while trying to break up a bar room brawl.

Swanguen left his home during Christmas Eve dinner with friends and family after getting word there was trouble at the bar. He entered the business unarmed and, after confronting the troublemakers, was shot dead by one of them.  The shooter was captured, tried, and sentenced to jail.

Swanguen was the first law enforcement officer in the history of Riverside County (EST. 1898) to be killed in the line of duty.

He is buried at the Temecula Public Cemetery. More about him below.

Louis Escallier, one of Temecula’s leading businessmen, grabbed at the gunman. Magee fired three more shots, killing Escallier. In the panic that followed, Magee ran out of the bar. A mob gave chase and caught the gunman, clubbing him over the head with a pool cue. Magee was tried and convicted for the death of the lawman and the businessman in a Riverside court and sentenced to life in prison at San Quentin. He spent 12 years there before being paroled. What a sad loss of two very important Temeculans.

The Welty's were big in Temecula. R.J. Welty built a store and a hotel here in the 1890s. The Welty Store was used as a general mercantile and had rooms upstairs for rent. In addition, Joe Winkels operated his famous “Ramona Inn” here. From 1908 until 1933, while most of Riverside County was dry, Winkels offered “refreshments,” pool tables, card games and even slot machines. From what I've read Mr. Winkels was a bit of a troublemaker, too.

The oldest grave was that of George W. Brown who was laid to rest here on 3 Sep 1894 (aged 67). His gravestone reads, "A Native of Nova Scotia...Not Dead but Sleepeth".

Since I fractured my neck (3 ½ years ago), which was then followed by COVID, my exercise has greatly diminished (not that it was all that great before then). Steve recently found us an amazing gym and we've become members.

Christmas morning came early and was spent savoring coffee by the fire and gift opening by our little tree.