Another place that has been high on my 'list' is the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park (the longest name of any park) in Richmond, CA.

First off, why is this museum here? The Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond produced 747 ships during World War II, the most productive shipyards in history (a feat not equaled anywhere else in the world, before or since). Many of the buildings used are still here. What a perfect location to tell this amazing story!

There is far more information here than I can share in this blog, but if you don't know the story of Rosie the Riveter, here's a brief synopsis. Ten million Americans, mostly men, would serve in the military during WWII. At the same time, the country would drastically increase its war production on the Home Front- what President Franklin Roosevelt called "The Arsenal of Democracy." The combination of so many serving in the military, during a period of necessary and drastic increases in production, led to unprecedented social changes on the American Home Front.
A shortage of white male workers led to active recruitment, by the United States Government, to war industry jobs, "cracking open" the door to equal rights that would have profound impacts on the Civil Rights Movement and Women's Movement during the following decades. During WWII six million women entered the workforce. Most of these were stay-at-home moms and married women, a group which hadn't worked outside the home before."Rosie the Riveter" and her "We Can Do It" motto came to symbolize all women Home Front workers. There weren't just Rosies, there was "Wendy the Welder" and "Sally the Secretary".

War work swelled Richmond’s population from 23,000 to 100,000 in three years. American Radiator and Standard converted from making "bathtubs to bombs." Fifty-five other businesses produced everything from aviation fuel to vitamins for defense. Jobs outnumbered beds despite 25,000 units of federally-sponsored defense housing, so newcomers slept in chicken coops, cars and took shifts in rented “hot beds” still warm from the previous occupant. The image above is a shift change at the shipyards. This was crazy stuff.
The museum did a fantastic job of documenting just what an influx of people did to the little town of Richmond, circa 1940. The WWII period resulted in the largest number of people migrating within the United States, in the history of the country. Individuals and families relocated to industrial centers (like Richmond) for good paying war jobs, and out of a sense of patriotic duty.

In addition to Home Front workers, everyone was expected to be an active participant in the war effort. Rationing was a way of life as twenty commodities were rationed and people were asked to, "Use it up –Wear it out –Make it do –or Do without."
Continuing our history lesson, we ventured off to see Henry J. Kaiser's Richmond Shipyard Number Three. We found this massive (and stylish) square concrete building intriguing. It was the general warehouse, from which ships received their finishing touches- blankets, mops, brooms and all the other individual pieces of furnishings and equipment needed to completely fit out a self-contained floating vessel.
This area is where the ships were assembled. Kaiser had been building cargo ships for the U.S. Maritime Commission in the 1930s, and when orders for ships from the British government, already at war with Nazi Germany, allowed for growth, Kaiser established his first Richmond shipyard in December 1940. Also berthed here is the SS Red Oak Victory the last remaining Victory ship built here.

We strolled along the waterfront to get a sense of what this place was once like and also to visit the Rosie the Riveter Memorial, This long over due commemoration began as a public art project for the City of Richmond in the 1990s. It highlights women's labor during WWII and it is the first in the nation to honor and describe this important chapter of our country's history. Filled with panels, quotes and timelines, it aptly illustrates the complex opportunities, challenges and hardships faced by women during the war years, including gender discrimination, hazardous working conditions, food rationing, and shortages of housing and childcare. Wow! What's really incredible is that during the creation of the memorial, the National Park Service was invited to participate, and this partnership led to the founding of this fantastic National Historic Park.

Every time we pass the sign for California Historical Landmark 999, I want to exit the freeway and today we finally made the detour.

The plaque reads:

The Civic Center complex was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959) near the end of his long career. The Administration Building was completed in 1962 and the Hall of Justice in 1970. They are the only government buildings designed by the distinguished architect that were ever actually constructed. The project fully embodied Wright's ideal of organic architecture--a synthesis of buildings and landscape. In Wright's words, the structures were planned to "melt into the sunburnt hills."

The selection of Frank Lloyd Wright, in 1957, to design the Civic Center was controversial. The project was Wright's largest public project, and encompassed an entire campus of civic structures.

Groundbreaking for the Civic Center Administration Building took place in 1960, after Wright's death and under the watch of Wright's protégé, Aaron Green, and was completed in 1962 (the building and I are the same age).
To us, the interior felt like the Guggenheim and the outside felt very Disneyesque (Mr. Wright had been a guest of Mr. Disney, so who knows).


It was a surprising and delightful tour of a much anticipated place. There is just something about this creation, one of his last designed projects that we can actually wander in. So cool.
This was an especially poignant time to visit Mr. Wright's creations due to the fact that this year is the 150th anniversary of his birth (more about him on June 8th).

We departed Tahoe just as a late Spring snow storm was building. We arrived to delight in a true Spring in Santa Rosa. Here are just some of the images that made me happy for "color".

On and off for about an hour, I watched this magnificent creature just hang out in our neighbor's yard. For a large portion of the time, he was observing a stray cat.

Our local hospital hosts monthly health talks. This one hit really close to home, so we just had to attend.

We learned some interesting facts as well. I could have guess this one, "Insomnia is 1.5 times more common in women". The image showing the differences between the genders is right on (as far as I'm concerned, especially in regards to sleep). We also learned that the symptoms of sleep deprivation are very similar to those of depression. Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a day and some fortunate people have innate sleep abilities (I envy those people).

Dr. Tirdel then discussed diagnosing, various treatments and stressed the importance of Sleep Hygiene. While most of what was shared was already known to me, I was comforted by the fact that I'm not alone in my restlessness.

When I started this web log seven years ago, it was solely to document our "One Year of Living in Italy". It has since turned into much more than just a travel journal. So today, from the bibliophile file, I introduce you to Katarina Bivald's exceptional debut novel.

This story grabbed me on so many levels. The main two characters are book loving pen pals. The setting is a small town in Iowa, which the Swedish author captured perfectly. When asked, "What inspired you to write a book about books?" Katarina replied, "I was writing it for myself, I filled it with all the things I like in books: small American towns, quirky characters, people finding community and friendship in unlikely places, love, and of course, reading." Without any spoilers, I highly recommend this novel.

Every once in awhile, I have one of those days that has a variety of cool stuff happening in it. Today was one.

It began with the monthly AAUW Talking on Paper: Women Writing group meet up. Hanging out with these women is just plan fun. We catch up, eat, write, commiserate, laugh and just delight in each other's company.
Then Karen took me out to Hope Valley for pie. I had a scrumptious piece of Oatmeal, pecan, butterscotch. Yum! Afterward, we return to her home to plot our upcoming trip to San Francisco.

The evening concluded at our Winter Trek Appreciation Dinner with Jan, Jenny and Bob. It always makes the snowshoeing so much more rewarding when we all get together at the end of the season. It was just a really cool day with some great friends.

Our friend, Cyndy Brown, is a fabulous artist and when she asked me to photograph her latest piece for the Tahoe Art League's Studio Tour, I was beyond excited.

This began as a blank mannequin and has been transformed into the coolest "Tin Man" ever. It is the first piece in a series of Wizard of Oz themed works. I can't wait to see the entire 'cast'. Wow.
There is no way to fully explain/show the details in Cyndy's work but I hope this close up of the Tin Man's heart, gives a small glimpse.

It had been too long since we had visited with Russ, Keri and their children (our relocated friends from Temecula), so on an amazingly beautiful day, we left 30° Tahoe for 77° Folsom.

After a delightful lunch, we meandered the historic downtown. Folsom is famous thanks to Johnny Cash's 1956 song. The city's rich history actually began more than a century earlier with California's great Gold Rush and arrival of the railroad. Everywhere we walked, we saw reminders of its past.
We even had a Hobbit sighting!
We eventually found ourselves in Pioneer Village, the outdoor interpretive center for the Folsom History Museum. What a neat space consisting of a variety of displays, equipment, and other exhibits, including an authentic working blacksmith forge (always intriguing). Each was a part of the big picture that showcased the different eras of this town's development.

Oh man, I totally have a thing for trains and I especially liked this genuine Southern Pacific Railroad caboose.
Steve almost struck it rich gold panning- almost.
Afterward, the entire family joined together to make me an amazing birthday dinner. And Russ and I were serenaded for our shared birthday week. Just when you think your birthday month is over, a loving friend keeps the party going. Life is fun in Folsom!

South Tahoe High School's Drama Department has a reputation of putting on some pretty amazing theater productions. So today, we went to the final performance of You Can't Take It With You.

This play, written in 1938, seemed rather current and poignant.
The main message can be summed up by Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff, "Maybe if you stop trying to be so desperate about making more money than you can ever use. You can't take it with you, Mr. Kirby. So what good is it? As near as I can see, the only thing you can take with you is the love of your friends."
It was an incredible set, fine acting and dialog that made all of us a tad bit teary in the end.
The day concluded at Chris and Jan's for an amazing dinner, some dice playing and much fun.