This is The Everglades Cabana Club.....We spent many, many, many, MANY hours here, when we were children....It was a fantastic pool and swimming was our passion as children......Miami Beach.....All our afternoons and weekends were spent here, during those winter months when we lived in Florida.
This was the late 1930's and into 1940-'41......Such a great place....We had a Cabana there on the second tier---you can kind of see that area way over on the far right side of the postcard above.....Here below, my father...'Daddy Joe', doing what he was always doing....Reading the New York Times or something similar...The Wall Street Journal, maybe? Or maybe some magazine of the day---sitting in front of the Cabana.....
I love that you can see the ocean in the background over on the right side of this picture---it all looks so peaceful....And it kind of was, in those early years. We were all so young.
This is me, in the backyard of our house on North Bay Road---looking out at Biscayne Bay......The actual photograph is falling apart...So, the best I could do to preserve it, was to scan it in digitally....Below...More disintegrating pictures.....
My dear brother and I, in the backyard of our Florida house. He is two years older than me. He is very very ill right now, and it's hard to fathom and even harder to believe. Gordon was always my protector when we were children---and I think I was his protector, too.
Our dear Grandmother...'Mamaw'---that's me on the left with her arm around me, and Gordon on the right--Mamaw's other arm around him. and, our dear oldest sister Robin, way over on the right---dear sweet Robin---She died February, 2005. She was eight years older than me. Her death was devastating to all of us.
Dear darling Robin and me...sitting on our front door steps on North Bay Road, Miami Beach.......I have no idea what we were looking at....Maybe nothing of importance. But I'm so glad to have this picture of the two of us....Just as I am so glad to have this picture of Gordon with a teacher at one of the schools we went to in Florida.....How sweet he looks......
And this next picture---Gordon and I at "sleep-away" camp...I was four and he was six.....I don't know who the woman is, but probably a camp counselor.........
Neither of us look too happy. I think it is a big mistake to send such young kids to 'sleep-away' camp for the whole summer....I'm glad we had each other. I know it effected my whole life in a really negative way.....And below---Here are the four of us siblings in Florida.....
That's me over on the left, then Robin, then Gene, and then Gordon....The three of us---Gene, Gordon and I, shared a room in Florida.....I think we did a lot of giggling in that room. Below....another picture at The Everglades Cabana Club in the winter of 1941.....Gene had broken her foot, so of course, she wasn't able to swim....I don't remember who that woman is standing next to Gene, but that's me and Gordon in front....
I already have a little pot belly...I was nine, and I was recovering from that horrible illness I have mentioned before---the one that began the irreversible damage to my lungs......Then...this next picture below---this was taken in Great Neck.....Gordon and I were so cute, weren't we? 
And below, here we are, so very many years later---this photograph of the two of us was taken on October 15th, 2011.....
We are not sure yet how Gordon's present illness will go...But, it doesn't look good. Please do say some prayers for him, or hum, or whatever you might do to send healing light and healing thoughts to my dear sweet brother.........More To Come........
- had this to say:
Such a nice post and so sweet. I love seeing the postcard of the cabana club but the best was seeing the sweet pictures of you and your siblings. A beautiful family and I will keep your dear brother in my prayers.
- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 2:19:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
I'll remember Gordon in my prayers and send all best wishes for his recovery.
It does seem a bit heartless to send children as young as that away for the whole summer. Thank goodness you had each other.
I expect Florida has changed since those days. My granddaughter does a year of her American studies in Florida.
Thank goodnesss we can protect these precious old photos now. I must replace my scanner - the old one doesn't work with my new computer.- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 3:08:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Aww, Naomi, you were adorable. Had to laugh, I had one of those little bellies when I was about
10.
Florida was a grand place to grow up wasn't it?
So sorry Gordon is not well and will pray that he beats this illness.- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 4:35:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Siblings can be such a treasure. I always feel guilty that I only had 2 kids. My life has been so enriched from having many siblings, I really wish there were more siblings for my kids to depend on in times of trouble. Oh well. Your pictures are wonderful. You are so lucky to have them to remind you. I do hope your brother recovers from his current illness.
- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 5:09:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Love all the photos and memories!!!!
And yes, I added Gordon to my prayer list!- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 8:48:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Great photos and great memories. I have never been in Florida, The closest I came was southern Georgia. I have good memories also from being young and swimming in a big pool with my cousins as Portland had an amusement park and a big pool where we would all come once a year as a big family.
- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 5:22:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Deepest prayers to you and Gordon. I'venever had a real brother to cal my own, so I can only imagine the pain of watching your own struggle.
- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 7:39:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I didnt know you were a Florida girl! I grew up in Orlando and Daytona Beach. Wasn't it fun to grow up in Florida? Sun and sand and beach...what more could a child want?
- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 11:57:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
...saying a prayer for your brother's healing.....
- Monday, April 16, 2012 at 11:58:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Lovely, lovely photos! It's always good to look back. Good wishes to you and your brother! xxx
- Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 7:57:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
These photos are wonderful! The old days look so idyllic, but maybe the truer word is nostalgic. I can see your (and your siblings) preciousness in them. It comes through. I agree that young children should not be sent away for a summer. I have some trauma over being left for a week at my cousins at the age of 4. I had no say in it.
I do send my prayerful thoughts your way and also to Gordon. xo- Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 8:48:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Oh gorgeous Naomi weren't you the cutest little thing. Adorable - and you really haven't changed. It is easy to see its you. I love the photos, what wonderful memories.
You were quite blonde weren't you as a small child. Oh and I agree, I cannot imagine sending a 4 and 6 year old to a summer camp. Goodness me, you were only babies. But that was the way that things were done perhaps. The thing that shines through these pictures is how close you and your siblings must have been and are. You had each other to cling to at those camps I imagine.
I have caught up on some posts and have seen that you have gone through some heart breaking times with your sweet precious. It is sad and unfortunately only time will lessen the load. We just have to ride the waves sometimes even though sometimes turn into tidal waves.
I will pray for Gordon and send some positive thoughts his way and of course to you.
Now if you ever come to my blog I know that you had trouble last time putting a comment. You just click on the comments, fill in the comment, click post as and just choose open id and yu can put your blog address and your name. That way other people can click on your name and leave a comment. And yep thats sounds complex lol.
By the way I paid a visit to a homestead near me on the weekend. It was owned by an old silent Hollywood movie star who met this Australian guy and married him 3 weeks later. They spent a year on honeymoon travelling th eworld and then came out into the bush to live. They were married for 40 years or something and didnt have children. Anyway when I do a blog about it I will send you the link because as I was walking through the home I thought of you. You wold have loved it.
Oops sorry for the long post. I should have emailed you..- Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 6:41:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Hi Naomi!
I thoroughly enjoyed looking at these photos. What a cute kid you were!!!
Sending lots of love your brother's way.
Stan
XOXO- Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 10:58:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Those photo's are awsome. I wish I had a scanner to scan some of the photos I have around the house of my great grandmother and her parents. Its history in our way. Thanks for sharing. You were so cute when you were little.
- Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 12:54:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Oh, I love it when you share photos and the stories behind them. I especially like the cabana shots, the old photos of your dad, you and your siblings and I agree with you, my friend, you were so young and vulnerable to be left at camp all summer. Why do parents seem to think it's fun for the kids?
Prayers and hugs for Gordon. I wish him all the best! xo- Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 1:17:00 PM PDT
-
had this to say:
Great family memories and I love the photos.
Cheers.- Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 1:19:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
what wonderful photos and memories these are, naomi! and the stories they tell! i have to say, lady, that i could have picked you out immediately in those childhood photos - such a handsome father, i might add - and you children all beautiful - my own little brother's name is gordon [two years younger than i am] and i miss him terribly - he sadly is no longer here but his beautiful daughter who is his image now has three beautiful children all of whom also bear his DNA in looks - in any event, such lovely photographs and stories - love them all! and then, that postcard! weren't they marvelous then, postcards? thanks for such a neat post, naomi!
- Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 1:25:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
and many caring and healing thoughts to gordon!
- Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 1:26:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Such a sweetness to those photos, Naomi. Lovely, simply lovely. Thank you for sharing them.
- Friday, April 20, 2012 at 7:51:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
What a lovely set of pictures - and like some of the others say - we can see its 'you' through the set!
- Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 2:51:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
What a great photos and lovely memories, dear Naomi! You and your brother and sisters look so adorable. Love the photo of you and Gordon as a children, both so gorgeous, and love your photo of you both, took in 2011, too.
What a beautiful post, Naomi!
I will pray for your brother Gordon and I will send many positive thoughts to him and of course to you too.
Much Love.- Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 4:40:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Naomi, you know how much I love seeing your old photos, but I'm very sad to learn of your brother's illness, and I hope he will recover soon.
- Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 5:52:00 AM PDT
x4
