Charles Wilimovsky, Artist: ATOMIC AGE with Grandkids (1950 thru 1959)

Bill with Jain's first son, Roark - August 1950

Charmian Lyda - 1950

Telegram to Dorothea in Rockford, Illinois, announcing
Laramée's birth in La Mesa, California - August 6, 1950

Charmian with her first child,

Laramée (a pretty French name) - 1950

Lu Lyda with Laramée Lu Lyda - 1950

Laramée's pony picture - 1950
(You can barely see Lu Lyda crouching behind
the pony, ready to catch the baby if she falls off)

Bill gets a big laugh out of grandaughter Lara - 1951

Charm, Lara, Has, Roark, Jain, Dotty - February 27, 1951

Bill, Lara, and Grandpa Thompson (Marguerite's father),

Dr. William E. Thompson (1859-1953). Note by Charm:

"Grandfather T's birthday [May 9] 1951 -- 93 yrs"

Lu's mother, Sarah Lyda, with Laramée - 1951.
Sarah traced her maternal lineage to a Blackfoot woman who hooked up with an
adventurous member of the famous Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1804-1806.

"Has" (an acronym for his full name, Herbert Alton Scheneman),

with Dottie & granddaughter Laramée, teaching her a trick with an orange peel - 1951

Jain, Laramée and Roark - May, 1951

Lara, dog and Grandpa Bill - 1952

More Pony Pictures - February 1952

Lara and Grandpa Bill with Charm's next baby, Charles Clinton Lyda
(named for Charles Wilimovsky & Uncle Clint) - October 1952

Grandma Dot and Laramée - November 1952

Note on the Back by Dot: "Taken at Lookout Mountain at
Chattanooga Tenn -- terrible picture but darling of Charles"

Dora's Note on the Back: "Just returned from the Statue of Liberty --

Taken in Battery Park in the Wall St section -- NY Dec 24 1952"

Note on the Back: "Couldn't get a good picture
of the beautiful tree -- NY Dec 24 1952"

Grandpa Bill and Laramée in Sausalito, California - July 1953

Charm and Lu Lyda with daughter Laramée and

son Charles -- Note on Back: "Niagara 8-9-53"

Has & Dotty with new miniature pony - 1953
Note: "Ginger 2 days old taken July 29 in Sacramento"

Charles with Has who owned a stable of very

photogenic miniature ponies - August 1953

Laramée and Charles - 1953

Gale Parker with Martha (Lu's sister), Granny (Sarah Lyda, Lu's mother),

Laramée (in the car), Lu (Grady Luther Lyda, Jr), and baby Charles

with Pappy (Grady Luther Lyda, Sr) near San Diego - 1953

Has and Charles watering the ponies - August 30, 1953

Baby Charles, Has & Dorothea - 1953

A picnic with Grandma Dot, Lara, Charm, Charles and Lu - 1953

Note: "Charles is still sleeping and we had to wake him up to see the pigeons." - October, 1953

Laramée & Charles on Halloween - October 1953

Gale Elsworth Parker (1928-1998) -- Lu's brother-in-law --
with first child, William Elsworth Parker (3 weeks old),
San Diego County - November 1953

Marriage Photo of Jain and James Weidner - San Francisco, November 25, 1953

Charm's Note on Back for her Dad, Bill:

"The whole dear family, Jan. 1954. The day I got my real short hair cut, the necklace you gave me I have on too. I was crazy about that & the sweater even more so. Thank you so darn much. And how did you guess I needed a warm pair of pajamas? Boy were they ever life savers & still are. We enjoyed every single thing you sent, daddy, & hope you know it in your heart even tho I couldn't get a letter written."

Another miniature pony under Laramée & Charles
with Dad & Mom, Louisville, Kentucky - March 1954

Big Boots - 1954

Charmian's Car - 1954

On Back: "Roark - 7 years (July), Cynthia - 1 year, Masswood Park, Oakland, Calif 6/6/54"

Charmian, pregnant with Grady (that's ME, your friendly blog author) joined by Laramée and an unhappy Charles at their trailer - June 1954

Mom with mini-Me (Charmian and Grady) - July 1954

Charm with baby Grady & Charles - July 1954

Cynthia, Jimmy, James, Roark, Jain, Dotty, Lara, Charles - 1955

Jain and Jim Weidner's home in San Francisco - 1956. This house might look small, but underground was a vast realm that relentlessly captured my youthful imagination. It was just like Doctor Who's time traveling TARDIS phone booth: A whole lot bigger on the inside. There, I discovered a limitless subterranean castle that was full of unexpected staircases, hidden rooms, and magical surprises. If you want to witness the final trip my mom and I made to this amazing home, I invite you to start at: "Dec 22, 1972 - Saw John Wayne as we left for Frisco."

Note by Charm: "Laramée Lu - May 1956 - Torrance, Calif - Taken by Daddy on hill next to our trailer park"

Bill's photos of Laramée - June 1956

Grady Lyda - 1956

August 1956

Grady, Bill, Charm, Dot - Tijuana, 1956

Florence (Wilimovsky) Peckham in a moody photo
by Charles Wilimovsky - 1956

Grandma Dot - 1956

Frances Brazzel (Dot's mother) - 1956

March 1957 - From Left to Right. Back Row: Warren Hartmann, Marguerite Wilimovsky Williams, Florence Wilimovsky Peckham, Linda Williams, Charmian Wilimovsky Lyda, Dorothea Brazzel Wilimovsky, Arletta Hartmann, Frances McAuliffe Brazzel, Julia Wilimovsky Hartmann. Front Row: Ronald Williams (9/52), Robert Peckham (6/49), Candace Peckham (5/52), Warren J Hartmann (11/53). Photos submitted by Warren J Hartmann (at Front, Right).

March 1957 - From Left to Right. Back Row: Harry Williams, Warren Hartmann, Linda Williams, Dorothea Brazzel Wilimovsky, Frances McAuliffe Brazzel, Julia Wilimovsky Hartmann, Charles Wilimovsky, Florence Wilimovsky Peckham, Marguerite Wilimovsky Williams. Front Row: Laramée Lyda (8/50), Charmian Lyda, Ronald Williams (9/52), Candance Peckham (5/52), Warren J Hartmann (11/53).

Torrance, California. Note by Charm: "4 generations: Grandma Brazzel, Mother, Jain, Cynthia, Laramée -- July 1957"

Bill sent this postcard from Mexico to Has & Dotty's address, but he probably wrote the message for Charmian since he signed it "Granpa Bill" as his grandchildren knew him - November 27, 1957