Today I'm sharing some beautiful photos sent in by another friend, Ken Stack. The images immediately above and below are from the Irvine Ranch in 1962..
Note the snow on Old Saddleback in the photo below. Orange County got some surprisingly cold storms that Spring. After a year of near record low rainfall, this was a godsend for the cattle ranches of South Orange County. Disappearing pasture nearly forced them to sell their herds early.
In an L.A. Times interview, Charles Weaver, head of the Irvine's cattle operations, quoted James Irvine : "When asked if he thought it was going to rain, Mr. Irvine replied: 'It always has.' In short, if you're a pessimist you shouldn't be in farming. ...We're particularly thankful for the last rain in that it allowed us to keep our breeding herd intact."
The final photo here shows the Pottery Shack in Laguna Beach -- also in 1962. It's a little grainy and fuzzy, but it's rare to see night photos of the sign like this. .
A print ad for the Pottery Shack in Spring 1962 read, "LADIES LEAVE YOUR HUSBANDS! for a day and bring four girl friends to THE POTTERY SHACK. Roy, George, Don, Jim and Eric will arrange and adventure for you. Have a most exciting day browsing through the most unique and largest displays of dinnerware and gifts in California. See free demonstrations of pottery making. Your fabulous savings at THE POTTERY SHACK will pay for lunch at one of Laguna's supurb restaurants and lods of mad money left over. You will be overwhelmed with the myriads of rooms full of gorgeous china, pottery, glass, candles, baskets and flowers. A free gift to each 'husband leaver' with this ad..."
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That seems like a lot more hoopla than pottery should inspire.