Kristen posted a photo of her mother’s family on our Retro Renovation Facebook fan page, and I got all excited and asked her to find out more. Her mom was all ears, shared the story — and more photos — and even asked that I include the family’s name and home town in hopes of connecting with old friends and neighbors. So here is Kristen’s report on what her mom Judy had to say about The Rutenbars, Old Bridge, NJ, Easter, 1958:This photograph shows, from left to right, my mom Judy, her brother Jimmy, my grandmother Marjorie and my aunt Linda. For this Easter, my grandmother pulled out all the stops. Shrimp cocktail for the parents, fruit cups for the kids, even pickles, which my grandmother hated and only bought on special occasions. The bunny cake featured as the center piece is a family tradition and will be featured on our dining room table this Easter too. The outfits my mom and her siblings are wearing were made by my grandmother; even the cowboy shirt. My mom still has the cat eye glasses that my grandmother is wearing in the photo. Read on…After my grandmother passed away in 2002, I found a shoe box of old negatives dating all the way back to the 1920’s when my grandmother was young. I took the box intending to some day get the pictures reprinted and archive them but never did. Luckily, my mom picked up my slack and had all of the old negatives scanned and put on a CD. Now we have all our old family photos in digital format.
I have so many more pictures that I’m sure you would love. I’ve been meaning to send you pictures of my house which is filled with relics from my great grandparents farm house in Michigan. I even have their first electric washing machine, the miniature that the door to door salesmen used to tempt them, and the original pamphlet advertising it’s highlights, of which my favorite is “Never oil your washing machine again!”
I have inherited this genetic trait of saving everything, hopefully someday my grand children will appreciate it! I also inherited my grandmothers ability to sew. I will send you a picture of the aprons that I make, I think you’ll like them.Also my mom asked that you include their name and Old Bridge NJ, she’s interested to see if anyone who reads your blog grew up there in the 50’s. Looking forward to tomorrow’s post!-Kristen
Thank you, Kristen. And I LOVE your apron! Do you sell them? If so — let me know where, and I’ll post it for sure. Meanwhile, there is NOTHING better than family photographs like the ones you have shared, except for: The stories that go with them. 🙂 Thank your Mom, as well!
Happy Easter… happy spring… all.
Patricia says
These photos could be from my childhood in Oak Ridge, TN. We also had the bunny cake as the centerpiece of the Easter dinner. It was my honor to make the bunny ears and decorate the face with jelly beans.
We even had the same kitchen chairs. Sadly our old photos were destroyed and few survived. It has been a “blast from the past” seeing your photos. Thanks for sharing.
Gerry says
Love the Bunny Cake; I still have the recipe and directions to make. I made this every year for our two boys. Never will forget when I made it for our grandchildren, years ago, and the mother wouldn’t let them have it. I was crushed, but hopefully, she has matured a lot since then. She was very strict about sweets. I still think it’s one of the sweetest cakes for Easter.
Marie Gamalski says
???????????? not even a taste?!?! On Easter???
Annmarie says
That was great, Happy Easter. Best post, I just love “old” Easter photo’s. The cake makes me want to go make one right now.
Karin says
These pictures and stories are so charming. That rabbit cake is adorable. Is that coconut? My parents were Eastern European immigrants so we had completely different Easter traditions when I grew up. Of course, as a child, I was fascinated by American family culture and longed for things like rabbit cakes. Thank you for sharing that. Happy Easter and Happy Passover!
Colleen says
What a lovely story! My Mom made the bunny cake for my brothers this year, complete with black jelly beans behind it.
Today I am making parfaits in those tall dessert glasses that are in the pictures. I have the both tall ones and short ones, that I requested for wedding gifts. I vaguely recall that Shedd’s peanut butter came in them.
Happy Easter!
Julia says
What great photos! Thank you for sharing. After my mom passed away I took a cool pair of her old cat eye eyeglass frames to an eyeglass store and had the prescription lenses replaced with sunglass lenses for me. Now I look just as cool as she did and I think of her every time I put them on!
Nikki says
Thank you for a lovely memory! I grew up in the 50’s in Scotch Plains NJ. I especially remember coming home from church with my Mom and Dad and seeing our Easter baskets on the front porch and eggs hiding ! We were SURE it was the Easter Bunny, but now I’m thinking it was one of our neighbors. Come to think of it, I remember my Mom sneaking out of the house – I’m sure it was to put the baskets and eggs in our neighbor’s yard as they went to Church later that we did!
Joe Felice says
We remember the bunny cakes! Oh, the wallpaper and the hairdo!
Angela says
My family has been making a similar bunny cake for generations, although, we don’t make one every year. Thanks for sharing the photos and sweet story.
Jo-Ann says
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story of the Rutenbars. Having grown up in the 50s (I’m probably about your mom’s vintage) I love any stories and pictures from this era. Happy Easter!
Jo-Ann