Don’t you love to see renowned people looking, well, regular?

Mable Ringling with her parrot and miniature dog. Don't you love how she's been careful to include her pretty hat in the photo?

The Historical Society’s November meeting participants got a chance to see “wonderful” images (a word that presenter Ron McCarty used over and over) recently acquired by the keeper and curator of Ca’ D’Zan, the John Ringling mansion, AKA one of “America’s Great Castles.”

Ron shared photos that aren’t commonly seen: John delighting in his dog, John carefully concealing his crutches after his stroke, Mable on the steps of their New Jersey home (leveled by a Rockefeller, because it ruined his views of the New Jersey Palisades from the Rockefeller home in Manhattan, The Cloisters.)

But the photo that got the most gasps from the audience was one of Mable wrapped like John’s most precious jewel in a sumptuous ermine cloak.

If you missed this meeting, make a note to watch for Ron McCarty wherever, whenever he speaks. He’s a warm, amusing host and his love of all things Mable and John is heart-warming.

More on Ca’ d’Zan.

More on Ron McCarty and his beloved job.

What can we say? Thank you, it was, indeed, wonderful, Ron!