In the winter of 1949, snow blanketed the floor of the San Fernando Valley and other parts of the basin. But swimming lessons must go on — it was the new suburbs, after all. From the Life magazine image archive at Google.

The photo is by Loomis Dean, who shot hundreds of Life photos in California in the 1940s and 50s, including behind the scenes in Hollywood images and a visual essay on the Jefferson High School track team at the Coliseum in 1952.

Also: Dodger Thoughts posts a link to Dodgers photos from the Life archives, including some nice Brooklyn and Vero Beach scenes and coverage of the first World Series in Los Angeles.