Experimenting

My daughter brought me a gallon bag of frozen blueberries!  What should I do with so many, besides baking? I mentioned the berry supply to my yard guy and he said his teen agers all make smoothies with them. Well, that planted a seed in my head. I had no idea of what a smoothie could/should contain but I thought I would try to make one this morning without researching what they are all about. (I'm behind the times, I guess.)

The blender sits on the counter and is hardly ever used. I do remember making daiquiri style and Margarita drinks in it and chopping cabbage in the past! For cabbage I had to do separate chunks in water and then strain. It was a messy task back then, but it did the job well. I found an exact picture of this vintage 70's Hamilton Beach 7 speed blender beverage mixer on the internet.

I scooped a cup of berries into my old but very functional blender, then added a cup of applesauce and a dash of water to the container and set it off! WOW! SOOOO GOOOOOD! Going to do it again in a few days, to see if my system tells me it's OK to have this once in a while.

The Dress

Today is my mother's 108th birthday. I honor her with this post because the celebration of my parent's 50th anniversary was one she planned and organized and was very happy when it all went so well.

When the 50th anniversary party was planned, there was to be a surprise for all to see. It was something she called "The Dress" and she wrote a long story about it many years ago. I will post that next blog. Get ready for a long read there!

The year of this event was 1984. 

Now to better explain the sequence. In 1896 my mother's parents were married on August 12. Their 50th anniversary was celebrated at our home with a casual dinner in the backyard with guests on August 12, 1946.

In 1934 my parents were married on August 12. Their 50th anniversary was celebrated at a Masonic Hall near their home on August 12, 1984 with many guests invited. I don't find a photo of her wearing the dress. She once told me she did, but no photos were taken.

The surprise at the 50th Anniversary party was my youngest daughter wearing the exact unaltered dress that, at the time was then 88 years old. She was thin enough at age 27 to model it well. The dress was eventually donated to a historical society in the Budd Lake NJ area in 2005, the year of her death.

The photos were all labeled by my mother and put in a hand-crafted album made by my sister Jeanette. I treasure that album. 

My brother was the Master of Ceremonies, my sister Jeanette, made dozens of white ceramic doves as table gifts for the guests. The dove has different meanings for marriage but mostly peace, devotion and love in this story. Today I have two. One is mine, the other was my parent's. My sister Joyce, provided the cake.  Years later I was given the pretty vase that was the 50th anniversary gift at my grandparents' anniversary celebration. It held yellow roses. I have my mother's wedding ring and I can see how thin it became and the best part is that I still can read the interior inscription— Tranquility GNN & PFD 8-12-'34.

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Homesteading, My Version

Today I planted the spearmint clippings that I have been rooting in glasses of water in the window for about two weeks. That was E-Z-E! I like to add fresh leaves to my tea.

I used my vintage tool to dig and spread because I'm afraid to toddle up the ramp and into the shed to get trowels that I know are there.

Then I proceeded to decant the chive vinegar that has been sitting in the dark cupboard for over two weeks. I used a plastic strainer with a funnel to put it in the small tall glass bottle and found a cork to fit. It is good to have for salad dressings and several other dishes. 

It is satisfying to watch the ferns, that my mother had planted so many years ago, grow. They sure are pretty. The hosta is also doing very well.

I'm finished with my projects and a little porch sitting is now in order. Please tap on image to view larger.   

Cookies & Milk

That is a silly title isn't it? Well what I'm saying is that I baked three dozen sugar cookies this morning. 

Then when it came time for my lunch treat there was an argument in here! You see I usually drink a glass of milk with cookies. Well... Yosemite Sam who has been around here since 1976 (marked) thought I should use one of my other glasses for milk as he prefers water. The four Tom & Jerry sports set of 1991 (marked) don't want to be used at all! They play tennis, baseball, soccer and football and don't want milk! They only want sports drinks...

The battle of glasses went on when I suggested orange juice, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and fruit punch flavored water. That didn't go over well so Sam lost and had to be filled with milk!

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Lesson learned — sometimes age looses. How these glasses have survived without breaking is a wonderful thing! 

The Nutcracker

Through my teen years I will always remember a wooden bowl that sat on the dining room table, especially during all holidays, that was loaded with a variety of nuts! My mother would even name each of the different varieties and we soon learned our favorites to consume. It was allowed for us to pick up the nutcracker and break any one open and then pick out the inside meats. There was a hard pedestal in the middle of the bowl, and a hammer too that could be used if the cracker wouldn't open one with the first try. The bowl was in the shape of a log with bark and the middle was the nut storage place. I have no idea today whatever happen to it. Well just look! I  found one very similar on the internet! This is from the 1950's.

Most interesting to me though, are the nutcracker and picks that were always available next to that bowl! After some research I found that the silver plate vintage nutcracker I have, has been passed down through the generations is marked Wallace Bros. It dates back to the early 1800s to the early 1900s! I only found two picks and believe several have been lost in the past. What started all of this was my hunt for a good tool to crack open the king crab legs and claws that I was having for Christmas day dinner. I have never prepared these at home before and was planning to use pliers, scissors and a fork! Then my memory kicked in and I recalled seeing the nutcracker at the back and bottom of a kitchen drawer!

As you can see, they worked well and my dinner was a success.

The little cup in the back of this image had Baileys Irish Cream and the cup with the drawn butter is back in the refrigerator as I still have six more frozen legs. I only ate three today so I can share with my daughter when she visits tomorrow.

In case you're wondering, I ordered these legs from Schwan's Home Delivery early in November and they were finally in stock and delivered last week. 1.75 lbs. cost was not near the prices you are seeing on TV or in your markets! 

Don't forget to tap on photo to see a real nutcracker

Dance

My dance of life and living continues...

The men came yesterday and sealed up the area around the chimney so when hard rain comes, it can no longer leak down the yellow bricks onto the wooden beams indoors. Well, it was a very hard rain! Shouldn't have leaked. Probably won't rain like that for  many years to come, I hope!

A delivery was made yesterday. The package contained specialty cheeses, jellies and crackers. Just in time - I was out of cheeses, and jellies! It was a gift from dear friends who live far, far over the ocean. The box also contained a note telling me that it was #1 of TWO! I am anticipating a second delivery soon.

Another delivery also arrived. It contained some smaller fleece slacks as my older warm ones are way too large for me now. (I just ordered some smaller underwear too, FYI!)

I had to call my neighbor to bring me more Victor mouse traps. I'm not emptying them and reusing. I went through all four so far. The refillable bait station hasn't been touched and the sticky glue traps are empty. Guess that tells me something. When he came I had to have him open my new jelly jars because my strength for this mundane chore has left.

A blogger I follow showed pictures of some of her porcelain birds. That prompted me to research one of several mantel pieces that have been here for a long time. (Of course they are all ducks!) My mom loved ducks.

I have this pair here

My cheery young neighbor delivered my clean laundry this morning. She picks it up every other Thursday and delivers on Friday. I'll bet she wonders why there are so many pillow cases needing to be done. Well, I drool when I sleep - doesn't everyone? The scary part of her laundry responsibility for me is that her driveway is very steep and curvy. It sure will be a challenge for her throughout the winter. As she will accept no fees nor supplies for her caring service, I'm thinking very hard about a special holiday gift suited for such generosity.

There are quite a few Canada Geese on the lake now. I hope they are just passing through. 

OH! First SNOW today! I took these just before the sun came out!

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Time to change his autumn leaves to winter scarf!

Bowl Update

I received a couple of photos via FB messenger today and want to share how the bowls fit right into another environment. The the biggest surprise though, was the red and white checkered drapes! Who knew we both have an affinity for this pattern! It really surprised me. The bowls made themselves right at home there and look better than ever. 

In the meantime, I soon realized that I have two Keller's advertisement ironstone butter dishes. I use them every day.

After a little research, I learned that they are vintage 1960's! I do remember getting two so when one was empty the other was ready to go! Stuff around here is really aging as am I....

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Interior Decoration

They hung on the wall above the stove since 1997 when we moved from the big house into the cabin. That is 24 years! I had purchased the set of four in 1996 and they came with a certificate of authenticity. Ever since Kellogg's was available it has been a family breakfast cereal and I just had to have them!

There was a time several years back when I was sharing Shutterfly pictures of my "treasured vintage" items to a family member and she said she loved these bowls. She, who I have known practically since the day she was born, came to visit me last week and went home with them. She had no idea that they were hers ever since her remark years ago. 

The blank wall called to me for several days afterwards. "Put something here! I am feeling naked!" Then I remembered a set of mugs I had made of my photo images of things I have baked and cooked. Each cup has 3 different pictures! I liked the red and white pattern, but they have been hidden in the cupboard since 2013. Out they came and up they went! All is well. Everybody is happy. (If you noticed, two are a bit different. They were "freebies" because the pattern didn't go all the way up and I fussed.)

By the way, I cleaned my cupboards and rearranged things in there; almost forgot what was up on the top shelf! A couple of surprises!

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Closet Checking

One of my friends said she is keeping an old blanket from when she was a child and doesn't know why. I think I know why. Our childhood treasures remind us of the past in a good way. Her note prompted me to check out two items that I have and treasure them as well. So, I dug deep, took them out of their protective wraps and - lo and behold - they are still in great condition! (I do not know how to get wrinkles out of old muslin that was washed and put away a long time ago, though.)

The first is this muslin candlewick coverlet that my mother made for me either before or soon after I was born. I'm not sure of the date. She did tell me that it kept her busy learning how to design it. It measures 42" x 66" and might have shrunk when it was washed. Nice pattern, don't you think?

The next item has handwritten note that Mother wrote. Isn't her penmanship lovely? It measures 26" x 36" which is just right for a cover in the baby carriage in the winter! I have a picture of "Aunt Ida" that I treasure too.

Those were the days!!

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If you would like instructions for candlewicking please click on link Candlewicking Embroidery

2014 SC

Looking back six years ago when we were at our SC place at the beach........

September 26, 2014

Weather is not cooperating! I can usually find something to get into, though; like going to the local Goodwill store and finding something special. As most of you know, I live in an old log cabin in Pennsylvania.  I picked this up, thinking it would fit in there, then put it back, and went on my way. Later going through every aisle and nothing grabbing my attention, I started to leave and heard the picture calling to me. "Take me home! Take me home!" I knew I had to go back and, hopefully it would still be there. I should have remembered that if something interests me to put it in my cart, go on, and return it later if the charm it had when I first was attracted to it had faded. I was lucky. It was still there. Price - $2.00! Half price because it had the number of the day marked on the back -  #37. The picture had been professionally framed and the back is plain brown paper with no credits. I won't take it apart. Besides the apples, the colors, the faux wood frame, the fine handiwork was what really grabbed me. How many hours did it take to make? What kind of person spent so much time to complete it and why this particular picture? After returning home, I tried to research the item and only found one comparable - on e-Bay. A metal advertisement sign. Now I did already know who the Shakers were and I also knew that they had a lot of experience gardening, baking, cooking.  There wasn't much about Shaker applesauce, although recipes of other wonderful Shaker dishes were "out there."  What do you think?

 Lots of fine needlepoint work here!

 I couldn't even find the pattern!

 Metal Advertisement sign— e-Bay

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