After watching Food Inc. a few months ago, it became very apparent to me that most people have no idea where their food comes from. (As a side note, a fellow teacher friend of mine wrote me to say that her class was watching this same movie, and she asked her class what the “big machine” was in the field. Not a single one of her urban kids knew what a combine was.)
Continue reading “Stuff THIS in your casing and smoke it!”
Addicted to ephemera
I’m not sure “ephemera” is the write word to use for this post, but it’s the one that seems to fit the best. By “ephemera,” I’m talking about bits of writing that I find in books, particularly the WNAX Neighbor Lady cookbooks that I collect. I’m fascinated by “found art,” if that’s a better term for it — bits of writing or drawings in books that were probably never meant for anyone else’s eyes. When I find some, it makes that book even more special to me.
Continue reading “Addicted to ephemera”
The ambiance of old radios
One of the aides who works in my room at school gave me a great gift the other day: an old bakelite Airline radio, sold by Montgomery Ward. He presented it rather nonchalantly in a Wal-mart bag, but when I saw what was inside, my heart lurched. I have searched for a few years for a functional radio to give that special little detail to my 1950’s style kitchen, but a multitude of factors usually prevented my buying one. For the functional radios, price usually scared me away. Still, though, I wanted that special look, and this little radio has it all.
Continue reading “The ambiance of old radios”
The Charming Woman
As I mentioned in my last post, I bought a booklet on Etsy the other day whose title made me snap it right up: The Charming Woman, published in 1957. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, this must have been one of a string of publications, because there are others referenced just inside the cover, and the articles within also refer to “so-and-so’s article on hats” and the like. Regardless of not having the whole set, this one booklet is an interesting glimpse into the past.
Continue reading “The Charming Woman”
A new year, a new age
I’m 36 today.
I’m twice the age I was when I graduated high school.
The age itself doesn’t bother me so much; I’m not one to be dramatic about mere numbers. The second revelation, however, is a little startling and it makes me think: I’ve spent half my life as an “adult” who was on my own and trying to make my own way in the world.
Continue reading “A new year, a new age”
Goodbye, Cap’n
Captain 11 has signed off for good.
If you understood what I just wrote, then you must be from South Dakota or a bordering state. I grew up around Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and we knew a man named Dave Dedrick as “Captain 11” – the host of a kid’s show of the local television station, KELO. The Captain 11 show rain for many years — 1955-1996 — and was modeled after a similar show being broadcast out of Minneapolis. The ultimate honor for kids in the area was being able to be on the Captain 11 program; most kids have a memory of either being part of the show for their own birthday or tagging along with a birthday party group. I was on it a couple times, I think, although the memories are now so faded that they have become a composite of all I remember about the show in general.
Continue reading “Goodbye, Cap’n”
The art of being girly
In a post last year, I was feeling rather lustful for some vintage items I saw in a 1958 John Plain catalog. Lustful? Is that the right word? I suppose so — if that word can be used to describe how much one wants an item, human or not. I remember admiring some vintage electric razors that were made just for women. Here is the shot from the John Plain catalog:
Recycled bottle glasses
I love browsing through all the different crafters on Etsy and marveling at the creativity of some of those people. I’ve always considered myself a creative person, but I have severe limits when it comes to creating something that people would want to buy. Every day, Etsy will feature random products on its main page, and I frequently find interesting products through that method alone.
Continue reading “Recycled bottle glasses”
Happy birthday, Elvis
He’d be 75 if he were alive today. Whether you’re a lover or a hater, one can certainly appreciate how incredibly unhealthy he was at the end, yet his amazing voice prevailed. Continue reading “Happy birthday, Elvis”
I’m a Pyrex junkie
As I typed the title to this post, the song “Jukebox Hero” played in my head. Let’s see . . . “I’m a Py-rex junk-ie . . . with stars in her eyes?” Somehow I doubt it’d be a hit.
But alas, it is true: I have found myself scouring Ebay and Etsy listings, looking for the perfect Pyrex to adorn my kitchen. The days leading up to the new year found my husband and me majorly “mucking out” our kitchen — making way for the new Blue Heaven dishes and getting rid of stuff I just didn’t use. You know what that meant — an excuse to fill that space back up with new stuff. Or should I say “new” stuff?
Continue reading “I’m a Pyrex junkie”