NANA'S MEMORIES

Our Third Grade Teacher

2012-02-29T16:50:00.000-06:00

This picture was taken a couple of months ago at my Aunt Dorcas' burial at Oakland Cemetery. Luckily the broken branch did not damage any of the tombstones.

I had asked my "three words all the way to Oklahoma City" Uncle if he knew how to spell our third grade teacher's name. He walked to the cemetery today and found her grave marker.

It reads: Vivian E. Misenhimer 1899 - 1999

I wonder how many children she influenced over the years?

Have To Work

2012-02-29T07:21:00.000-06:00

Well, I guess I have to leave these.

And them

To follow this

To work

I do not have a picture of work.....who wants to see a row of buildings and a big parking lot?

Grade School Memories

2012-02-28T19:43:00.000-06:00

Well, I thought it was time to tell how I ended up married for nigh on forty two years without ever getting a proposal. Hubby and I should have or could have met in the seventh grade when he went to Clarksville School for part of the year. I do not remember him. He does not remember me. He does remember the "Candyman's" daughter though. And no, not the Sammy Davis, Jr. "Candyman". Diane's dad was the very nice gentleman that delivered candy to the stores in town.

I remember Diane as well. She is the girl I cheated off on a test in the third grade. She was wearing a red cardigan. I remember it raining outside while I tried to recall the four seasons. I remember it was Michie School. I do not remember the teacher's name.

We must have moved during the school year because I had Miss Misenhiemer as a teacher in third grade too. I liked her. Daddy said she was one of his teachers when he was in high school. I wonder if she bought that old black car new? I remember seeing her drive it around town after I was grown. If anyone remembers the make and model, I would like to know.

I won third place in a coloring contest in third grade. There must not have been many that entered because I remember scribbling one whole page. The contest was on safety and a policeman presented the certificate. I have thought about putting that on my resume. Not everyone can say they won a coloring contest.

My little Sierra inherited my coloring talents. I have this picture on my wall at work.

The auditorium at Hurie was upstairs. I remember the wooden folding chairs that we sat in for plays or programs. I wonder if Buster had to set them up? I remember a fire drill after we moved to the basement in fourth grade that someone said was because Buster had set some papers on fire in a trash can. I suppose it was to simulate a real fire event.

It was after we moved downstairs that Mrs. Polly made me stand in the hall outside the door because I groaned when she said it was time for geography. Miss Kraus came by and shamed me with a "tsk tsk".

And then we had that really pretty teacher in fifth grade............

Well, I guess I'll have to tell about the non-proposal some other time.

***Disclaimer: Diane did not let me to copy off her paper***

A Beautiful Day

2012-02-27T18:04:00.000-06:00

My brother in law gave this to me for my birthday. We share a love of birds and flowers. He is in the nursing home - slowly recovering from a stroke. He probably needs this more than I do now. Maybe Freda should take it to him.

Wouldn't he just love to be sitting out here on this gorgeous day? Arkansas is beautiful.

Going For A Walk

2012-02-26T09:21:00.000-06:00

Isn't this a sweet picture? My daughter's day care kids going for a walk...all ten of them plus my grand daughter. They walked to the bus stop to wait for the after school kids.

No Picnik Soon

2012-02-25T18:46:00.000-06:00

1957 Black Chiffon Chanel gown

Look at this beautiful 1957 Coco Chanel dress I found while looking at the Metropolitan Museum Website. (I am thinking I want to go there - for a week) I think the dress is just lovely. It is made to wear without undergarments as it has heavy boning and netting at the bodice. I can imagine Audrey Hepburn in something like this.

This is what I remember women wearing in the 1950s. They were mostly sewn from patterns. I do not believe I ever saw an evening gown during the 50s. I think I would remember that.

But......the reason for this post is to ask if you have ideas for editing photos after Picnik closes in April. I just got it figured out...and it shuts down. I would mostly like to resize the photos and make the little frames around the pictures. Any ideas?

Jade-ite

2012-02-24T11:46:00.000-06:00

I'm thinking Mama should have invested in dinnerware. A service for 4 for only $2.79. What we could get out of it now!!

Fifties Fashion

2012-02-24T08:30:00.000-06:00

Maybe I will drag myself out of the fifties sometime this summer. Now I'm into fifties fashion. I never had any of these dresses nor did I see anyone in these dresses. Well maybe the little white with blue flowers sleeveless dress. Mama made most of my clothes.

This is a Balenciaga design with the wide collar look he was famous for. I was thinking how the models and actresses in the fifties had a little more meat on their bones until I saw the collar bones on this girl. Look at the cigarette in her hand. No wonder our parents got so addicted to cigarettes. It did look glamorous.

"Fifties Designs"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

You can forget that "create a slideshow with Picnik" bit 'cause they're closing in April. Everything is free until then though.

Mama and Rita

2012-02-22T14:27:00.000-06:00

Your mind (or at least my mind) does funny things sometimes. For years now I have envisioned Mama looking just like Rita Hayworth. Actually she does not look like her. I do remember Mama wearing bright red lipstick...just like Rita. She pin-curled her hair and styled it...just like Rita. She often had a cigarette in her hand...just like Rita.

The picture of Mama was taken when she was thirteen. You can tell how tiny she was. Just three years later she was married and had a baby on the way. That's the way it was.

You cannot tell much with the picture so small but there are little holes all in Mama's picture. I think one of her four brothers may have used her likeness for a dart board.

A Hermes Bag

2012-02-20T23:35:00.000-06:00

I did a piece during my OB rotation in school about how pregnancy practices have changed over the years. My Grandma had all but the last two of her nine babies at home with no prenatal care and Grandpa in attendance with each birth. When Mama had us, she was sedated throughout the delivery and Daddy stayed in the waiting room. That was the stereotypical portrayal of births on television during the fifties and even into the sixties.

Pregnancies were not as publicly celebrated as they are today. I ran across this article about how Hermes bags are made and how the Kelly bag got it's name. Princess Grace using Hermes bag to hide pregnancy. I thought it interesting that this particular style of bag became know as the Kelly bag due to her use of it to hide her pregnancy. It does seem odd today that a pregnancy needed to be hidden.

I can probably find the website where this Hermes
bag is for sale for $12,995.

Oh, by the way...Mama said that they were expected to stay in bed 10 days after the baby's birth. No getting them up out of the bed ten minutes after delivery.

And another thing...I do not own a Hermes bag and I was not shopping for one.

I Loved Loretta Young Too

2012-02-18T14:37:00.001-06:00

I wonder if I could get by with a picture of her
as my profile picture?

I did not realize I had word verification on my blog....I did not ask for it. As I have not had problems with robots and with a little help from my friends, I think I have removed it. Please advise, if not.

Oh, that reminded me of my grandson who did have a robot problem. We were talking about how he wasn't afraid of anything. He said, "Yeah, huh Nana - wobots." All the grandchildren said "Yeah huh" from time to time.

As an apology, I present....Loretta Young. Don't you agree she was lovely?

Aunt Dorcas

2012-02-17T22:51:00.000-06:00

I was thinking of Valentine's Day gifts today and wondered whether Uncle Howard bought romantic gifts for Aunt Dorcas. If he did, she did not tell me about them. He used to go to the corner store every morning to buy her a 6 ounce bottle of cold Coca Cola. I remember Dorcas was crazy about him.

Uncle Howard dated the Mother of one of my high school friends. I won't say who...just in case.

She and her younger sister shared the same Anniversary date. It was not planned that way but the two couples often went out to eat for their anniversary.

She and Uncle Howard came to spend the night with us when we lived in Flat Rock. They chose the bedroom with just a twin bed. She said they liked to sleep close.

It was a big family joke that when Howard came to visit he brought his chain saw and cut back all of Grandma's trees. We wondered if they would survive each new cut.

They camped at Piney Bay every summer. Before they paved the road to Piney Bay, Daddy stopped to let us pick up a little black kitten that had been abandoned in the middle of the road. Howard put it in the shallow water to watch it swim to shore. It made me mad but he just laughed. He was a joker.

Anthony had to take off his artificial limbs to swim. He swam like a fish. I do not remember Jimmy going out to Piney Bay with them. Maybe they did not go until after he died.

When our oldest grandaughter was three or four years old, we took her with us to visit them there. Howard got a kick out of her standing beside the dock directing a stranger to "turn it a little to the left" as he was backing his boat into the bay. She is bossy like her Nana.

I expect as I get older I will begin to look more and more like Dorcas. We both shared what we refer to as "the Middleton hips." She had a grey streak of hair at her temple ever since she was a teenager. My son does too.

Well, I have just thought myself into missing her all over again.

Gotta' Go To Work

2012-02-17T07:17:00.000-06:00

Disclaimer: I am sorry to say this picture was not
taken at my house or by me.

Well, off to work I go. I hope to catch up on all your posts this weekend because I know you are telling of things I want to know about.

An Oil Change

2012-02-16T16:43:00.000-06:00

I rarely get a Valentine's card from my hubby...but he always changes the oil in my car.

He rarely buys me candy either...but he always saves the last Twizzler in the package for me.

I do not remember him buying me many cut flowers...but he digs the holes to plant my rose bushes.

He does not take me out to eat much...but he never complains if we have scrambled eggs for supper.

We do not vacation together very often...but he will travel anywhere I am to change a flat tire on my car.

He sometimes tracks mud in on my clean floors...but he takes his boots off every night at my house.

That's Amore`. Who Sings It Better?

2012-02-14T06:37:00.000-06:00

Dean Martin's signature song That's Amore as performed in the 1953 film The Caddy. Amore means "love" in Italian. It received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Original Song that year.

A Dusting Of Snow

2012-02-13T16:22:00.000-06:00

I think homemade blueberry muffins on this cold "just a dusting of snow" evening will do just fine.

Mr. Sandman

2012-02-12T18:23:00.002-06:00

My niece, Elizabeth loves this song. And you all know.....I love the fifties.

A postscript to the public domain photo issue. If you search public domain Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, etc. you will get some really scary looking people that have nothing to do with Gary Cooper at all.

Wells Fargo

2012-02-11T23:38:00.000-06:00

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Robertson

Dale Robertson played in the TV Series Wells Fargo from 1957-1962. Daddy liked the show and watched it faithfully each week. Westerns were his favorite.

We were living in a basement apartment on College Avenue when the time for Wells Fargo neared. As the opening credits rolled, the music played, and Dale Robertson's face appeared, Mama said, "Ah, there's my man."

Daddy turned the TV off.

Sleepless Night Treatment

2012-02-10T21:16:00.000-06:00

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bette_Davis_Portrait.jpg

If you have Bette Davis Eyes because you just cannot get to sleep at night, I have a little trick one of my home health patients told me about.

Have your bedroom a little cool. Go to bed but do not cover up. Get really chilled and then cover up. After you get all warm and snuggly, you will drift right off.

I usually sleep very well and only have three or four sleepless nights a year. When I do, I try this and it works very well.

A Picture of Rita Hayworth - Finally!

2012-02-09T23:49:00.001-06:00

I promise this is the last I will bring up copyright issues. I am tired of worrying about it as I know you are all tired of hearing it. Patsy, one of my blogging friends, mentioned Bing Images as a source of photos. When I searched Public Domain Rita Hayworth, it came back with several pictures that either were never copyrighted or the copyright ran out. Public Domain photos are free, free, free. There were a lot of Creative Commons photos that I liked more but I am still trying to wrap my mind around that issue.

Anyway, here is Rita. The original Rita.

In my opinion, she is more beautiful than any current celebrity.

Source

This work is in the public domain because it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1963 and although there may or may not have been a copyright notice, the copyright was not renewed. Unless its author has been dead for the required period, it is copyrighted in the countries or areas that do not apply the rule of the shorter term for US works, such as Canada (50 pma), Mainland China (50 pma, not Hong Kong or Macao), Germany (70 pma), Mexico (100 pma), Switzerland (70 pma), and other countries with individual treaties. See this page for further explanation.

Public domain

Content marked as public domain (or local equivalent, e.g. "may be used for any purpose") is material believed to be out of copyright, either because of expiration of the original copyright, or because the material has been explicitly released into the public domain by its creator(s).
Note that inalienable moral rights and other restrictions may still apply in some countries for some uses.
It is common for publishers to take public domain works and republish them under their own copyright. This may be legal, but it does not affect the public domain status of the original image. If you tag the image with its origin (where you got it and where it came from originally) and the name of the creator, this can help us if a dispute with such a publisher arises later.

Photos Of Me

2012-02-09T00:35:00.000-06:00

As I have probably already committed copyright infringement, the question of whether to download pictures of 1950's Hollywood stars may be a moot point.

Most of the family pictures I have already posted were either made by or the film developed by Collier Studio, a photographer who had a shop on Main Street since the early fifties. This baby picture of me was made at Collier's and is stamped Collier Photography Studio on the back.

By the way, we all had to bring a baby picture of ourselves to display in a slide show for our penning ceremony at nursing school. As I was the oldest graduate from my class, they had no difficulty recognizing me in this old black and white picture.

Collier Studio is also stamped on the back of my engagement photograph that was taken there eighteen years later. When I went in to look at the proofs, I told Mr. Collier I liked my hair in one picture but my blemishes were showing too much. He said he would take care of the blemishes and not to worry. I think he did something to my lips as well. They have never been that full. Oh look! I think he straightened my teeth. Or maybe, this isn't really me.

Two years later he developed this snapshot of my son eating his oatmeal and Del Monte raisins with his little Tupperware sippy cup. Collier Studio is stamped on the back of this photo as well.

I tried to get a picture copied at Wal Mart years ago but when they saw the Collier Studio stamp on the back, they would not copy it. I had never heard of copyright laws then. Who knew they applied to a little photography shop in small town mid America.

I do understand the reason for copyright laws. If I had a great shot of Angelina Jolie, I would want to sell it for big bucks without having it devalued every time it is re-posted on the internet. But is anyone out there still making money off of 1950's pictures of Bette Davis or Humphrey Bogart?

I did get some good feedback on sites for free pictures. There are some great photos that are public domain or creative commons that are available for reprinting. I think a copyright is only held for thirty years after published unless they renew the copyright. They are seldom renewed. But how do you know?

Probably the biggest copyright infringement I am guilty of is my beautiful photo of a peace of artwork I let slip through my fingers while vacationing last summer in Gulf Shores. I have been passing this beautiful mermaid off as myself on my Facebook profile picture. I even edited it which supposedly is a no-no as well. I named her Anna. Isn't she pretty? I am going to miss seeing her.

I will probably change to this picture my Auntie took of me on the back porch the day of the Arkansas Flotilla. I would bet Mr. Collier could have taken the wrinkles and sagging skin out of this picture. But........then it would have his stamp on the back.

A QUESTION OF INTEGRITY

2012-02-07T21:24:00.000-06:00

Doing the right thing. It is not always easy to do the right thing. What if no one will ever find out or you will never get caught? Can you still do it? What if everyone is doing it? Is it still okay? What if you really, really, really want to post some great photos of beautiful people?

Do you know if Rita Hayworth is searched on Google Image, 164,000 photos will show up. Not all of the photos are of Rita. In fact, I saw one of Elizabeth Taylor and one of an older Lauren Bacall. There are a lot of duplicate photos of Rita Hayworth that have been pulled from all over the Web. There are some really great pictures out there.

Just because everyone else is posting possibly copyrighted photos of the fifties glamour stars, can I post them as well? How do you know whether it was copyrighted or not? You know, your works do not have to be labeled with a copyright symbol to still be copyrighted. How do I even find who did copyright the photo? I can apply to the Copyright Office for a record search of copyrighted images at a cost of $165.00 an hour....minimum 2 hours. What do you do...send them a copy of the photo? Show them where it is on the Web? Do you know how much attorneys charge to send a Cease and Desist letter if a photographer or photographer's family want you to take a picture off your site? How would anyone even find a picture on my little ol' blog? Reckon they embed something on it to trace it?

So........I am thinking if I do a piece on the glamour and style of the Golden Age of Hollywood, you will just have to imagine Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, and Grace Kelly.

This is a free picture I got off Oscar.com Website of Vivien Leigh accepting her Best Actress Award for A Streetcar Named Desire. She is quite stylish is this picture but not very glamorous.

Movies From The Fifties

2012-02-05T22:11:00.000-06:00

Mama said when they went to the movies, Daddy would be the one who took me out of the theater if I cried. He knew she loved the movies. I began to wonder which ones I may have seen with Mama and Daddy.

Hubby and I stayed up late watching Mrs. Miniver with Greer Garson last night. How is it I had never seen this excellent film? Greer Garson won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1943 for her portrayal of Mrs Miniver in war torn England. Mama would have only been nine when this was shown. I doubt she saw it in the theater.

I think I may have missed a lot of classic movies from the '50s. Here is a list of the best picture winners during that era.

1950

Broderick Crawford won Best Actor award for his role in "All The King's Men." Olivia de Havilland won Best Actress in "The Heiress."

1951

Although not a classic beauty, Betty Davis certainly had beautiful eyes. I read that Celeste Holm greeted Davis with a "Good morning" on their first day of filming for "All About Eve." Betty Davis' reply was, "Oh ****, good manners."

1952

It was expected that "A Streetcar Named Desire" would win for Best Picture. Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh did win for Best Actor and Best Actress in 1952.

1953

Cecil B. DeMille won an Oscar for Best Director in this film. Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, and Charlton Heston were not nominated for awards. Gary Cooper won Best Actor for "High Noon."

1954

Although the leading roles played by Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr did not merit them an Academy Award for "From Here to Eternity", Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed won Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. William Holden won Best Actor for "Stalag 17" yet he reportedly thought Burt Lancaster should have won "From Here To Eternity."

1955

Marlon Brando was awarded an Oscar for Best Actor. Grace Kelly won Best Actress in "The Country Girl."

1956

Although Ernest Borgnine won Best Actor in "Marty", James Dean's roles in "East of Eden" and "Rebel Without a Cause" would launch his super star status. Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood received Supporting Actor and Actress nominations and would go on to become 1950s teen idols.

1957

Best Actress award went to Ingrid Bergman in "Anastasia." She is definitely a style icon of the 1950s as well. Yul Brynner won a very well deserved Best Actor award for "The King and I." James Dean was again nominated for an Academy Award for his role in "Giant."

1958

Alec Guinness won a Best Actor award for "The Bridge on the River Kwai." Joanne Woodward won Best Actress for "The Three Faces of Eve." She reportedly sewed her own gown for the awards ceremony from $100 worth of green satin fabric. She and her equally stylish husband beat the Hollywood odds and remained married until his death.

1959

Vincent Minnelli won an Oscar as Best Director for "GiGi" but no actors or actresses were nominated for their roles in the film. Vincent Minnelli married Judy Garland and is the father of Liza Minnelli. Although Elizabeth Taylor was nominated for Best Actress in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", Susan Hayward won for "I Want to Live."

I do not recall seeing any of these movies as a child. I thought I remembered Jane Russell's performance in "The Outlaw", but since it came out in 1950, I would have had to be scandalized in utero.

Super Bowl Win For Ron

2012-02-04T17:46:00.000-06:00

This is for my brother in law who is in the hospital now after suffering a stroke two weeks ago. Ron bought me this pretty little bird house for Christmas. Although it is too low for birds to safely build their nests, by spring we will have it mounted higher in a tree.

Ron is from New England and is an avid Patriots fan. After he has anxiously anticipated a Super Bowl win for some time, right now it is unsure whether he will recognize the game is playing.

Please review these stroke symptoms and contact 911 immediately if noted.

Although I do not typically watch football, I do hope the Patriots win for Ron.

Armadillo Fight

2012-02-03T21:09:00.000-06:00

One thing I love about reading everyone's blog is they often remind me of something similar. That is what happened when I read Charlotte's account of the various birds and animals she sees on their farm. Read her account here.

Hubby has hated armadillos ever since they crossed the Texas/Arkansas border. I am not trying to disparage Texas or Texans but as the armadillo crossed the Rio Grande, they must have come from Texas. Read origin of the North American armadillo here. Wherever they came from, they have been the bane of my husband's existence for years and he has tried to do his part to eradicate them from the Arkansas River Valley area.

Back at the old place, anytime hubby would come running into the house around dusk I knew he was after his gun to kill some varmint. His main complaint with the ~~blasted~~ armadillo is that the yard and pastures are not safe for man or beast with all the holes they dig. (Used in that context, Grandpa would consider blasted a swear word.)

So I knew what was up when one evening around dark, hubby ran into the house and right back out with his .22 in hand. He did not see the young man at the foot of the steps and almost ran smack dab into our daughter's date. I do not remember whether hubby got the armadillo but Laura did not get that boy.

Wear The New Flannel Nightgown

2012-02-01T22:52:00.000-06:00

My beloved Grandpa and Grandma

I just read "why the name" on Carole-Anne's Use The Good Dishes blog. Read her explanation here. It brought to mind my little Grandma whose favorite gift was a new flannel nightgown. She had gowns in many colors and styles with various ribbons, bows, and trims. She kept them neatly folded in a dresser drawer, yet she rarely wore the new ones. Someone teasingly asked her if she was saving them for Grandpa's second wife. Grandpa passed away first and when Grandma did her dresser drawer was full of new flannel nightgowns.

My kids will not find any flannel nightgowns tucked away when I am gone. I do not care for flannel.

A 70 Degree February

2012-02-01T18:08:00.000-06:00

The sun is shining and it is 70 degrees in Arkansas.

Aunt Maggie's Platter

2012-01-31T00:01:00.000-06:00

My Aunt Lizzy gave me something very special tonight. Thank you again Auntie.

See the platter on the end. It is a platter that belonged to my Great Aunt Maggie. She was my Grandpa's sister. I remember her having long plaited hair she coiled along the top of her head. I remember her soft spoken and very kind. Her chihuahua Princess Kay was called PK for short. Her husband's name was George. He was called Rip. I remember him as a big man with a big laugh.

I really like this piece. Somehow I ended up with the rest of Aunt Maggie's dishes after Grandma passed away.

These were obviously Aunt Maggie's everyday dishes as they are quite worn. They were in a box when I got them. I do not remember Grandma using them. As much as I love them, if Aunt Maggie's boys want them, I will be glad to let them have them.

I have them in my OKC Grandma's china cabinet in my foyer. Beside it is a little side table my OKC Grandpa made. I have my Grandma's wire rimmed glasses setting on the books and beside the books is a bell like Grandma rang when Sunday School classes were over.

I am blessed.

Ramblings

2012-01-28T21:28:00.000-06:00

I have trouble climbing bleachers anymore. My legs are too short and my ankles too weak. Why don't they have one of those handy little chair lifts like Dr. Smith has to get up to his dentist office? Not that I have ever used it...yet.

I used to be able to run up and down the bleachers in P.E. class. I did not like Physical Education. I did not like undressing in a room full of other girls. At least our showers had a door on the stall. Hubby says theirs did not. I remember one of the pretty senior high girls always wore a panty girdle. She was thin.

I was wearing a gym suit similar to this when I jumped out of the tree and broke my leg. You can read about that traumatic incident here. I remember it being hard to get out of at the hospital.

Was it a gym teacher that had to quit teaching when she became pregnant? That seems like an odd reason for termination now, doesn't it?

This is the maternity clothing she would have worn. We may not have even known she was expecting. In fact, I had a dress like the pink one on the end when I was taking driver's education. It was yellow seersucker. I looked like Mama Cass.

I had to take driver's education because Daddy gave up teaching me after only one lesson. Read Here

I nearly ran into the city pool building while taking driver's education. Coach had to brake so hard it is a wonder we didn't all fly through the windshield. We did not wear seat belts back in the sixties.

I do not remember her name but some girl ran into the State Police car when she took her driving test. She did not pass. I even parallel parked correctly and passed on my first try.

Daddy then took me to the County Courthouse to get my license. They asked my height and weight....in front of everyone. I whispered 128 pounds. If I weighed 128 now, I would shout it.

A China Cabinet In The Foyer?

2012-01-26T19:35:00.000-06:00

Here is a picture of my Great Grandmother on her 84th birthday. It was taken in Grandma's little kitchen in Oklahoma City. I now have the china cabinet you see in the background.

Grandma kept an iron woodpecker shaped toothpick holder setting on the buffet. I played with it when we visited. I am not sure where that one is now but my son bought me one like it. He remembered playing with it as well.

Now here is my problem. The foyer is the only place I have to put it without overcrowding. A china cabinet in the foyer? What about using it as a book shelf? But then what about my Jade-ite and restaurant ware?

Maybe I could just put them in the kitchen cabinets with my melmac and harvest wheat dishes. They would not be displayed though. Maybe I should be selling some of my dishes. I seriously would like suggestions.

I found this aqua egg beater at a flea market a couple of weeks ago. Can you imagine actually using this to whip egg whites? Do you remember how fun they were to play with ?

Liebster Blog Award

2012-01-24T00:15:00.000-06:00

Lorilee at Cackleberry Cottage awarded Nana's Memories the Liebster Blog Award. Liebster means "dearest" or "favorite" in German. Thank you Lorilee. How very sweet.

Now I have the privilege of passing on the award to FIVE up and coming bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. They may then pass it on according to the following rules.

1. Choose 5 "up and coming" blogs to award the Liebster to. They must have fewer than 200 followers.
2. Show your appreciation by linking back to the blogger that gave you the award.
3. Post the award on your blog and list the bloggers you are passing the award to.

And the bloggers are:

A Colorful World

Life In Pink Hi-Tops
Spot On Cedar Pond
EMZ-Piney Post
Time Stand Still

My Aunt Inez

2012-01-23T22:09:00.000-06:00

I do not have a picture of my Aunt Inez so I will post a picture of my Daddy instead.

.

Next to her children, I believe Inez loved her little brother more than anyone. She was two years older than Daddy and grew up feeling responsible for him. Daddy was not judgmental and did not offer criticism. He was a good listener.

I do not want to leave the impression I did not love my Aunt Inez. Despite the fact she would not give me the Kaopectate I did not want to take anyway, I did love her. We became especially close after Daddy died and as her health began to fail. As we share the same birth stone, she gave me a pair of emerald and diamond earrings before she passed away. I promised I would save them for when her grandson Zac has a daughter.

Now....back to my Daddy. See how pretty his smile is. My teeth look like Daddy's do in the top picture. His teeth in the next picture are his store bought teeth.

After he and Mama separated, I cleaned the house for Daddy one day. He was an extraordinarily neat person but had a bad habit of stuffing tissues and paper towels down into the cushions of his chair. I threw away a ton of just old papers. I had finished when he sat down in his chair, searched through the chair cushions, and asked, "What happened to my teeth?" He had wrapped his teeth in a paper towel and left them in the chair. Luckily I had not taken out the trash.

A Salmon Pink and Grey Car?

2012-01-22T14:20:00.002-06:00

This looks like a picture of my Mama's brother Bob. It may be her Uncle Glenn. I'm not sure who the girl is. I do not remember Mama saying she rode on a motorcycle with her brother but she did say she loved riding on her Uncle Glenn's motorcycle. Shortly before she passed away, she asked my husband to take her for a ride on his bike. She chickened out after we got there.

This picture of me and my OKC Grandma was taken at Lake Ludwig. I look like a little monkey up there. I wonder whose DeSoto that was?

This is an Easter picture of us in front of an old salmon pink and grey Chevrolet car. This is the car my uncle would slide down into the floorboard in fear someone would see him in a pink car.

SAID UNCLE

This is not my "three words the whole bus ride to OKC Uncle." This is the one that took me to the movies one time. Although he did not actually stay in the theater with me, he did come back to pick me up. The movie was not quite over.

My pretty little Mama. This was my OKC Uncle's car. I remember it being a pale yellow. This picture was taken at Lake Ludwig as well. The lake must have been cheap entertainment in the fifties. I nearly drowned at King's Canyon once. Daddy was right beside me so I was probably not actually drowning.

SAID UNCLE

Isn't he handsome? I have pictures of him at the lake with another girl but that is a whole other story. I will not be telling that story. I will say he met his wife on a beach while he was stationed in San Diego. She said the beach was so crowded, there was only room to lay a towel on the sand. My uncle kept a grenade on his coffee table. He said it was live and I believed him.

This is like the old Henry J Grandpa had while out at the farm. It is the one we had to push across the cattle guard and off the hill so he could get it started. Wheeeeee! Was that ever fun! I would never let one of my grandchildren do that now.

This is like the green Corvair Daddy tried to teach me to drive on Shoe Plant Road. You know, the time my brother pushed my little sister down in the backseat floorboard while he wore a football helmet.

This is the '66 Chevrolet Impala we had when we married. This may have been taken around the time hubby decided to change the transmission from standard to automatic while on a weekend pass from Fort Leonard Wood. As he did not have time to get it completely changed over, I was left with trying to figure out the odd sequence needed to change the gears with a mere metal rod sticking up out of the floorboard. Hubby has yet to give me an adequate explanation why he did that to me.

Hubby still grieves over selling his '36 Ford. It was yellow too. I wish my daughter was this young again. Well....maybe not.

I drive an ordinary Chevrolet Trailblazer now. Can you even buy a pink car anymore?

A Dose Of My Own Medicine

2012-01-22T00:37:00.000-06:00

My Aunt Inez passed away several years ago. She was the oldest of Grandma's nine children. Grandma and Grandpa moved to Tulsa for a short time after Inez was born. Grandma was so afraid that someone out in the big city would steal her baby she pinned their nightgowns together. No one ever took her baby.

As the oldest child, a lot of the responsibility for the younger children fell on Inez' shoulders. She said she was instructed to mind or take care of her two years younger brother and knew she had better do it well.

Because Aunt Inez lived in California and only came in one time a year, I did not know her very well. Although Grandma rode a bus all the way out there to be with her daughter at the birth of her first child, Inez raised her children alone in what we thought of as a foreign land.

Grandma and Inez exchanged frequent letters though. I know this because I was standing next to Grandma once when she was reading one of the newsy missives. Grandma moved the letter aside and told me it was not polite to read someone's mail. I told my grandson just yesterday not to read my text messages.

I remember hearing Inez tell how all three of her "stair step" children had the chicken pox at the same time. She said she sat up all night with them and made them each a pair of pajamas. That makes me sad to think of her so far away from her Mama when her children were sick.

As my uncle could fly airplanes, they sometimes flew here for their vacations. Once during the sixties, he was going to give us all an airplane ride. We went to the airport but Daddy would not let us kids ride. He always imagined the worst things would happen. I think it is better if kids are not raised to be scaredy cats.

Inez came to visit one hot summer when Grandma had put in her usual big garden. Grandma asked Cathy, Inez' only daughter, to pick the green beans. She was eager to help and picked every green bean bush in the garden.

Aunt Inez came to spend a couple of weeks with Grandma while they still lived at the farm. As usual, several of us grandchildren were there while she and her three children were visiting. We were all lined up on the sofa, complaining of an upset stomach, and waiting for Inez to give us a dose of Kaopectate. When it became my turn, I made an ugly face and refused to take the nasty stuff. Inez said, "Fine" and screwed the lid back on the bottle. I decided later that I needed it after all but she would not give me any. I thought she was being mean when she tried to make me take the medicine but then really mean when she would not let me take the medicine. Even back then, I was hard to please.

Going To Town

2012-01-19T18:41:00.001-06:00

As my Grandma's grandparents died on a wagon train coming from Kentucky, she never knew them. Her daddy's mother died giving birth to him and then his father died two weeks later. Her father was raised sort of hit or miss by various relatives until he met Grandma's mother. Grandma was raised on a dairy farm around the Shady Grove area. She always said her father loved his family. My Grandpa grew up in Limestone but lived in Clarksville when he and Grandma met.

Grandma said they would use a team of horses and a wagon to go visit Grandpa's people in Limestone. They had to stop overnight along the way. I have forgotten how far Limestone is from Clarksville but I do know it is two miles straight down into Limestone Valley. It is pretty once you get there.

Thinking of traveling in a team and wagon brought to mind how it was that people from the community would come into town on Saturdays and gather behind the Fair Store. Although I never saw a horse around the Fair Store, it was always a part of my childhood memories. It was where Grandma always bought her dresses. Lavender was her favorite color.

I sent my brother to the Fair Store to buy cornbread mix for supper one afternoon. Someone had said they had it for just ten cents a package. He rode his bike over there but when he got there was told the Fair Store was a dry goods store. When he got back, I argued that Aunt Louise said they had cornbread mix for only ten cents and I tried to make him go back so he could argue for me. He would not go. He was pretty put out with me when we realized it was Fairway Market that had the mix and not the Fair Store.

Hubby and I were married five months before we had our first argument. I remember exactly what it was about but as it was so petty, I will not tell you.

This picture was taken shortly before hubby left for basic training. We were very young. Because of the naugahyde sofa and fiberglass curtains, it is obvious this is early seventies. I was proud of our little four room cement block house.

We have argued on occasion. One time in particular, I remember trying to get my point across on some matter when hubby said, "You cannot be right every time."

Me, not right? What a novel idea.

Quality Market

2012-01-18T22:45:00.000-06:00

Mama and Daddy met when Daddy was working at a service station in Oklahoma City. As Mama was only sixteen years old, Grandma was not happy that she was going to marry a man she had known only a few months. Grandma told Mama, "You've made your bed, now lie in it." She made her bed in Clarksville for forty seven years.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Daddy. He worked at the Lion station on East Main Street. I think it was owned by Seth Bennett.

It looks like the sign behind him is advertising blackwall tires for $11. I remember playing with the tire gauges he had in his pocket. If you look closely, you can tell Daddy has light blue eyes. Freda is the only one of us kids with blue eyes.

Daddy used to deliver groceries for Quality Market on the corner of Main and Rogers. I once asked him if he knocked on the door before taking the groceries in the house. He said if he did, he would be knocking all day. Since everyone left their doors unlocked, he could go on in, put the perishables in the refrigerator, and leave the ticket on the table. One lady left him a note asking him to put the roast in the oven. He did.

He usually stuck his pricing gun in his back pocket while he was stocking. As he stood up from the bottom shelf once, his gun caught on the hem of a lady's dress who was standing behind him. He said she did a little jitter-bug dance and shrieked as her dress rose higher and higher.

Sometimes Daddy would bring us kids a treat. I especially liked it when he brought home Hostess Snowballs. He brought me a Three Musketeers candy bar one time. Since I did not like them, I groaned when I saw it. Years later, in an attempt at apologizing for being such a bratty kid, I called Daddy to tell him if he gave me a Three Musketeers now, I would be more appreciative. Within an hour he brought a Three Musketeers candy bar to my office.

Hubby and I bought our first groceries at Quality Market. We bought staples and all for just $19.00. How much can you get for $19.00 today?

Haircuts

2012-01-17T23:07:00.000-06:00

Finally a picture where my bangs are a normal length. Freda's are just about right too. I think Mama quit whacking on my bangs when Freda came along. Mama kept Freda's hair in a pixie cut.

I usually wore my hair longer and pulled back in a ponytail. I remember Aunt Dorcas was visiting when I asked Mama for a wide barrette so I could pull my hair back like Susie Jones did hers. They both started in with, "Back in our day, we did good to have bobby pins." Good Grief! I never did get that barrette!

Mama gave me a lot of Tonette perms when I was a kid. They usually came right out. Hubby always asks why they call it a permanent when it only stays temporarily. He hates the smell of me when I get a perm.

My sister's hair always took a permanent too well. I wonder why Mama always gave Freda a perm right before picture day? She looked cute but her hair sure was curly. I will not post a picture.

I guess I don't have much room to talk about home hairdos. After getting my daughter's hair cut once, she told me the beautician had said I should leave her hair alone. Her hair used to stick straight up in the air like we lived in some freaky static electricity zone. I won't post a picture of her's either. She has pretty hair now.

I pin curled my grand daughter's hair Saturday night thinking it would look like Rita Hayworth's hair.

It did not look like Rita's.

It looked like Little Orphan Annie's hair. In fact, Rachel broke out in a tap dance that could have been from a Broadway Show. It was so funny.

She pulled it back in a ponytail. This is how she usually wears it.

I sent a little comb to school with my son on kindergarten picture day and told him to be sure to comb his hair. He did.

This is my all time favorite picture of him.

My Pet Chicken

2012-01-16T21:43:00.001-06:00

Because I want to share with all of you other bloggers who post pictures of your goats and chickens, I thought I would re-post a picture I am calling my pet chicken.

Before I posted this I asked my sister if she minded me calling her a little chicken. She said it was okay but she just wished she could bend over like that again.

Now to look for a picture of a goat. This could get interesting.

Grandma's Cat Eye Glasses

2012-01-16T01:34:00.000-06:00

Our son helped hubby bring my OKC Grandma's buffet down from the old house. I will now be able to display my Fire King and Restaurant Ware. I somehow ended up with Aunt Maggie's set of yellow china that will look pretty in there as well. After dinner we looked at old pictures where I found this one of my Grandma and me when we lived in the little house behind Aunt Maggie's. Check out Grandma's glasses. Apparently they were very fashionable back in the fifties.

Look at my leg - it looks like I had Rickets.
I couldn't have - I was raised on Pet Milk.

My sister brought me two pair of Grandma's old glasses. One has little rhinestones on the frames and the other has a butterfly at the peak of the rims. They weigh a ton - well at least ten or twelve ounces. Slight exaggeration. I weighed them and they each weigh three ounces.

I almost like the ones on top.

My little Sierra tried on the pair on top. I took a picture but I better not post it. She would be really upset about it once she becomes a teenager.

Instead, here is a picture of her playing checkers with her Papa. She is a pretty good checker player.

And Konstance and Sierra with their iPods. They are amazingly good on them. They got iTunes cards for Christmas they have yet to use. Konstance's theory is...why pay for it when you can get it on YouTube.

It was a good day.

They Called Him Leon

2012-01-15T11:38:00.000-06:00

This is the only picture I have of Daddy as a boy. Although the picture is not dated, I think he looks eight or nine years old. I do not remember anyone saying how he got the middle name of Leon. I have always liked it though. Grandma and Grandpa called him Leon. When he got to be a teenager, the kids started calling him Prof. Although he was always very smart, he was never a professor. My aunts say they dreaded hearing Grandma tell them to wake their brother. They stood behind the door when they did because he would throw a shoe at them.

This is Grandma's handwriting on the back. It says the picture was made when we lived on Hill Street. Grandma gave this picture to me because she wanted to make sure I had one of my Daddy. I am so glad.

My Brother's Birthday

2012-01-14T23:26:00.000-06:00

Sunday will be my brother's birthday. His birthday is one week after my sister's. Her birthday is exactly one week after the New Year. How did that happen? David's daughter was born the day before his birthday. He asked his wife if she could wait just one more day. She could not.

I do not have as many memories of my three years younger brother as I do of my sister. I have heard stories of how he got his name. Mama wanted to name him Paul Dean after her brother and Daddy's brother. Due to the anesthesia she received during the delivery, Mama was still sleeping when Daddy named him David. Aunt Lizzie said she remembers Daddy high-stepping down the hall of the old hospital declaring he was a Junior. How excited he was to have a son.

David was a cute little feller. I always felt protective toward him yet I was often mean to him. I always made him get his immunizations before I got mine. He would say it did not hurt but I thought it did. I remember the same public health nurse gave all of my childhood shots. I may remember her name before I finish this post.

This is the picture Mama said I could wear her
mustard seed pendant if I did not cry when she
fixed my hair. Again...what's up with those
short bangs?

David and I always kissed Mama and Daddy goodnight before going to bed. Daddy would help us say our prayers. We said the one with the "if I should die" part. It was not scary to me. One night Daddy said it was time to hit the sack. David grabbed a screwdriver and began to beat a brown paper bag that was lying in the floor. It was funny then but now I wonder why there was a sack in the floor and why there was a screwdriver lying around.

Mama and Grandma took us to Frontier Land when David was around three years old. Mama sat him beside me and told me to watch after him while we rode a little train around the park. It was fun but when it stopped I could not find Mama. I held tight to my little brother's hand as I searched for her. She was not very far away and thought it was funny that I was about to cry. David was not scared.

Our OKC Grandma with us at Easter

We once lived in an apartment house near the "Y" of Main and Cherry. An old gentleman who lived in one of the apartments sat on the front porch a lot. He knew the neatest trick where he would place his hands on either side of his nose and make a sharp snapping sound as he twisted his nose to the side. It sounds pretty creepy now. A really pretty lady and her husband lived in another one of the apartments. She asked Mama if I could walk with her to take lunch to her husband. I had to pretend to take a nap so David would go to sleep and I could sneak out with her. She held my hand while we walked to an office downtown. Her husband let me spin around in his chair. I was a little embarrassed that she kissed him when we left.

I have a memory I am still ashamed of today. I believe we lived in this same apartment house when I had blood poisoning in my thumb and my Aunt and Uncle came to check on me. I had been playing with a Humpty Dumpty egg shaped toy that fell apart if you dropped it. I remember hiding it in the sofa cushions when I heard my cousins come in. I did not want them to play with my toy. If I ever get another Humpty Dumpty toy, I will share with them.

David once sneezed so hard he burst a vessel in one of his eyes. We were out at the farm and Grandma shooed me away while she tended to him. I thought it was gross. Later he tried to shave a bar of soap and cut his finger so badly Mama had a hard time stemming the blood. I am sure it did not help that I was standing there screaming. Mama yelled at me to get out. I wonder if it was Lifebuoy soap? That is the kind of soap she used to wash my mouth out with when I called David a liar. I think he probably was fibbing.

This is out at the farm. Freda looks like a little
chicken. Grandma kept her in little dresses.

I remember sharing a toy box with David when we lived in the basement apartment by the college. We found a scary tarantula in the bottom of it. It was trying to climb out. Mama worked in the cafeteria at the college when we lived there. She showed me how to get to Michie school one time and I walked by myself from then on. She took David to work with her. She would tell stories about the funny things he said and how everyone thought he was cute.

We lived on Oakland Street when Mrs. Polly insisted I had to turn in the homework I had left at home. Miss Kraus let my two years older uncle ride someone's bike to get my papers. I thought he rode David's bicycle but I doubt he had one in the first grade. A couple of years later, I had finally ran fast enough to get a swing at recess when someone said my brother was hurt over on the third grade playground. I clung tightly to the chains while insisting it was a trick to get my swing. It was no trick. Daddy had to pick him up and take him to Grandma's house. Since I lost my swing, I was probably not very sympathetic.

Did I tell you how I broke my leg the summer I turned thirteen? Did I tell you I climbed up a ladder to get to the bottom branch of a tree? Did I also tell you David took the ladder away? Did I mention my leg broke when I jumped out of the tree?

We were living out Flat Rock when David had to drive Mama's Corvair home after I ran over a dog on Highway 359. I was going very slowly and the silly thing just got tangled up under the car. The dog was okay but I was a wreck. Was that in Mama's Corvair or was it Grandpa's old Ford Fairlane? We sort of inherited that old car when its frame was warped after an accident. The engine ran perfectly but the front end pointed ever so slightly toward the center line.

I attempted to make homemade biscuits for supper one night while we were still at Flat Rock. I rolled them out way too flat so they came out of the oven only a half inch high. They were golden brown but inedible. I asked David to take them out with the garbage. He picked up the pan of scraps and asked, "Who threw out the cookies?"

One night he caught a ride home with a guy from school. I remember him coming in the house talking about what a nice guy he was and that he drove a neat old car. I was not interested. A couple of years later this same kid became David's brother in law.

Because every early memory I have of my Mama and Daddy include David, I do remember a lot about him after all. I remember I love my baby brother.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID

The county health nurse's name was Gladys Simmons - and I did not have to look it up. Locals may correct me if I am wrong.

Happy Birthday Baby Sister

2012-01-08T07:22:00.003-06:00

Today is my sister's birthday. I was not quite nine and Mama was twenty five when she was born. Mama was much older at twenty five when she had Freda than I was when I had my daughter at that age. Mama was sick before, during, and for quite a while after this last baby was born. I remember she mostly ate only toast and jelly. Our OKC Grandma came to stay with us while Mama was in the hospital and stayed long enough to help Daddy move into a different house before they brought Freda home. We always rented.

Speaking of rent houses...we looked at a really pretty house on Sevier Street while I was still in grade school. It had a big picture window and enough bedrooms that we would not have to share. Daddy said we could not get it because the rent was $100.00 a month.

I do not remember what should have been the memorable event of bringing a baby sister home from the hospital. I do remember Grandma staying a little while and asking me to take a dish back to a neighbor at the end of Taylor Street. I thought she meant a lady who lived across Main Street. When Pete's mother sent the dish back with me stating it was not hers, Grandma got real upset that I had crossed Main Street by myself.

Freda was a happy baby who I do not remember ever crying. She surely did but I was too unobservant. Or maybe, and this is probably the true reason, Daddy never gave her a chance to cry. To say the least, she was a little spoiled. She was always the easiest child to get along with though. As she did with the rest of us grandchildren, Grandma practically raised Freda Lou. The Lou in her name was after our Grandma, Dena Lou. Grandma fried a lot of potatoes for Freda. Mama used to laugh about how she had to come home from work once to give Freda some nasty tasting medicine because Grandma could not bear to see her cry when she had to take it.

I wish I had that lamp, that chair, those drapes, and that Grandma now.
(I'd like to have my old arms and legs back too. But not that frizzy perm.)

Freda was named after her two grandmothers. And remember I was named for Rita Hayworth. Rita and Freda. Why did they do that? We could never tell which one our parents was calling. Well, I could usually tell by the tone of their voice. If they were calling because someone was in trouble or needed to do the dishes, it was Rita. Does the baby always get out of doing chores? Daddy said he did ask Freda to sweep or do something around the house one time but her response was, "You know I don't like to work." He thought that was so funny. Me? Not so much. We later married Don and Ron.

My Aunt babysat Freda for a while during the winter months. She would take her to a little neighborhood market and buy her a grape soda every morning. She dressed her in the cutest little green snowsuit. We should have taken a picture of her. She would always go to sleep in her little rocking chair while watching Captain Kangaroo and drinking her bottled soda pop. She ate some cigarettes one Easter morning and while Mama did dress her in her Easter outfit, she was too sick to go to church.

Sorry for the poor quality. She was sick here.

She always said the funniest things. Yet now, I do not remember any of them. Oh, yes I do. After this same Aunt married, she babysat Freda again. A wall hanging featured a half moon shape that apparently fascinated Freda. She pointed to it one day and asked what it was. Uncle Roy was working at something, and quietly said, "It's the moon." She asked again, "What's that Uncle Roy?" After he patiently replied it is the moon four more times, he finally said, "I don't know, honey." She said, "It's the moon." I am sure that is not funny to the rest of you, but it has been a family anecdote we have laughed about for years.

A better Easter picture of us.

My brother and I married and moved away from home years before Freda did. Although we were equally loved, she enjoyed a special relationship with our parents that remained until they both passed away. My children were married when Freda and I somehow became closer in age. As she was yet encumbered with child rearing and I had completed mine, we began to enjoy flea marketing and sometimes even a weekend trip away.

That changed when I began nursing school and she had a mid-life baby. Elizabeth Ann (the Ann is after me) tried to make an entrance many weeks too early and Freda was put on complete bed rest to prevent premature labor. She had just been allowed to get out of the house when we decided to get a bite to eat. She specifically asked for a veggie and cheese sub sandwich and we both ate one before I took her back home. Later that evening, she was rushed back to the hospital. Despite being placed on a table that almost stood her on her head and caused the veggie and cheese to come back up, there was no stopping Elizabeth. She arrived ten weeks premature and weighed 2 pounds 15.5 ounces. Freda had to remain in Clarksville as the Children's Hospital ambulance whisked Elizabeth a hundred miles away. I cried as I followed those flashing red lights through the drizzling rain as that precious baby was taken to the baby saving specialists in Little Rock. How hard that must have been for Freda. By the way, I do not think she has had another veggie and cheese sandwich.

As soon as she was able, Freda and I made many trips to Children's to see Elizabeth. I did not get to hold her until someone said grandmothers could hold the babies. The next visit we told the staff I was Elizabeth's grandmother. They believed me. That was great but kinda' not.

Freda and Elizabeth at Children's Hospital

Mama and Daddy loved Elizabeth. Daddy bought her honey buns because he knew she loved them and although Mama was quite ill, she and Elizabeth enjoyed a special bond.

Elizabeth has inherited Mama's love of jewelry

Elizabeth became my "same as grandchild" niece. She is only four years older than my first grandchild.

Although Elizabeth was a little afraid of the "eager to play with her older cousin" baby Rachel, the teenager and she now enjoy a close friendship.

Now that Elizabeth is going off to college, maybe we can take a trip together. I can see us now. Two little grey haired ladies off to the casinos. We could go on those little tour buses you see everywhere. Oh, I forgot, I throw up on a bus.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FREDA LOU

Flea Market Pyrex Finds

2012-01-07T19:44:00.001-06:00

As the letters from my OKC Grandma used to start...just a short note. We have company in this weekend and the womenfolk went to flea markets today. I thought I would show you what I got. I am not real sure where I am going to put these but I just love glassware and especially these colors.

Fifties Fashion

2012-01-05T17:48:00.000-06:00

Remember my Christmas present to myself was the 1950s magazines I found at the consignment store? Here is an advertisement I found in the March 1956 issue of Good Housekeeping. I am not loving the "salad bowl" hat but you have got to admit our mothers were stylish. I imagine she was headed out the door for a garden party or to play bridge with her friends. This was back in the days that mothers did not have to get out and work every day. It was also in the days that mothers did not get to go out and work every day. Why couldn't there be a happy medium....like work only when you want to?

Laptop Woes

2012-01-02T17:31:00.003-06:00

There is an evil and sneaky key on my laptop that when even lightly tapped will cause everything I have written to instantly disappear and never to return again. I have never been able to catch it in the act because it always happens when my attention is on the screen, on my notes, or glancing at something on the television. I sure wish I knew which key it is so I could tape over it or mark it in such a way as to alert me if I am drawing near. If anyone else has this problem, please advise. I would hate to think it is exclusive to my laptop, my home, or heaven forbid, a problem with the operator.

Look what happened to my Mama's cat eye glasses when I tried to wash them. They must have been held together with dust and grime because they began to completely disintegrate when the cloth and water touched them. The rhinestones on the frames and the rims rising into an upward peak on the edges were very fashionable in her day...not so much so in mine. You probably cannot tell in the picture but the lens were tinted like sunglasses. They did not tint glasses then like they do now. Hers were discolored by the nicotine from her cigarettes. Although I hated that cigarette smoke then, I now feel it was just Mama.

By the way, a future post of mine will be about home remedies. The first one to be mentioned will be how my parents blew cigarette smoke into my ear to soothe an earache. I think nowadays we realize second hand cigarette smoke is a frequent cause of upper respiratory problems in children. Oh well, water under the bridge now.

Home Remedies That Work

2012-01-02T08:20:00.001-06:00

Were you taken to the doctor very much? We only saw them for "have to" ailments and relied primarily on my Grandpa's prayers. We know prayer works.

Mama said I had a lot of earaches as a child. They may have occasionally taken me to the doctor with an earache, but I do not recall taking much medication. I remember Daddy and Mama blowing cigarette smoke into my ear when I complained of pain though. Although I think it may have contributed to my poor hearing today, the warmth from the smoke was soothing.

Sorry the picture is crooked

Here is a picture of me watching TV (my favorite pastime) and saying "huh" when Mama called my name. She took me to the doctor once because I said "huh" so often. He said all kids did.

I am not sure what Mama gave me baby aspirin for but because I threw them behind the sofa, they did not work.

I gargled with warm salt water anytime I had a sore throat. It also heals mouth ulcers. A simple remedy that still works today.

I remember Grandma cut her finger with a knife and while bleeding profusely asked me to get spider webs to stop the bleeding. I was too afraid so she had to do it herself. As the bleeding stopped right away, the cobwebs must have worked.

After nineteen years of biting my nails, I quit while I was expecting my first child. I am sure Mama employed many methods in an effort to break me of the habit. None of them worked. I once developed blood poisoning after tearing a cuticle off into the quick. The inflammation, fever, and swelling meant a trip to the doctor where a penicillin shot was administered. I was covered in a fine rash before I walked out the door. No more penicillin for me. It probably did work though.

Further treatment for the infection in my thumb included warm Epsom salt water soaks and dressing my thumb in clean rags that were ripped into strips. We barely had bandaids back then, much less rolled gauze. They then wrapped my whole hand in a plastic bag. It was hot and uncomfortable. Apparently it did work though.

Mama applied a golden seal herb salve to the impetigo sores I had around my mouth. It was a thick, yellowish, mud-like concoction that smelled dreadful. It continues to be one of the more popular roots or herbs used today. It must work for many complaints.

I got a really bad sunburn the summer I stayed with my OKC Grandma. She soaked brown paper sacks in vinegar and placed them on my blistered back. I would try this remedy on my own grandchildren because it works.

One of our neighbors told Mama sage tea should be administered routinely to prevent worms in children. We were dosed a few times with this terrible, dreadful, awful, horrible, disgusting, nasty, foul tasting potion. It is a good thing this was back in the days the only one to report abuse to was a Grandma or Mama would have been in big trouble. What you do (but please don't) is brew sage (the stuff you put in your cornbread stuffing) and water into a tea. Then you have to drink it in small sips. While I took forever to choke mine down, my brother would go ahead and drink it, eat the bread afterwards, and be done with it. I always made said younger brother get his immunizations first too. He was easily manipulated as a child. I knew how to work it.

I remember the whole county going to the high school to receive the life saving polio vaccine in sugar cubes. Daddy had me and brother go through to ask for five doses - enough for the whole family. Polio was a killer and crippler of many from my generation but the vaccine worked.

Did you all get your flu shots this year? I hope so because you know they do work.

My Blogging Friends

2011-12-31T23:55:00.002-06:00

By the time I finish this post, it will be 2012. I have spent a good part of this New Year's Eve reading posts from the blogs I follow. Although I do not always know where you live, I do love to read of your everyday goings-on. I find them all so interesting while at the same time all so different.

So many of my favorite blogs seem to involve chickens. I guess it is a little late for us to begin raising chickens as we left the farm we had lived on for forty years for a place closer to town. But it would be nice to see the chickens scratching around outside. Aren't they supposed to be good for keeping down the tick population? But aren't they also a little silly? They might get loose and get hit by the trains that come roaring past the house. And too, I would have to think of names for them all. I will just read about your chickens.

I love to see all the photos of the gardens and canning you do. We did put in gardens at the old place. A few gardens were so large I thought I would never finish putting up green beans and tomatoes. We had a neighbor that would bring us his over ripe peaches. They made the best peach butter. My attempt at a garden down here did not go well. I am blaming the drought. It is ironic that there used to be rich bottom land just across the railroad tracks. The Corps of Engineers flooded it all to build Lake Dardanelle. It does make for a pretty view though. Well, y'all just keep posting those pretty pictures of potatoes, pickles, and corn.

I have really enjoyed seeing how you all decorated for the holidays. Everyone's homes were so pretty and the decorations were very inventive. Alas, I have not one creative bone in my body and have to hire someone to do all my decorating. I do want to see all of your projects though and will try not to be too envious.

You all seem to have pets. Their personalities shine through in all your snapshots of them. Most of you have cats - and pugs. No pets for us here due to the aforementioned trains.

Oh yeah, I really like to see the nice photographs you post. So many of them look professional. The scenery surrounding you is spectacular and makes me aware of how beautiful our world is. I too am surrounded by beauty but do not own a camera that will capture it. Until I decide to spend the money on one, I will enjoy your photos.

I did take this picture Labor Day 2010. You don't see a
lot of sailboats on the Arkansas River.

Seriously, what I love to read the most is about your kids, your grandchildren, your spouses, where you went on vacation, what you ate at the new restaurant, the rainy weather, the pretty birds you are watching, the flea market finds, the good books you read, that your health is improving....your life in general. Thank you all for sharing.

No 2012 Resolution

2011-12-30T23:14:00.000-06:00

As I have decided to be kinder to myself in 2012, I am not making a resolution this year. Why set myself up for disappointment? It is pretty pointless anyway for me to resolve to diet and exercise when I know I will not do it for more than three days anyway. Well, wasn't that pessimistic? Let me re-phrase.

When I began to think of all the diets I have been on, this Johnny Cash song came to my mind. Maybe I have not been on as many diets as places Johnny Cash has been, but I have been on an awful LOT.
Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere"

I have told you about Dr. Lane's Diet - otherwise known as the Looking For A Husband Diet. It was my most successful as I lost weight AND gained a husband.

I did lose a little weight while hubby was in basic training but did not follow a particular plan. I ate a little of whatever I wanted but just did not eat a lot. Although I was not looking for a husband at the time, I was looking forward to a husband coming home.

Back in the early 1970s there was a candy-like dietary supplement called Ayds that I chewed with a hot drink thirty minutes before meals. It was supposed to curb my appetite. Although they were pretty tasty, I was still hungry.

I have taken various diet pills from time to time as well. In fact I was on some prescription diet pill when I got pregnant with my daughter. Although I stopped as soon as I knew I was expecting, I just knew she would be born with twelve arms. She only has two.

I joined a weight loss group named TOPS in the seventies. It stood for take off pounds sensibly. I do not remember there being a formal diet plan and I do not remember losing weight. I met a lot of really nice people though.

I was on a doctor supervised liquid supplement diet at one time. I was not successful at losing much weight but I did lose a lot of money.

Note the price on this nice book I bought at Wal-Mart. I think I may have thumbed through it a time or two but did not shed one ounce doing so. I may have done better if this Bob Green guy had come to my house to supervise my weight loss endeavors like he did for Oprah.

Ah, Atkins! Who has not been on the Atkins diet at one time or another or another or another. I had a friend who once said she was on the Pottsville Diet - the not quite Atkins diet. Arkansans know that Pottsville is the town right before you get to Atkins.

South Beach Diet. Another $17.47 not well spent. A sensible eating plan but I wanted cake and chocolate pie.

I am not sure what this one is about. Obviously no cake or pie in this plan either.

I have joined Weight Watchers more often than I want to remember. It is probably the most sensible and easiest plan to follow. I should probably try it again.

I have not had any of this nasty stuff in my house in years. Took this picture at Wal Mart.

Although I do not want to go on the Looking For A Husband Diet, I may give Dr. Lane's Diet another try. Wish me luck.

I wish you all a happy, blessed, and prosperous New Year.

Prelude To My Next Post

2011-12-27T20:59:00.000-06:00

Am I the only blogger out here that has had trouble finding time to write even a small blurb? As I have way too many memories crowding the current things I need to be remembering, I will be writing again soon. In the meantime, a little preview of my next post entitled "All My Past Diets."

The following is a former post entitled "The Looking For A Husband Diet"

As mentioned in previous posts, I broke my ankle the summer I turned thirteen and spent that summer with a cast on my right leg. I got out of doing chores until Mama caught me scuffling with David and then I was back to doing dishes. I did walk to town with a friend several weeks after initially learning to use crutches. I had to stop a couple of times walking back up Cherry Street hill in front of the high school. But most of that summer was spent sitting in front of a fan while watching television. Mama was working then so we had a babysitter that came to the house. (I have a story to tell about her in a later post entitled "Pinto Beans and Frogs.) I was thirteen and could have taken care of my younger brother and sister but I guess my parents thought too much of them to leave in my custody all day. This babysitter was an older woman who wore her hair in two braids twisted across the top of her head that put me in mind of Petunia Pig. She was a dear soul though who certainly knew how to cook. Not only did she make breakfast and lunch for us kids, she had supper ready for Mama when she got home. We had biscuits and white gravy, cornbread and pinto beans, fried potatoes and macaroni and cheese, chicken and dumplings (I do not care for dumplings), meat loaf and ham....well you get my drift.

During that long summer of inactivity, I became that ugly three-lettered "F" word we do not let our kids say. I gained a little more each year until I turned sixteen and Daddy took me to an old country doctor in Dover for advice on losing weight. Dr. Lane was short-spoken and all business. He smoked a pipe and brought his german shepherd to work with him every day. His fee for an office visit was five dollars. After a quick exam, which thankfully did not include removing my clothes, he brusquely instructed me to step up on the scales. My aversion to that ever sliding to the right measuring block began.

I should probably post Dr. Lane's diet on the internet in one of those little pop-up ads that say, "guaranteed to lose forty pounds in three months." I could probably make a tidy little sum from it as well. But I won't. Here it is.

DR. LANE'S DIET

EAT ALL YOU WANT OF THE FOLLOWING FOODS:

LEAN BEEF, CHICKEN, OR FISH. BAKED OR BROILED WITHOUT FATS OR OIL
BOILED EGGS
GREEN VEGETABLES EXCEPT ENGLISH PEAS OR LIMA BEANS
FRUITS – FRESH, FROZEN, OR CANNED
SUGAR FREE DRINKS

I stayed on this diet plan all summer and did lose a lot of weight. But I stayed strictly with it. If I did not have something from the list, I just did not eat. I drank a lot of Tab soft drinks. I think they were probably ten cents a bottle and tasted pretty darn good with a saccharin sweet taste. They said later the saccharin was giving lab rats cancer but then "they" recanted that claim.

I maintained that weight loss until I was expecting Laura. All day long morning sickness prevented me from gaining much with Greg. But since I felt great during my second pregnancy, I gained quite a bit more than the doctor recommended amount. From time to time I would go back to eating the green vegetables, fruits, and lean meat but never enjoyed the same success I did that summer.

Although Dr. Lane delivered babies in his office, I used obstetricians for my deliveries. My family did continue to use him over the years from time to time for the common sore throats, rashes, ear infections, and bumps and bruises. On one of my visits for some malady, I asked Dr. Lane why I could not lose weight like I did back then. His as-always curt response was:

"Because you're not looking for a husband now"

I will fill you in on my other diets on my next post....just in time for our New Year's resolutions.

A Big Chief Tablet

2011-12-25T23:50:00.000-06:00

Another great Christmas has past. Santa brought our 9 year old grandson a tablet. When his Papa told him he used a tablet in grade school called a Big Chief, Blake asked if it was a touchscreen.

Another great Christmas morning with our two children and their family. I love those grandbabies.

Another great Christmas dinner at the in-laws. When I noticed this sweet vintage Pyrex casserole dish there, my mother in law said I could have it. Not a Christmas present per se but a nice gift nonetheless.

And an equally great day doing nothing today but watching old movies with hubby. As there is a cold rain here out, I hope to stay inside and watch some of the old fifties movies our kids got us. I may even let hubby watch the old westerns while I nap. Life is good.

Oh yeah, my same as sister cousin welcomed her first grandchild yesterday morning. Ella Gail - what a special gift.

Christmas Past

2011-12-23T19:43:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve is tomorrow. I think I will have it all together by the time everyone arrives to have breakfast and open gifts on Christmas morning. I am so blessed to have our children live nearby.

I have been remembering my childhood Christmases. Sometimes after we were bathed and dressed in our pajamas, Daddy and Mama would bundle us up to go see all the lights in town. Although Christmas displays were pretty modest in the fifties, I do remember Oklahoma Tire and Supply dressed their store windows in all the latest toys. I could have sat there for hours looking at the dolls, doll houses, and carriages. Of course, my brother was into the Tonka trucks. The red, blue and green lights across Spadra bridge seemed magical to me.

I love this picture of me and my brother. What do you think of that huge bow in my hair and my too short bangs. Is that the way bangs were supposed to be cut in the fifties? Isn't my little brother cute? He looks pretty suspicious of Santa. Several years later, I threw his Huckleberry Hound hat out of the car window on Main Street. He was really upset. Another instance of "I should have got a spanking" but did not.

I remember Christmas morning smelled of new doll vinyl. I got twin dolls for Christmas the year we lived in Chouteau, Oklahoma. My Oklahoma City Grandma came to visit and had sewn a whole wardrobe for my twins. I think that was the year I went to the first grade and told the teachers we did not have money for a new coat. The teachers bought me a pretty red coat. Mama made me give it back and took me to town to get one not as pretty. There was a big snow that year but I still went to school. I walked in Daddy's footsteps to get to the car. I wonder why he didn't just carry me? I was little bitty then. We made snow ice cream there too. We did not live there long. I was glad to get back to Clarksville.

I remember I got a doll carriage the Christmas before my sister was born in January. I remember telling Uncle Paul if they would stay all night with us, his newborn daughter could sleep in my doll carriage. They did not stay though.

I got my first Barbie doll when I was twelve. Mama thought I was too old for a doll so she bought me a pearl necklace too. This Barbie had black hair styled in a bubble cut. Mama was probably right about being too old. I wish I had kept her though.

I asked for a record player for Christmas the next year. I did not get one but I did get a radio. The only music playing all Christmas day was Christmas carols. I remember asking Daddy if he liked Paul Revere and the Raiders. He preferred Jim Reeves but said he did not care what I listened to. Later he watched the Beatles with me on the Ed Sullivan show.

I do not remember many of my Christmas presents. I suspect I did not receive a whole lot of gifts. But I always had a warm bed to sleep in, always had plenty to eat, and always had a lot of people who loved me. I always knew why we celebrated Christmas.

I expect to be busy for a few days but would like to take time to wish all my family and friends - new and old alike - a most Blessed Christmas. May you all enjoy a warm bed, plenty to eat, and many who love you. And most of all, may you always know why we celebrate Christmas.

Traditions - Part II

2011-12-18T14:33:00.002-06:00

-continued from yesterday-

Grandma and Grandpa took me and my two cousins to every fellowship meeting, camp meeting, and youth rally around. Once again, Uncle Jack teased we were looking for our "intendeds." Although there may have been some truth to that, neither of us married anyone we met there. Mid week services were devoted to the youth as well. My "only three words the whole trip to Oklahoma City" uncle was usually the best at the sword drill. That was the Bible quiz game where someone calls out a book and verse and the first to locate it in the Bible stands up to read it. I am ashamed to admit I would not be able to find the books of the Bible as quickly today. When did I become too busy to read a chapter from the Good Book daily? I remember Aunt Loda standing on those long steps leading up to the church yard and laughing about giving some boy a stick of Cloves gum she had powdered with alum and replaced in the wrapper. I wonder who it was and whether his lips are still puckered? I remember a little boy at church giving me a Cracker Jacks ring and saying he "claimed" me. He didn't claim me very long though.

The little church never enjoyed a large congregation but there were always more in attendance at Sunday morning services. When returning from Sunday School classes we sang Happy Birthday to anyone who had celebrated a birthday that week. It was a different birthday song though. Listen Here We gave Grandpa a penny to count into a bell shaped jar in commemoration of each birthday year. I am going to have to ask someone how that custom came about. I do know it was exciting to hear seven little pennies chime into that glass jar. I would ask Daddy for money for the Penny Marches on Sunday morning. I thought it was great fun to march down the center aisle, drop a penny or two in the offering plate, then return to your pew in a somewhat viewing the body at a funeral fashion. It was much later that I realized a few pennies in the fifties may have been all some had.

My grandparent's first child was born in 1926. They were raising children in the midst of depression times. Daddy said they never had much but they never thought themselves poor. Grandpa worked daily and Grandma raised most of what they ate. Grandma did get a job at a canning factory in town once but when she saw all her babies waiting for her at the edge of the yard when she came home for lunch, she did not go back. They lived five or six blocks from the downtown railroad tracks when Grandpa's mother would feed the hobos who showed up hungry on their front porch. After church service Sunday dinners often included members of the church congregation while countless families arrived in the middle of the night requesting assistance to get closer to their destination. Not one time did Grandpa turn them away without money and a bite of food. Where did the money come from?

Since Grandma and Grandpa still had a two and a three year old at home when I was born, the grandchildren did not receive presents from our grandparents. But that is not to say we did not receive gifts. Every year on the Sunday before Christmas, they filled a plain brown sack with an apple, an orange, assorted nuts, and a handful of Christmas candy to pass out at church. I looked forward to them each year and I now know that simple offering of love for their church family came from their hearts.

The finished Christmas cookies. Grandma called them
tea cakes. My aunt and uncle carried on the Christmas
goodies gift tradition last Sunday.

The gifts I received from my grandparents were given in everyday lessons and experiences. They taught me what the exchange of gifts on the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus really represents. I was blessed with hearing the Word of God from a Man of God. I learned that Jesus Loves Me meant Jesus loves ME and that all children were precious in God's eyes - not just the ones that looked like me. I always knew that if no one else in the world loved me, my Grandma did. I under appreciated that my Grandpa's fingers were permanently bent and twisted from years of carrying heavy sacks of feed - his daily gift to his family. I did appreciate him taking me home when I got homesick - even after he was in bed asleep. I was blessed with never hearing one curse word pass Grandpa's lips. He felt "heck" was a swear word. I was honored to know they always spoke the truth. Grandpa said a man's word was his bond. I was given the knowledge that if I was scared, or sick, or about to have a baby, my Grandpa had the ear of God. If he was heavily burdened, he not only prayed but would fast as well. Yet he continued to work. These are the gifts no one can buy. These are the gifts we should offer each other.

Traditions - Part I

2011-12-17T13:32:00.001-06:00

It is funny how everyday events become traditions. I do not remember baking Christmas cookies with my Mama or with my children either. Yet we have been baking sugar cookies with the grandchildren every Christmas for years now.

I think this is why Mama didn't want to bake with kids

I feel like new family traditions evolve as the parent's ideas and practices become intertwined. Although I do not remember reading bedtime stories to my children, my son began reading books to his first born when she was just a baby. I know this because while I was taking the grandchildren to school one morning, I overheard her tell of something the teacher had said. I thought she was relating the story as the Charlie Brown teacher would when she finished with, "and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." When questioned she said, "That's what daddy says sometimes." He must get tired of reading.

I remember daddy telling me bedtime stories from memory. I would ask to hear the story of The Bremen Town Musicians but now I do not remember what it was about. I still remember the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf though. Grandma had me read it when I was the lookout for the school bus and would yell, "Here it comes." After the kids grabbed their books to dash out the door, I would laugh and say, "just kidding." I do not remember which uncle whined, "Mama, make her quit that!" I do recall being bratty.

Speaking of stories, I remember Grandma telling me a true story. After she had delivered one of her nine children, she awakened Grandpa to ask for a drink of water. She said he promptly got up, walked out to the back porch where the well was, drew up a bucket of cool water, drank a dipper full himself, and went right back to bed. She never said whether she got her drink.

Although it would not capture the attention of kids nowadays, I was fascinated by Grandma's Sunday School story of David tending his flock depicted on flannel backed paper cutouts stuck to a fabric covered easel. I think the flannel board must have been a precursor to present day power point presentations. Mama said Grandma first took me to church when I was three weeks old. I remember Grandma singing I'll Fly Away and patting my palm against hers as she kept rhythm to the tune. My grandson has that song on his iPod. I remember she always had a clean handkerchief in her purse. She called her purse a pocketbook. She somehow tied a little bit of change into the corner of her handkerchief in such a manner I could not unfasten it. Grandpa always had clean handkerchiefs to use when he preached. He needed them to wipe tears from his eyes. I remember Sunday School songs like Jesus Loves Me - this I know for the Bible tells me so. And Jesus Loves The Little Children - they are precious in his sight. And The Wise Man Built His House Upon The Rock - and it stood firm when the rains came tumbling down. These mini-sermons in melody send life messages that last a child forever.

One of my aunts said many times they walked to evening church services but had no recollection of walking back home. Church lasted late into the night in those days. I remember walking with my cousins in Oakland Cemetery between Sunday morning and Sunday evening services. About midway in the cemetery a little five or six year old girl is buried whose likeness is captured in a brass encased picture frame affixed to her grave marker. We always wondered about the little girl who was so obviously loved.

-continued tomorrow-

Spilled Beans

2011-12-15T18:50:00.001-06:00

Don't you just hate it when you have no intentions of mopping your floors on a Thursday night then you spill a whole bowl of freshly cooked pinto beans in the middle of the kitchen floor and then not only do you have to mop the floor you have to wash the heavy kitchen rug and while you are washing it you may as well wash the one in the foyer and then you notice bean juice splashed all over the refrigerator and freezer so you have to wipe it down too and while you have the cleaner out the dishwasher and range needs cleaning as well. But it is just as well I did go ahead and sweep and mop or I might not have noticed the two little "I promise you brown beans" that had somehow rolled way over into the small bathroom.

The Pelicans' Return

2011-12-14T12:33:00.000-06:00

The weather is warm yet quite dreary in Arkansas today. I am home sick and as I opened the drapes, I noticed the pelicans out on the water for the first time this season. Although I may give in at some later date, I refuse to pay the price of a good camera. Therefore, you will just have to take my word that the pelicans have returned to my part of the river. I believe it is actually called Lake Dardanelle. Anyway, here are the pitiful pictures I have taken of them.

Oops, no pelican here. This is what I like to think of as a
wise old bird - I believe a crane. My sixty year old eyes
can make it out better than this pitiful camera lens.

Here's a couple of pelicans separate from the group.

The main group stay huddled on an old log midway between
the bank and Goose Island.

I am very curious about this little group of birds. Where do they go during the summer? When did they start out on their journey to Arkansas? There are many more this year than there were last year but they all look like mature birds - no baby looking ones. They may come from your part of the United States. From some of the pictures I have seen posted already this early winter, I do not blame them for heading south. I will look after them until their return to you in the spring.

A TOMATO CONFESSION

2011-12-11T21:23:00.001-06:00

I have a confession about my home grown tomatoes. They are home grown but are not vine ripened. I got maybe a total of ten tomatoes off my vines during the whole past summer but come cooler weather they started producing little green tomatoes. I wrapped those, along with the ones my brother in law gave me, individually in newspapers and have them setting in a window of the cool attic. Every few days I check to see which ones have ripened. I expect I will have a few for Christmas dinner.

Sunday Breakfast

2011-12-11T09:54:00.001-06:00

I didn't have frozen biscuits so Blake helped me make scratch
biscuits. It's hard to do with only one arm.

He wanted one large pizza biscuit

And two gingerbread ghost shaped ones

Blake and Papa sorting the tomatoes

Some did not survive the cold

One perfect tomato

Two perfect tomatoes - note the flour on
his nose.

A bunch of perfect ones

A Little Decorating

2011-12-10T19:27:00.001-06:00

I just have a minute for a quick word. I am getting behind on reading my blog list - duty calls elsewhere. I will be glad when I retire so I can read your blogs and write my posts all day. That is how retirement works, isn't it? My daughter in law came down yesterday to decorate a little for me. I am almost a minimalist so I don't have a lot of fluff in my home. I do like seeing what everyone else has done

with their decorating - fluff and all. Maybe I just don't like taking it back down.

I need to insert a memory here after re-reading the first sentence. Shortly after Grandma's oldest daughter married, she moved far away to California. She raised all three of her children there before returning to Arkansas. She and Grandma exchanged long newsy letters routinely that often started - just a quick word.

They usually ended up long words. Kids today could never survive with just letters coming through the mail two weeks apart.

I love turquoise and aqua. Need to find a bird
for the cage - not a real one.

Bear and cowboy snowman on the old metal
stool my grandpa made.

Can you tell the tree skirt is my friendship quilt?
Probably not a good idea on the front porch but
it is pretty.

We have been in the house over a year and
have yet to build a fire in the fireplace.
Hubby can't seem to bear starting the
first one. I am buying electric logs for
the holidays.

Okay, this is a little strange. See the little monkey on
the mantle. He has been there ever since we moved
in. I don't know for sure how he ended up there but
he seems to like it. I'll just decorate around him.

Back to my reading. Everyone leads such interesting lives.

YIKES!!!!!

2011-12-08T23:11:00.001-06:00

I promise you I am going to decorate for Christmas this year...and will probably start this weekend. I plan to post a few pictures too. I am way too sleepy and tired tonight though so I thought I would just pull out an old picture from early last spring. Yes, it is a little tiny green snake that somehow managed to worm his way up onto my kitchen range. Or maybe he dropped down from somewhere. I know I could have picked him up and hand carried him out but I was all alone and had to sweep him outside. He kept wiggling sideways and giving me the creeps. He still gives me the creeps and I haven't seen hide nor hair of him in months.

I may take a blog vacation and come back next week with pictures of my Christmas tree. Oh, you all know better than that....I can't be quiet that long.

A GIRDLE FOR CHRISTMAS ANYONE?

2011-12-07T07:18:00.001-06:00

Check out this article in my 1953 Good Housekeeping magazine I found at the consignment store.

Can you imagine? Unfortunately, I can. My OKC grandmother wore this type of girdle. How did they walk in them? How did you get out of them? What kept it from creeping up your thighs? Oh, I see. It has garters you attached to your nylon stockings that I imagine held the girdle down while holding the stockings up.

Although I want no part of being trussed up like the Thanksgiving turkey, I expect I would eat a lot less if my stomach was all squashed in. In fact, I once heard someone say spandex is the cause of America's obesity crisis. Nursing scrubs are notorious for the capacity to "give" as well. One of my nurse friends said she knew she had to start changing her eating habits when her scrubs started getting tight. I, for one, am going to worry about all of that after Christmas.

THE TAYLOR FAMILY

2011-12-05T05:56:00.001-06:00

It is funny about memories, isn't it? Like Forrest Gump, I do not remember being born but I do have a lot of early memories that seem to mostly include aunts, uncles, and cousins. Although they say you don't recall events that happened before you were three years old, I could not have been much more than that when Uncle Jack cautioned me to be careful with the big-as-me hammer I was using to drive nails into the dirt yard of the house on Taylor Street. This was during the time Mama had to stir the vertigo causing gravy for Aunt Lizzy because she had all day long morning sickness while carrying Monica. Monnie is not that much younger than I am. I remember how Aunt Maggie's Chihuahua Princess Kay was called PK for short. I remember being shooed out of Aunt Maggie's dark bedroom after Daddy told us not to ask for any more chocolate covered cherries. She said we could have as many as we wanted. She died shortly after our visit. I remember how Aunt Emma's snuff left thin brown streaks in the creases of her mouth. I did not like drinking from those snuff jars. I remember playing with Jimmy on Aunt Maggie's front porch when Daddy had me sing "Oh Susanna" for Dorcas and Howard. Howard laughed that funny "huh huh huh" laugh of his because I sang "banjo on my knee-bone" like Daddy did sometimes. Dorcas made a big to-do about how talented I was. I was probably cute back then. I remember Dorcas quickly tying the big sash on my pinafore so I could resume playing with the kids at the farm. One hot summer day she offered to pay us kids a penny apiece for every fly we killed. That may have been the same time she told me to just ignore the boy cousins when they kept saying Jimmy was the oldest grandchild.

They say my nine days younger cousin would get mad when I called him "Shimmy." I do not remember that. There is a studio picture of us together where they said I kept crawling toward him and he kept trying to get away. I do not remember where I last saw that picture. They said Jimmy had a little rubber boy doll that he loved. I do not remember it. I did buy one that I imagined looked like his though. I bought the little girl doll too. They said Jimmy remembered our great grandma and that he called her his Cookie Grandma. I do not remember her. They said she predicted Jimmy was too smart to live long.

Jimmy was smarter and more talented than me. He went to kindergarten when the rest of us did not start until the first grade. His kindergarten had a fireman's pole he could slide down. He learned to read before I did and read Dick and Jane stories to me. He could count money before I knew a penny from a dime. He would blow and pop huge Dubble Bubble bubbles just to show me he could and I could not. He would climb the ladder to the hay loft, scramble across the wide-planked floor, and tumble out the door onto the heaped up hay as I watched from the ground. He wasn't afraid to go in the dark, loud, and scary pump house like I was. He was an athlete before we knew what one was. He could leap over the cattle guard, run down the driveway, and be back in the yard before I could cripple across those metal bars. He zoomed around on a bicycle way before I learned to ride one. He played well with all the kids and even though he won all the marbles from the guys out at the farm, they all liked him. Sometimes he let me play. Did Jimmy and I always get along? No, we did not. Did he ever say he loved me or even that he liked me? No, he did not. Was I ever jealous of him? No, I was not. Did I adore him? Yes, I did.

My Aunt Dorcas married a handsome Robert Mitchum looking man the same year Mama and Daddy married. I never knew if Uncle Howard was kidding or telling the truth. I usually just didn't believe anything he said. He always had a grin on his face and a cigarette hanging from his lips. Although he never hugged me, kissed me, or even patted me on the head, I think he loved me. As was common then, Dorcas and Howard had four boys in rapid succession. If they ever wished for a girl, they never voiced it. It wasn't long after Jimmy was born that Michael came along. Pleasant and even tempered, Big Mike was always the peacemaker and often took the side of the underdog. They said Michael and another cousin, who will remain nameless, were playing with matches and caught the pasture on fire. I do not remember that. Dale and my brother are the same age and played together at the farm. I do not remember ever playing with them. It was not long after Anthony was born that Dorcas and Howard moved to North Little Rock to be near Children's Hospital.

Although I do not remember Nicky with "real" legs, I do remember how he stood on the back of a tricycle and used his hands to pedal pell-mell around the corners. You had to step aside quickly because he was not stopping for anyone. It was always a little startling to see his blue jeans covered and shoes donned artificial limbs thrown all akimbo under a chair or behind a sofa as if someone had taken a spill and no one cared enough to help them up. I remember Loda saying the secretary of the school Nicky attended was appalled when she told her to see if Nicky couldn't just walk across the street to her house when he broke a screw in one of his limbs. The unwitting secretary said, "Ma'am, did you understand? The teacher said he broke his leg!!" Loda was serious when she said, "Well, it happens all the time and sometimes he can still walk on it." He told everyone he was not allowed to eat the Pop Tarts because his mom was saving them for when his baby cousin Robbie came over. I do not remember his three older brothers ever giving over to Nicky or him ever receiving special attention from them. He was knocked off the sofa once while scuffling with his brothers. He grabbed both stumps and screamed, "My bones, my bones!!" As that left no impression on them, he just laughed and piled back in on them. The summer I was there, Nicky had ulcers on his stump and couldn't wear his artificial limbs. I remember Dorcas' washing machine would get off centered and bounce all over the kitchen floor. Nicky hoisted himself up on the machine with those strong arms of his to try to steady it. He just jiggled all over the floor along with the machine.

I spent a couple of weeks with Aunt Dorcas the summer Jimmy and I turned fifteen. I didn't see much of Jimmy because he was a popular kid with loads of friends and things to do. Michael took care of me though. Wherever Mike went, I was welcome to go too. Those three older boys ran all over the place in North Little Rock. As I have often said, it was a different time then. I slept in Dale's bed while I was there. I am unsure where Dale bunked and apparently neither did the friend who opened the window screen to awaken him for an early morning fishing trip. You should have seen his face when he grabbed my foot instead of Dale's. Whatever happened to that boy?

After I got back home that summer, I made plans to fix my friend Karen up with Jimmy. That did not work out because just a few weeks later Jimmy dove into a shallow pool of water and broke his neck. I remember Grandma going to Little Rock to stay with the younger boys while Dorcas and Howard stayed around the clock at the hospital. Although Grandpa had to come back home to work, he continued to pray incessantly. I remember Mama saying she found Grandpa mowing around the banks of Spadra Creek when they called to say he needed to come back to the hospital. Later that night, I remember Daddy slumping against the wall when they called to tell us Jimmy died. His cigarettes glowed long into the night as he grasped them between his hands and sat hunched over in his chair. I remember Grandma leading me next to the grave site to say goodbye. I did not for I could not bear to see my "Shimmy" in a casket. Years later Grandma said she had lost her mother, her father, her sisters and brothers but nothing hurt like losing Jimmy. I do not remember Dorcas crying. She said she had to stay strong for Howard and the boys.

Michael was a big boy who did not seem offended that we called him Big Mike. He was a gentle soul who knew no enemies and would hurt no one. The hitchhiker Dorcas and Loda picked up did not know that though as he listened to Loda rant about what the sleeping Michael had done and could do. The poor kid clung fast to the passenger door with a wary eye on Mike. I doubt he wanted to ride very far.
Michael was a self taught and talented jeweler working in Pine Bluff when he suffered a pulmonary embolism and died suddenly. Once again, Aunt Dorcas had to bury a child. Once again, she had to be strong for Howard and the boys.

We began calling Nicky either Nick or Anthony since it no longer seemed appropriate to call the tall, strong, and handsome man Nicky. Although Nick had a family that included grandchildren, he never lived far from his Mother. His profession was making and fitting artificial prostheses. Many clients appreciated the fact he understood their needs. Nick was preparing to take his granddaughter to school one morning when he suffered a massive heart attack and despite all efforts to revive him, died in Dorcas' kitchen floor. She came home to find his limbs tossed to the side. This time, Dorcas had to be strong because Howard was very sick himself. I suspect Dale was shoring her up much more than she ever knew. She said Dale was her buddy.

Uncle Howard died shortly after Nick did. I was heartsick. Not only had I lost this man who was an integral part of my childhood, I grieved for my Aunt Dorcas' loss. But this little lady who seemed to be shrinking daily felt she needed to be strong. She told me a while ago that she had grieved but that she had put her feelings down in a tablet, closed the book, and placed it on a high shelf. I could never bear to read that journal.

My Aunt Dorcas is now resting in the arms of God. She is bathed in the love only experienced by a Mother. Although I do believe the Bible's version of streets of gold and jewel encrusted mansions, I have an extended version of heaven for my Aunt. I see meadows of green grass and streams of cool and calm water. There is sunlight from every direction but it is not hot. I see Grandma and Grandpa coming down a little path toward Dorcas. Daddy and Inez are with them. There is Jimmy standing beside Dorcas - just as he was forty five years ago. Howard has a wide open grin because Nicky is running toward them on two long, sturdy legs. Michael waves from a fishing boat in that clear stream. That looks like Mama sitting beside him. What a look of peace Dorcas has as she looks out on her family.

.

Merry Christmas To Me

2011-12-03T19:26:00.001-06:00

Work is so interfering with my newest pastime - reading everyone's blogs. I just have to work tomorrow and then no more weekends until after the New Year. I did high-tail it to Clarksville today to check out some old magazines I had heard about at a consignment store. JACKPOT!!!!!!

You should be able to enlarge the picture to see the cover of this 1964 issue of Good Housekeeping with celebrity cookbook recipes from Mrs. LBJ, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Tony Curtis, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Peggy Lee, Deborah Kerr. I cannot wait to check them out.

Look!!! January, 1953!!! So sweet. An early Christmas present to myself.

Aunt Lizzy's

2011-12-02T14:48:00.001-06:00

I went to Aunt Lizzy's house today. Her sister, and my Aunt Dorcas, passed away this morning. I will tell of that in a later post. Although the pretty redbirds that were perched on the old dying apple tree outside her kitchen window would not let me take theirs, I did take some neat pictures while there.

The last remnants of fall and the ever present flag off the front porch of the house they have lived in nearly sixty years.

A Better Homes and Garden magazine from the year they married. Note the price is only $.25 for this content laden book. She declined my $50.00 offer by saying, "If I was going to get rid of it, I would just give it to you."

My cousin took this picture of a fallen leaf on Thanksgiving day. Doesn't it look like a floundering starfish?

This picture of the old storm cellar is deserving of a story all its own. My two same-as-sisters cousins and I sat on this shelter many days watching cars go by on what was the main thoroughfare from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Little Rock, Arkansas. Uncle Jack teases that we sat out there looking for "fellers." I wonder how many times my husband passed by on his way to his friend's house in Flat Rock. Because he rode motorcycles, I am sure we discounted him as a potential mate.

Knoxville Friendship Quilt

2011-12-01T18:02:00.001-06:00

I am blessed to have the quilt my hubby used as a child. I believe it is called a friendship quilt because it has the names of friends from the Knoxville community embroidered on each block. Although I recognize all the names, I did not know all of these friends.

This the one my mother in law did. I need to get
her to re-do the last part of her name.

This is where my step mother's name should be. Do you remember me telling you my step mother and mother in law are sisters? They were always together and I don't know why Sue didn't quilt a block?

IT IS HARD TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER

2011-11-30T17:58:00.001-06:00

A childhood friend's Mother passed away and will be laid to rest tomorrow. I have had Toni on my mind all day and I am reminded of the first time I met her Mother. I was in the second or third grade when I rode the bus to Toni's house with the intentions of spending the night. Although I do not remember where she lived, it seemed like a long bus ride. I usually walked back and forth to school and never rode a bus farther than from Michie school to my Grandparent's house out by the new high school. It is hard to imagine allowing a third grader to spend the night away from home but times were different then. We walked through what I thought was a forest to get to her cousin's house to play until just before dark. Her Mother was in on a trick we planned to play on her Dad and had supper ready and the table set awaiting his return from work. When his car turned into the driveway, we scooted behind the long white tablecloth and waited for her Mother to tell him we had not made it off the school bus. Now mind you, it was already dark outside when he said, "Well, when we get through with supper, we will go out looking for them." Today, I can imagine the wink and the eyes turned toward the table as her Mama pretended to be worried about the wayward children. We tumbled out from under the table to surprise him and he made a big to-do about us being safe. It was not long after supper that I became homesick and Daddy had to come pick me up.

This is the picture of me in shorts (on picture day) and
Toni is beside me in a pretty little dress I am sure her
Mother picked out especially for her.

We lived in the downstairs apartment across from the college when Toni attempted to spend the night with me. Although she did not make it all night either, I think it had more to do with us getting into trouble for writing with ink on the wallpapered walls. After she left, Mama made me scrub the ink off with Comet cleanser. Personally, I think the ink drawings looked better than the rubbed out wallpaper.

I do not remember Hazel again for close to fifty years. When I did start seeing her routinely, despite being so ill herself, she always spoke of her love and concern for Toni and of her appreciation for her grandchildren's care of Toni. I guess Mothers will always worry about their children.

Although it is true, I do not want to voice the usual, "She is in a better place" or "At least she is not suffering." I do want to express my imaginations though. I envision the joyful reunions her Mother is experiencing now. I envision her lungs filled with clean air as she has laughter filled conversations with long passed loved ones. I envision the sun shining warmly on her as she walks arm in arm with her own Mother and Father. I envision her arms filled with beautiful bouquets as she sits on the banks of a clear stream surrounded by orchards of leaf covered trees shading meadows of green grass. I envision her pretty, smiling face as she no longer remembers a pain filled body. I envision her surrounded by pure LOVE.

The Puddle Jumper

2011-11-29T17:57:00.000-06:00

Mama had and loved a little green 1964 Chevrolet Corvair she called her puddle jumper. She drove it back and forth every day to work at what then was just called the chicken plant. This was long before anyone knew about Don Tyson.

Mama in her Corvair? No it isn't.

It fit her perfectly but I wasn't as fond of the box like vehicle with a clutch, brake pedal, accelerator, and gear shift that all had to operate in sequence. Although, as noted in previous posts, I had difficulty riding a bicycle, I was determined I was going to drive a car. How hard could it be? After all, I had seen a lot of people driving cars in the movies and on television.

One Sunday afternoon, after much pleading on my part, Daddy agreed to begin teaching me to drive. I had visions of long drives with the windows down and the wind blowing my long hair while gripping the steering wheel with one hand and smoothly shifting gears with the other hand. Although I was looking forward to a little father/daughter time, my brother and sister hopped in the back seat of Mama's little car as Daddy drove me to the, at that time unpaved, straight stretch of Shoe Plant Road. He began with the basics of starting the engine before showing me how to gently ease off on the clutch while pushing the accelerator down slowly and sliding it into first gear. That was a little tricky because when I released the clutch just a little too quickly, that danged puddle jumper would try to leap over some imaginary mud hole. After I failed to get the wheels moving forward more than two rotations before the car would shudder and die, my brother pulled a football helmet out of the back seat and put it on. Little sister was tucked tightly in the back floorboard.

I finally got the car headed South but something was still wrong. It was a good thing that was an untraveled road because obviously there was something wrong with the steering mechanism on the car.
It kept going from way over on the far West side of the road to nearly in the ditch on the East side. I didn't understand what Daddy was wanting to know when he kept asking me why I was moving the steering wheel back and forth. Didn't they turn the steering wheel from side to side in the movies? After just that one lesson, Daddy said I would have to take driver's education. I am still not convinced it was all my fault though. After all, the Corvair was one of eight cars listed in Ralph Nader's 1965 book "Unsafe At Any Speed."

Except for that one instance I would have crashed into the city pool house if not for Coach "I Forgot His Name" braking in the nick of time, driver's education went off without a hitch. But had I known you had to report your height and weight when you got your license, I would not have been as eager to learn to drive.

Last Christmas Pictures

2011-11-28T23:03:00.001-06:00

I am only showing pictures tonight since I am running behind on EVERYTHING. The following pictures are from the Grandchildren's last Christmas cookie baking. My new kitchen is pretty small so I divided the grandchildren up by cousins rather than siblings. May do it again this year. I have the best Christmas cookie recipe I will share with you as well. Grandma called them tea cakes.

Blake and Konstance.
They're great friends and cousins.

Cousins Rachel and Sierra. They are so much alike.

Christmas Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla in large mixing bowl. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed ingredients. Form into 2 balls and chill in refrigerator. On floured surface roll dough out 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes. Sprinkle with granulated or colored sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F. 8-10 minutes.

I usually have the dough chilled when grandchildren arrive and they do the cutting and sprinkling with sugar.

Now I need to get to catching up on all of your posts. I don't want to miss anything. Although....I am becoming a little intimidated by all your lovely pictures of your Christmas decorating and I have done none so far.

Miniature Horse Found

2011-11-26T22:32:00.000-06:00

Do you remember me telling you my granddaughter Rachel loves horses? And did I tell you her Papa keeps her well supplied in them? Well, somehow she ended up with a miniature horse named Playgirl. Although the rest of the horses have been moved to pastures closer to where we now live, Playgirl was left on the old farm to be bred with a neighbor's miniature. As I lost that battle long ago, I did not ask why. Playgirl had rendezvoused with her betrothed a year ago without success and another attempt was scheduled. She spent the allotted time at the neighbor's farm, was returned home, and tucked safely away in the lower meadow until she could be brought down to pasture with the other horses.

Alexis and Samson

I am reminded of a cute story about one of the other horses. Rachel and her Papa had bought a mare at the horse sale a few years back who, very unexpectedly, delivered a foal a few months later. When trying to determine paternity, the seven or eight year old Rachel said, "Well, it couldn't be Pepper 'cause he has had his shots." Pepper is hubby's big gelding - who, by the way, is a really good "mother" to all the new arrivals.

Jackie and Beauty


Pepper is checking on Jackie's new foal. Snowflake is curious as well.

Playgirl had been back on the farm only a few days when someone called the neighbor to ask if she knew whose mini that was trotting down the paved road toward her house. Sure enough, Playgirl had escaped her pen and was trying to return to the not so greener pastures two miles away. It is funny to think of a little pony walking alone down a paved road. If she is that determined, we may as well let them get married.

Playgirl at her "new home"

Flash was born the same day Blake was. My birthday too.

And that is not even half of them. Did you know horses eat a lot?

THEY ARE JUST THINGS - BUT THEY ARE MY THINGS

2011-11-25T13:18:00.001-06:00

Here are just a few of the "things" that I like. My tastes change and I may not like them next year but right now I do. And......does anyone have an answer to this question? Why do I like the "things" from the fifties, sixties, and some of the seventies?

Tupperware - does anyone NOT like Tupperware?

Mama's pretty little redbird lamp. Excuse the wilting philodendron.
Philodendron are so forgiving.

My collection of "aqua". I use these "things"

Grandma's Christmas Elves that stay out yearlong.

Metal toothpick grabber my son bought me because
it reminded me of one Grandma had.

My drainboard kitchen sink. I know....who cares about a sink?

Sweet potatoes in my Harvest Wheat pattern
dish sitting on my fifties dinette.

More baked sweet potatoes.

A Thanksgiving To Remember

2011-11-24T18:40:00.001-06:00

My daughter and her family went to Texas to spend the holiday with family there. Poor Blake, my only grandson who was also born on my birthday, had to be taken to the emergency room late last night after a trampoline accident resulted in a fractured arm. Although I am sure it was scary and painful, he was very brave and did not whimper. I think Mama, Daddy, and Sissy were more emotional that Blake. The staff at the hospital fixed him up in a temporary cast until he can be seen by an orthopedic doctor back here. He is finding it very difficult to do things without a right arm and he is wondering how he will be able to write when he gets back to school next week. He is thinking a touchscreen laptop would be appropriate. We are thankful it was only a broken arm.

This is Blake's "Woody" impersonation at Hobby Lobby

We had a lovely "too much food" dinner with hubby's family. As a friend said today, I hope you were all warm enough, full enough, and loved enough.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

2011-11-23T19:51:00.001-06:00

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless

his name. Psalms 100:4

FAVORITE FOODS

2011-11-22T21:12:00.001-06:00

I have been thinking a lot about food lately. Although I always think about food, this time of the year makes me remember foods from my past. I remember my Grandmas preparing special dishes or foods for the holidays and special occasions.

My Oklahoma Grandma made her Thanksgiving dressing with what we called "light bread" instead of the cornbread stuffing I was accustomed to. She always made a German Chocolate cake with a coconut pecan icing for my dad. Although she pretended she did not like him, she bought him Coors Beer too. Because she knew he liked Coors.

Because she knew he loved them, Daddy's Mother made him banana puddings for Thanksgiving dinner. The made from scratch pudding was especially good if eaten still warm. Daddy said he also liked my step mom's whipped topping banana pudding. Grandma made my brother oatmeal cakes with coconut pecan frosting. I wonder if he still likes them? I would make him one if he would come visit. Because I know he loves oatmeal cakes.

Mama started working outside the home shortly after my baby sister was born. Grandma became very attached to her and pretty much whatever Freda Lou wanted, Freda Lou got. Often at some large family gathering, with every dish you can imagine presented, Grandma would fry potatoes just for her. Because Freda loved fried potatoes.

Look at that baby - wouldn't you fry potatoes for her too?

We would often have fried chicken dinners at Grandma's after Sunday church. The whole fryer would be cut up and fried - giblets and all. Grandpa was always given the gizzard and liver because it was his favorite. Years went by before Grandpa announced he had never really cared for gizzards.

Grandma was known for her yeast rolls, pinto beans, and Mexican chicken. But it was often the simpler things that I remember the most. Since my uncle and I had children the same age, we were often at Grandma's at the same time. I can still see Bo and Todd sitting on the bar separating the dining room and kitchen while Grandma made them a bowl of warm oatmeal. Because they loved oatmeal.

Except for the milk gravy Grandma fed me when I was an infant, I do not remember special just-for-me meals. Well....she did make homemade applesauce for me when I was on Dr. Lane's Diet. And....she did bake all those sweet potatoes for me while I was expecting Greg. Because she knew I loved sweet potatoes.

A NO DIET HOLIDAY

2011-11-21T20:59:00.001-06:00

Just in time for the holidays, I have an addendum or slight modification to The Looking For A Husband Diet.
Click here for the original post of Dr. Lane's Diet

Per Doctor Lane's orders shortly before Thanksgiving.....one should never diet on a holiday.

A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

**Disclaimer** As a medical professional, I recommend you continue to adhere to medically prescribed regimens.

The Last Of The Tomatoes

2011-11-20T09:35:00.001-06:00

These are the last of my tomatoes off the plant I have on my front porch. I may have had three to ripen over the summer but as soon as the weather turned cooler, they started producing. Alas, too late to ripen though. My brother in law - thanks Ron - brought me the last of his green tomatoes. As there were quite a few of his, I decided to follow the instructions a friend - thanks Kathy - told me her mother in law did with her green tomatoes. Hubby and I wrapped each one in newspaper, placed them in a box, and he took them to the bonus room to ripen. (Remember, I try not to climb those stairs if I can get someone else to do it for me. And I certainly wouldn't be able to carry a box up there.) We had intentions of having fresh ripened tomatoes for Christmas dinner. I then rechecked the comment she had left on my facebook page to see if I had done it correctly and found they should have been laid out where they could get sun. No sun up there. I will bring them down and put them where they can get a little sunlight and check for ripening every three days - as instructed. We will keep our fingers crossed.

Speaking of fingers crossed. Our little Sierra, whose party we are having today, was over Friday night for a while. She is always hopeful one of the old VHS tapes from the times her Dad was a kid will work in the recorder. She had chosen the Disney movie El Dorado and taking it out of the case, I encouraged her to cross her fingers. Always eager to please, she took both index fingers and placed them together in an X or cross symbol. Wish I had snapped a picture then but here is pretty one of her taken by her Mom.

A GOOD NAME

2011-11-19T22:51:00.001-06:00

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Proverbs 22:1

It occurred to me when viewing my post about Grandpa's Henry J, that some might wonder about Grandpa's name. Grandpa was named Jiles David Middleton but usually was called Rosie (or Rosy or maybe Rosey). I heard two different versions of how he got the nickname Rosie. I heard he looked like Teddy Roosevelt and was called Rosie for short. I also heard his cheeks were rosy - therefore Rosie. I do think it had something to do with Teddy Roosevelt though, as Grandma called him Roosevelt - pronounced Rose-velt. He signed my marriage license as his official name, J.D. Middleton. There is a family anecdote that all nine of Grandma's children, according to their birth certificates, had a different father. One had J.D. listed as the father; one had Jiles David; another one with Jiles; one had Rosie; one had Rosevelt; another Roosevelt; one was Giles...and so forth. To most people in the community he was Brother Rosie.

My Grandpa and Grandma

Grandpa's Mother was a Robinson from Limestone Valley. One of her cousins once told me that, although their family name was originally Roberson, it somehow later became Robinson. As registration of births was not mandatory until WWII, accurate birth records were not kept in my great grandmother's day. If a birth was recorded, the spelling of the names was often at the recording official's discretion.

Did I tell you already that Grandma safely delivered nine children, had no miscarriages, with all her children living when she passed away? Daddy was her second child and first son. They named him David Leon and he was called Leon until later nicknamed Prof.

Although Mama intended to name my brother Paul Dean (after Daddy's brother and her brother), when she awakened from the anesthetic, his name was already Junior. She attempted again to use the names of their brothers and name my little sister, Paula Dean (I just realized "Paula Deen"). Well, poor Mama. Both of said brothers named their daughters portions of their names just a month before Mama delivered my sister. Paul Dean/Paula Dean was not meant to be. Mama first thought she would name her after the two grandmother's middle names, but decided against this when she began to think how it would sound when she called her name. Her mother's middle name was Etolia (E-tol-ya) and Daddy's mother's middle name was Lou. She was afraid people would think she was trying to yodel when she called her to come into the house. She was named Freda Lou.

And remember, I was named after Rita Hayworth - who was no saint.

Grandpa's Henry J

2011-11-19T17:53:00.001-06:00

The farm Grandma and Grandpa lived on, and where most of my childhood memories are from, was torn down several years after they moved back to town. There had been two huge barns, a dark, loud, and scary pump shed, a smoke house, a storm cellar, a hard-to-cross-for-a-kid cattle guard, and green pastures all around the small house I then thought was so big. Grandpa took care of the cattle on the farm for Mr. Wish, who also owned the feed store where Grandpa had worked for years. It stood where the new High School is now. I wonder how long I will call it the "new" High School?

We usually caught the bus at the farm and could see the bus coming down Spadra Road far enough away to get to the stop in time. I would cut through the pasture rather than having to run across the cattle guard and then downhill to the road. That climb back up the hill used to be so much steeper than it is now. I remember missing the school bus one morning and walking with my uncle all the way to the school at the corner of Main and Montgomery streets. I think I had to do quite a few double-steps to keep up with him.

When we were kids, Grandpa had a Henry J car that frequently would not start unless pushed to the top of the hill. It was our job to send that little car down the slope fast enough to start when Grandpa "popped" the clutch. We would find a place along the back bumper or the fenders and push until Grandpa waved his hand out the window to indicate he was coasting fast enough for it to start. We waited at the top of the hill for the sound of the engine catching before returning to the house.

I do not remember what color Grandpa's Henry J was. I read they cost $1300 new and were capable of going up to 50 miles per hour. Grandpa never drove any vehicle 50 miles per hour. My aunt said she went to sleep in the back seat of the car Grandpa was driving on a trip from Clarksville to Little Rock. Thinking they were nearing Little Rock, she awakened to find they were only in Lamar.

Grandpa never missed an opportunity to go to church. He was returning from Wednesday night services when he was stopped near the courthouse by a city policeman. The nice young patrolman saw who it was and said, "Brother Rosie, your car was weaving some but if I had known it was you I wouldn't have pulled you over." That was the last time Grandpa drove a car.

A BLENDED FAMILY

2011-11-17T17:44:00.001-06:00

I have a guest blogger tonight. My oldest granddaughter has had horses since way before she should have. I cannot remember for sure how old she was when she wrote the following horse story. But first, a picture of her taken about a year ago on her favorite horse Jackie.

Mother and baby

Once there was a mother and a baby

Who had no dad so she just had a mother

There was a boy horse near by.

Who had a baby with him.

The mother asked if he would be her wife.
(a little gender identification problem)

Not sure if this is the baby or mother.

So she has a new father

The End

THE PARABLE OF TWO WIVES

2011-11-16T17:53:00.001-06:00

My Grandpa said he once asked a woman how her newly married daughter was doing. Her reply was that she had married the nicest young man who treated her like she was a queen. She continued extolling his virtues with how he had a good job downtown and was so generous he would turn his paycheck over to her every Friday. She beamed proudly as she finished with, "Why, he even brings her coffee in bed every morning before he goes off to work and she doesn't have to stay home alone all day since she can come visit with me in that pretty new car he bought her. Her man is so considerate he usually takes her out for dinner or helps her cook and cleanup if they stay home. And did you see their new house they built up the street?"

Grandpa nodded and agreed that was wonderful news before asking, "Well, how is your son?" Her response to this inquiry was that the poor boy had married a lazy, worthless woman who made him go off to work every day and expected him to turn over all his hard earned money every week. The woman shook her head and persisted with, "She lays up in bed all morning and then drives that fancy new car over to her mama's house to spend the rest of the day there. To top that off, he either has to take her out to eat every night or she expects him to help out in the kitchen after he has worked all day. And the poor child is going to be paying forever on that brand new house she just had to have."

This story has nothing to do with anyone I knew or now know but it occurred to me it could have been written about me. Hubby and I first lived only a couple of blocks from Grandma and, as this was back in the days hubby actually did not want me to work, I would awaken mid morning, clean the house, walk to Grandma's, and stay until time for him to get off work. One of my aunts, who was expecting at the same time as I, was usually there as well. Grandma baked six or so sweet potatoes in the oven every day for Judy and I. I have no doubt the soft, buttery, orange goodness was responsible for our beautifully, healthy babies.

Today is our baby granddaughter, Sierra's birthday. She caught this fish on the Arkansas River all by herself. I think her daddy made her land it after she hooked it. She really wanted no part of it, though. Happy Birthday Sweetheart. We're having a butterfly themed party for her on Sunday.

My First Brassiere

2011-11-15T16:50:00.001-06:00

First off, I would like to thank all of you for the sweet comments about My Little Mama. I found comfort in each one.

Now, I want to tell you about my first brassiere.

NO THIS IS NOT IT!!!

I saw this picture on The Far Side of Fifty Blog. She was kind enough to let me borrow it. Read her Brassiere post.
Click here for Far Side of Fifty's blog

It is a very unique and patriotic sculpture. But what is up with being in the front yard?

Locals will remember - well the locals my age will remember - the old Ben Franklin store, that used to be between White's Drug Store and Farmer's Bank, burned down when I was in the fourth grade at Hurie School. My Grandpa worked for the City of Clarksville at that time and helped clean up the debris. Back then cleaning up meant using a shovel and wheel barrow. He brought home a bunch of smoke damaged items from the burned out store to check for anything salvageable.

This was during the time my grandparents were caretakers on the Wish Brother's farm where the High School is now. I loved the little house where I spent so much of my childhood. I liked the closet that you could enter in Grandma's bedroom and come out in Auntie's room. The house was actually much smaller than I remembered it. I used an outdoor toilet and washed my hands in a washstand by the kitchen door until a bathroom and washroom was added to the back of the house.

All of us children were shooed outside the day Grandpa and Daddy dumped boxes and bags full of soot soiled goods around the old Tide and Purex filled wringer washing machine. Grandma, Mama, and several of my aunts reminded me of little squawking hens pecking around in the yard as they sorted through the various Playtex and Maidenform necessities. I wasn't sure why all the goings on embarrassed me.

You would have to understand my upbringing. Our grandparents taught and practiced moderation in all things. I rarely saw Grandma in her nightgown or Grandpa in a short sleeved shirt. Modesty was of utmost importance. Undergarments were "unmentionables" and therefore not discussed. But the few whispers and giggles I overheard on the playground made me associate the washroom activities with shame.

Always the nosy child, I kept returning to the back room where the womenfolk were debating which brassiere - as they were called then - would fit who. To this day, I vividly remember my Daddy, of all people, as he walked through the steamy washroom saying, "Don't you think you need to find one for Rita Ann?"

And so it began.

MY LITTLE MAMA

2011-11-14T17:08:00.001-06:00

My mama was born in Missouri, raised in Oklahoma, married my daddy, and lived the rest of her life in Arkansas.

Mama was five years old here. I see her in the faces of some of my nieces. I favored her as a child too.

Mama is ten years old here. Isn't she a pretty little thing? She was the only girl with three older brothers and one younger brother. I think they spoiled her and she loved them all.

Mama was only sixteen when she married and moved away from her family in Oklahoma. That was not unusual in 1950. I was born one year later. I only cost them $22.00.

My hospital bill shows 2 days at $5.00 a day. $10.00 for the delivery room. $1.00 for lab. $1.00 for baby bracelet. It was paid in full the day I left the hospital. I wonder how long daddy worked to pay $22.00?

Mama said I would have starved as an infant if my grandma had not fed me milk gravy off the table. She said her milk was "blue john". What the hay is that? They put me on Pet Milk formula.

Mama curled my hair in rags the night before pictures were to be made at the photographer downtown. I'm not sure how old I am but I remember her saying she would let me wear her mustard seed necklace if I would not cry when she combed my hair out. I really wanted to cry. I wish I had that little pendant with a mustard seed in it now. Mama would iron a crease in my dress sleeve to make it pouf out. Look how cute my little brother is. My daughter's hair stuck straight up like that too.

I remember mama not letting me have the bubble gum the newspaper man would toss to us as he scurried by with his paper laden wagon.

I remember telling my brother the switching would hurt more if he ran from mama.

I remember being sick and throwing up on the Greyhound bus the whole way to Oklahoma City. I remember it took a dime to use the toilet at the bus station in Henryetta. Mama had me crawl under the door. I remember not making it to the bathroom before throwing up again. I am thankful Mama didn't abandon me in that bus station.

Mama had my baby sister when I was nine and she was twenty five. I thought she was too old to be having a baby. She was much older than I was when I had my daughter at twenty five.

Mama would suck on lemon drops but rarely shared with us. She said they prevented "liver spots". I am trying to remember if she had age spots. I wish she had let me have more of them.

Mama did not believe in sparing the rod, or the switch, or her hand, or a fly swat. I was bigger than she was the last time she tried to chase me with a fly swat. She got tickled and gave up.

She washed my mouth out with lifebuoy soap for calling my brother a liar. (I am certain he was at least fibbing.)

She liked to color in coloring books with us. She colored beautifully.

Mama wasn't much of a housekeeper. I did a lot of dishes growing up. She could sure grow roses though.

Mama went to Oklahoma City to get her dentures. She was wearing "Theater Red" lipstick when she returned. Her mouth looked huge.

Mama used to sing "In The Garden". I remember her singing:

Mama's little baby loves shortnin', shortnin'
Mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread
Mama's little baby loves shortnin', shortnin'
Mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread

Mama let me practice taking blood pressures on her when I started nursing school. She would have let me try to start an IV if I had asked.

She used to say she had "sometimers" instead of Alzheimer's. When I called to ask what she had done all day, she would say, "Not a durn thing." Sometimes she would say she had T.B. - tired butt.

Daddy said he loved her cooking. She made us corn meal mush for breakfast once. It wasn't too bad with lots of sugar and butter. She made pinto bean sandwiches for us too. They actually tasted pretty good. I am thinking we may have been poor. Even when she lived alone she would fix herself a meal instead of just snacking. She made chili once that had a ham bone in it. She had funny ideas.

Mama wanted to ride on my hubby's motorcycle but chickened out when he got there. He's a good man and loved my mama too.

Mama had a little dog named Buttons who, when mama got sick, would jump into the bathtub at night to go potty so she wouldn't have to get up and let him out.

Mama loved to crochet, and crochet, and crochet. She liked to smoke cigarettes while crocheting. Actually she liked to smoke cigarettes while doing everything. Her doctor shushed me when I scolded her though.

On the advise of her doctor, mama tried to drink a daily glass of wine. She said it tasted like spoiled grapes and gave it to daddy.

Mama woke up early and went to bed early. She called me every night though. Sometimes I was busy and groaned when the phone rang.

Mama died fourteen years ago today. I wish she could call me.

CHORES ARE DONE - BACK TO BLOGGING

2011-11-13T21:25:00.001-06:00

Mission accomplished. Back to blogging

It turned out nothing is wrong with our air conditioner after all.
It was dust & lint. Go figure???

I cleaned this lamp but the one above the sink is too high for me to
reach. Honey do?

Poor Aunt Lizzy's stool covered in leaves.

It was so windy today there weren't as many to sweep
away as there was yesterday. It was almost 80
degrees today. This stool was my mama's that
Aunt Lizzy had at her house. She had it re-welded,
sand blasted and painted. She painted the little lily.
I love it.

A little high for me to dust too.

Looks much better now above the map of the portion of the
Arkansas river we live. Isn't the bottom portion shaped
somewhat like a galloping horse. My youngest granddaughter
noticed that - Sierra, my little artist.

I could find no reason to keep the DNA

Much better.

Pajama bottom with ripped seam.

I'm just going to leave her here to think about what she
has done. The very idea...splitting right down the front.

Bath toys wanting to go upstairs.

They're a little closer. I don't make too many trips
upstairs.

If Barbie can tumble down the stairs, Nana can too.

My Bible Aunt Lizzy got me.

Reading in Judges - poor Samson.

Scrubs bicker when they spend too much time together.

Getting along together much better.

The whole group had become unruly.

They are now at attention facing me - well
except for Private Jergens in the back there.

They were not happy in their customary resting place in the corner.

I let them up on the bed for a while.

Comforter is too heavy for 80 degree weather. He'll have to stay on the
rocker for a while. The quilt was made by my Grandpa's mother.
Cotton batting and tiny stitches.

What's up with some of them just laying around on the floor?

They couldn't help it - no kick stands.

Insects trapped in spider's web.

Ungrateful little bugs - left a nasty residue.

Well, the streak was on the outside and there were
actually two long streaks of something
undetermined

Never did find out how the streaks got there.

Silly post, I know. But kinda' fun for me. I had such a great weekend. We got to see our kids and all the grandchildren who are already becoming busy with their little lives. But most of weekend was spent just me and hubby - and although it is unusual, it is not a bad thing. Now it's off to work for a week and a half before Thanksgiving holiday.

Love to all who read this.

GRANDMA'S BIBLE

2011-11-13T17:35:00.001-06:00

We have had a good weekend. We had fun visiting with friends and family at my niece Elizabeth's eighteenth birthday party Saturday night. I caught up on those chores I wrote about and will blog about it later...you knew I would. On Sunday, hubby and I found a few bargains at a flea market west of town. We then went to our poor little house where we raised our children, which essentially has become a storage building for items unwanted in the new house. It was kind of sad there but I found several things I plan to list on my soon-to-be-constructed Etsy store. Can you say Fire King? I was trying to find my camera's manual when I ran across my Oklahoma City Grandma's Bible. Do you or did your Mother or Grandmother keep little scraps of paper or mementos in her Bible like mine did? Just let me show you some of the things I found in hers.

A little scrap of newspaper advertising a dress pattern she must
have wanted to try. She was a professional seamstress and
made me so many pretty outfits.

A piece I have seen before but it is so cute finding in her Bible.
I guess we're all a little concerned about our memory from time to time.

I had to stop and think who this was. My Grandma's mother.
We went to Missouri to visit her once. She was blind yet lived alone.
She made us a rhubarb pie.

I wonder how old Grandma was when she copied this
"Got it made at 80" Dear Abby article.

A postcard from her son, daughter in law, and great granddaughter
Important people to her. Note the 29 cent stamp

I can so totally see my Grandma buying this Power Exerciser. She had some kind of
twister gizmo that you stand on and twist back and forth. It was supposed
to whittle your waistline but I don't know how she stood up on it much less
twisted around. (She was probably not as old as I thought she was
then - maybe not even as old as I am now)

But this is what I was so glad to find. I did let her know I loved her
and it was important enough for her to keep. (I wish I only needed
to lose 20 pounds now to go near a swimming pool.)

Elizabeth Is Eighteen

2011-11-12T22:07:00.001-06:00

Eighteen years sounds like a long time ago. Eighteen years seems like a short time ago.

My baby sister (actually my only sister)

I remember what I was doing eighteen years ago today. After weeks of either hospitalization or home bedrest to prevent a too early delivery of her first child, my sister was finally allowed to get out. I took her to Subway for a veggie and cheese sandwich. She said it tasted so good. Labor started later that afternoon and she was re-hospitalized, medicated to stop the contractions, and put on a tilt-table to elevate her feet. She said the veggies were not as tasty coming back up. Despite all efforts, she delivered a ten week early, 2 pound 15 ounces, beautiful baby girl. My sister had to stay in Clarksville while Elizabeth Ann was transported by ambulance to Children's Hospital in Little Rock. I followed behind the ambulance as far as the Knoxville exit and cried as I watched the red glow of the tail lights recede into the rainy and dark night.

Here she is while in Children's. I figured out after a while that grandmothers were allowed to hold the babies so we pretended I was Freda's mother instead of sister. Freda is only 9 years younger than I. I'd like to think the nurses were pretending to believe us instead of actually thinking I looked old enough to be her mother.

Here she is on her first birthday sucking on her two middle fingers. She's with my stepmother and daddy. Look how proud daddy is of her. He used to buy her honey buns because he knew she loved them.

Here she is with mama. She was probably letting her play in her jewelry box. Mama loved jewelry and always wore dangly earrings. Look at the watch or bracelet Elizabeth has on. She still loves jewelry.

Isn't she a little doll. She was/is always so happy. Everyone loves Elizabeth.

I think this is during the time she was in New Hampshire. I sure missed her up there.

She is back in Arkansas here. Hooray!!

The sister cousins, Elizabeth and Rachel, at the beach last summer.

(It doesn't look like it but they do have separate towels.

And here she is.....already 18 years old. Happy Birthday Elizabeth. You are loved by all.

Now for a few pictures of the decorations and a link to give

you party and home decor ideas

The Girl Next Door Decor, otherwise known as Dena has a great website and fantastic ideas for your next home decor or party. Check it out at:
http://www.decorating-ideas-galore.com/