So True!

Happiness is like jam.

You can't spread even a little without getting some on yourself!

Unknown

Me and Fluffy - 1960s

This is me and my buddy Fluffy sometime in the early half of the 1960s after a snowfall.  I do remember those mittens and matching hat with the duck design ... accessories are important!  That's my parent's Impala in the background behind the cedar tree ... I think my mother drove it for most of the 1960s.  My father always drove a truck but we used the Impala for any family excursions.  I used to play for hours in the snow, then go inside for a change of clothes, a cup of hot chocolate and would read for hours on my bed. Sounds good to me still!

Skater

A tribute to the winter that I wish we'd had except Mother Nature had other plans!  The 60F temps are nice but don't feel quite right to me.  This girl's outfit is adorable right down to the little pompoms on her skates!  There's bound to be a mug of hot chocolate at the end of this exhilarating activity!  Ahhhh cold & snowy winter ... I miss you!

So True!

I like days when feathers are snowing, and all the

eaves have petticoats showing.  

 

Aileen Fisher

Josh Williams & Sparrow!

What is your winter personality? I'm Comfortable!

Your Winter Personality is Comfortable

When the weather gets cold, you love to settle in and get cozy. There's nothing better than being tucked under a warm blanket. You can't help but be influenced by the world around you, and winter is your time to slow down and relax. You are genuinely nice and a joy to be around. You have a natural serenity that makes others feel calm. You are unpretentious and very real. You find it easy to connect to others just by being yourself.

What's Your Winter Personality?

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

1920s Charleston

National Zoo Ticket Stub - Mid 1980s

I still have the ticket stub from when Jack & I visited the National Zoo in Washington DC in the mid 1980s!  What a fun place!  I particularly loved the Reptile area (ewwww ... icky but true).  I had also visited the zoo back in the early 1970s with my parents, sister and grandmother but I don't have a memento of that particular visit except for little bits of memory. 

Sleeping Beauty!

Grandpa Shufflin'

A get-well wish for someone very special

I love the pinks and purples in this American Greetings get well card from the early 1970s!  Such a girly card!  The card signed "Dotty & Don" who were friends of my grandmother.  Very pretty!

Inside card:   

With the warmest get-well wishes that it's possible to send, 'cause someone very special is on the receiving end!  Hope you'll hurry and get well."

Pecan Pies

These miniature pecan pies are so delicious!  My grandmother made these fairly often and it's impossible to eat just one.  She was such a great cook!  Her handwriting can be difficult to read but I grew so used to it that it's easy for me to decode it! This index card is yellowed and has several ink smears ... she must have flung ingredients around in her enthusiasm!

Mom - early 1960s

This photo of my mother in the early 1960s reminds me of the winter art below!  This is her backyard version!  I love the photo.  I have the coat still and it's in perfect condition.  It's hard to tell in the photo but the fabric is corduroy.  It still looks brand new!

Winter

Then sing, young hearts that are full of cheer, with

never a thought of sorrow; the old goes out, but the

glad young year comes merrily in tomorrow.

Emily Miller

Happy 2012!!

I hope your seas are calm, my Captain!

This beautiful Charles Wysocki artwork came from a calendar that I had in the early 1990s ... maybe ... not sure of the exact year. It's so wistful! His Americana artwork is a favorite of mine. Here's a link to see some more ~~~~~> http://www.charleswysocki.com/

So True!

That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest.

Henry David Thoreau

Marshmallow World

Congealed Salad

Judging by the handwriting, I must have written this recipe down sometime in the 1970s.  I don't remember who served it or who I got the recipe from but I must have liked it!  When did fruit cocktail become salad??  The word "congealed" doesn't appeal to me these days ... it makes me think of sludge.  Let's call this "Colorful & Fluffy Fruit Cocktail" ... I'm in!  

Merry Christmas

Best Wishes for a very merry Christmas!!

 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

For you, Granddaughter at Christmas

My grandmother sent me this card in the 1970s and it has such a sweet design!  She would have turned 101 years old two days ago and I miss her terribly.  She could be so acerbic ... I even miss that part!!  She would come to visit at Christmastime and bring tins and tins and more tins of homemade cookies ... we'd be eating them well into February.  And they were so delicious!  My favorite were the little round cookie balls that had chopped walnuts and were rolled in red or green glitter jimmies.  Most times when thoughts of Christmas come to me, they are thoughts of the Christmases of my childhood more so than Christmases of today.  Merry Christmas, Grandma!!  

Inside the card:  You're as pretty as the ornaments that hang upon the tree, as sweet as Christmas candy, and as dear as you can be!  Have a Merry Christmas!"

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree!

So True!

Ah!  There is nothing like staying at

home for real comfort.

Jane Austen

Santa's Hat

Yes, as incredible as it seems, I will even keep a gift tag if it strikes my fancy!!  This beaut came with a gift a few years ago and it is so perfect!  The santa hat cut-out is lavishly covered with red and white glitter.  The red is so red and the white is so white ... it's gorgeous!!  

 

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

What Christmas Carol Are You? I'm "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"!

Your Christmas Song Is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light From now on, Our troubles will be out of sight From baking cookies to giving gifts to everyone... You enjoy brightening up the season for those you know

What Christmas Carol Are You?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

Holly Jolly Christmas - My Favorite!

Silver Bells

So True!

Close by the

jolly fire I sit

to warm my frozen

bones a bit.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Where in the world was I ???

Edith Wharton

Edith Wharton is a favorite author of mine and I saved this stamp ages ago ... 15 cents for a first class stamp!!  A lovely stamp and a lovely woman! 

Happy Birthday to Someone Nice

This very sweet birthday card was sent back in the 1970s by my cousin Teresa.  She was about 3 years younger than me and we would see each other when I'd stay with family at the beach each summer.  She writes "How ya doin'?  I really hope you have a happy birthday!!!!!  Are you going to the mountains?  I hope so.  Guess who I met ... Martin Sheen, Kirk Douglas, all of them.  Did you hear that I was in the hospital?  So how are things up there, are you alright?  Is everybody?  I hope you like this card.  I thought this was real cute.  Have a perfect birthday!  Love always, Teresa."

We haven't stayed in touch as is often the way but I always ask after her when I see distant family.  She was a very sweet girl!

The card is "Hampshire Art" brand and I was unable to find any information on that company via Google.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Me - mid 1960s

I think that coat was so new and stiff that I couldn't move!  The hat had a white puff ball in the back, you can see a little of it in the photo.  All dressed up for somewhere but I have no idea where!

 

Savory Turkey Bake

This recipe & artwork came from a 1990 calendar that I loved so I saved a few of the months!  I did that with numerous calendars over the years, not keeping the entire 12 months but select ones.  I wasn't sure what I wanted them for, I think in the back of my mind I was considering framing my favorites but never got around to that.  Who knew I would add them to a blog?  In 1990 I never knew what a blog was primarily because they didn't exist!  You never know!

What Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Are You? I'm Hello Kitty!

You Are Hello Kitty

You love Thanksgiving because it's a time to catch up with the people you don't see very often during the year. And while you love Thanksgiving dinner, you really look forward to the sweets and pies that follow the main meal. You are friendly and loving. You can always find someone to be thankful for during Thanksgiving. You are sweet and a natural peacemaker. You are close to your family and happy to spend this special day with them.

What Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Are You?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds

If wishes were turkeys ...

"It's Thanksgiving and - if wishes were turkeys, you'd sure get a shock 'cause instead of just ONE ... here's a whole noisy flock!"  

A great fold-out card from my grandmother sent in the the early 1980s!  Love the little mouse's teeth! 

Bradford Pear Trees - Fall 2010

Tom the Turkey

My step-grandmother Mildred sent this card in either the late 1970s or early 1980s and as always, I'm sure it was accompanied by a "goodie box"!  This card is huge!!  The design is on both sides and there's a slot & flap at the bottom that allows you to set the card up as a display.  Tom Turkey's feathers are made of felt so I keep rubbing my fingers over it!!  

 

What is your Pilgrim name? Mine is Prudence Sampson!

Your Pilgrim Name Is: Prudence Sampson

A pilgrim is a wanderer with purpose.

What's Your Pilgrim Name?

Blogthings: Learn Something Surprising About Yourself

So True!

Sing a song of seasons!  Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer, fires in the fall.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Signs of the Season

I took these photos yesterday in front of a local business in Farmville.  Fun & very seasonal!  

 

What is your witch name? Mine's Esmerelda!

Your Witch Name is Esmerelda

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

What's Your Witch Name?

Blogthings: Learn Something Surprising About Yourself

So True!

Life is a combination of magic and pasta.

Frederico Fellini

Golden Leaves - Fall 2010

Halloween is such a horrible, ghastly, frightening time of year!

"I have no idea what made me think of you!"  My sister sent me this card when I was in college ... it still has dried tape on it from being taped to the wall.  Poor Lucy!  She looks pretty stricken!  :) 

What's your monster name?

Your Monster Name is Basilisk Destroyer

You Feast On: Fried Twinkies You Lurk Around In: Swamps You Especially Like to Torment: Blondes

What's Your Monster Name?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

Wanda the Witch

This colorful Halloween card was sent in either the late 1970s or early 1980s by Mildred (my step-grandmother) and no doubt it was accompanied by a large box of treats!  She loved sending these goodie packages while I was in college and for some reason the boxes of petit fours stick out the most in my memory.  Those little square, pastel colored confections were so delicious!  Thank you, Mildred!  It was all so wonderful and so very much appreciated!  Happy Halloween!

 

Lily has been Warholized!

http://warholize.me/

This site lets you upload a photo and have it turned into an Andy Worhol worthy piece of art!  I tried it with Lily's photo ... she's having her 15 minutes of fame!

Enjoying a sunny day! - Fall 2010

October Cross Stitch

This picture came from a 1990 wall calendar of "Country Classics" from the Vanessa-Ann Collection.  The monthly pictures are all seasonal cross-stitch designs and the patterns are included as well.  Cross stitching was so popular back then and I'm sure it still is but I don't see entire shops dedicated to it like we did at the time.  Books and books of patterns used to line shop walls and it was soooo hard to decide on the next project!  Here's the featured October 1990 scene!

 

So True!

Wherever you go,

no matter what the weather,

always bring your own sunshine.

Anthony D'Angelo

Dogwood Tree - Fall 2010

What color apple are you?

You Are a Green Apple

You're a pretty traditional person. You believe that if something has lasted, then it's probably good. You think that living the good life is pretty simple. If you behave responsibly and ethically, good things will come to you. You are a loner and prefer to keep to yourself. You love solitude. You are super productive. People are amazed by how much you are able to get done.

What Color Apple Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

Know the future

Happy Halloween, Punkin!

For a spooky season, can Halloween get any cuter than this?

 

Crepe Myrtle - Early Fall 2010