Keepsakes
Our house does not look as if it came directly from a showroom floor. It is filled with an eclectic mix of items, most of which have a story behind them. When I was growing up, people would come to our house and my mom would give them a tour. Daddy joked and called it the "Nickel Tour," because he said Mama would point to something and say, "You see that? I got it for a nickel; they wanted a quarter for it, but I got them down to a nickel!" I love to walk through my house and remember special people as I look upon its furnishings. Periodically, I'll share a few on this blog.
My Own Magical Wardrobe
This is an antique chifferobe that my mother refinished. There was an old home place next to our farm, with a crumbling house. One day, as the owners made ready to demolish its remains, they called over to Mama and told her that she could have anything she wanted. She quickly ran over and found this. The long door was broken and its mirror was cracked, with pieces missing. She lugged it back home and set about refinishing it. She had the door repaired and masonite placed into the panels. Then, she painted them using a variation of Scandinavian folk art form called Rosemaling. It is beautiful on its own, but all the more beautiful for the memories of my mother it holds for me.
As a side note, the reason you see wardrobes such as these in old Southern homes is because there was a tax on closets; they were counted as rooms. So, people kept their clothing and shoes in wardrobes such as these!
Small-town Boy Makes Good
I carry on the practice of pulling these items out to show special friends when they visit. Daddy used to like to share this with people and now I do the same.
Daddy was just four years old when he received this postcard from Cracker Jack Co. His mother had entered a national jingle contest and she sent the entry in his name. The prize was a camera. Daddy grew up in meager circumstances, so such a prize was all the more special.
In 1950, Daddy was able to attend the National Boy Scout Jamboree as a correspondent. He said he even had a black hat, with the PRESS sign in it and he was allowed to sit in the Press section. It was an unbelievable journey for a poor boy from Oklahoma.
Here's a picture he took with the camera. President Harry Truman spoke to the Jamboree crowd and Daddy was able to get close to him as a member of the "Press Corps."
And here's a picture he took of the New York City skyline. I think of him when I watch the film Hoosiers and the boys walk into the big city coliseum for the first time. He never lost the ability to be awestruck, or impressed by things bigger than himself.
FRILLY APRONS
As my profile states, I like frilly aprons. This year, for my birthday, Amber gave me these two beautiful aprons. I couldn't believe it when she said she made both of them! These are definitely hostess aprons for company (and perhaps pearls)!
It's All Relative
My friend Regina tells her oldest daughter how she always wanted a sister (she had three brothers) and then finally God sent her Terri. Here's what Regina gave me this year for my birthday. Don't you love it when you find something that expresses your feelings so well?
My Own Magical Wardrobe
This is an antique chifferobe that my mother refinished. There was an old home place next to our farm, with a crumbling house. One day, as the owners made ready to demolish its remains, they called over to Mama and told her that she could have anything she wanted. She quickly ran over and found this. The long door was broken and its mirror was cracked, with pieces missing. She lugged it back home and set about refinishing it. She had the door repaired and masonite placed into the panels. Then, she painted them using a variation of Scandinavian folk art form called Rosemaling. It is beautiful on its own, but all the more beautiful for the memories of my mother it holds for me.
As a side note, the reason you see wardrobes such as these in old Southern homes is because there was a tax on closets; they were counted as rooms. So, people kept their clothing and shoes in wardrobes such as these!
Small-town Boy Makes Good
I carry on the practice of pulling these items out to show special friends when they visit. Daddy used to like to share this with people and now I do the same.
In 1950, Daddy was able to attend the National Boy Scout Jamboree as a correspondent. He said he even had a black hat, with the PRESS sign in it and he was allowed to sit in the Press section. It was an unbelievable journey for a poor boy from Oklahoma.
Here's a picture he took with the camera. President Harry Truman spoke to the Jamboree crowd and Daddy was able to get close to him as a member of the "Press Corps."
And here's a picture he took of the New York City skyline. I think of him when I watch the film Hoosiers and the boys walk into the big city coliseum for the first time. He never lost the ability to be awestruck, or impressed by things bigger than himself.
FRILLY APRONS
As my profile states, I like frilly aprons. This year, for my birthday, Amber gave me these two beautiful aprons. I couldn't believe it when she said she made both of them! These are definitely hostess aprons for company (and perhaps pearls)!
It's All Relative
My friend Regina tells her oldest daughter how she always wanted a sister (she had three brothers) and then finally God sent her Terri. Here's what Regina gave me this year for my birthday. Don't you love it when you find something that expresses your feelings so well?
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| Some sisterhoods don't happen at Birth...but grow in the hearts of people who completely understand each other. |
Wow! What a lovely mix of memories! I love the camera and photos. Those are amazing! Thank you for sharing, and sorry for all the exclamation points... they're just necessary!!!
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