And Along Came a Donkey Named Timeus....

        Yesterday was a monumental day!  Timeus arrived!  A little donkey named Timeus, who has been a part of my life for several years now.....

        A few years ago I was playing for a church in Pryor.  It was Palm Sunday.  The pastor read the passage of scripture that I have heard on this day ever since I was a child...about Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  That Sunday something clicked and I started wondering what had happened to that little donkey (actually, him and his mother both) after Jesus went into the temple.   I don't remember the sermon that day, but by the time church was over, I knew that his name was Timeus!

        That afternoon I sat down and wrote the first part of his story.  By the time I time I got him to the steps of the temple, I had a definite problem.  I didn't know what to do with the two donkeys either!

        I put it away for awhile but he was never far from my thoughts...actually the little fellow kept nudging me from time to time.  Finally, it all came together and it became their journey....their "amazing journey."

         I showed the manuscript to several friends who critiqued it for me and encouraged me to go forward with it...which meant finding an illustrator.  At that point I found that writing it was the easy part!  Oh, was it ever!!
         Evidently artists and illustrators are scarcer than the proverbial "hens' teeth"!!!!  I spent months trying to find someone appropriate.....
       
        Then, in one of those happenings that I call a "God thing", we (the donkeys and I) "met" Ellen.  She agreed to take this little story to heart and bring Timeus into "visual life", so to speak.  So the fun began.....


         Our church backgrounds are similar so the depiction of the events would be easy to work with...just talking through how the scenes would "look."  The rest was a training ground of sorts!
         I've lived in the country for a long time, plus we had raised cutting horses for years.  The area around Grand Lake is farm and ranch land; horses, cattle...and donkeys are a part of our life here.  I've been around farm animals most of my life.

       Ellen is a city girl and hadn't had the opportunity to observe the "every days" of country life.  Armed with my camera, I think I took pictures of just about every donkey I could find in Mayes County for her to use as reference!  (My personal favorite is a donkey named Bubba who lives just a couple of miles from me...but that's another story!)    

        When the day came that she sent Timeus' "close-up", I knew we were on our way!

        Ellen's expertise was invaluable when it came to formatting this little book.  I had found an excellent company who was willing to print the book...close enough to home to keep the personal touch, yet professional in their work.   At this point I became the "learner."  Bottom line... it takes a LOT to get a book ready to print!!!!!

        For the past few months I have proofread, re-proofread, and found so-o-o many things that needed to be tweaked, changed, or simply discarded.  I learned how much expertise it takes to know how set the pages up (where chapters start and end, how  and where to put the illustrations, what can, or can't, go here...or there) that I feel like I've had an eye-opening education in things that I (as a reader) always took for granted!

         Along the way the proverbial wastebasket was filled with extra quotation marks and unnecessary commas, redundant words were cleaned away, and a few re-writes added to make the scene or chapter flow better.  Subtle things like deciding how dark or light to make the evening sky had to be decided.  Somewhere in all this, with all the "housecleaning", a book emerged and grew to a ready-to-print product.

         This most excellent printing company had a great  product to work with (and I can discuss things like "crop marks" and "color separations"...and know what they mean!)   Monday morning John Link called me to tell me that Timeus was ready to be delivered.  His comment?  "I've looked it over.  It's beautiful!"

          "Timeus' Amazing Journey" is probably no more amazing than the journey it's taken to get him on the road!  I know that God gave me the story to write...there's no doubt about that.   He also sent the perfect people to complete the work.

           Heartfelt thanks to:

         Ellen Wilkerson for all the hard work...a labor of love...and for becoming a wonderful friend.  One day soon I hope to meet her in person!
         John Link and his excellent company, Graphics One Printing, for a beautiful job of making Timeus' presentation a work of art.
           and,  all the friends who have encouraged, critiqued, and most of all, have loved this little donkey and his mother.

         You can find "Timeus' Amazing Journey" at   http://thevintagebookworm.ecrater.com
 as well as a link for information at http://www.cabincreekcrossingbooks.com/

         He's ready to take his journey....into the hearts of others now!

9/11: We Will Always Remember....

          Today is the eleventh anniversary.  Each one of us should take a moment (or more) and remember the sacrifices that have scarred our hearts individually and as a nation.

          For those whose families were impacted, take a moment for silence and say a prayer.....

          For all of us as a nation, take a moment for silence and say a prayer....

  This day affected all of us....and always will!

        

My Husband Says Old Books Follow Me Home......

           Actually they don't, but it does seem that I have a penchant for finding something to love in the most dilapidated old books at an estate sale.  This one was so worn it had been put in a ziploc bag to keep the pieces together...how could I resist when the package said "Handwritten Cookbook 1922"!!

           This time my treasure came in the form of a three-ring binder about 6" x 9" with what had been a very nice cover.  It reminds me of the texture and embossed look of a school yearbook; this one has a lovely scripted "Recipes" and a steaming casserole on the cover.  

           The inside back cover lists the maker and a patent (?) from December of 1904.  The inside front cover is inscribed by "Blanche"  with her thought "The way to a Man's Heart" and November 8th, 1922.  Was this something that this young girl used to collect recipes for her hope chest...from an era when proper young ladies began planning their future households early?   Was this a wedding gift?
           The dividers inside are alphabetical:  Cakes, Desserts, Drinks, Eggs, Fish, Game, Ices, Leftovers, Meats, Oysters (????), Pastry, Pickles, Poultry, Preserves, Salads, Soups, Vegetables, and Misc.  Never would have thought that oysters deserved a divider of their own!!  Each and every division has handwritten recipes... except for the Leftovers, Oysters, and Pickles!

            In some places Blanche's handwriting is hard to decipher, so please take these recipes with the proverbial grain of salt...they're just too charming not to share.  If there's a question mark, it means I think that's what it says!

Ice Box Rolls

1 quart milk: scald, cool
1 cup sugar ?
1 cup lard
1 cup mashed potatoes, cold
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 cake yeast, dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
1 quart flour

          Mix like you would cake dough.  Let stand one hour and add enough flour to make stiff dough.  Let raise (sic) and use as needed.

Graham Cracker Dessert
(not a lot of measuring here!!)
1/2# marshmallows
1/2 cup thin cream
1/2# dates
1/2# graham crackers
1/2 cup nuts

           Mix thoroughly and roll and cool in ice box.  Cut and serve.

Eggless Milkless Cake 

(If memory serves me correctly, this might have come from the Depression years?)

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 box raisins
2 Tbls. butter or lard
1 tsp each of allspice, cinnamon and cloves.

          Boil slowly for 15 minutes.  When entirely cold, stir in 1 tsp soda dissolved in 1/3 cup water.  Add this to 2-1/2 cups flour and 1 heaping tsp flour which has been sifted three times ??   Last of all add 2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup nuts.  Bake slowly for one hour.

Mrs. Miller's Salad Dressing

3 eggs
1 Tbls flour
3 Tbls sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
1 small can Carnation milk.
Lump of butter.

           There's not a clue as to where to go from here......

G. Walrod's Salad Dressing
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 Tbls flour, mixed with the sugar
1/2 cup sweet milk
Pinch of salt
1 Tbls mustard
1 Tbls butter or oil

Beat together.  When good and hot, add 3/4 cup vinegar (?).  Double boiler.
One would assume that the double boiler was used from the start!

There are a couple more recipes that I'm still trying to decipher before I tuck Blanche's labor of love into my files.  

           In our hurried lifestyles today where scheduling around work, various practices for the kids, and looking for a bit of personal time in our lives is a constant headache, there's a bit of charm (and certainly nostalgia) in looking back at a time when by a certain time in the afternoon, the homemaker tied her apron around her waist, gathered her ingredients, and began creating a home-cooked meal for her family.  Children and husband came into a house filled with the aromas of home cooking and the words "Wash your hands and get ready for dinner."  

           We certainly have a lot of conveniences today that they never dreamed of...a lot of them we wouldn't want to give up!  There is a bit of wistfulness sometimes in looking back.....an old handwritten cookbook seems to share that with us!

     
             I found the lower three pictures in some copies of "American Cookery" from the 1920's which I have listed in my store "The Vintage Bookworm."  http://thevintagebookworm.ecrater.com

For the Love of Blue Willow!

          First of all, let me be perfectly clear that I don't need anything else collectible to love!  As a matter of fact, I've been trying lately to ignore any auction or estate sale that might tempt me.   This just proves what I've suspected for some time...some collectibles will find you!
         This particular collection belonged to a great-great aunt in a family who needed help in finding new homes for quite a few items of blue willow that she particularly doted on.  She absolutely loved the pattern and tended to surround herself with whatever she found....that included even sheets and pillowcases, tea towels, some extraordinary table linens, and pieces of the china in just about any form.  It was an extensive collection.  
         Since my husband and I both love the fresh clean look of cobalt blue and white, we said...not a problem!   In fact you'll find it in lots of places throughout our home, so this would be a labor of love...of course!   

          It's been downhill from there.....

         Armed with a sort of inventory list from the family and tackling 2 huge bins, I found myself surrounded with more pieces than I could ever imagine!  Every surface in the living and dining room soon had stacks of china on them! 

         Should have known......

          I started by listing just a few "cute" pieces in one of my stores and immediately met a great collector!  The kitty cat planter turned out to be a "twin" of sorts!  Clay Calhoun had a bank that matched the planter...the two pieces were identical in style and I had a new friend!  Clay has been collecting for some time now and loves to find unique pieces.  (You'll want to look at his Facebook page..."My Blue Willow Collection" with his name and see some fascinating items!)  After perusing the list I sent him, he asked for pictures of other pieces...and we were off and running.  And my education has fast become a priority!  I've been finding out how much I didn't know!

          The biggest surprise came when I started researching for him what was called on the list a "trivet."  

          Looked like one.....

         Didn't even come close!  According to a very helpful blog (Nancy's Daily Dish), this is called a "mezannine", more commonly a "strainer" or a "drainer."   They were used in the bottoms of serving dishes to drain the juices from meats, etc!  Innovative and practical!  (Thank you, Nancy.)  The one I had fit the bottom of a deep serving dish, a tureen,  that had its own platter.  Now it's in Clay's collection.

   I've been taking pictures and listing a few items as I go; what's been listed so far is on   http://seemslikeonlyyesterdayvintage.ecrater.com/.      

    

     The clever little dachshund can be arranged as you wish and will hold nibbles or condiments and such!  

   

         Obviously blue willow has kept up with the times with an instant coffee canister and an electric coffee pot!  With what other things I've already researched there will be some fascinating finds to tell you about.  

         By the way, the queen-sized sheets and pillowcases are stunning!   Just thought I'd drop a hint.....

        

A Very Special Doll Artist...and Delightful Friend!

          One of the nicest parts of having the stores is definitely the people I "meet!"  I received an inquiry a year or so ago from someone in Tasmania, Australia.   She was inquiring about some 4" doll molds I had.  I have a couple of other customers in Australia, so when I answered her inquiry I asked her if she was anywhere near where the flooding was (Australia was having some monumental flooding at that time).  To be totally honest, if the e-mail hadn't had the "au" designation, I'm not sure I would have known for sure where Tasmania was!!  So much for the geography I had in school!
           Her answer was typically her...that they were an island (she also sent a map) off the coast of Australia and "the next stop was the South Pole!!!"  That was just the beginning!  I had just "met" one of the most delightful people ever!  Her name....Dianne Smith.
          She was thrilled that I had the set of 4" DA doll molds (evidently, she said, the last ones in existence) and would I send them to her!  I did...but I had no idea what an artist I had just "met!"
           I have made porcelain dolls for some years now but I was flabbergasted at the ones she does...the finest, tiniest miniature babies I've ever seen!  Not only that, but she knits beautiful clothing for them!  Even the smallest one I've made looks gigantic next to the exquisite miniature babies and children she creates!  

           Oh, yes!  She also moderates some miniature knitting groups on Yahoo and test knits for a miniature pattern blog!   All I can figure out is the days "down under" must have more hours in them for her to get so many things done!!

           Here are some of her prize-winning entries in one show:

           She did send me this picture of a Pouty Billy she made (23-1/2") so that I will know she makes the larger ones as well!

           In addition she had a daughter who is a musician here in the US so we can share our love of that as well.  I also get wonderful funny tidbits about the life in her part of the world....what an education I've had!
           We've visited back and forth for more than a year now and every time she sends a new picture of her creations, I'm in awe all over again.  I'm sharing the pictures with you with her permission of course so you can see what beautiful work it is!

            I don't often get surprises so when I received a package not long ago from her, it was totally unexpected.  She had made me a tiny Pence jug from the finest of threads.  It stands a mere 2-1/2" tall, knitted in one piece!  An incredible piece of workmanship!  It came at a time that I was immersed in a mind-boggling mess of health insurance paperwork that seemed to be going on and on (try explaining some things to a computer that are simple to a human...like a zip code?).  Suddenly I received this serene and beautiful work of art...a gift that must have taken hours upon hours to create...and just as suddenly the frustrations of all those weeks seemed to become much less important!

           From what I understand it is made from a very old pattern and is created from one continuous thread from beginning to end.  That she had taken the time to create this charming bit of beauty for me made all the computer chaos and tangled technology just melt back into perspective.  When you have friends like this, you realize what's really important!

           I keep hoping that one of these days things will work out for us to meet each other...I'm sure the conversation would pretty much non-stop for days...we have lots in common besides the dolls!  In the meantime it's such fun to know that on the other side of the world I have a friend who is marvelously talented and delightfully funny.  Thanks to that set of molds for 4" dolls and our computers, I have a friend, a marvelous doll artist, a half a world away.  That...is the greatest!!

Finishing Up in the Old Ledgers' Cookbooks - Ohio Methodist Ladies' Group

           We could probably browse through these old ledger cookbooks for months, but I have some more interesting people to share with you via their recipes.   We'll take one last ramble down through the pages from the past and give you a few interesting tidbits more before we close the covers.

         

          One of the things that I found over and over in those pages (besides the great assortment of cake recipes) was the number and variety of salad and dessert recipes using Jello!  They had pages and pages of Jello using vegetables, Jello using fruit, and Jello made into dessert!  If you think about it, these were the days before so many "quick and easy", "instant", and "family-pleasing" boxed dinner helpers...something that could be made ahead and put in the refrigerator, like a Jello salad, was a definite plus!  This one had (to me) a surprise ingredient:

Nippy Salad (I thought at first it read "Nifty"!!) - from Blanche

1 pkg. lime jello
1-1/4 c. boiling water
1 c. well-drained crushed pineapple
2 pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 3 oz. size
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbls. horseradish

          When jello is partially set, add pineapple, cheese, mayonnaise, and horseradish.  (Note from Blanche:  I put mayonnaise, pieapple, horseradish, and 2 Tbsp. cream cheese and stir well until smooth, then put in jello when partially set.)
          I'm not really sure whether this note meant that she only used the 2 Tbls. rather than the 2 pkgs. or whether she mixed the small amount of cream cheese with the other items and then put it altogether! 
         Since I'm still coming to grips with the addition of the horseradish, I'll let you use your own judgment......

Treasure Pudding

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. honey
2 beaten eggs
1 c. chopped fruit
1 Tbls. lemon rind
1 c. grated carrots
1/2 c. walnut meats
2-1/2 c sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 c. sweet milk

           Cream shortening, add honey and blend.  Add eggs, beat together.  Add fruit, rind, carrots, and nuts.  Sift dry ingredients.  Add alternately with milk.
          Bake in tube pan 1 hour, 15 minutes at 325 degrees.  If baked in other kind of pan., bake 1 hour.

Orange Sauce

3 Tbls. flour
3/4 c. sugar
Mix together.  Add:
1/2 orange juice
1 c. hot water
Cook until thick.
Add:
1 Tbls. grated orange rind  and
3 Tbls. butter

Serve hot over pudding.

          Two little recipes to give you a smile....

Scrambled Eggs

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder (do you suppose this was to "fluff" them a bit?)
1 slice bread, cubed
Mix all together.

I wonder if the cubed bread was to stretch the recipe.  Any ideas?

          This last recipe was definitely created before the influence of the American Heart Association!

Royal Meat Balls

3/4 lb. ground round steak
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
A little chopped onion
3 Tbls. catsup

Form into patties and roll in Farina.  Fry in (get ready for this...)  bacon drippings and butter!

             I suspect in the era these recipes were used that most everybody worked harder, walked more, and in general, had a healthier life style!  They certainly were an active group from what they've left for us in these ledger pages!

            Thanks again, ladies!!

  

Deep into Cookbooks! Came Out with Cookies!

          I've spent a lot of time this last month (with my granddaughter's help) sorting through the wealth of cookbooks I was able to acquire.  Sorting through means taking time to browse through lots of them...sometimes the gorgeous photography alone demands a leisurely scan!
          It's been interesting to find a quantity of cookbooks that are based on restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and quaint inns in Colorado.  I'm not sure yet whether all states have such an assortment of great cuisine, but I've already listed a few neat Rocky Mountain based books with more to come.
          I really do love the cookbooks that are compilations of area restaurants where they share one of their specialties or most popular recipes.  The ones I've been looking at have all been tempting, inspired, and mouthwatering!  One particular recipe for a lemon dessert sent me on a bit of a nostalgia trip!

          Most of you who know us are already aware that my husband and I are second-time-arounders.  We both lost spouses some time ago, actually in the same year, and met a few years later.  Found out that we had gone to school together but didn't know each other then.  It didn't take me long to decide that this guy was the greatest.
          Since we lived quite a distance apart, our time was limited, but he would make the drive (about an hour and a half) three or four times a week.  Usually we would go out to dinner...he loved eating out!  The least I could do if he was going to drive all that distance was provide home baked goodies for him to take home with him!!!
          I had found out that his favorite "flavors" were/are lemon, pineapple, and oatmeal raisin.  In between visits I would scour every cookbook and every magazine to find new ways to intrigue (and yes, entice) him!  I kept the oven busy!  After all, he had to cook for himself at home...the least I could do was help!
         Over time I developed a backlog of his favorites and could repeat.  After reminiscing on all this, I've decided to share some of the "winners" from all my efforts.   Who know when they might come in handy at your house!

          Although the basic oatmeal raisin cookie on the oatmeal box was always a favorite, this one had a different flair:

 Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

 1/2 c. Crisco or other shortening
 1 c. granulated sugar
 1 egg
 1-3/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour
 1/2 tsp. each: baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cloves, ground nutmeg
 1 tsp ground cinnamon
 1/2 c. raisins
 1 c. uncooked oats (right out of the box)
 1 c. applesauce

 Beat shortening and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.  Add egg and beat well.
 Sift all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Stir in oats and raisins.
 Add flour mixture to shortening in three portions, with the applesauce in between.
 Stir by hand until well blended each time.
 Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.  Bake in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until done.
 Let cookies cool on sheets a few minutes to set before transferring them to racks.
 Makes about 3+ dozen.

           The only pineapple cookie recipe I tried didn't work so well...left that idea and went straight on to pineapple upside down cake, which was better received anyway!

 Lemon Refrigerator Cookies

 1/2 c. softened butter/margarine
 1/2 c. granulated sugar
 1 egg
 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
 2 tsp. grated lemon peel
 1-1/2 c. all purpose flour
 1/4 tsp salt

 Mix butter and sugar until fluffy with mixer.  Add egg, beat until smooth.  Beat in lemon juice and peel.  Stir in flour and salt.
 Divide dough in half and place each on large square of waxed paper.  Knead lightly till blended.  Shape each half into a roll.
 Wrap rolls in waxed paper, twist ends closed.  Refrigerate 4 hrs. or more.  Dough will keep up to one week.
 When ready to bake, cut rolls into 1/8" slices and place on ungreased baking sheet.  Sprinkle additional sugar on slices if desired.
 Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 8-10 min or until edges turn brown.  Remove from pans and let cook on wire racks.

 This one was much easier....Lemon Drops

 1 pkg lemon-flavor cake mix
 1 4.5 oz. container Cool Whip (or other) thawed
 1 egg, beaten
 1-1/2 tsp lemon juice
 1 tsp grated lemon peel
 1/2 c sifted powdered sugar

 Combine dry cake mix, whipped topping, egg, lemon juice and peel; mix well.  Don't overmix.
 Drop batter by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar, turning to coat well.  Place balls, 1-1/2" apart, on greased cookie sheets.
 Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 12 minutes or until done.  Remove immediately and cool on wire racks.

          Actually, there was another recipe for Lemon Drop Cookies and I will never, ever forget it!  Any time Les would go by Utica Square in Tulsa he would stop at the candy store and bring me a bag of lemon drops.  One very clever recipe I found used crumbled lemon drops and I couldn't wait to try it! 

          It was, to put it mildly, a disaster.
          Lemon drops melt. 

          Lemon drops melt as they bake and stick to a cookie sheet, even a greased one.      

          Lemon drops finish their tenure in the oven by burning their stickiness into puddles on the cookie sheet. 

          Burnt puddled melted lemon drops take a long, long time to clean OFF cookie sheets.

 Words of wisdom....don't!   

 Just enjoy them out of the bag!