Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Old Photos: We went Camping!

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Part of my MOVE project for 2020 is to get through the MOUNTAIN of bins, boxes, plastic bags, envelopes, photo boxes full of five generations of photos my family never bothered to label or sort. 

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I think this is my dad and his sisters, circa 1935-ish in the middle of the Depression and a big Wisconsin snow.

They were compulsive photo takers/and so far many are multiples. 

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Great Grandparents in early 1890's, Denmark.

Some are formal photos...this is an engagement/wedding photo.


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We also have photos of my husband's Bohemian Czech family, this is from the 1880s who came to Wisconsin in the 1850's.(centerfront and right) the rest are their six grown children.
Hubby has tons of relatives and photos.


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1910-11 in Denmark. They all came to Wisconsin, several times, a long story.

My great-grandparents' came from Lithuania and Denmark

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Farm outside Lokken Denmark.


Early 1890's. Everyone here stayed in Denmark.



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So, I have photos from there-pre1890's, and from every trip they took back.

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My mom on a steamer to Denmark 1929 (she was 7)

My parent's photo stash isn't any better.

My Dad took a brownie camera to WWII and boot camp, he was stationed in New Guinea, Philipines, Borneo, and finally Australia with a Portable Medical Corps, the precursor to M.A.S.H. units.

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Dad is 3rd from left.

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So I have all those from the war, unlabeled. I can trace his units movements from Army records...this could be Luzon, Philipines, or Borneo, or New Guinea. The surgical hospital followed the action.


 I have business photos of: telephone operators,
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1943 Long Distance Operators, from an old photocopy?
no source My mom worked with these ladies, in 1941-2.

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 service stations and an Omar bakery truck,


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our family's fish market, opening in1922

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1964 Local Kringle Festival at the fish market. My grandmother in costume.

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My Mom--1964, a 'Fisker' woman...! 
I also have photos in restaurants, and of dairy trucks, and fishing boats. 

More than that, every birthday and holiday.

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Mother's Day 1955 my grandmother made all these dresses for my cousins.

Easter 1956--yes, that is a turquoise/navy Hudson vehicle.

EVERY HOLIDAY,


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My 11th birthday (on right) with the cousins at the kid's table, my poor cousin center was 14...how humiliating! I was 5 foot 5-135# with size 10 feet. I was an Amazon in 5th grade.
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Every Anniversary (25th for my Grandparents)1955
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about 1984 for another family Birthday at the local Dania Hall. 


Grandparent's 25th Anniversary formal party with music--1955
and ALL the
graduations, confirmations, baptisms and a few funerals. 
Yes, photos of people in their coffins, sent home to the 'old country' and the same coming back. I'll spare you those. 

Some bring back pleasant memories and some sad...
1962
My 14th birthday and my first pair of heels, stockings and lipstick.

Some are just silly...

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 Hot dates---prom dates the day after...sorry Mic and Bob! 1966.
Some are just silly 


,,,and some are inspiring. 
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How about the 'we should have...,' photos? 

My dad spied an early box 'camper' at a vacation expo in the 1950's. So he decided to make a pull-behind trailer with a tent on it. Always a handyman, he built one of his own design in 1954-5. I remember it consisted of a 4'x8 foot plywood box, with a two fold-out doors, 2'x8' that were the lid---which became bunks, with some nifty side supports. My bed was another board supported between the two crosswise on a separate piece of plywood, 
2'x4' I was only 7. 
Dad bragged it was made from only 3 pieces of plywood.
An old smelly canvas tent was supported by a center pole, with the bottom cut out..and tied around everything. It all just worked.

We were quite the hit of the campground with our little gray trailer  and moldy tent.
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Here is the first camping trip---on St.Germaine Lake in N.Wisconsin for two whole weeks in 1955, I think. We were plagued by rain, but we were off the ground and dry! 

We had to put all the food and coolers in the car at night (bears and raccoons) and their 'little' paw prints were all over the tables each morning. 

However,
my mom was a person who had to do everything correctly. 
We had cloth tablecloths and napkins--a double dishpan for a sink, a folding (cardboard and wood) card-table for the kitchen. 

The fire supported a huge kettle of hot-water for all her ceramic dishes. She even brought a dish-rack to drain them. Long story short---her professional set-up was health conscious, however the soapy hot water softened the table top which was supporting the legs. It caved on the uneven ground. All the dishes collapsed into a heap of shards. She was horrified--with all the broken crockery on the ground. A passing fellow camper stood and watched. 

His comment---"I betcha, it's the first time camping?" 

A large portion of our meager vacation funds went to a set of Melmac dishes(my mother hated them), purchased new in town just for camping.

This whole story came from looking at that one photograph....! 

And there are thousands, more to move on to!
My dad always said he 'shoulda' patented the trailer design. 

Now, we have online files/photo applications and sorting systems at our finger tips...blogging has helped at least record some of these photos and their history.

Well, what have you found in 
your familys' photos?

Thank you for any and all comments.
Finally I am able to reply to comments by using Chrome. So all you Mac users who have upgraded to Catalina---this might help the glitches on Safari Blogger!











Thursday, January 9, 2020

Thoughtful Moments #5 My Word for 2020!

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I didn't really feel I was even present in Blogland or real life in 2019. 

Blogland tends to be, well honestly, it is basically so positive, we could call it saccharin. 

While I have always tried to be positive, the political and social climate has been oppressive if not demoralizing. Aside from that, add a my physical trauma and long recovery from a knee injury could try even the most positive of all human beings. I don't mean for this post to be a downer---but a journey---I hope you bear with me.
I ripped my MCL (Medial Lateral Ligament) in my right knee (the driving one) in May. After X-rays progress of Medicare Medicine grinds slowly, and finally after a month of total rest of the injured knee, a MRI showed severe damage to the bones, no cartilage, and severe swelling. And, I was sent to a surgeon. After a cortisone shot to give me some immediate relief, I had to wait for at least three months for the knee replacement. I had 8 weeks of therapy 3 times a week over the summer. I couldn't do stairs to my basement for this entire time. After the therapy, I was able to drive for about 7 weeks in September and October. I had to help my husband with the garden produce, since he had been chief-cook, bottle-washer, chauffeur, gardener, handyman, and hand-holder. He's been a gem!

Finally in mid-October I had the right knee replacement. I am now in my 11th week of therapy---and slowly, very slowly making progress. Age does have something to do with recovery! 

During all this---Blogland, while a diversion was really trying on my own blogs!

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I had to close my Etsy shop twice, for a total of six months. 

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Unable to get to any of my stock in the basement, I was also unable to thrift shop or flea market.

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Sighhhhhhhh!

Scooting around the yard for gardening was difficult except on flat surfaces.
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We do have wood pathways and lots of concrete around many of the flower beds which allowed me some time outside,

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though, often doing work from a sitting position in my wheelie walker!

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The only Garden Center I visited this year was one created for my doll blog---posted a few weeks before of my injury!

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Most of the north/midwest had been gripped in a cold miserable extended Winter/Spring. Ice storms were prevalent, we lost a 30 foot Spruce, and huge branches from 'the monster Tree'!

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Soon, it was too hot to take photos after 10 am...seriously or sit on our screened porch. We went from freezing and snow to 90's in less than two weeks??? 


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The excessive heat also kept us in the house...I became about as DOWN, as I have ever been in my life. I didn't even keep plants on the porch this year...my favorite place was too hot! And, opening and closing the windows (moving furniture) was too difficult. We have 13 windows and two doors on the porch 

Realizing my attitude issues with everything, the waiting, the therapy---I started painting in July...doing an entire month of watercolors, everyday to help with my HEAD!

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 Honestly, this saved my soul and my mind, while I had almost lost both.

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I painted, and painted, and painted, and for at least 2 hours a day, from prompts.

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I forgot I was impaired all the time I spent painting! These were all my most popular posts this year. I painted the mundane, the garden, antiques...just about anything. 

But, my doll blog-barbieoldnewgreenredo still suffered the most.

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I was unable to work on much (except some on the Grand Hotel redo on our kitchen table).

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I had set-up piles of projects for sewing before the surgery---and then found running the pedal from the left foot for my sewing machine was dangerous for my fingers. 

Swapping sides of your body means you have to retrain from a different side of your brain. Pretend now to brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand...LOL! Did you hit your nose???

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I did do lots of hand mending of vintage doll clothes...lots of snaps and hooks and eyes.

Hopefully, the end of January 2020, I will be able to drive something other than my walker. 

Now, I'm still in therapy for 1-1/2 hours, 4 times a week, and am using a brace that traps me into flexion (it's a torture device-I swear) up to 3 times a day. 

I'm not totally happy with the responses of my surgeon---who seems to do patients' recovery through therapists, and others: PA's and receptionists who read you statements rather than answer your questions or needs. I have spent a grand total of 21 minutes with him in four visits in 7 1/2 months. The office has taken Five days to address a prescription refill. And, two weeks to respond with a problem with the brace device? Such, is advanced specialized care, now?

I'm assertive, insistent, and I document everything. But, I'm afraid I will not be recommending his practice, not for the quality of the surgery---but for the quality of the aftercare or non-caring. He seems to be fixated on degrees and retaining his perfect record, rather than my quality of my knee or my life.

SO my word for 2020 is "MOVE"!!!

MOVE: Definition 1- go in a specified direction or manner; to change position!


MOVE! I will move on!
MOVE! I will continue to exercise, religiously!
MOVE, I will care for my soul and keep that moving forward.

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MOVE, I will progress in the quality of my physical movements and my heart.
Everyone needs more heart while living!

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MOVE, I will pass it on. Pass on the good, the bad, 
the joys, the laughter!


MOVE, I will stir the pot...and not the cooking kind!


Hans Christian Andersen's --The Emperors new Clothes.

Democracy is a responsibility I take very seriously.

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MOVE: Definition 2: make progress; to develop in a particular manner or direction. 


MOVE!, I will make headway in my continued weight loss and develop habits that improve my health.

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MORE vegetables!

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Eat Fresh!

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Definitely the best!

MOVE!, I want to increase my social experiences
 with my friends in real life, 

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in my doll club, and in Blogland. 
We are our own best support system. And, at my age, I also will have friends who need support.

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I will entertain---for no reason---not wait for a holiday or birthday!

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And I will share, the good and bad. No more 'Pollyanna' world or holding it in.

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Yes, I Welcome everything!

I hope you will continue to enjoy this journey with me. I hope to regularly post to both blogs in the near future! I wish you all well in the New Year, to your own health and to your own happiness!

And, then let's MOVE ON!

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There are always the seed catalogs...we have to plant some Chinese eggplant, this year! I miss having vegetarian lasagna in the freezer.


Thank you for any and all comments.
Finally I am able to reply to comments by using Chrome. So all you Mac users who have upgraded to Catalina---this might help the glitches on Safari Blogger!









Monday, December 30, 2019

Christmas Gift Basket and some Transferware Sleuthing!

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First a Very Happy New Year to you all!

Now that the powder sugar and candle smoke has settled, it's time to ponder the coming new year, and the contents of my Christmas goodie basket from a dear friend. 

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Since I have been laid up and not able to thrift shop---sigh---my BF found some wonderful Transfer-ware pieces, she knew I wouldn't have passed on. I adore transfer-ware...and now the fun begins.



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These plates are all perfect except for manufacture flaws (few) and really lovely! This dinner plate has such a lovely floral rim and intricate pattern.


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Script marks are always a bit hard to decipher sometimes. This pattern is Genevese?  and the maker mark in the lower left is ?? and 
an A lower center and China on the right. The made in or country is missing the transfer did not make it totally on...Hmmm. To Etsy--looking up Genevese....wow!

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The word on the left is Opaque, and it's 19th century Minton! The lovely blue plate was made between 1836-41. Date confirmed antiquemarks.com


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This luncheon plate is perfect and has an interesting leaf pattern and a rich berry red.



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When you have all this information, it should be easy? Ironstone, no pattern name though. With this info I will do an image search for the pattern, found it--'Vista.' Mason's used versions of this mark for MANY years. I got a serious headache searching this one.  
Many years of this mark or similar/with 'where's Waldo' tiny variations. Because of the 'acid resisting colors', I'm thinking 1930-early 40's. 


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Here is another very Old company---Coalport which has been making pottery/porcelain in England since 1796. I love the rope edge and all the shading in the flowers on the rim.  "Pastoral" is one of those country patterns where every piece has a different scene. They made blue, red, green, and multi-with brown of this pattern over the years. 
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This mark dated from the 1920's according to an Etsy dealer...best guess at the moment! The impressed in clay marks are very hard to read to meticulously date within a 10 year or so stretch.

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I thought this plate had an aesthetic vibe. I Love the panels with the intricate boat scenes. From another very old company, Thomas Mayer, clearly a collector must have passed away and the plates were donated.

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Much older 1826-1834 ...?

Here the transfer mark actually is missing a bunch of info...oh joy.
Happy information though is the urn mark and the "Canova" pattern is very distinct. This mark has been attributed to Stoke, England and was made between 1826 and 1838. I found this information on RubyLane antiques. 

Prices are all over the place for these pieces....but I love the size and the fact I can mix them with my other pieces!


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My friend also has a real sense of whimsy---and included this fun little pin cushion with a 1950's porcelain poodle perched on top....she is a Major Dog Lover!

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She added some 1950's earrings and some jewels, buttons on a burgundy toile print making a perfect 'Smile' to include in the basket...what a fun gift!
And, I really love a good sleuth. I think the gorgeous plates will have to find a place in my kitchen--which has red/white stripes in the wallpaper or in my corner cabinet...they are just too pretty!
Thanks to Emily!

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