Who Knew?

This pretty little needlework sampler has been hanging on our kitchen wall for years. Lately, I find myself eyeing our beloved possessions to see what I can weed out and sell. So, during dinner last night, I said to the family, "Would anyone mind if I sell that Home Sweet Home cross stitch?"

The husband: "I never liked it."

The daughter: "It's pretty ugly."

The son: "I hate that thing!"

Just goes to show you...If you don't ask, you'll never know!

I'll slap a price tag on it, and sell it in time for Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The brown one looks like he's saying: "Whaddya gonna do with that axe?"

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Life itself is the proper binge."
~Julia Child

I am Thankful for Vintage Turkeys

In honor of Vintage Thingies Thursday over at Colorado Lady, here are some shots of the explosion of poultry that happens every November on our mantel.




My favorite is the roasted one in the first photo ~ a gift from my sister Kathy. Which one do you like the best?

The official beginning of the holidays

It's not when Marshall's starts stocking shelves with Christmas decorations in August. Or when the local FM station begins playing Holiday music the day after Halloween. For me, it's the day before Thanksgiving when I get started on dinner by making the fresh cranberry sauce. It's the afternoon light in the kitchen, A Charlie Brown Christmas on the CD Player, the color & sound of the berries as they begin to pop happily on the stove. (Recipe hint: Use orange juice instead of water for cooking, you'll get a subtle orange flavor that is so good with the turkey. I sometimes add a couple of tablespoons of orange marmalade just before serving.)

Later today, our guests will be greeted by this spectacular turkey that my daughter made in the first grade. (She is now in sophomore in high school.) I love his crazy googly eyes and yellow feet.The "E" on his hat is for EMMA. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Giving Thanks for Vintage Turkeys

My grandma Millie always had turkey and pilgrim candles on our Thanksgiving table. There was something comforting about them, alongside the mashed potatoes, white trash green bean casserole and family dysfunction.  I remember finding my first turkey candles at the Salvation Army in Garden Grove when I was a teenager.  And so, my own collection began at that moment. Now I have, well, a few.

I have branched out to include other Thanksgiving-y objects as well, like the corn-on-the-cob salt and pepper shakers and the stack of 10 handmade cardboard turkey napkin holders. I found them at an estate sale for 50 cents. They are lovingly crafted, drawn with colored pencils and on each one a name is written: "Gertrude","Pop","Mother Kennedy" etc. 

The white pair ($5) came from a trip to Brimfield market in Massachusetts, the safety pin and plastic bead turkey was a 99 cent Goodwill find. I love this one because, as you certainly know by now, I have a weakness for any item-made-by-someone-with-way-too-much-time-on-her-hands. The pink faced turkey was purchased at the Sandy Barr Flea for a quarter. It's alarming that I can remember what I paid for these objects 15 years ago, but often can't remember what I had for breakfast.

My hands-down-all-time-favorite turkey is the cooked one in the middle. There is a story involved. My sister Kathy came to see me in Portland years ago and we went to (where else?) a flea market. She knew about my affection for vintage turkeys. We wandered away from each other and a short time later, she came running up to me, heart pounding, face flushed. Her hands were cupped together over something. My only option was to pry her fingers open.  In her hands I found the Butterball in the Yellow Baking Pan salt and pepper shakers. I have never loved her as much as I did at that moment. Needless to say, this pair gets front and center position on the Thanksgiving mantel year after year after year.....