Vintage Knitting - Purple Kitty Strikes Again

Hand Knit Fashions from Spinnerin, dated 1950. Mostly adult sweaters, but some children's things as well.

Vintage Images - Audubon Ducks

From Dover.

Cookery For Little Girls

Cookery For Little Girls, by Olive Hyde Foster. Unlike most cookbooks aimed at the juvenile market, this was not written for little girls but rather for their mothers. Most of the recipes aren't bad but use your discretion. I personally wouldn't want to eat an egg that had been hard-boiled for thirty minutes.

Caturday!

Thank you, Tennessee

On August 26th, 1920, the 19th Amendment was formally signed.

Quote of the Day

There is a difference between pity and sympathy. One is thrown at you --- the other walks with you. ~ Lilian Bell

The Online Bookshelf - Black Wings Has My Angel

Noir as hell.

That's My Boy

Smitty being Smitty, he didn't tell us about this.

You will note that this is in addition to spending 40 hours per week working for me (which some might say merits hazardous duty pay). He is also an EMT, and by the end of the year he should have his IPEM certification, something that most people take a couple of years to do (I'm still working on my PDS).

I've threatened to start calling him "Sarge."

Vintage Images -- Summer Sunwear

Some catalog fashions from the 1950's, probably Sears, Roebuck. Copyright-free and from Dover.

It's Funny If You're Austrian

I find it hilarious that the author of some of the most rootin'-tootin' Western short stories in the old pulp magazines found here was someone who used the nom de plume of "Hapsburg Liebe."

Cool Salads for Hot Days

Back in the bad old days when only rich folks and movie theaters had air conditioning, homemakers trying to cope with hungry families and hot kitchens served these kinds of “salads” as the centerpiece for a summer supper. They’re from The Super Market Cook Book. My copy was printed in 1955 and dedicated to Mamie Eisenhower.

Ginger Ale and Fruit Salad

1 ½ tablespoons granulated gelatin
¼ cup cold water
½ cup boiling water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ cups ginger ale
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sliced fresh or canned peaches
½ cup halved seeded white grapes

"Soften gelatin in cold water. Add boiling water and sugar, and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in ginger ale and lemon juice. Chill until mixture begins to set, and fold in fruits. Pour into 1 quart mold and chill until set. Unmold on large plate. Garnish with lettuce cups filled with mayonnaise mixed with diced celery and a little whipped cream. Note: Other diced fresh or canned fruit may replace grapes."

Frozen Fruit Salad

¾ cup diced pineapple
¾ cup sliced fresh or canned fruit
½ cup diced celery
½ cup chopped toasted almonds
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

"Drain fruit, add celery, almonds and mayonnaise, and mix well. Fold in whipped cream. Pour mixture into freezing tray of automatic refrigerator and freeze 2 to 3 hours, until firm. Turn out onto large platter and garnish with candied ginger, cherries, watercress or other salad greens. Yield: about 6 servings."

Jellied Cheese Ring Salad

2 tablespoons granulated gelatin
½ cup cold water
3 cups milk
3 egg yolks
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
1 ½ cups grated cheese

"Soften gelatin in cold water. Heat milk in top of double boiler. Beat egg yolks with seasonings and stir in a little of the hot milk. Add the mixture to the rest of the milk and stir over hot water until it begins to thicken (when it stops foaming). Stir in cheese, and when melted, remove from heat and add softened gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Pour into 1 quart ring mold or in small molds and chill until set. Turn out on platter or chop plate and garnish with strips of pimentos. Fill center with any mixed vegetable salad. Yield: 6 servings."

Caturday!

The Online Bookshelf - Advanced ToyMaking

After the opening chapters on tools and instructions, the patterns start -- games, pull toys, wagons, and three different doll's houses. From Project Gutenberg.

One of The Things I Love About My Job

My county-issued cell phone rings.

Me: Big Flat County Bioterrorism and Emergency Response Team, this is Shay.

Caller: WHAT?

Me: This is the on-call number for the county Bioterrorism and Emergency Response Team. How may I help you?

Caller: Um...never mind. Hangs up.

(When I check the caller ID number against Google, it's a bill collection agency or a telephone solicitor. This happens at least once per month).

Vintage Patterns -- Knitted, Crocheted, and Tatted

Purple Kitty has another Star needlework book on their site, this one with a variety of projects. As always, you can download individual patterns for free, or if time is of the essence, download the eBook for $2.49 (NAYY but I like the quality of their vintage repro patterns).

Dog Days

I'm taking a week off from work to catch up on some personal matters. See everyone next Tuesday.

Not Annie Oakley

One of the RN's in our dept is an Army reservist and was telling me today at lunch about her last attempt to qualify on a military pistol range. It evidently was not a success. The range NCO came up to her after she'd finished firing the 9MM.

NCO: Ma'am, what do you do in the Army?

Sasha*: I'm a nurse.

There is a silence while the sergeant turns over in his mind what he can and cannot get away with saying to a lieutenant.

He: (finally) I guess it's a good thing you're fixin' 'em and not shootin' 'em.

Vintage Images -- Places I Wish I Were

Rather than the hot humid Midwest (copyright-free, from Dover).

More Cool Cookery

The spousal unit left with his brother the village animal control officer for a trapping convention in Missouri so I am batching it briefly this weekend.
Lunch yesterday took advantage of a bowl of cold cooked red potatoes, from our garden, naturally. I suppose you could call it a Greek Potato Salad if you wanted to.

Dressing:

1 T. mild vinegar (I used Japanese rice vinegar)
1 T. sugar or other sweetener (this works well with Equal)
2 T. mayonnaise or salad dressing OR 1 T mayo, 1 T. plain yogurt
Pinch salt
Pepper

Mix the dressing in the bottom of a bowl with a fork until smooth. Add 2 cups diced, cooked leftover potatoes, ¼ cup pitted Greek olives, 4-6 mild banana pepper rings cut in halves or quarters if large, and ¼ cup diced roasted red pepper. Enjoy.

Caturday!

Please Don't Try This If You Have Asthma

Go read this and try not to laugh so hard you run out of breath. I did.

Quote of the Day

If the English language made any sense, lackadaisical would have something to do with a shortage of flowers. ~ Doug Larson

The Online Bookshelf - A West Country Pilgrimage

By Eden Phillpotts with beautiful watercolors by A.T. Benthall. At Project Gutenberg.

Not One Of My Best Days

NOT ONLY did I get a speeding ticket on the way to work, but the first item on the agenda this morning was an in-service on syphillis. Looking at a powerpoint full of giant penises covered in sores isn't something I care to do before I've had any coffee.

Distinctly off-putting, in fact, and a strong argument for celibacy.

A Question Of Degrees

Me: Gawd, it's hot! I don't think it's cooled down one bit this evening.

He: Yes, it has.

Me: From 94 to what?

He: 92.

Annis Horribilis

Let's see. So far this year I have had sciatica, shingles (twice), bronchitis and pleurisy. Sooner or later my luck was bound to change.

Today I started physical therapy for a heel spur.