The Clanton Gang Had Better Watch Out

Annabelle

Big Nose Kate

Wyatt

(Doc wouldn't hold still long enough to get his photograph taken). It is probably not necessary to point out that Her Majesty is seriously ticked off with me.

Kittens 1, Productivity 0

I have two new needlework books and four new foster kittens.  Good luck to anyone who want to get anything out of me this weekend.

Quote of the Day

Of all the toys available, none is better designed than the owner himself.  A large multipurpose plaything, its parts can be made to move in almost any direction.  It comes completely assembled, and it makes a sound when you jump on it.  ~ Stephen Baker

I'd Like To See Their Happy Medium

I stopped in Barnes and Noble this evening and one of the employees was dressed up in a suit and tie, with a sign pinned to him that said "Sorry!"

He was a Formal Apology.

It Takes So Little To Amuse Me

Je suis Gilles Favor -  chef de piste.

I am sitting here giggling to myself and watching Rawhide.  In French.

Knitting - A "German" Skating Cap

From Woman's Home Companion, September, 1908.  If my composite is too hard to read, scans of the original magazine can be downloaded from Google Books.

Vintage Holidays - Hallowe'en

A vintage eCard from Dover (who have gotten out of the eCard business, dagnabbit.  Now where am I going to find Charlie Russell cards to send my horse-riding friends?).

More Southern Libations - A Toddy For Cooler Weather

"Party suppers had no such limitations—often the table was gay with autumn leaves, the center piece a riot of small ragged red chrysanthemums, or raggeder pink or yellow ones, with candles glaring from gorgeous pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns down the middle, or from the walls either side. There were frosted cakes—loaves trimmed gaily with red and white candies, or maybe the frosting itself was tinted. In place of syllabub or boiled custard, there were bowls of ambrosia—oranges in sections, freed of skin and seed, and smothered in grated fresh cocoanut and sugar. Often the bowl-tops were ornamented with leaves cut deftly from the skin of deep red apples, and alternating, other leaves shaped from orange peel. Christmas party suppers had touches of holly and cedar, but there was no attempt to match the elaborate wedding tables. Hog's foot jelly, red with the reddest wine, came in handily for them—since almost every plantation had a special small hog-killing, after the middle of December, so there might be fresh backbones, spare ribs, sausage and souse to help make Christmas cheer. Ham, spiced and sliced wafer thin, was staple for such suppers—chicken and turkey appeared oftenest as salad, hot coffee, hot breads in variety, crisp celery, and plenteous pickle, came before the sweets. Punch, not very heady, hardly more than a fortified pink lemonade, came with the sweets many times. Grandfather's punch was held sacred to very late suppers, hot and hearty, set for gentlemen who had played whist or euchre until cock-crow."  

Apple Toddy: Wash and core, but do not peel, six large, fair apples, bake, covered, until tender through and through, put into an earthen bowl and strew with cloves, mace, and bruised ginger, also six lumps of Domino sugar for each apple. Pour over a quart of full-boiling water, let stand covered fifteen minutes in a warm place. Then add a quart of mellow whiskey, leave standing ten minutes longer, and keep warm. Serve in big deep goblets, putting an apple or half of one in the bottom of each, and filling with the liquor. Grate nutmeg on top just at the minute of serving.

Dishes and Beverages of the Old South, by Martha McCulloch-Williams, 1913.  Download at Project Gutenberg.

Caturday!

Quote Of The Day

Do what thy manhood bids thee do...he noblest lives and noblest dies, who makes and keeps his self-made laws. ~ Sir Richard Francis Burton

I'm Dreaming Of A White Halloween

It's snowing outside.

Vintage Advertising - Woodbury's Soap

From Every Week magazine, 1915.

Quote of the Day

 I hope I am no bigot, and can hear a prayer from a gentleman of piety and virtue who is a friend to his country. ~ Samuel Adams.

Grrrsday

Vintage Images - 1930's Ad Cuts

Some vintage ad cuts from Dover (which has stopped offering their free ecard  service, dagnabbit.  They had great cards).

"Clever Ideas" from 1933

From The Australian Women's Weekly, June 17th, 1933.

A BOOT-SCRAPER for wet weather can be made from the lid of a butter box and about 35 metal tops from soft drink bottles.  Turn them upside down, and nail them on the lid.  Put the box lid in a place where it will stand firm, and make the family scrape their feet on it. -- Mrs. Lindeman, Station Street, Leura.

BROKEN CHINA can often be mended and cracked china preserved, by boiling in milk.  If broken see that pieces are quite clean, fit together, and bind tightly with thread.  Boil slowly in enough milk to cover the article. -- Mrs. A. E. Jeffery, Crown Street, Parramatta.

SAVE ALL paper bags and fill with coal or coke.  Then place in scuttle ready for use.  In this way fuel need not be touched with the hands, and dust will not fly about the room.  Miss C. Read, 8 Moody Street, Roselle.

(The Tiled Kitchen, painted by Harry Bush).

It's The Thought That Counts

 Free vibrators for Federal employees during the shutdown.

Caturday!

It dawned on me some weeks ago that Her Majesty has been unusually quiet and demure, especially for her.  She also had managed to whittle at least two pounds off her tubby little behind.  Fortunately her annual checkup was last month Saturday and Dr Tinyvet confirmed my suspicions -- overactive thyroid.

She now gets two pills a day, morning and evening.  The spousal unit must have armor-plated fingers.

Sewing - A Costume For A Small Cowpoke

From The Australian Home Journal, 1951, a trick or treat costume for a wild West wannabe.  Left-click to enlarge.

Vintage Images - A Croquet Player

Copyright-free, from Dover.