I’m dreaming of gardening again this week. . . My collection of galvanized watering cans are standing by for service, planted on a French seed tray ~
Small peat pots at each place setting are filled with sweet-faced Violas & wrapped in pieces of burlap, tied with twine~
A decorative bird cage houses pots for planting~
A layer of landscaping burlap functions a decorative cover for my garden table again this week~
My 1959 edition of The Wise Garden Encyclopedia is nearby: A complete, practical, and convenient guide to every detail of gardening written for all U.S. climates, soils, seasons, and methods.
The jacket reads:
“This encyclopedic volume is not only lavishly illustrated in exquisite natural full colors, but is authoritatively written by E. L. D. Seymour, Editor for the renowned “Garden Encyclopedia,” assisted by a corps of famous flower experts. It is a book as practical as it is beautiful.”
“Parading in all their dazzling, natural glory are 800 different flowers, reproduced with such remarkable fidelity that your can almost inhale their fragrance. Every shade and nuance of the most flaming and most subtle colors of these flowers is captured for your delight and instruction.”
From the Foreward:
“The returns—or should we say rewards?—that one gets from a garden are of various kinds. There are the material products—flowers, vegetables, fruits—to be enjoyed through the several senses, or shared with others and thereby doubly enjoyed. There is the physical benefit and enjoyable recreation to be gained from garden work. There is the pride of ownership of something fine and beautiful, and the inspiration of working hand in hand with Nature in creating it.”
While the language is dated, the sentiment is still current~
“Always there is the well merited satisfaction of having accomplished something that enhances the home and benefits the community; of having taken a step and made contribution toward that noble goal, a more beautiful America.”
“Watering pots are useful in a small way for wetting soil in seed pans, flats, cold frames, hotbeds and seedling beds and for sprinkling foliage.”
I love the method described in using these “watering pots”~
“These streams can be made to fall more lightly and in rain-like drops by holding the can higher to increase the distance between the apertures and the points where the water strikes.”
I’m looking forward to a gardener’s reward:
“To lounge in comfort beneath a tree, gazing on smooth green lawn and bed of flowers, is due reward for a gardener on a summer day.”
I pulled out some vintage Christmas items and set a table to display them. . .
Cardboard Christmas village houses & churches, known as Putz houses, most old mixed with some new. . .
I’ve used this quilt on my table before~ it’s currently nestled underneath my tree at the lake serving as a tree skirt.
Christmas Greetings are sprinkled on the table, most of these are postmarked from Pennsylvania, the one below from 1910~
I love the messages on these postcards:
“May Christmas with its magic spell, Make all things happy, all thing well.”
The practice of sending Christmas cards grew out of the Victorian use of decorated calling cards and of printed note paper and envelopes for New Year’s greetings. The card business was really made possible by the advent of the postage stamp and ‘Penny Post’ in England in 1840. Prior to this innovation, postage was based on mileage and paid by the receiver when mail was delivered. Now the sender could bear the postage with a single rate.
The first commercially printed Christmas card is attributed to Sir Henry Cole, the first Director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
By the 1850s improved printing techniques allowed the expansion of the card business and cards could be trimmed with a wide variety of cut and embossed papers.
My chalkware figures are not vintage, but have a vintage charm. . .
Christmas Collectibles is a fact-filled guide to Christmas collectibles and offers information and full-color photographs of Yuletide items from the Victorian era to the present. Fun to peruse, it is both a catalog of delightful objects and a fascinating investigation of every aspect of Christmas~ from the origins of traditions and festivities, to the technological innovations that affected the manufacture of favorite ornaments.
“One of the first Christmas window decorations was a lighted candle in a window. The candles were placed there to guide ‘special’ travelers, who vary in different countries and cultures, from The Holy Couple, Mary and Joseph, to The Christmas Stranger, or The Christmas Visitor. In time, the reason was forgotten, but the candles had become part of the holiday. Eventually the candles were electrified, allowing greens to be used safely in the windows. Although various arrangements appeared in windows, the most enduring was the wreath made of evergreens and trimmed with pine cones, berries and ribbon. The first artificial wreaths were made of chenille or cellophane and for some reason were mostly red instead of green.”
I love the nostalgia these vintage items evoke~ memories of Christmases of yesteryear. . . a few pieces from my collection of vintage Christmas items~ lights, children’s records, Shiny Brite ornaments, Sparkle Snow. . .
These children’s records were personalized Santa-Grams, with Santa’s 10 Rules for Good Little Boys & Girls. . .
Listen to your Mommy & Daddy
Mind your teacher
Be neat & clean
Go to bed early
Be kind to animals (my favorite one :-)
Brush teeth twice a day
Be careful crossing streets
Don’t be selfish
Be courteous
Go to church
My vintage Santa punch bowl & mugs are accompanying a plate of Linzer cookies I made for Food for Thought.
A vintage choice for a cookie :-) based on the same recipe as Linzer torte, created in Linz, Austria in the 17th century. Linzer torte is the oldest known torte recipe and a holiday classic in Austrian, Hungarian, Swiss, German traditions, often eaten at Christmas.
Christmas Collectibles will evoke memories of your own childhood and give you a glimpse of how other generations and other people have celebrated Christmas over the years.
I’m joining Jain with my Edible Book Review at Food for Thought, a delicious blog for readers with an appetite~ forthe written word.
I. Heart. This. Book.
A Dog’s Purpose is told through the eyes of Toby, a pup born feral; reborn as Bailey, a boy’s beloved Golden Retriever; reborn as Ellie, a search & rescue German Shepherd, and finally as Buddy, a Black Lab. The lessons and memories of each life and incarnation are carried over to the next, until ultimately Buddy learns his true purpose. It does come with a warning though~ Publisher’s Weekly calls this “a tail-wagging three hanky boo-hooer”. I have to say the joyous parts far outweighed the sad, which made for a much happier tail :-) than The Art of Racing in the Rain for me.
I listened to the audio version from Audible, the narration which is done in first-person, or rather first-dog, was delightful. Told simply with the eternal optimism of a dog, there are many laugh-out-loud moments. The end result is a story that speaks of a dog’s capacity to love and protect. If you are a dog lover, you will lap this up.
I’m sharing my chalkware dog collection~ more shabby than chic~ and setting a table and joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday as part of this Edible Review. Since my canines are vintage, I’m joining Suzanne, Coloradolady for Vintage Thingie Thursday and visiting the alphabet courtesy Jenny Matlock.
A little dog & book love~ combined with some vintage & food fun :-)
My pack of dogs normally sit and stay (unlike my real life canines :-) on my bookshelves~ their purpose to keep my volumes company.
None of my chalkware dogs have a pedigree, which is more common than not for chalkware. Thought to have originated by the Pennsylvania Dutch in the mid 19th century, it was sold primarily as a less expensive version of the ceramic Staffordshire figurines that adorned the mantels of many middle and upper-class
homes. Chalkware reappeared during the great depression and was used as carnival game prizes and produced through the fifties, until this breakable plaster material was replaced with mass-produced stuffed animals. Chips, nicks, and breaks are common~ the flaking of paint and plaster on the surface is typical, and adds to their time-worn appearance that appeals to me.
Everything looks special under a cloche, so I gathered my various sized bell jars and served up my pack on plates purchased from Home Goods. Placemats & Napkins are reversible and came from Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Most of the early figures were painted by hand. In the 1920s they began using the air brush, which produced good detail and resulted in much faster production with more pieces per hour at cheaper cost. Later, to further reduce costs, stencils were used so hourly wage earners could be employed, instead of experienced, air brush craftsmen.
This King Charles Spaniel is designed as an ashtray, popular for the time period, and is serving up dog cookies. Chloe & Gracie said this was their most favorite tablescape ever :-)
Food for Thought was fun~ seeking and finding the food passages like Ellie, the search & rescue German Shepherd :-)
As a feral pup in his first life, Toby and his brothers & sister forage for food, and find among other things, bits of cheese. . .
I couldn’t resist picking up this bottle since the Lab on the label matched the book jacket . . . I thought I’d pair the wine with dog-shaped cheese, and a crescent moon.
My King Charles Spaniel is standing in as a wine coaster. . .
Buddy finds himself feeling blue:
“I was a dog who had learned to live among and serve humans as my sole purpose in life. Now, cut off from them, I was adrift. I had no purpose, no destiny, no hope.”
Bits of doggy wisdom and observations from Bailey:
You can’t get a cat’s attention unless they choose to give it to you.
Dogs have important jobs, like barking when the doorbell rings, but cats have no function in the house whatsoever.
If you’re lucky, you get to go for car rides.
Cats are definitely no fun in the car.
Talking to a horse is a complete waste of time.
Sometimes we all break out in loud barking, for no reason other than the sheer joy of it.
Ducks are dumb creatures.
Bailey has the most food experiences and over the course of his life, has encounters with several farm animals~ a donkey, horse, ducks, and the bane of his existence~ cats.
White Chocolate Popcorn, recipe here, with animal crackers added for Bailey’s benefit :-)
Bailey’s start to a great day: sleeping in, eating toast crusts, licking eggs off the plate~
“People are vastly more complicated than dogs and served a much more important purpose. The job of a good dog was ultimately to be with them, remaining by their sides no matter what course their lives might take.”
Thank you, Susan, for hosting such a fun event & providing dishaholics everywherewith a weekly fix ~
My tablescape inspiration this week came in the form of a new teapot. . .
And this book~
The Butterfly House fascinated me and inspired me to share it in the form of an Edible Review at Food for Thought~ a wonderful & delicious blog for readers with an appetite. . .forthe written word and food. Hosted by my talented & lovely friend Jain, every two weeks, you are invited to join by sharing a book review in an edible fashion. It’s a fun place to play and visit~ where you can always find something feed your mind, your senses, and yourtummy :-)You can read more about this book and see the complete book review, if you’d like here.
It also inspired me to play with cupcakes :-)
And to get to know the butterflies :-)
. . . published in 1920, with full-color plates of Monarchs, Zebra & Tiger Swallowtails. . .
Butterfly Cupcake instructions can be found in this fun book~
I thought I’d share some of my Vintage Garden treasures and ephemera, that I have collected and unearthed at antique malls, flea markets, and on eBay. . . this Armour’s Farmer’s Almanac from 1921 has some beautiful graphics.
Poisonous Plant Chart
A label on a seed box that have recently run across, but yet to do anything with. I think I’ll line it and plant it like the one at the top of this post. I’m waiting for the right spot to place it and inspiration :-)
A collection of John Baer’s Sons Agricultural Almanac from the 20′s – 40′s, full of tips such as:
“Loosen your window frames with a teaspoon of lard, works likemagic!”
“Don’t lose your head if bitten by a dog suspected of rabies!”
“Gasoline is dangerous!”
How to clean an oven–I’m thankful mine is self-cleaning :-)
The June 1946 issue has these words of wisdom:
“From the standpoint of both the bee-keeper and the fruit grower it is desirable that every precaution be taken in the spraying of the trees to prevent injury to bees.”
and
“The blades of your kitchen knives should be used only for food purposes. If you insist on cutting paper and string, metal or bone with them, you will dull them quickly.”
An old tin of Cheerio bird food that reads: “Cheerio is surely true to its name, There’s energy and pep in every grain.”
Armour’s Bird & Insect Chart from the Alamanac~
A Rose Catalog fom The Conard & Jones Co. from West Grove, Penn.~ “Your Rose Specialist with 50 years experience.” That was in 1912.
More views from my seed box ~Reliable Seeds, Sioux City Nursery & Seed Co.
A three-pack of Triogen Rose Spray in the box~
Cardboard “Hothouses”
So I thought I would set a table in my kitchen using some of my vintage items. With fantasy over function in mind~
The surface of the table is covered with photo-copied pages from old seed catalogs. Since this is a fantasy tablescape the overlapping pages are not secured. You could easily do this with a glass top over your pages or photographs, to protect them and keep them from shifting.
I used my non-vintage Portmeirion plates for their botanical images~ to mix with old garden tools, birdhouses, and vintage salt & pepper shakers.
An old yellow sprinkler serves as a pedestal for a plate :-)
No markings on these Bird S & P’s~ just “Japan”.
The frog pepper shaker normally perches on top of the flower salt ~
Ads from Schell’s Quality Seeds Gardeners Catalog 1932
Thanks to my hostesses to this week’s parties I’m linking to:
I thought it would be fun to include nest-building habits from specific birds, so I turned to a great book, Birdscaping your Garden by George Adams.
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak: “The male often selects the nest-site, which is usually 10 to 15 feet above the ground in a fork of a deciduous tree. Both birds may share in the nest-building, constructing a loosely built structure of small sticks, fine twigs and grass, lined with rootlets and fine grasses.”
This is single cup & saucer I picked up at a consignment store, the pattern is Williamsburg Aviary by Wedgwood. I would love to have a few more pieces~ hint, hint.
I’m not familiar with the Verdin, but was fascinated to read about its nest-building.
Verdin: “The ball-shaped nest is surprisingly large for such a small bird, measuring abut 8 inches across. Usually placed a the end of low limb in a conspicuous position, the nest is built of up to 2000 thorny twigs, making it possibly the most labor-intensive nest of all North American birds. The thorny twigs are interlaced so that the free ends stick out from the nest, quill-like, protecting it from intruders. Coarse grass, leaves and plant stems are also used in the construction, and spiderweb is used to help bind the nest together. The resulting nest is a strong, compact structure able to withstand fierce sandstorms, well insulated and able to protect the young from desert heat.”
I’m a huge fan of Mary Carol Garrity~thisis one of my favorite books of hers. I would love to take a road trip to shop at Nell Hill’s. I only wish Atchison or Kansas City were a tad closer. . .
Her book jacket reads: “Home decorating guru Mary Carol Garrity compares her techniques for transforming her own 130-year-old Greek revival fixer-supper to that of a bird building its nest–carefully selecting and layering all components twig by twig. Garrity empowers readers to feather their own nest by developing a sense of personal style.”
Yellow Warbler: “Nest building is mainly done by the female, though she is attended by the male. Favorite nesting sites are in moist thickets, along small streams and brooks and on the edge of swamps among alders, willows and blueberry and elderberry bushes.”
Robin: “After laying a platform of twigs and grass, the female builds up the walls with mud and more grass. Turning round and round inside the cup, she smooths and shapes the inner walls with her breast and half-extended wings. Then she adds a lining of soft grass and perhaps a few feathers.”
We had 3 baby robins in this nest last spring, on our gutter under the eave of our house.
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher: “The mated pair construct their nest together. Apart from hummingbirds’ nest, this is the daintiest nest in the woodlands. A cup-shaped nest of plant fiber bound together with spiderweb is lined with bark strips, fine grass and feathers. Lichen is fastened to the outside of the nest with spiderweb or caterpillar silk, giving the nest the appearance of a lichen-covered knot on a limb.”
This bird’s nest was made by my dear friend, Carolyn, floral designer extraordinaire. I love the little floral and feather embellishments.
The Cardinal: “The male follows the female while she constructs the nest, often singing to her in his most melodious voice. (don’t you love that?) Popular nest sites include dense thickets, blackberry or gooseberry bushes, rose canes or honeysuckle vines and saplings of hackberry, elm, hawthorn or locust. The nest is a loosely built , bulky bowl-shaped structure of twigs, shredded bark, weed stems and grass rootlets, lined with finer grasses and hair.”
Northern Oriole: “The Baltimore oriole’s nest is probably the most beautiful of all North American bird nests. The nest is a well-woven, deep, silvery pouch suspended by the rim from the end of long, drooping branches. The nest is woven of plant fibers, string, cloth and hair. Many people enjoy supplying the birds with short lengths of string or yarn.”
I thought I’d share these magazines I picked up at a flea market for my Vintage Thursday Thingie~ This one is dated 1903. Birds and Nature was a 48 page Monthy available for $1.50 a year.
“A magazine devoted to nature, and illustrated by colored photography. It is the only periodical in the world that publishes pictures of birds, animals, insects, flowers, plants, etc. in natural colors. Eight full-page plates each month.”
We cleaned out our Purple Martin house in February, anxiously awaiting the Martins’ return. In the past couple of years, they have had to cohabitate with nesting sparrows. The martins have been circling it for a week or two now. The sparrows beat them to the punch again this year. Hopefully, they’ll reside together and ultimately run the sparrows off. We were trying to shoo the sparrows away, and toss their nest out, but I didn’t have the heart since it already had eggs in it.
