Vintage Magazines-Better Homes & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens, August 1929. Tips on propagating shrubs, Oriental poppies, and what the good hostess must have on hand in the guest room. This was evidently a subscription copy; there's a 2-cent stamp with Valley Forge on the back.

A Consummation Devoutly To Be Wished

It occurred to me that there is one potentially very positive outcome to Mr. Jackson's death that has been overlooked. The allegedly-Reverend Fred Phelps and his batshit-crazy crotch fruit are going to picket the funeral.

Can you imagine what is going to happen without the Patriot Guard to separate these whackaloons from several hundred thousand screaming Michael Jackson fans?

(I live in hope).

Online Cookbooks-The Southern Gardener and Receipt-Book

The Southern Gardener and Receipt-Book: Containing Valuable Information, Original and Otherwise, on All Subjects Connected With Domestic and Rural Affairs, Gardening, Cookery, Beverages, Dairy, Medical, Veterinary, and Miscellaneous (third edition; Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott and co., 1860), by Mary L. Edgeworth, contrib. by P. Thornton. Available online at the University of Michigan's Making of America digital library.

Mrs Edgeworth’s book is straight-forward, clearly written and provides some interesting insights on how food gathering, preparation and storage had to be handled in hot Southern climates (although her apparent dislike of starting new paragraphs may seem a little disconcerting to a modern reader). She devotes several pages to the proper smoking and curing of pork and beef, and I doubt these methods changed much, particularly in rural areas, until after the Second World War when electricity and modern refrigeration became common.

Here is her advice to settlers in need of honey to augment their supply of sweeteners.

"HUNTING BEES

The manner of hunting bees, as practiced in the new settlements, may be familiar to many but perhaps not to all. As advantage is taken of a peculiar instinct, it would, probably, be interesting to those unacquainted with it, to be informed of the process. A tin box is provided, capable of containing about a pint. Into this is put a piece of dry honey-comb; a bottle of honey and water mixed, about half and half, is also provided. The honey is diluted, in order that it may be more readily poured into the dry comb, that the bees may not be so liable to get it upon their wings, and will be able to fill themselves more expeditiously. Apparatus for making a fire may also be necessary. With these the hunter proceeds to a newly-cleared field, at a distance from any hive of domestic bees; and having poured a little of the composition into the comb, he proceeds to search among the wild flowers for a bee. If one can be found, he is caught in the box by shutting the lid over him. As soon as he becomes still, the lid is carefully removed, when he will be found busily filling himself with honey. When he rises he must be watched in order to ascertain his course. After making one or two circuits about the box, he will fly off in a straight course to his home. After an absence of a few minutes, say five or ten, he will return, bringing with him two or three of his companions. These will soon fill themselves, go home, and return again with a number more. Thus they will continue to increase in number till, in the course of half an hour, there will be one hundred or more in the box. By that time the line will be ascertained with precision. The lid is now shut over as many as possible, and the box is removed on the line to the edge of the woods, where it is again opened. The line will soon be found at the new station, as before, and thus the box is removed from station to station, until the whole tree is either discovered or passed. If the tree be passed, the line, of course, will be retrograde. A small pocket spyglass is a convenient thing for searching the tops of trees, as it requires a good eye to see a bee at that distance. If a bee cannot be found to commence operations with, a little honey is burned on a stone; and if a wandering bee happens to be near, he will be attracted by the smell. The proper time for hunting bees is on a fair warm day in the month of September or October. During the summer months, when food for bees is to be found everywhere, they will not traverse. If a bee tree is in the neighborhood of a sugar camp, bees will be found about the tree in the time of making sugar."


(fruit and vegetable illustrations from Dover Publications).

Caturday!

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Quote of the Day

You are not subject to a remote and unsympathetic sovereign, nor to an unrepresentative legislative body (unless you live in the District of Columbia). Neither should you be subject in the formation of your political opinions — indeed, your view of reality — to the half-truths and outright falsehoods with which you are bombarded daily. It is your job as a citizen not to be gulled by the self-serving misrepresentations of elected officials or the distortions and fantasies retailed by charlatans on the air, in print, and over the Internet.

Mr. Madison and Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Hamilton, however vigorously they disagreed on other matters, were united on this point: They wanted you to be an informed and independent thinker, because on your ability to make informed and responsible choices rests the fate of the republic they created. As Mr. Franklin said at the close of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, you have a republic — if you can keep it. ~ John McIntyre

Vintage Book Covers-An Encore

I know that I usually post vintage book covers on Mondays under the category Ephemera, but I've just realized that I have so many accumulated that like chimney-sweepers, I shall come to dust before I have a chance to share them all.

This is a sweet, old-fashioned romance that is available on Project Gutenberg. It's all the more old-fashioned because the thoroughly modern author is writing somewhat patronizingly in 1904 about a sweet, old-fashioned romance of 1822 (much as I am writing somewhat patronizingly about 1904 and someone in 2035 will no doubt write patronizingly about me). Love the hollyhocks and the curtains at a bungalow casement window.

Patterns of the Past-Skirts and Waists from 1914

Patterns for separate waists and skirts as advertised in Needlecraft magazine, September 1914. The pattern on the right has an interesting cut, close to the body and then a slight flare around the ankles, and the one on the left is evidently made to look like but not quite fit like a hobble skirt, allowing the wearer to appear stylish but still walk.

If you compare the skirts to what became fashionable less than a year later, you can see why the fashion moralists were so shocked. These costumes may be a bit closely-fitted but at least they covered the (gasp!) ankle. They were also freakishly impractical for French and British ladies who would soon be trading silks and muslins for khaki, puttees and Red Cross aprons.

Knitting and Crochet-Sunsuits from 1948

From Smart Knitting, 4th Edition, published 1948. Matching sunsuits for a pair of little girls, but one is knitted and one is crocheted. Two pages of instructions can be downloaded from my Flickr account.

Vintage Advertising-Bird's Custard

From Woman and Home, June 1953. Contents included directions for knitting a classic twinset, a recipe for "A Novelty Gateau for your Coronation Party" and ads for Peak Frean biscuits, Brooke Bond tea and Crosse & Blackwell's Salad Cream.

How to write a thank you note

1. Open box that arrives in mail.

2. Remove cat from box. Close lid of box securely.

3. Place box on table and go find stationery.

4. Remove cat from table.

5. Place notepad and pen on table.

6. Chase cat down and remove ball of yarn that he swiped from box. Close lid of box securely.

7. Go back to table and sit down in front of notepad and pen.

8. Remove cat from chair. Find first aid kit and apply disinfectant to scratches on back of leg.

9. Go back to table, check chair for cat, and sit down in front of notepad and pen.

10. Remove cat from box and forcibly detach him from the package of bias tape he has in his mouth. Close lid of box securely.

11. Sit back down and pick up pen.

12. Take pen away from cat and push him off table.

13. Throw away first piece of paper with streaks and blobs of ink and get a new piece of paper.

14. Chase cat down and again remove ball of yarn. Rewind yarn.

15. Put cat in bathroom and close bathroom door securely. Return to table and start again at step 11.

Repeat as necessary.

Crop Report

It has been very hot here this past week. The broccoli shot its bolt as did the sugar snap peas, although I may get one more picking out of those. The mid-summer vegetables—tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers—are showing signs of what’s to come. I’ve picked the first zucchini, and we’ll have green beans later this week.

The potatoes are still holding strong but the cauliflower came on all at once and the spousal unit has already picked it, blanched it, bagged it, and tossed in the freezer. I intercepted two cupfuls for this pickle.

Hot Ginger Pickles

¼ c water
¼ c Japanese rice vinegar
¼ c sugar (or equivalent in your sweetener of choice)
Heaping teaspoon grated ginger (fresh or jarred, not the dried stuff)
1 small jalapeno, sliced
2 cups cauliflower florets, more or less

Blanch and shock the cauliflower and put it in a non-reactive covered container. Bring the water, sugar and vinegar to a boil. Stir in the ginger, a pinch of salt, and about three slices of jalapeno, more if you like it very hot (or leave it out entirely if you prefer). Pour the water/vinegar mixture over the cauliflower florets, cover, flip upside down and shake to distribute. Refrigerate until cold and remove the jalapeno before serving.

This is really more of a marinade than a pickle and is best eaten the same day. I was given the recipe years ago when I was stationed in California by a colleague’s wife. She called them Japanese pickles and they are kissin’ cousins to the fresh vegetable pickles my mother’s family used to serve on hot summer days down South (Texas and South Carolina), when ladies would pour boiling vinegar over sliced cucumbers and onions and then shave a hot pepper pod over the bowl.

(vintage crate label from Dover Publications).

Caturday!

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Quote of the Day

(AP photo).

It is impossible to wash blood with blood.~ Iranian proverb

Schadenfreude

I admit, I'd like to see this myself (courtesy Popehat).

I Don't Play Chess

..but if I did this is the kind I'd like to play.

The Hole-in-the-Screen Gang Rides Again

We got back from Seattle to find a domicile unexpectedly and completely cat-less.

Reserve Cat showed up immediately, almost quivering with joy at our return. The Drama Queen allowed the spousal unit to roam the neighborhood, calling her name, for about twenty minutes before she condescended to materialize on the front porch.

Caturday!

I had to post this one though; Happy Father's Day!

A Brief Holiday

Off to the West Coast for (another) family wedding. See you next week.

(Becassine image courtesy Patricia at Agence Eureka).

Patooie!

In an uncharacteristic burst of amiability earlier this evening, Her Majesty jumped up into my arms and gave me a big kiss. Too bad I was getting ready to go outdoors and had just sprayed myself all over with mosquito repellent.

I'm really getting on her good side this week.

To a New Potato

(with profound apologies to Rabbie Burns)

Wee, sleekit, blushing, tender, beastie
Ready for the glutton’s feastie
Cook’d fifteen minutes, not too hasty
Well worth waiting for;
Golly Moses, you’re some tasty,
Think I’ll hae some more.

Diggèd a short half hour ago
Rushed to stove and steamed just so
Butter needed? Hoot mon, no!
Temptingly displayed
The other dishes are laid low
Puts them in the shade.

You can keep your store-bought big’uns
Mammoths fit for serfs to pig on
As for us, we’ll just keep diggin’
Till the season’s o’er.
Eat the little coral smidgens
Then go plant some more!