Ads You Won't See Anymore

Here is an old ad for Chesterfield cigarettes - no more are there ads like this in magazines, newspapers, billboards, etc.  I don't know if there are even Chesterfields anymore, although I do know there are lots of other brands.  When I smoked (for years and years, sorry to say) it was Marlboros.  It's been nineteen smokefree years for me now.  I used to really enjoy smoking and grew up in the 40's when smoking was everywhere.  The reason I quit was there was no longer anyplace to smoke - and I am so very glad I did.  Aside from the scary health effects, I cannot see why anyone would start it today just from the cost of it.  Won't lecture as I am not a righteous ex-smoker - each person must make their own decisions.  (I love the outfit on the lady - especially her shoes!)

Here is another pretty lady hawking Camels.  That's the way it was.  (Click to enlarge)

From FOH Fashion Friday

(This post was originally on Funoldhag a little over a year ago.)  On this cold, winter morning in March, I thought you might like to look at a picture of some lovely ladies in their swimming attire. I am very confident that these outfits would have been the latest in style as the Pearce girls, Nelle and Nan, were always dressed very fashionably and their friends would be no exception. Nelle and Nan are on the left of the photo. The picture was probably taken at the Sionilli, the Pearce cottage up the Illinois River from Peoria. The fabric of the dresses looks as if it were still wet, giving a bit of the "wet t-shirt" look. My, how times have changed! I doubt if this style will ever return, don't you agree? (Click to enlarge)

Postcard Friendship Friday

As you probably know from reading this blog, my late husband, Ray, worked for the Santa Fe Railroad for 41 years, starting in the summer during high school until retirement in 1984 at age 58.  We moved a lot, but our original home was in Chillicothe, Illinois.  I think this is a postcard - it is of the depot in Chillicothe.  You can see the passengers waiting to board the train.  Ray worked in the office in the engineering department which was in this old building and also spent a lot of time working "on the road".   Long after we moved away, the depot was destroyed by fire. 

Our first move was the consolidation of two divisions - the Illinois and Missouri - and the headquarters for that was in Ft. Madison, Iowa, so all the Chillicothe people and all the people from Marceline, Missouri, packed everything up and moved to Iowa.  This is a postcard and it is the depot at Ft. M.  We were actually only about two or three hours from Chillicothe, but it seemed like it was across the continent.  Guess it was the much slower times back then.  I really loved Ft. Madison and  those were good years living there. 

A Happy PFF - and thanks to Beth  for hosting - go over to  http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/
and check out all the postcards!

The Old Book of Chillicothe Buildings

One of four houses in the old book published in 1936 of  the residences, businesses, churches, etc., in Chillicothe, Illinois, my old stomping grounds, that look like the house we lived in when Bill was born. 

And another one -

 A third...........

They certainly look alike, especially since I scanned the first three from the book before I got up and found the only one I could remember that showed the exterior of the house.  The first one is definitely ruled out because of the columns.  The other two the doors are wider in the other two pictures. Going back through the book I found the fourth one above - I think it is a match to the picture I found in an old album where Sherry is sitting on the front steps when she was about three years old.

That was kind of a neat old house - there was a built in china cupboard in the dining room and a clawfoot bathtub and corner sink in the bathroom.  It also had a little back porch.  It certainly has been some time ago!  (Click to enlarge)

Young Quilters Long Ago

I found this picture online and absolutely love it.  All the pretty girls in their long skirts, pretty blouses and cute hairdos working on their quilt blocks.  They are wearing ribbons of some sort pinned on their bodices.  All of the girls are so young and probably working on something for their "hope chests" - I don't think the young women of today have those, do you?  Right in front is an open sewing basket belonging to one of the young ladies and another one is at the left.  Wonder what they were talking about.  Sweet, sweet picture.  (Click to enlarge)

Happy PFF

Happy PFF and St. Patrick's Day!  Thought this was a cute little postcard for the day.   Never too old to be in love.  The sender of the card (I presume a lady) just signs it "From the Kid".  Must be his pet name for her.  Thanks again to Beth at   http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/  for hosting. 

(In the previous post, I have a link to an eagle cam in Decorah, Iowa, which is filming an eagle's nest continuously.  It is fascinating - just now there were wonderful closeups of the eagle's head.  Yesterday, I saw one of the eagles fly in and the other fly out for a break.  There are three eggs, I think.  Give it a look - you will love it.  Carol)

An Eagle on its Nest

I just did a post on Funoldhag putting up a link sent to me by my friend, Linda, showing an eagle on its nest being continuously filmed by a webcam.  The first couple of times I tried to go there, it wasn't running but it was working great when I tried a little while ago.  Saw the bird lift itself up, rearrange the eggs a little then gently lay on them again.  What fun it will be when the little ones hatch.  Thought I would share the link with you - http://www.ustream.tv/channel/decorah-eagles  This is in Decorah, Iowa.

Enjoy!

Yummy

A favorite of mine when I was a kid - haven't seen these for a spell.  Found this old ad and saved it.   Good grief, it makes me hungry.  Can you imagine all that yumminess for 5 cents?  Was never crazy about the licorice one - ate it last but ate it.  Time to go to the grocery store and I will get things for my empty snack drawer! 

Clemie's Recipes from Under the Sink

This cookbook is in the box that Clemie kept under her sink.  Clemie was my mother-in-law and she gave me quite a few things that she saved over the years including some of Ray's baby clothes.  I do so love the old things.  I tried to find a date on this old book, but it is hiding from me if it is there at all. 

Here is a "modern" range and it looks so much like the old coal stove that my mother cooked on.  This is electric and

so is this one.  My grandmother had a gas stove that looked very much like the  one above.  In the same book, there is a washing machine shown and some small appliances that I will scan and post one day.  Great strides have been made in appliances since these were offered for sale.   I was thinking today of the progress that  has been made during my lifetime and how technology continues to advance faster and faster.   It's really an entirely different world than it was when I was born.    (Click to enlarge)

Postcard Friendship Friday

Piggie in a basket of four leaf clovers - Happy PFF.  St. Patty's Day will be next week - how the year 2011 is flying by.

Ida is feeling a little guilty as she writes her postcard to Miss Leona.  She is trying to pass the blame on a bit, though, since her friends phone is "always busy".  Thanks again to Beth for being our hostess.  Go over to
http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/  and check out all the fun and informative postcards.  And Happy St. Patrick's Day.  (Click to enlarge)

From Fashion Friday on Funoldhag

(This was posted on Funoldhag about a year ago)

Friday has rolled around again - the weeks fly by anymore. Today I will feature a picture of Ray as a baby with his Aunt Leatha and her son, Jay. Leatha has an absolutely darling haircut and she was such a pretty woman. Her frock has a dropped waist and long sleeves. The shoes she wears feature a big buckle. Jay, her little boy, is all dressed up in a white shirt, pants and a tie.

If you will note, Ray is wearing the shoes one of which I have and it was featured in a post on Pieces of the Past some time ago. Very fashionable!! (Click to enlarge)

Another Great Catalog Page

From a 1975 Sears catalog - don't you wish this style would return?  How cool can one get?  Love it.(Click to enlarge)

Quilting

Some of you reading my blog (and thank you so much!!!) may not know that I have been quilting for over 35 years and am still as enthused about quilts as I was when I got started.  When looking through files for another item, I came upon this picture that was in a newspaper in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in the late 1970's.  The quilttop the ladies are holding is one that I did and took to have quilted.  It was my first fullsized quilt and the pattern is called Trip Around the World.  I did it in shades of red.  At that time, I had not started doing my own quilting so had several tops quilted in Arkansas.  The prices were unbelievably low and the work was very nice.  My husband and I used to go to Arkansas spring and fall from the KC area and go fishing on Beaver Lake down there.  A trip to Eureka Springs was always part of the agenda.  That is where I found a quilt shop and discovered you could have hand quilting done.  The hand quilting and the batting for the quilt came to $50.00---incredible.  I think there were a lot of women down there who were happy to get some quilts to do.  When I started hand quilting on my own, I discovered what a lengthy task it was but also a very soothing thing to do.  Here is a little poem I found a long time ago that is so very true----

Many a heartache has been buried

In the growing petal of a silken rose,
And the sharp edge of sorrow has been dulled
By the sweet, calm monotony of a shining bit of steel.
Anon

The idea can apply to anything you are passionate about and able to lose yourself in the process.  If you would like to see more quilts, just click on the lady leaning on the fence at the top of my sidebar and she will take you over to Funoldhag.  Would love to have you visit.
(Click to enlarge)

Postcard Friendship Friday

In searching for something depicting the onset of spring which should be coming in a few weeks, I searched for "robin" -- the sign I always love to see for the first time.  In Kansas, robins arrived much earlier than in Michigan but they eventually get here to hop along and find the little worms in the ground.  Very few results turned up - however, this one does have a little bird that looks like a robin and a couple that look as if they are so in love.  And in spring a young man's fancy turns to----well, you know the rest.

I wish Henry had addressed the card so we could know who he was going to wait for at Chandler and Morses!   Thank you again, Beth  for being our hostess each Saturday.  Happy PFF to one and all.  (Click to en large)

Stylish Little Lady

I am 99% certain that this is a picture of my husband's mother, Clementine Julia.  The bangs throw me a bit, but it really looks like her.  If it isn't, it's a wonderful picture anyway and probably is a member of his family--maybe even his Aunt Leatha.  This is a stylish little girl with her pretty white collar, hat with a turned back brim and I do believe I see earrings.  This is rather like Fashion Friday on Tuesday.

This is the back and shows the prices for photographs.  I have noticed in many of the old papers that Illinois was abbreviated back in the "old days" as "Ills."  (Click to enlarge)