Whistling Barefoot Boy with Apples

While  scouting cool stuff for my farm store, I found this classic vintage framed photo of a boy in overalls with a basket of apples. His lips are pursed - I guess he is whistling. It looks to me like a hand-colored  photograph.  In tiny white letters on the bottom left it says "Copyright 1901, Campbell Art Co, Elizabethtown NJ.  In the right-hand corner  it says 276, G.W. Wacce, Phila.  Perhaps Wacce is the photographer.

In an Internet search  I found a site devoted to the Campbell Art Co, and have sent them an inquiry; I'd love to know more about this image.

Peaceful Pagoda

Today's sweet thrift store find was a Chinese artwork,a peaceful pagoda scene carved in intricate dimensional detail from cork. It is 9 inches by 21 inches. The deep beveled mat is wrapped in silk. I did a bit of web research and now think this piece is from the early 1900's. It is in amazingly good shape, with just a few small crumbs of cork that have broken off. This crummy photo with reflections on the glass does not do it justice.

In this close-up you can see the detailed carving and the background painting in blue ink.

Brass Creamer & Sugarbowl

I'm trying to think if I know anybody else who ever uses a creamer and sugar bowl...can't think of anyone. But I bet if they had a pretty brass set like this, they would. What is it that makes art nouveau design so appealing? This set practically screamed from the shelf that it was far too elegant and special to be at the thrift store.

Duck Pitcher

Every now and then my ceramic fruit and vegetable pitcher collection expands to include a critter. I was so delighted to find this vintage duck pitcher at Savers for 99 cents! The beak has been mended but the pitcher is very old, I think, and otherwise in good shape.

Grandma's Bread Bowl

This well-worn bowl is one of the most important cooking tools in our kitchen. It belonged to my Grandma W.(she got it as a wedding gift, I believe) and is the bowl I remember her using to mix up dough for cookies, dilly bread, and especially, caramel rolls.

The caramel roll recipe came from Grandma's friend Maxine. They often enjoyed hot caramel rolls and coffee together over fierce scrabble games. When I visited the farm as a youngster, I sometimes got to play scrabble with Grandma and Maxine and even drink coffee with my caramel roll, although my mine was mostly milk.

When Grandma moved to Oregon to live with my aunt in her last years, my sister Rita moved into her house for a while. Making room in the cupboards, Rita thoughtfully gave me the bowl, saying I was probably the only granddaughter who would actually ever bake bread. We were of college age--I needed cooking gear and neither of us realized then the sentimental value that bowl would have.

My daughters grew up helping me bake bread and cookies using Grandma's bowl. When they grew to college age, both of them requested Grandma's bread bowl. I wasn't even ready to part with it yet! Happily, I had just figured out EBay, and I put out a watch out for a "large Household Institute mixing bowl, Rhythm Rose pattern." Through Ebay I purchased the same bowl, although in much more pristine condition, so we could all have a mixing bowl like Grandma's.

Grandma & Maxine's Caramel Rolls for Scrabble

Dissolve: 1 package yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
Scald: 1 cup of milk in a small pan. Pour into large mixing bowl.
Add to the milk: 2 T. sugar, 2 T. shortening, 1 tsp. salt.
Cool.
Add 1 beaten egg and the softened yeast. Beat well and add 1 cup of flour. Add 2 1/2 cups more flour, as needed to make a soft dough. Knead.
Cover and let rise in warm place to double in size. Roll outinto 9 x 12 rectangle and dot with butter, sprinkle cinnamom and sugar. Roll up and slice.

Melt 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup borwn sugar in a 9 x 12 baking pan. Place rolls in pan. Raise to lightness.
Bake 20-25 minutes in 375 degree oven. Invert on rack when done. Very tasty with hot coffee and friends to share with.

Corny Pitcher

My silly pitcher collection started with an irresistable ceramic pitcher in the shape of a cantaloupe 15 years ago, and has grown into a veritable Farmers Market of fruit- and vegetable-shaped pitchers. I have found most of them at garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets, and TJ MAxx, and some have been gifts.

When I accidently broke the bunch-of-grapes pitcher, I searched for a replacement on EBay and came across a wonderful antique corn pitcher. I bid on it, but was quickly outbid-- it sold for over $300. Far, far beyond my price range! Last summer, I drove past a garage sale and stopped on a whim. There I found the exact same corn pitcher -- for only $3. This is one of my most fortuitous finds!