The antique hand pump

The hand pump was a fixture on the large back porch of the big farmhouse built in 1869. It was the house where my mother was raised, and where I started going in 1965. My grandparents, John R. and Janice Day Watson, lived there for some 55 years. Before that my grandfather's parents, Garfield and Ellen Barker Watson, lived there.

The last time I was at the farm was yesterday, to pick up the hand pump that I won in the Watson Auction.

The Watsons are my kinfolk. My mother, Sandra Ellen, was a Watson before she married my father, Fred McDonald. Her brother, David, and his wife, Kathy, and their two children now own all of the Watson farm. My late aunt and uncle, David and Peggy Ruppel, and their children used to also live on the farm.

I paid $121 for the hand pump. Why? Because it means something to me. It's a part of my memories of the farm. I haven't been in the farmhouse since 2018, after my grandmother died, to collect a few things. After that the house was gutted and renovated. 

The back porch was removed. The hand pump was saved, I was informed when I asked about it.

Last week I saw it in the online Watson Auction. 

I never resided in the farmhouse but for 50 years - until the middle of 2015 when grandmother was sent to a nursing home -  I was a reoccurring visitor. 

After my mother died in 1968, my grandparents wanted me to live with them. But my father did what he thought was best for himself and me and he placed me with his parents, Fred and Ruth DeVol McDonald, in Caldwell while he lived and worked in Columbus. 

Dad made certain that I saw my mother's family. 

Dad remarried and started a new family but he made sure I had a relationship with my mother's family. And I did.

Over the years I came to love to go to the farm and I made memories there to last a lifetime. 

Some of the memories I have are in photographs taken by others and some I have taken myself. 

In July 2012 grandmother and I visited on the back porch and before I could snap a picture of her my rechargeable camera battery was exhausted. Earlier in the day I captured the empty rocking chair, hand pump, cat and the view. 

I had this photograph made into a canvas that hangs in my house. This image invokes a strong memory of the farm, porch, farmhouse, grandmother, cats and LOVE.

See grandmother, in her nightgown, feeding the cats a day after her 87th birthday in 2013. There's the hand pump.

The hand pump is on the porch, circa late 1940s, where grandmother and her sister-in-law Dorothy who married my grandfather's brother Harry, pose. They have picked strawberries and are in front of the porch of farmhouse where their in-law's Garfield and Ellen Watson reside. Grandmother and Grandfather later moved into the farmhouse.

I'm sure my love of cats started at the farm. They seem to be in a lot of photographs, especially when I was little. 

Today is National Cat Day!

As far as the hand pump, maybe it will be come a garden water feature at my home. Stay tuned.

Grandmother's House

I miss the smell of grandmother's house as I enter the back door.

I miss the toile wallpaper and gas fireplace that is lit three seasons of the year.

I miss the purple bedroom where I slept with my aunt until she got married and moved next door.

I miss the red bedroom and huge Gone With The Wind lamp that sits in front of the window.

I miss the ladybugs behind every curtain in the house.

I miss the grandfather clock's toll and Westminster chime.

I miss the winding staircase with heavy wood banister.

I miss the turquoise bathroom with Estee Lauder powder and lingering scent.

I miss the attic where I found my mother in 2012.

I miss ringing the dinner bell.

I miss the radio tuned to WILE, and the whistle of the tea kettle.

I miss the breakfasts of oatmeal, toast, tea and oranges.

I miss Muffet, Ryan, Tilly and Shane.

I miss the cats that gather for scraps and bread and milk in a tin plate on the porch.

I miss the huge trees that shade the parlor and kitchen windows.

I miss the porch swing and rocking chairs.

I miss her.

I miss my grandmother.

 

Special cookbook from Caldwell fourth-grade class in 1976

This is the final Vintage Family Fixin's column that was published in the newspaper where I used to work.
I've decided to change the name of the column, and I'm brainstorming about that. 


Got a suggestion? send it my way.

I have material for my next blog post which will be about the Club in Caldwell. In my late Grandmother Ruth McDonald's recipe box there are Club recipes. I have recently been in contact with Beverly Ralston, of Caldwell, widow of the late Robert "Bud" Ralston. Bud wrote a history of the Club which Bev shared with me. I will talk about that and share the recipes from the Club too. It's something to look forward to.

I've procrastinated in publishing this cookbook column, which was my last piece of writing with the newspaper. It's been almost seven months since I lost my job and I'm still not settled. Who would have thought it would be this hard. I hope 2015 brings me some peace and motivation.

----

　
Welcome back to Vintage Family Fixin's. Today I am sharing "A Special Cookbook" prepared by my fourth-grade class at Caldwell Elementary School in 1976.

Our teacher was Mrs. Beverly Heddleson and our school was located on the hill between North and Main streets. (This is where GMN Tri-County CAC has its offices now. The fourth-grade classrooms were located in the three-story original edifice.)

The first inside page of the cookbook reveals its title:

"Our Mom's Cookbook" surrounded by all of the first name signatures of the members of my grade school class plus mine.

A Special Cookbook from Mrs. Bev Heddleson's fourth-grade class in 1975-76, which is also pictured.

Mom's cookbook was created for Mother's Day that year and is comprised of carbon copies of our recipes in our hand writing. The cover of the book is kitchen contact paper, that was popular at the time, adhered to construction paper. The book is bound by three punch holes and brass prong paper file fasteners. There is a disclaimer at the bottom of the signature page that tells it is "Unedited."

That is funny because I see a few mistakes in the recipe I, the former Lisa McDonald, submitted (i.e. graded chedder).


Special Salad
1 1/2 heads lettuce (wash dry put in plastic bag 4-5 hours). Break into bite size pieces in bowl. Layer following 1/2 - 3/4 c. diced celery. 1/2 c. chopped gr. pepper

layer sliced purple onion

pkg. frozen gr. peas cooked

1 pt. Hellman's mayonnaise (spread like frosting)

Sprinkle 2 t. sugar

8 oz. layer of graded chedder cheese

15 strips of bacon browned and crumbled

Cover with glad wrap and refrigerate for 8 hrs.

Do not Toss

-----

Other recipes and their contributors from the 1976 Caldwell cookbook are (unedited and written or copied by fourth graders):


Glorified Rice -- Frank E. Harriman
1 Cup Cold Rice - Cooked

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 1/2 Cup Crushed Pine Appled Rain

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1 Cup Whipped Cream

8 Marshmalllows - cut up

Chill

-----


Cheese Cake -- Lori Schoeppner
Chill 1 can of canned milk for 1 hr.

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 stick oleo 1/4 lb.

1 tblsp. sugar (save 1 cup for top)

1st bowl

1 small box lemon yellow

1 cup boiling water dissolve

2nd bowl

1 large package cream cheese

1 c. p.

2 tblsps. vanilla

beat until creamy

3rd bowl

whip canned milk until thick add contents of 1st bowl

contents of 1st bowl

contents of 2nd bowl

add 1 can drained crushed pineapple

stir well

pour over crumbs crust

-----


Chocolate Chip Cookies -- John Turner
1/2 c. shortening (use half butter)

1/2 c. sugar (white)

1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1t. vanilla

1 c. plus 2 T sifted flour

1/2 t soda

1/2 t salt

cream suger and shortening until fluffy.

add egg and vanilla.

add all dry ingredients.

add 1/2 c. chopped nuts and 1 pkg. chocolate chips

Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased baking shot.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 min

-----


Marshmallow Treats -- Jimmy C (Cantor)
1/4 cup regular butter. 1 pkg. marshmallows.

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melters and well blended. cook 2 minutes longer. stirring constantly. remove from Add rice kris pies stir until well coated. Using buttered spatula or waxed paper press miture evenly and firmly in buttered 13x9x2 inch pan cut into squares when cool

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Chocolate Soda -- Stephen Minyo
Mix in glass 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce

1/4 cup chilled club soda

Add 1 or 2 large scoops vanilla icecream

Fill glass with chilled club soda

Stir to blend slightly and serve

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Apple Punch -- Karl Cox
2 cups cider or Apple Juice

1 cup orange on Juice

1/4 cup sugar

Stir until sugar is dissolved Chill

Just before serving Add:

2 Cups Ginger Ale

Garnish with orange slices

Cherries.

-----


Wacky Cake - 2 -- Steve Green
1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. Cocoa

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

dash of salt

1 tsp. vingar

1 tsp. vanilla

6 tsp. cooking oil

1 cup water

Bake at 350 7 degrees for 40 mins.

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Molosses Krinkles -- Donald Shaw
3/4 C. Shortening

1 C. Brown Sugar

1 egg and 1/4 C. Brer. Rabbit Molosses

2 1/4 C. Flour

2 t. soda

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. cloves

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. ginger

Blend Shortening, sugar until creamy. Add egg and Mollasses Sift fry ingredients and add. Roll in ball size of walnut Drop top in sugar Drops two or three drops of water on top.

Bake 8 to 10 min. 350 degrees.

Cookies verey good.

-----


Applesauce Cake a La Mode -- Robin Riggs
2 C. sifted floar 1/4 C. sugar 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 C. shortening 1/2 tsp. each Alspice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves. 1 1/2 C thick Applesauce 2 eggs unbeaten 1/2 C currants or raisins 1/2 C. clates, cut in small pieces 3/4 C Walnuts, cut and toasted.

Soft floor, sugar, soda, baking powder, salt and spices into mixing bowl Add shortening and Applesauce beat 2 min. Add eggs, beat 2 min. Blend in fruits and nuts. Bake in greased 8x12x2 inch pan in moderate oven (350 degrees) 55 to 60 min.

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Fudgie Scotch rings -- Tony Hansen
16 oz. pkg. (1 cup) Nestle's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

16 oz. pkg. (1 cup) Nestle Butterscotch Morsels

1 can Borden Eagle Co. Magnolia or Dime Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not Evaporated Milk)

1 Cup coarsely chopped Diamond Walnut

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Melt chocolate and butterscotch morsels with sweetened condense milk in top of double boiler over hot (not boiling water). Stir occasionally till morsels melt and mixture gebins to thicken. Remove from heat; add chopped walnuts and vanilla. Blend well. Chill in refrigerator for about 1 hour till mixture thickens. Line bottom of 9 inch pie pan with a 12 inch square of foil. Place 1/4 cup walnut halves in bottom of pan, forming a 2 inch wide flat ring.

2. Spoon chocolate mixture in small mounds on top of walnuts to form find. Decorate with remaining walnuts.

2. Chill in refrigerator until firm enough to slice. Cut into 1/2 inch slices. Makes about 36 slices.

-----


Date Pudding -- Brad Braden
1 1/2 c cold H2O

1 t butter

1 c Brown sugar

Bring to boil

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c english walnuts

3.9 c flour

1 t soda

1/2 lb dates mix

pinch of salt

Pour liquid in pan pour dry mixture in Bake for 45 min

Bake oven at 350 degrees

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Cottage Cheese and Pineapple Salad -- Misty Bates
1 pkg. strawberry Jello

1 no. 2 can Crushed pineapple (not drained)

2 T Suger

1-16 oz. Carton Cottage Cheese (small curd)

1-9 oz. Carton Cool Whip

Mix pineapple and sugar together and allow to boil 10 min., while hot, add the pkg. of Jello. Stir until dissolved, cook in pan of cold water. Add Cottage Cheese and blend. Add Cool Whip, Mix in well. Add Nuts if desired. Pour into an 8x8 pan or any type of mold and chill.

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Marshmallows Puffs -- Annette Thompson
36 marshmallows

1-6 oz. package chocolate bits

1/2 c. cruncy peanut butter

2 T. butter

Line an 8 in. sq. pan with aluminum foil, cover bottom tightly with marshmallows, melt chocolate add peanut butter and butter, mix throughly, pour chocolate over marshmallow spaces on all sides of marshmallows, place in refrigerator until mixture hardens, turn candy out of pan up side down, peel off foil, cut candy into pieces store in refrigerater.

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No Bake Cookies -- Michael Pangle
2 Cups sugar

1/2 Cup milk

1/4 lb. oleo

2 tablespoons Cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring to a good boil, add 1/2 cup peanut butter and 3 cups of quick cook rolled oats, Mix, drop by teaspoon fulls on wax paper.

-----


Peanut Butter Fudge -- Jennifer Dawn (Creamer)
Combine in enameled saucepan

2 cups sugar

3 Tbsp. butter

Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, over medium heat. Boil about 5 min., stirring constantly. Turn off heat and add

1 cup Peanut Butter

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

stir until melted and Blended. (Place over low heat if necessary). Pour into butter 8 inch square pan. Cool, cut into 1 inch squares.

-----


Individual Brownie Alaska -- Brenda McCullough
1 package (15.5 oz.) of our fudge brownie mix

1 pint pink peppermint or strawberry ice cream

4 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

Bake brownies as directed on package. Cut into 3-inch squares; place on baking sheet. Top eat with small scoop of ice cream and place in freezer 1 hour. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff glossy. Cover Brownies and ice cream with meringue, sealing it to edge of brownies. Bake 3 to 4 minutes or until meringue is light brown. 9 servings.

-----


Buckeyes -- Jill Smith
1 8 oz. peanut butter

1 lb. powered sugar

1 Tbps. Vanilla

1/4 lb. butter

Mix well - shape into balls

1/4 sq. parifin

12 oz. chocolate

Melt in top of double boiler

dip balls in chocolate

use toothpicks

-----


Sloopy Joes -- Chris Tilton
1 lb. ground beef

1 c. catchup

2 f. chopped green peppers

1 t. Worcestershier Sauce

1/2 t. salt

3/4 celery seed

Cook ground beef, green peppers in skillet until brown. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Bring mixtures to a boil over full flame. Turn flame to a simmer and cook ten min. Spoon mixtures into hamburger buns.

-----


Chicken Rice Cassoroll -- Wendy (Watson)
Grease casserole with spray Put 1 1/2 cup of washed raw rice all over the pan. Spoon 1 can of cream of mushroom. 1 can of cream of chicken all over the rice by spoonfuls. Put unseasoned chicken pieces on top. Springle 1 pkg. of Lipton onion soup mix (illegible word) over the chicken.

-----


My Salisbury Steak -- Mike Clark
1 egg

1/2 cup of milk

2 slices of white break

1 LB. ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 small onion, finely diced

Beat egg; add milk. Break bread into small pieces; add milk mixture. Beat until well mixed. Combine meat, salt, paper and onion; add to milk mixture. Form mixture into patties; fry until well done. Note: Patties can be make in oven at 350 degrees until done. Yield: 5 servings.

-----


Meat Loaf -- Anne Walters
2 1/2 lb. ground beef

1/4 C. minced onions

2 C. soft bread crumbs

3 tsp. salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. mustard (from jar is OK)

2/3 C. tomato soup

1 egg

Soften bread crumbs then add all Ingredients, mix thoroughly. Pat into loaf pan pack down. Butter if mixed night before. When ready put in oven for 1 hr. at 400 degrees.

-----


Chicken Waikiki Beach -- Nick Schell
2 whole chicken legs and 2 whole chicken breasts

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup salad oil or shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

sauce

1 can (1 lb., 4 oz.) sliced pineapple

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1 chicken boullon cube

1 large green pepper, cut crosswise in 1/4-inch circles

1. Wash chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Coat chicken with flour.

2. Heat oil in large skillet. Add chicken, a view pieces at a time, and brown on all sides. Remove as browned to shallow roasting pan, arrang pieces skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and paper.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4. Make sauce: Drain pineapple pouring syrup into 2-cup measure. Add water to make 1/14 cups.5. In medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, pineapple syrup, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and boullon cube; bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 2 minutes. Pour over chicken.

6. Bake, uncoverd, 30 minutes. Add pineapple slices and green pepper; bake 30 minutes longer, or until chicken is tender. Serve with fluffy white rice. Makes 4 servings.

Originally published on May 18, 2014, and reprinted with permission from the publisher of the newspaper where I was formerly employed.

　

　
　




　

3 Vegetable Casserole and Circus Peanut Salad for Easter dinner

VINTAGE FAMILY FIXIN'S

(revived)

Easter Sunday then and now

　
Welcome to the Easter Sunday edition of Vintage Family Fixin's.

Christ The Lord has risen today, Hallelujah!

My family and I will be spending the afternoon with my mom and stepdad, Judy and Dan Behringer, and my siblings and their families.

My mom Judy - the woman who raised me - came into my life in 1970 when she married my father, Fred McDonald who had lost his first wife, my mother Sandra McDonald, to leukemia.

I was an only child but in 1971 I got a sister, Amy, and then another sister, Molly, in 1974.

In 1979 we got a brother, Matthew.

Fred and Judy were together until after Matthew graduated from high school.

After Dad, Mom, Amy and I moved from Columbus to Caldwell, we lived with my dad's parents Fred and Ruth on upper Belford Street.

After Molly was born we moved to 605 Belford St.



Fred and (the former) Judy McDonald with daughters, Amy, l, Molly and Lisa (me), r, on Easter Sunday 1977.

Shortly after this picture was taken we moved to 704 West St. (I helped carry a large swing set down the street when we moved because it was only a block to our new house).

Among our new neighbors were two older women who lived in the stone-faced house at the corner of West and Belford streets, Helen Ellerman and Jeannette Marshall.

Helen lived downstairs and Jeannette lived upstairs.

Jeannette and my mom shared conversations, and recipes.

Mom asked me to bring to her house today a vegetable and a Jell-O dish for Easter dinner.

Today's featured recipe of 3 Vegetable Casserole was given to my mom by Jeannette. I found a copy in my recipe box.

Mom made this dish for our family on special occasions like Christmas and Easter.

It is very good.

3 Vegetable Casserole

1 package of frozen peas

1 package of frozen lima beans

1 package of french green beans

1 cup of medium white sauce (see below)

1 cup of mayonnaise

3 hard-cooked eggs

4 strips of crisp bacon

Combine the white sauce, mayo and eggs (chopped) and set aside.

Cook vegetables separately according to directions and drain well. In a buttered casserole place the peas and cover with 1/2 the sauce. Next place the lima beans and remaining sauce. Then make a wreath of the green beans around the casserole and place the crumbled bacon in the center of the wreath. Place in a 300 degree oven just long enough to heat through.

Medium white sauce

2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a dash of black pepper, 1 1/2 cups milk. Melt butter, stir in flour using wooden spoon or wire whisk. Stir or whisk until there are no lumps and then stir in milk slowly until smooth and bubbly. Use a small heavy pan.


•••
The Jell-O dessert I've chosen to take to mom's Easter dinner is called Circus Peanut Salad and I can't wait to taste it. It's been a while since I've eaten a circus peanut. How about you?

I found this week's bonus recipe in Grandmother Ruth McDonald's recipe box.

BONUS RECIPE

Circus Peanut Salad

40 circus peanuts cut up in bits

Mix with 1 large box orange Jell-O. Stir in 3 cups boiling water till dissolved. Add 1 No. 2 can (crushed) pineapple and juice also. Refrigerate till thickens enough to add 1 medium size carton of Cool Whip. Frost when set with topping (see next).

Topping

Mix 1 small box of lemon Jell-O with 1 small package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese and stir in 2 cups boiling water.

Let stand in refrigerator until almost set. Add 1 small Cool Whip and mix well.

Frost Jell-O and garnish with mandarin orange slices.

***

Happy Easter, Dad!


Originally published in the newspaper where I used to work on April 20, 2014, and reprinted here with permission of the publisher.





　

Shrinky Dinks for Webkinz

It's been many, many years since my first Shrinky Dinks experience but tonight superhero son got his first taste of the craft and said, "They're awesome!"
Shrinky Dinks, according to its website (shrinkydinks.com), first appeared in October 1973 and since has created and marketed more than 250 activity and craft kits.
Today the magic plastic comes in large sheets that fit in your ink jet printer, allowing digital or computer images to be recreated.
Shrinky Dinks shrink to about a third of their original size and become 9 times thicker.
I purchased a Shrinky Dinks kit from eBay after trying to find a creative and durable way to make personalized name tags for superhero son's Webkinz.
With some of his Christmas cash he bought Reindeer, which he aptly named Donner, the Barred Owl (Brownie), Tie Dyed Puppy (Rainbow) and an Apatosaurus (Rex) (see picture).
Upon receiving Owl in the mail, superhero son announced he wanted to put a name tag on the bird.
Brownie received a length of jute twine around his neck. Secured to that was a paper tag stating his name with crayon illustrations by superhero son.
This tag lasted about a day.
Next was another paper tag decorated by SS that I laminated and cut to size. SS was insistent that the tag be folded in half like a little book, so it was and then a hole was created using a paper punch and the tag was attached to the twine.
That tag lasted about a week.
During a comprehensive search online to find a solution to SS's tag dilemma, I ran across the Shrinky Dinks and had to sell the idea to SS since he was insistent the tag had to fold like a book.
I simply told him these tags would be better.
Together we watched the Shrinky Dinks curl, shrink and then flatten in the oven. Excited to touch the tags we both burned our fingertips! LOL (not badly)
To complete the project, I purchased toy dog pet collars and attached the Shrinky Dinks tags to the collars.
Now SS's Webkinz have real, personalized name tags.
SS loves the Shrinky Dinks! And so do I.

Unbelievable photograph from 1948

You’ve heard stories about fate, destiny, serendipity, coincidence, etc. Well here's another one.

Last week I received a gift from my 84-year-old grandmother. It is an old photograph with these words written on the back: “Santa Claus on the Caldwell square Dec. 11, 1948, Sandra Ellen age 4 years.”

Sandra Ellen was my mother.

She is pictured in the front, holding her mother, my grandmother Janice Ilene Day Watson’s hand. Grandmother Watson is 22 in this photograph. She looks so happy.

What’s so special about this photograph, which I did not know existed until I received, is that my father also is pictured in it with his mother.

Fred McDonald is in the back, center of the photo being held in his mother, my grandmother Ruth Frances DeVol McDonald’s arms. Dad was 3 years old in this picture and Grandmother McDonald was 28.

I’m still in awe of this photo, which I think was published in the Caldwell newspaper. Somehow here are both of my parents as little children with their mothers. Here are two families that did not know each other when the photographer captured this moment in time.

It is the split-second creation of an image of two complete strangers during Christmastime 1948 viewed by their offspring 62 years later.

It would be a decade and several more years from 1948 until Sandra and Fred and their families would meet, and everyone would share in much joy and then sorrow in a short amount of time.

Fast-forward to Dec. 20, 1965 – the day Sandra gave birth to her and Fred’s baby daughter – Lisa Lee McDonald – that’s me!

Grandmother Watson tucked two other vintage photos in my birthday card this year. One is of my parents on their wedding day in May 1965, and the other is of me and my parents on Easter morning 1967 at the farm. My mother is ill in the latter photograph, suffering from leukemia. Sandra Ellen Watson McDonald left this world in October 1967.

Thank you Grandmother for sharing with me a glimpse of our past through these wonderful photographs.

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Last night we put up our Christmas tree. This year the whole family helped rearrange furniture, bring the tree up from the basement, set it up, put on the lights and decorate it.

And it was good.

We ended the evening by watching one of my favorite holiday films, “Elf,” and I laughed. We all laughed.

I took a lot of pictures of the tree this year and of many, many special ornaments.

From 1971 until the late 1980s, I received an ornament from my grandmother or mother, and these are the ornaments I put on my very first tree and the ones I still hang on our tree every year.

Every year I tell the boys how old I was when I received the ornament.

 The first one I received, in 1971, when I had just turned 6 years old, remains my favorite today.

It is a handmade ornament of blue velvet, blue stones and pearls around a satin ball. My late grandmother made it.

Another favorite is a ceramic snowman my mother purchased in 1975, when I was 10. She signed and dated the back, which means more to me than the ornament itself.

A simple snowflake dated 1978, when I was 13, came from Hallmark, which now sells millions of ornaments every year. It was purchased by my grandmother.

The list goes on.

Thank goodness my mother had the foresight to make my siblings and me a list of the ornaments we received, who bought them or made them, and a date, as some of them are without original packaging.

Because I have so enjoyed all of my ornaments, I started buying one or two each year for each of my sons so that when they set up house they will have a box full to share with their families.
This summer Will, who most often accompanied me to yard sales, found a beautiful porcelain angel ornament at one. It had been hanging on a peg rack since that warm day and he found it last night and made me take a picture of it on the tree.

Every year the boys want to put their own ornaments on the tree.

We have all taken ownership of the tree with our ornaments and memories of Christmas past.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, You give us so much pleasure!

Gumby

Isn't it ironic?
One of the first things I saw today when I turned on the computer was that Art Clokey, 88, died Friday.
Friday. The same day we bought Lee his first Gumby and Pokey.
Clokey, an animator, was the creator of the bendable dolls Gumby (1955) and his friend horse, Pokey.
Gumby grew out of a student project Clokey produced at the University of Southern California in the early 1950s called "Gumbasia."
I played with Gumby and Pokey in the 1960s. I watched the TV show.
In fact last night I went into detail with my husband about how I used to play with Gumby and Pokey - on my grandparents' cypress knee lamp (similar to the one shown here), which also was popular in the 1960s.

I loved that lamp, and Gumby and Pokey.
Gumby's TV debut was on "The Howdy Doody Show" in 1956. That year he appeared in his own NBC Saturday morning TV series, The Gumby Show.
Eddie Murphy revived Gumby's popularity in the 1980s on Saturday Night Live, which is where David said he first became acquainted with the clayboy.
Lee's Gumby and Pokey were purchased for $4.99 each at Cracker Barrel.