Vintage Thingies Thursday - more vintage books!

It's Vintage Thingies Thursday! I know I said that the Seattle Antiques Market was a bust, but I did find a few things that I liked enough to pick up and buy. See the books below? I'll be talking about those. See the maps below? I won't be talking about those. Yet. Stay tuned, though, they're pretty great.

I'll start by saying that if you were born in the 50s or 60s you probably recognize these books. There were at least 20 different books in this series at the antique store so I assume they were pretty popular. I love them. They look pretty cute on the front but then you turn them over on the back and they are just as cute on the back too! Can't you visualize these sitting on the shelf in a kid's room? I can!




The first book is from 1961. Here are the stories in it:

Robin Hood ... retold by Mary MacNab
Heidi Goes to the Pasture ... Johanna Spyri
The Walrus and the Carpenter ... Lewis Carroll
How the Camel Got His Hump ... Ruyard Kipling
Mop Top ... Don Freeman
One Horse Farm ... Dahlov Ipcar
What the Good-Man Does Is Always Right ... Hans Christian Andersen
Hunters from the Sky
Thomas Jefferson: Father of Democracy ... Smith Burnham
The True Book of Health ... Olive V. Haynes R.N.
Tricks to Fool Your Friends ... Robert North
Let's Go to Argentina

Can I just say "two of these things just don't belong here". "Thomas Jefferson" and "The True Book of Health" in a children's book? So funny!


The next book is copyright 1957. I think I like the cover on this book the best. I don't know why. Maybe it's the fall leaves in the window, or the little boy who is barefoot on a wood floor. Or, maybe it's the greenery. Anyway, I love it! I'm noticing a theme with the stories. A story about a president and a story on a country. Here is a list of the stories...

The Pied Piper of Hamelin Town ... Sara Cone Bryant
The Ugly Duckling ... Hans Christian Andersen
Yonie Wondernose ... Marguerite De Angeli
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat and Other Verses ... Edward Lear
Chicken Little
We Live in Air ... Craig and Baldwin
Little Folk's Party ... Florence Hamsher
Kiki Loves Music ... Charlotte Steiner
Dog Friends
Benjamin Franklin ... James Baldwin
This is Mexico


The third and final book has a picture of a king with a pie and blackbirds flying out of it. It's under the umbrella of "Mother Goose Rhymes" in the table of contents - does anyone know what the actual rhyme is called? Maybe the most important question is: What is the point of the rhyme? I mean really - a blackbird nipping the nose off a helpless maid? How horrible! Here's the rhyme if it helps:

"Sing a song of sixpence
A pocket full of rye.
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.

When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Was not that a dainty dish
To set before the king?

The king was in his counting-house
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey.

The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes,
Along came a blackbird
And nipped off her nose."

Poor little maid. Oh, the book is copyright 1958 - the year my dear mum was born. I don't really call her "mum". I don't call her "dear", either, even though she means a lot to me as mothers should. Mom, if you're reading this (which I know you're prone to do), sorry for telling the known world your birthdate. If it makes you feel any better, I only have 7 people who follow my blog. Maybe a spattering of D's friends, too. Some family. People who like vintage things. People in general.

Moving on. Here is the list of stories since I'm sure you've been waiting for me to get to this already:

Ulysses and the Wooden Horse of Troy ... James Baldwin (Note from JB: Ha! This is the exact masculine form of my name! I noticed it in the other book as well. Good old Jimmy)
Old Mother Goose Rhymes
Billy and the Bear ... Laura Bannon
Ten Little Indians
The Sleeping Beauty ... Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm
Andy and Polly ... Rhea Wells
Robert Fulton and the Steamboat ... Smith Burnham
Life on a Farm ... Robert S. Lemmon
Miss Ant, Miss Grasshopper, and Mr. Cricket ... Rachel Field
Let's Visit Alaska (Note from JB: Everytime I hear or see the word "Alaska" I hear Sarah Palin say it in my head. Or Tina Fey. Anyone else?)

I guess this book didn't find it necessary to educate kids on a president.

That's all I have for "Vintage Thingies Thursday".

Two additional weird things about me.
Or, maybe just stupid.

Either way, here goes. When my mom would wake me up in the morning for school, I would do one of two things after I finally dragged myself out of bed.

------1. I would go downstairs and turn on the clothes dryer then sit in front of it. All my mom knew was that I wasn't in bed anymore. What she didn't know was that I was sitting against the dryer sleeping to the murmurings of the "toss" cycle (again, sorry Mom).

------2. I would get in the shower but I would turn on the warm water and sit in the floor of the shower and fall asleep. I still don't like to get up in the morning but I don't resort to either of these two weird ways of waking up.

When I was in 1st grade our elementary school held an election so that we could feel like our vote counted in some way. I didn't have any idea what was going on. Yes, this is how little politics were discussed in our house. I voted democrat at the ripe age of 6. Oddly enough, my classmates made fun of me for it. Was I supposed to have a political platform in elementary school? Apparently, some parents think so (I won't go into that here).

If I can humiliate myself any more I'll be the first to let you know.

Vintage Thingies Thursday

Here is the stack o' books. I got all of these from the local antique mall in downtown Renton. I thought there might be one antique store so my wonderful husband drove me down there and instead of one, there were at least 6! We hit pay dirt on the first store but still - it was a wonderful little antiquing experience.



"Folk Stories & Fables" - 1907


"The Little Captive Maid" - 1900 (easily the oldest book I own)
Inscription: "Miss Aggi A Broberg / Presented by her GM (thank you to marianedwardsdreamweaver for reading what I couldn't!) / Dec 26, 1901 / From Grandma to Aggi"


"Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill" - 1913
Inscription: "Calvary Church Sunday School / Presented to Margaret Matthews for Regular Attendance / Christmas 1920"



"Little Women" - 1947
Inscription: "To my precious Dolly from Granny 1965"


"Stories Every Child Should Know" - 1907
Inscription: "Elda Thomas / 4527-11 Ave NE / Seattle, Wash."


"The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew" - 1951
(this one cracks me up) Inscription: "Colored Pencils / Flash Light / Bugal / Books / Rose in Bloom / Dolls to make for fun and profit / Fun with Ballet"


"Bambi" - 1929



"Immortal Wife" - 1944
Inscription: "3-24-45 / Stanley E. Dumond / 840 Delamp(?) Avenue / Schenectady, NY"



"Teenage Cowboy Series" - 1949
Inscription: "Mary Duckering / 18003 Linden"


I hope you enjoyed my books! I haven't read them yet, but I definitely plan to!

If you want to follow my blog, you can click on "Follow this blog" at the top of the page under "Wonderful Readers".

I only look busy

Check out my new look. I did it at work today. It's a Friday, it's slow. Don't know what else to tell ya.

I promise the following:

• I will post pictures of D's surprise party. I am just waiting for someone to send them to me. I did not take pictures...my mind was somewhere else. It was a wild success, though; I just love D's friends. I guess I can call them my friends since I've known most of them for 3+ years, just usually it doesn't really occur to me since they have a history with my husband and I don't hang out with them unless I'm with my husband so...I'm sure you're feelin' me on this. At any rate, they're great people and every single one of them who said they would show up, showed up. Party of 11.
  
  
  
• I hung new curtains in my living room. Most (normal) women would consider this a domestic duty and nothing out of the ordinary, but for me, it was magic. They were the first curtains ever to be hung in my house. I know, *GASP*. Curtains are expensive, though, and you have to buy all the junk to hang them up with. But, I saw an ad in the Sunday paper last week in the Target circular for some sheer curtains I had to have. So, D and I all of a sudden were thrown into a day of curtain shopping. It wasn't an easy feat, either. The window in the living room is inset, a double window, and it's 104" across. I bought all the junk and called my mom only to hear her tell me "I wouldn't cover that window if I were you". Ha! After it was finished she said she really liked it. I can't believe I made a decorating move without my mother's wholehearted approval. Baby steps. In any event, I will be posting pictures of these curtains soon.
  
  
  
• Next Thursday I have more vintage books to show you, so stay tuned. They're pretty sweet. I got them a few weeks ago but when "Vintage Thingies Thursday" comes around, I just can't get it together and post my books! Next Thursday is the day!
  

So, thanks for being patient. I was sick yesterday...I don't even know what I was sick with, I just know that my head felt like it was going to explode and I felt nauseous. Yuck. My head is not 100% today, but I'll live. I'm going to hang out with a friend tonight while D is at softball.

I'm (--) this close to finishing The Count of Monte Cristo. After that, it's either "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" or the first book of the "Twilight" series. Hmm, which to choose.

When is too soon to break out the fall decorations? I really want to do that this weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Vintage Books & Jamie Cooks

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Head on over to Mercedes' World for a chance to win a vintage apron!
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Nice title, eh? It rhymes and everything.

Lots of pictures today which means not a lot of talking. Good, I don't have much to say. If you know me, you know that's not true. See how much I had to say about not having anything to say? Moving on...

Let's start with...

Vintage Childrens Books! I love them. My fascination started when...ok, I know I said I wouldn't talk much but I might have lied. A little.

We took a trip to New England last fall and found a huge antiques shop in Quechee, VT. I'm not usually an antiques kind of girl but I found out that it was for lack of knowing how fabulous antiques actually were. You have to dig. Dig past someone's grandma's porcelin salt and pepper shakers. Past musty smelling 1970s romance novels. Past gaudy dinnerware (who would serve people food on that!?)...you get the idea. I gravitated toward books. Childrens books. Let me share with you my finds...

They sit on a shelf in my living room. For frame of reference, I posted a picture of my living room. Yes, I know the TV is ginormous. Yes, I know I need curtains and crown molding. Okay, now can we move on? I just love to look at them. Have I read them? What? They're books, old books. They're for decoration (I'm kidding, of course).

East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon is my favorite. The book is mentioned in the Anne of Green Gables books and I didn't even know that when I bought it. Isn't it a gem? I love that the illustrations are watercolored. I can't be sure if the book was made that way or if a past owner did it. I have a hard time believing that it was a past owner because they are so intricately done. There is also an inscription on the inside cover that says "Wishing you a Merry Christmas. From Alice 12/25/23". I love that, I just love it.

Next, we have The Aeroplane Boys Series: The Aeroplane Express. I admit I got this one for its looks.

And finally, we have Tom Swift and his Electric Locomotive. This one has an inscription on it, too, and it says: "Charles Ackley from Mother, Christmas 1921 (could also be a "7", not sure)".

Aren't they lovely? I just bought another one online yesterday and will post pictures when I get it.

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Here's my hand-me-down helpful hint for today... Freezing Juicy Fruits. Not the gum.
I took the advice of some gals in the recipe_exchange group and spread the massive amount of blackberries given to us by David's grandma onto 3 cookie sheets. Then I stuck them in the freezer and when they were sufficiently frozen, I pulled out the cookie sheets and scraped the contents into freezer bags. The picture to the right is what the blackberries looked like after they had been frozen and poured into the Ziploc bag. Aren't they gorgeous? I think I'm going to have to use this freezer/cookie sheet method with all juicy fruits that I want to freeze and store. It worked like a charm!

Here's Tess while I was scraping the blackberries into the bag:

"Please, Ma, can't I have just one?"

For dinner, David grilled pork chops that I had rubbed in Rudy's Rub. Mercy me, that stuff is spicy. I made some rice (more on that in a minute), salad with salsa ranch dressing, and also used a recipe I found for Cheesy Garlic Bread. It was only "ok" for me. I used Texas Toast instead of french bread which might have been my first mistake. I wasn't a fan of the mayo taste. I think I'll stick to butter and garlic salt to make my garlic bread next time! The mozzarella on top was fantastic, though. The rice was Rice-A-Roni Whole Grain Blends Chicken & Herb Classico. I know, what a mouthful! If you haven't tried their Whole Grain Blends or their Nature's Way line, you really should. They're fantastic and it's nice to know they're better for you.

So, last night after (or was it before? I have a horrible memory) our 30 minute, 2 mile walk around the park, I made Crumb Topped Choco-Peanut Butter Bars. Peanut butter theme lately, I know. Not sure why. Anyway, they were very yummy, but like all yummy things, they must leave my house. I stacked them on a paper plate and sent them to work with David this morning so he could share the love with his coworkers. I'd be lying if I said I sent them ALL to work with David. I confess I have a few safely sealed in a Tupperware container on the counter. Report from David is that a couple of coworkers have tried them and said they were good. He had them still covered with the foil I put on them this morning so I told him they would be fine if he took the foil off. Too much information right there, wasn't it?

Tonight is Mexican food with a friend while David plays softball.

I have this fear. I'm afraid that if I act excited about the Mariners winning the last 2 games their winning streak will end. Who am I kidding? Their winning streak will end whether I mention it or not. I love my team, but I'm realistic about this season.

Oh Raul.

Why does your bat start heating up only after the Mariners become the worst team in Major League Baseball?

It's supposed to be in the 90s here in Seattle today. Pretty unusual for us, but I don't mind it. I'm glad David and I put A/C in our home last year. Most homes in the Pacific Northwest don't have A/C - builders definitely don't automatically include it. I love that I can still bake and cook in my A/C house even when it's 90° outside.