Three Brother's Wineries - Seneca Lake, NY

I like wine. I'm not really sure what's "nostalgic" about it, but it sure is nice to share a glass with friends, or with a good book on rainy days. I am lucky enough to live in an area rich with some of the country's (world's?) best wines...at least in my opinion. The Finger Lakes region of New York State is flowing with unbelievably good varieties, and the wineries they come from are full of character, especially with the addition of a little group of wineries we stumbled on a couple of weeks ago.

We recently headed for the Seneca Lake wine trail and stopped at Nagy's winery to pick up a particular bottle we like. What we found there were three new wineries owned by "The Three Brothers". The buildings were not officially opened when we stopped, but they invited us in and let us taste the offerings and experience the individuality of each tasting room.

We were told that each building has a different theme based on the personalities of each brother. Stoney Lonesome is an elegant, upscale tasting room complete with a beautiful toucan, who we got to see only minutes after being introduced to his new home; Passion Feet has a jazzy, colorful and somewhat sensual feel to it's decor; and Rogue's Hollow is a renegade-themed building at the end of a winding dirt road, complete with old, rusty trucks and a run-down shack...well, at least it looks like that until you get inside!!

But the creativity doesn't stop there! The labels on the bottles are just as imaginative, with names ranging from sophisticated, to suggestive, to comedic (yet somewhat humorously offensive)...with great illustrations to match. They were fantastic! We came home with bottles of "Backseat Bounce", "Lonely Seaman", and "White Buck".

Most of the wines are combinations of varieties, and the results are some of the best tasting and most "fun" wines we've come across. I can honestly say that I did not try anything I didn't like. I have a tendancy to choose semi-sweet varieties, but even the drier wines in these tasting rooms appealed to my taste buds!

The impression we left with was one that will lead us back again and again. I predict that this little group of wineries will do very well. They offer great wine and a great atmosphere. There's something for everyone!

For more information and directions to the wineries, visit their link at http://threebrotherswineries.com/

Decorating with Antique Postcards

A few years ago I fell in love with vintage Christmas postcards when I came across a little gift shop selling them for a dollar or two. I couldn't resist the charming images, or the simple and thoughtful notes written to friends on the back. Until the shop closed, I would pick up one or two each year to add to the collection, including one signed by a person who shared my last name!

I don't hold a large collection...only 10...all postmarked between 1917 and 1926, none of them museum quality. But I wanted to find a way to display them so that everyone could enjoy the charm and holiday greetings they so lovingly convey.

My solution was a simple one, in keeping with the vintage holiday decor that appears throughout the house each December. I carefully stuck them between the branches of a little alpine tree that I have sitting on the window seat in my dining room...a perfect solution!

From time to time I pull them out and read the friendly greetings sent to family and friends so long ago...and hope that I can somehow find another little gift shop with vintage postcards for $1!!

Crisp Air and Apples!

Fall is such a great time of year! After weeks of unusually hot weather (and breaking a sweat while standing still) I am finally able to enjoy the crisp, cool breezes of October with a light sweater and some hot spiced cider. Hallelujah!!

To celebrate the change of seasons, we packed the kids in the car and headed for Behling's Orchard in Mexico, New York, to pick a heaping pile of juicy apples. Apparently, most of Central New York had the same idea, as the grounds were packed with people...but there are a lot of trees, so fun was had by all.

We picked 42 pounds of apples, which sounds like a lot but really doesn't go nearly as far as you would think. On Sunday we canned 9 quarts of applesauce, and left the rest for fresh eating and making Apple Crisp. I am including the recipe below. My youngest brought this home from school, where they had made it as a class and loved every bite of it. It's very, very sweet, so a little goes a long way. But if you serve it with plenty of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream you can pack more away!!

- Apple Crisp -

12 apples

4 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup flour

** Butter a 9x13 baking dish. Peel, core and slice the apples and spread them in the dish. Sprinkle the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon over top of the apples. Mix together the butter, brown sugar and flour and sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

The Incomplete Pump

This is my home's original water source, just outside my kitchen door. I would like to preserve it and eventually put in a garden (maybe a water garden) surrounding it...but it is missing it's handle and connecting parts.

Does anyone know where I might find replacements?

The Smell of Late Summer!

Ahhh... Pickling time!! The end of summer is near. Although we're currently having record warm temperatures in central New York, we've had just enough cool, crisp days to remind me that fall is just around the corner. Of course, the groans of the kids heading out the door for their first day of school yesterday left no doubt. The warm, hazy days are almost at an end. But that also means that pickling time is here!

When I was a kid my mother spent many days at the end of each summer packing the bounty of our large garden into jars. For two or three weeks the whole house would have a sweetly tangy smell that emanated from the numerous batches of tomatoes, pickles and relishes that she sealed in her canner on the stove. My sister and I would help peel and chop the vegetables, but mostly she worked alone adding this spice and that, until the smells made us positively drool! Then all winter she would send us to get a jar or two off the heavily loaded shelves under the stairs, and we would open up the flavors of warmer days.

I was fortunate to have parents who loved to garden, and who had the space and time to do so. With my small yard, my garden usually only gives us enough to eat fresh. My poor kids have only tasted grocery store pickles! Horror!! But that's about to change. In four to six weeks we will get to taste my first experiment with canning my own pickles! Rest assured, it's not the first time I've canned something, so I had some idea of what I was doing. Hopefully they'll taste as good as they look!!

Following is the Ball Blue Book recipe for Bread and Butter Pickles that I used:

4 pounds 4- to 6- inch cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch slices;
2 pounds onions, thinly sliced (about 8 small);
1/3 cup canning salt;
2 cups sugar;
2 Tablespoons mustard seed;
2 teaspoons turmeric;
2 teaspoons celery seed;
1 teaspoon ginger;
1 teaspoon peppercorns;
3 cups vinegar;

Combine cucumber and onion slices in a large bowl, layering with salt; cover with ice cubes. Let stand 1 1/2 hours. Drain; rinse; drain again. Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepot; bring to a boil. Add drained cucumbers and onions and return to a boil. Pack hot pickles and liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

So Sorry! I've been out of town or incredibly busy for the past month and haven't had time to post any more info on House Histories. I will have to wait to share my experience of conducting a deed search because I have not yet been able to experience it myself! I had hoped to do that this summer, but life sometimes gets too busy. So, until then, I will post on other topics. But keep checking back as I am still hoping to get that done in the near future.

My apologies!

House History Part 2 - Resources

Where To Find the Past?

Once you have a general idea of the age of your home, there are several places you can look to find more clues to it's past. The main difference between researching your home and researching your family, is that you will in general be using only local resources. Your house is not likely to have traveled, and is probably sitting in the same place it's been since the original family moved in.

Local Memory

The first, and maybe most obvious source of information, is to ask around your neighborhood. Do you have elderly neighbors who have been in the area for a long time? They are an incredible resource, not only for names but for events and occurrences that took place in your home. In my own research, the house next door is still owned by the original family. They were able to tell us all sorts of stories, and pointed us to the grand-daughter of the man who built our house. While there were a lot of things she couldn't remember, she gave me a name and that spiraled into a detailed portrait of our home's first family. She also shared early photos, such as the one above, which I feel extremely lucky to have copies of.

Federal Census Records

An equally valuable resource is the Federal Census Records. The Census has been taken every ten years since 1790. The website http://www.ancestry.com/ has access to the records, but it is a paid service. Your public library may have a subscription to the Heritage Quest database, where you can find the census records with your library card. Each census is indexed by location and name. The indexes are made from transcriptions of the data, so sometimes there are errors. If you can't find what you're looking for using the index, it often pays to take the extra time and scroll through page by page. The census provides information about the people living in your home, their ages and occupations, and in the 1930 census you can even see if they had a radio. The records have been most valuable for me in providing names, which I can then search for in other places.

Local Museums

Your village, town or county museum is a great place to poke around in. Our village museum has a collection of obituaries going back many, many decades. It only took our incredibly knowledgeable historian a few minutes to locate the obituaries I was looking for. These short articles listed several organizations in which our people were involved in, giving us yet another direction to head in. You can also find out a bit about the town you live in, such as any industry or other reasons why people may have been attracted to the area at the time your home was built.

Historic Newspapers

Many newspapers across the country have been digitized and indexed in archives for use by the general public. In Central New York, the Syracuse Post-Standard has a historic archive available for the subscription fee of $6.95 a month. This is an incredibly valuable resource which I used to to find additional obituaries, social notes, bowling scores and church activities that involved the people living in my home. When I discovered that one family member had died of polio, I dug a little deeper and found that there was much concern over an outbreak a few months previous to his death. The local news can provide a much deeper understanding of what was impacting people during a particular time period.

A simple Google search may bring up links to the newspaper collection you are looking for. Some are free, some are paid subscriptions. Also check your local library as they often will have access to local archives of publications.


All of the information in this, and the previous post, comes from my personal experience researching my home. The resources I have described were the most valuable ones I found to use. I hope that the information is helpful and ask that you leave comments to let me know how I can improve this blog. Thanks!!

Research Your Home's History --- The Beginning

Why a House History?

People who buy old houses often develop an attachment to the little things in their homes that make them unique: details in the woodwork, creaks in the floor, even cracks in the old plaster walls. At least, I did. Our home became another member of the family to us, complete with personality... and a history that it seemed to want to share.

Shortly after moving in I began to find signs of the people who had lived here before us. A growth chart in a closet, a partial name stenciled on the basement wall, a map of the upstairs rooms and their measurements under the window seat cabinet... I became very interested in learning about these people. Who were they? What were they like? They traveled through their day-to-day lives in the same rooms that we do...were they anything like us? And what did this house look like when it was new?

I decided to start digging...through the house, the local museum and any old records I could find. The result was a three year project that, though still not entirely complete (will it ever be?), has given us a renewed respect for our home. The knowledge has guided us in the renovations and decorating of the place as we have become more sensitive to the original character that the house posseses.

Researching your home's history is a rewarding hobby, the methods of which are the same as for researching your family's genealogy, with some slight variations. I will warn you, though, that it is an obsessive hobby that can drive you to spend hours searching for the answer to one small question, only to end up with several new questions to ponder.

Where To Begin?

If you would like to start, the first thing you'll need to do is to study the house itself. Take some time to get to know the details of your home. Do you know about how old it is? Grab a flashlight and start looking for anything left by previous owners, such as writing on the walls. Check the basement and attic. Look around outside for names or initials written in concrete. Also, look at the design details of your home. They will give you clues to the building's age and whether there were additions added on. Make note of anything you might find, including any old landscaping or plants that you think may have been there for quite awhile.

The following site is a great resource for identifying the approximate age and style of your home. It is full of interesting information.

http://www.oldhouseweb.com/stories/Features/Architectural_Housing_Styles/

Good Luck! And check back as I will continue to post information on this topic over the next couple of weeks. My next post will list some good resources available to get your house history up and going.

Mmmmm....Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade!

Making fresh-squeezed lemonade on a hot summer day is one of those activities everyone should be required to do on their summer vacation. The recipe really doesn't matter so much as the experience of squeezing the juice and drinking the end-result under a shade tree in the backyard.

There are as many recipes for lemonade as there are people who like to drink it! But here is a very simple and quick way to stir up a pitcher full of old-fashioned flavor! Measurements are not exact because much depends on your own individual tastes.

You'll need 5 or 6 lemons, about 1 1/2 quarts of water and a cup or so of sugar. Squeeze the juice of all but one of the lemons using a reamer or glass juicer. Strain into your pitcher to remove the seeds and pulp. Add the water and sugar, to your taste, and stir. Slice the remaining lemon and place in the pitcher for added flavor and to make it pretty. Or, you can place a slice in each glass before serving. Voila! Easy!

An optional step that I use when I have time is to boil the lemon rinds in 1 1/2 cups of the water for 7 or 8 minutes to extract even more lemony flavor. Add that to the juice, sugar and remaining water and stir. Fill glasses with ice and pour in the delicious beverage!

Enjoy!

vintage image from http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/vintageresources.html

Here is the latest photo of my Harrison's Yellow Rose. It didn't bloom this year, but hopefully it will continue its strong growth so that next year it will be able to. Thanks for the division, Mom! I'm so proud that I haven't killed this one yet!!

Collecting Antique Linens

Antique shows and garage sales are everywhere in the summer months, and with them comes the opportunity to pick up some great items at bargain prices. I always try to compile a list of pieces I'd like to find before the season arrives so I don't go too crazy with spur of the moment purchases, but one item I almost always go a little overboard with is old linens. For whatever reason, the look and feel of these once common, everyday items and the importance they held in households of the past are absolutely irresistable to me. Used here and there in the home, they give a very cozy, cottagey feel to every room.

Once upon a time, every respectable home contained a nice assortment of tablecloths, napkins, dresser scarves and doilies, most of which were likely the handiwork of the woman of the house, a collection amassed over a long period of time. Unfortunately, the skills required to create these beautiful items are becoming lost as fewer and fewer women have the need, desire or time to learn how it's done.

Thankfully, many of these old collections are finding their way into the hands of people who treasure them. Right now there is a great abundance of them available, but that has begun to change, as well as the prices attached to them. The quality of antique linens is often much higher than manufactured pieces found in department stores, so their value is only likely to rise over the years as they become harder and harder to find. Time is of the essence, so begin your collection now.

Choose linens that appeal to you, and don't be afraid to use them. That was, after all, why they were created. They do, however, have to be cared for properly but it is not difficult to do and is, in fact, something I look forward to. And I don't even like to do laundry!

An excellent source of information on laundering antique linens is http://antiques.about.com/cs/textiles/a/aa031900.htm

There are so many reasons for collecting old linens: availability, affordability, beauty and history. It's hard to leave a show without a few in hand.

An Evening in Fair Haven

What could possibly be better than spending time at the lake on a hot summer day? According to my kids there isn't anything that comes close! We spent Saturday afternoon and evening on the bay in Fair Haven, NY, a small community on the south shore of Lake Ontario. Each year their Fourth of July celebrations include a beautiful tradition called "The Ring of Fire". At 9:30 or so on the specified night, all the residents surrounding the bay light flares along the waterfront.

The scene is breathtaking, and a magical backdrop for the children as they swirled their sparklers in the air.

After about 30 minutes, the flares began to burn out and the lake became dark again...just in time for the huge fireworks display to begin. What an amazing way to wrap up a long day on the water.... and what fantastic memories to bring home!!

Here are some other photos taken:

****************************************

The following is a poem by Laura Ingalls Wilder,

written to her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane:

My pictures hang in memory's hall,

Both pictures grave and pictures gay,

And some are great and some are small,

And some, alas, are sad and gray.

But as you go from day to day,

Painting your pictures one by one,

May brightness touch your brush alway

And shadows flee before the sun.

May steady hand be yours, that you

May blend their tints in harmony,

And pictures bright and brave and true

Hang on the walls of memory.

*****************************************************

75 Years of Little House

In 1932 Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book in the famous Little House series, Little House in the Big Woods, and started on her path of becoming one of the best-loved authors of all time. In the years that followed, she would publish seven more stories chronicling her childhood days and preserving forever the experiences of her pioneer family. A ninth book, The First Four Years, was published in 1971, three years after the death of her daughter, Rose.

After 75 years, the popularity of Mrs. Wilder's stories has not diminished. Today they are still often missing from the library shelves due to their popularity, and multiple copies have to be ordered to satisfy the eager readers. From time to time I still page through my threadbare copies of the books, which my parents gave me so that the library copies would not fall apart from my constant borrowing of them. They do not lose their charm as the reader grows in age, despite the fact that they were written for children.

Many people are not aware that Mrs. Wilder was a published writer before she wrote the Little House books. She was a regular columnist for the Missouri Ruralist and also wrote articles for various magazines during the first two decades of the 20th century. Several books have been published in recent years that include collections of her writings. These writings, which are written in the same friendly style as her more famous books, give us a peek at the adult Laura and are surprisingly relevant to life today. A Little House Sampler, edited by William T. Anderson, Little House in the Ozarks, and I Remember Laura, both compiled by Stephen W. Hines, are filled with bits and pieces that when read together give us a different, yet equally charming view of this talented writer.

People often smile when I tell them that Laura Ingalls Wilder is my all-time favorite author. They find it amusing, but I think they really do understand why...at least if they've read the books. Mrs. Wilder has left us a historically significant record of the frontier days of the United States written in a manner that makes you feel like you're listening to a good friend. Her writing is like comfort food for the soul. As a history buff, parent and school teacher I come back to her time and time again.

Just as a side-note: I grew up in New York's North Country, nearby to the setting of Laura's second book, Farmer Boy, which tells of her husband Almanzo's boyhood in the town of Burke, NY, just outside the village of Malone. Almanzo would be 150 years old this year. The Almanzo Wilder Farm in Burke is the only homesite of the Little House books that boasts the original house. You can explore the kitchen and pantry, Father's attic workroom, the dining room with it's woven carpets, and of course, the parlour which once wore patched white and gold wallpaper to cover the splotch made from the blacking brush.

Please see the links at left for more information on Almanzo and Laura.

Great American Antiquefest- July 21 & 22

Come one, come all! The Great American Antiquefest will take place at Longbranch Park in Liverpool, NY on July 21, 9am to 5pm, and July 22 from 9am to 4pm. This is an event I wait for all year and schedule our summer plans around. There are generally anywhere from 200 to 300 dealers set up throughout the cool, shady park (so much better than an open field filled with tents), offering everything from beautifully restored furniture, to glassware, books, household wares and tools...pretty much anything you might be looking for.

I have found many, many fascinating treasures selling at affordable prices at this event for the last 10 years. Several food vendors provide a nice choice of items to eat whether you're wanting a snack or a meal; and drink stands dot the walkways throughout for liquid refreshment. Lots of fresh-squeezed lemonade!! Mmmmm!

Tickets are $6 a day, or a weekend pass for $7. Also, there is a $20 "setup shopper" pass for Friday which also will admit you the entire weekend.This is a fantastic setting for antiquing, one you shouldn't miss if you're in the area.

For more information, see the Great American Antiquefest link at left.

Travel Back in Time to Sharon Springs, NY

On Sunday I hit the road with a carload of teenage Girl Scouts bound for a day trip to Howe Caverns, just east of Cobleskil, New York. Traveling south on route 10, we passed through many quiet, quaint rural towns that offered beautiful views of the rolling foothills of the Catskill mountains. But when we rounded a bend and entered the village of Sharon Springs we knew we had found something a little extra special. As we slowly drove along the winding Main Street, past the huge Victorian homes and abandoned hotels, we made the decision to stop on our way back and explore this place that seemed to be frozen in time. What we found was the nostalgia of the past just waiting to be rediscovered and enjoyed in the present.


Sharon Springs was once a busy and thriving resort town for the wealthy at a time when mineral water spas were all the rage. From the second half of the 19th century through the early 20th century, Sharon Springs played host to many of the socially elite, including the Vanderbilts, Ulysses S. Grant and Oscar Wilde. Several grand and elegant hotels were built, and beautiful homes, many of them serving as summer residences, sprang up along the hilly side streets. As time passed, however, tastes changed and people began frequenting other resort areas not so far off the beaten path. Without patrons visiting the grand hotels, they were abandoned and fell into disrepair. The amazing architecture of Sharon Springs became victims of neglect, their fading facades telling the stories of their glory days.


Fortunately, there are many who have recognized that the neglect has in some ways preserved the charm of this village and it's history. The restoration of several buildings, including the American Hotel, is calling people to this place once again. While visiting, we spoke with several villagers who expressed hope that Sharon Springs will once again become a destination, rather than just a place to stop "on the way through". The owner of the Cobbler and Company (shown above with one of our scouts holding Midnight, the resident black cat) told us that when she opened for business no one thought she would succeed in such a small town. As a bit of a joke she had customers sign the old plaster walls as a record of the visitors to the shop. Today the signatures represent visitors from all 50 states and 40 countries! The shop's maze of rooms are filled with a dizzying array of gift items, jewelry, antiques and candies. There is also a nice selection of books and stationary celebrating Sharon Spring's rich history.


Across the street we stopped at the American Hotel. We entered on the premise of looking for a brochure, but we really wanted to take a look inside of this historical gem. The hotel was built about 1847, and was purchased by the current owners in 1996. Beautifully restored, it now has 9 rooms available as well as a 4-star restaurant which has been featured on the Food Network and HGTV's Restore America. A photo of the hotel can be found below.


As we drove along the streets of the village we were charmed by both the architecture and the residents, who would stop and stare as we rolled by as though they weren't used to seeing visitors driving through. The people were eager to tell us their story and asked us to come back again to visit this charming piece of history. I'm hoping to do just that. There aren't many places that take you back in time to the extent of Sharon Springs. Like a seashell at the ocean, if you stand in one of the old gazebos, erected during the days of the mineral spas, and listen carefully you might actually hear the beat of horses hooves and the creak of carriage wheels.


All information for this post came from the walking tour and brochures from the Chamber of Commerce and the American Hotel. The most valuable information came from several village residents we spoke to, whose names I am afraid we did not get. Thank you for sharing your village with us!! Photos were taken by me, the Housewife. For more information, please see the links to the left of the web page.

The American Hotel, circa 1847, Sharon Springs, NY

The Chalybeate Gazebo on Main Street, Sharon Springs, NY

The Early Peonies

Old-Time Aprons

The following came from an email that I received awhile back. I don't know who wrote it, but it's worth passing on. There aren't many women today who'd consider an apron to be a necessity, but most of us can probably remember someone who did. Reading this made me glad that I have some of my Grandmother's old aprons. In fact, I think I'll go tie one on!

Enjoy!

Aprons

"I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes. "

Listening to the Past: Antique Phonographs

Looking back over his long career, Thomas Edison once said, "Of all my inventions, I liked the phonograph best." Well, Mr. Edison, your light bulb was pretty amazing, too, but I have to agree with you. There is nothing that quite compares to cranking up the old phonograph and listening to the music of another era, hearing the sounds as they were meant to be played.

My father had a large collection of 78 rpm records that he would pull out from time to time and play for us. He always played them on his stereo turntable, but would tell us about the crank phonograph his mother used to have, always giving a little sigh when he'd talk about it. A few years ago I received one of his albums, and my quest for an antique phonograph began.

It turned out to be easier than I expected to find one in working condition. These machines were produced in large numbers in their day, and many were lovingly preserved over the years. Others have been carefully restored by people who enjoy and respect the charm and nostalgic value these machines possess. Of course, just as many were stored in attics and barns, used as liquor cabinets or, inevitably, as plant stands, so you need to make sure of what you're getting before you hand any money over.

It's extremely important to do your homework before investing in a phonograph. There are several brand names that come to mind, such as Victor, Columbia and Edison. These are probably the most common machines available today as they were produced in the greatest numbers. However, there are many off-brand machines that offer high quality and can often be found for lower prices. My machine is a Silvertone, which I found listed in the 1927 Sears catalog for $45. I purchased it a couple of years ago for $282.00, definitely on the affordable end of the scale; and it works perfectly.

There are many ways to find a phonograph. Antique shows, antique and estate auctions often have them pop up. We purchased ours through eBay, which can be a great source if you're careful. There are a lot of fakes out there. Plus, many people do not know the actual value of their machine and list it as "rare" when it's not...with a price to match. I once saw a fairly common machine with a price in the thousands because the seller claimed it came with a ghost!! Yikes! So, as I stated before, do your homework.

I strongly recommend the book The Compleat Talking Machine by Eric L. Reiss. This gives valuable information on the history of the machines, tips on where to find them, and how to spot fakes. The book mainly focuses on the repair and maintence of phonographs, which is the reason I purchased it. I wanted to know how to care for my little piece of the past. A well cared for machine will continue to entertain for many years.

Thanks, Mr. Edison.

A Streak-Free Shine!

It's spring cleaning time! Even if you don't go all out for this old-time seasonal ritual, you probably have some windows that are looking a bit grimey after withstanding the winter months. Several years ago I came across the following method for washing windows. I believe it was in an old copy of Hints from Heloise that I found in my mother's house. There is nothing easier, and I've never found anything else that leaves the glass so sparkling clean. I even think it resists dirt and streaks longer than other traditional solutions.

*** 1/2 cup of Corn Starch mixed in 1 gallon of warm water

That's it! You can add a teaspoon of mild dish detergent if you absolutely must have soap, but it really is not necessary. Use a clean, low-lint cloth (old cotton flat-fold diapers are perfect) to wipe down the glass. Allow the solution to sit for a minute or so, and then use a clean, dry cloth to rub the glass. At first it will seem to be streaking, but keep rubbing and it will suddenly dry to a sparkling, streak-free shine that no store-bought cleaning solution has yet to match, in my opinion.

Give it a try and leave a comment to let me know what you think!

Historic Harrison

Planting a garden is one of the most satisfying ways I have found to add some nostalgia to the house. Over the years I have acquired quite a few plants that have a history, both in my family's gardens and in American gardens in general. Their stories add an old-fashioned charm and make for great conversation when people stop by for a visit.

The Harrison's Yellow Rose, shown above, is one of those plants. As you can see from the photo, it is just beginning to grow. This is my third attempt to establish this rose in my Central New York garden, and apparently it's true that the "third time's a charm" because the canes are leafing out and sending up new shoots from below the ground...a great sign!

Harrison came from my mother's yard, where it had grown into a sizeable, healthy and beautiful shrub. She had grown this at a different location when I was a little girl. It bloomed next to my sandbox, and to this day I cannot smell the flowers without experiencing a strong sense of deja vu that sends me back to my pail and shovel days! Ahh, the memories!

But this rose has a history much older than my personal recollections (which, truly, are not that old!). First recorded as growing in New York in 1830, this rose is said to have been carried in covered wagons by the early pioneers as they ventured west. It is possible to track the routes these people took by making note of the places this rose can be found growing. It is also sometimes referred to as the Yellow Rose of Texas, although it has pretty much been established that the rose in that famous song actually refers to a person. None the less, it is fairly prolific in that state.

While looking up information on how to care for Harrison, I came across a literary connection in this plant's history. According to the Gardens of Emily Dickinson, by Judith Farr, this pretty yellow rose was grown in her family's gardens. It is well known that Miss Dickinson was passionate about her flowers, and many of her poems speak to that. I am looking forward to picking up a copy to read, and hopefully will also pick up some horticultural tips from this poetic genius. Then I can tell people, "Oh, Emily Dickinson taught me how to care for that!"

Over the next few months I will continue to post photos of my historic rose to, hopefully, record it's growth and allow my mother to see how her shrub's offspring is doing. If we're lucky, it will even bloom this year. It is one of several heirloom plants I have growing on the property, many of which you will probably read about in this blog as they come into bloom.

If you are interested in growing heirloom plants, there are many websites available that can be found through a simple Google search. There is a great deal of information regarding the care and history of various plants, as well as nurserys that have them in stock. The best place, however, to find these heirlooms is in the backyards of our family and friends. I have found that the level of enjoyment that comes from planting Grandmother's flowers and vegetables is much higher than simply popping random plants into the ground. Your garden will become a bit of a photo album, of sorts, complete with stories to be passed on with each division you give away.

Defining Nostalgia

Webster defines nostalgia as a "longing for former times or things." In today's fast-paced, high-tech world I sometimes find myself doing just that. But as I am, in fact, a big fan of hair-dryers and indoor plumbing, I don't really want to go back in time. I do, however, enjoy preserving bits and pieces of the past in my home and lifestyle, items and ideas that allow me to relax, simplify and enjoy the little things that were once so common but are now considered quaint.

In the ever relentless quest for progress, human beings have the tendency to label the customs of the past as obsolete, and in many cases (such as taking a bath only on Saturday night, whether you needed one or not) this is true; but there are also many things worth hanging onto. Antique furniture and tools generally exhibit a higher attention to detail and craftsmanship than similar items that are mass-produced today, and they are often just as functional. Plus, many old ideas are finding new relevance in today's race against global warming, such as starting a compost pile, or walking to your destination rather than driving. On a much smaller scale, making a loaf of bread from scratch can do wonders to release the stressors of life, from kneading the dough, to the wonderful smell of it baking, to the amazing flavor that no package of Wonderbread could ever compete with.

So, my own personal definition of nostalgia is more of a desire to preserve the good things from the past that cause us to stop and take notice; the items and ideas that make the day to day a little less hectic and a little more enjoyable, whether serving a practical purpose or simply adding a quaint touch of beauty to our surroundings.

With this blog I would like to share some of the ways I have brought nostalgia into my home. I've learned quite a bit over the past several years and hope to post information about everything from kitchen utensils and antique phonographs to gardening and housekeeping tips. It will be as much of a personal record for myself as I hope it to be a source of inspiration, however small, for readers. Keep checking back as I will continue to search for ways to bring the past into the present.

Thanks for reading!