Naughty Nature!

*****Please do not copy my photos. It would be appreciated.

I have been busy with work. I have not posted very much at all! Things are changing. I need to release stress. I need to release my creativity. It is when I feel best. :)

Enjoy these photos from my bay window. They are taken through the glass. So, if a little hazy, you know why!

Yep, it is worth doing an uncomfortable head stand!

Stretch baby squirrel!

Hey, are you looking at me!

You don't mind if I eat your sprouts! Chip...seriously!

Winter Has Arrived and Thinking About Live Christmas Tree Guilt

I didn't grow up in a family obsessed with cutting their own Christmas tree. The needles and the watering seemed more a nuisance than festive. I purchased a live tree 5 years ago and said never again. I lost some antique bulbs to saggy or dehydrated branches and that was enough for me. Then there is this year. It seemed everywhere I looked trees were for sale. I wanted a small one with the bulb to plant in Spring. When I lived in Maine these were easy to find and not too costly. Here it's like the nursery didn't sell trees in the Spring and now they are going to take advantage of your good tidings and cheer. I was not paying $150 for a 4ft tree. So I bought a live 5ft tree. I stopped by a small farm on a back country road advertising trees. I really wanted two small trees for the front porch. Here is where well deserved tree guilt comes in. I still feel like an ass. The man explained the time it takes for a blue spruce to grow. I'm not sure how long, but it made me think about it later on.

After Christmas I saw so many unpurchased tress at stands. Of course trees in recycling piles. I have always loved nature. I am ashamed I gave into buying a tree that cleans our air and gives us beauty. I know all trees do not come from tree farms. I get people have farms specifically to grow trees and make a living. My hopes are people who are selling trees are doing it the right the way. We also need to be better consumers and ask where the trees are coming from if not purchasing directly from the farm.

I have purchased from Arbor Day since my first landscaping project at my home. I always had luck with their plants. Here is the link. https://www.arborday.org/ 
Have a wonderful day :)

Jet Cars!

Enjoy these awesome pics from the track in New Alexandria, PA. Making use of my new camera!

GO USA! Light it up!

America's Finest

Homemade Mini Jet Truck from Ohio

Beautiful Photos From Annual Bushy Run Battle Reenactment

Hello!

I wanted to share with you some awesome photos I was able to capture a couple weekends ago at Bushy Run Battlefield located in Jeannette, PA, Penn Township. Over the hill is also the small town of Bouquet named after you guessed it, Colonel Henry Bouquet of the British Army. Bouquet led the fight at Bushy Run. The defeat of the Natives changed history in this area.

Charge!

The Laurel Highlands to Pittsburgh are full of history. From rural Bedford, PA to Fort Ligonier down to Forbes Road and Bushy Run and so much in between and beyond. I challenge you to take yourself and or your kids on an American history ride. I was lucky to have a grandfather who took us on rides and explained our rich Pennsylvania history. I was also very lucky to hold and touch history as he was a superb antique dealer.

America loves to rebuild. Unfortunately, we have lost a lot of history demolishing buildings. I was wowed in England. The preserved history is remarkable. I hope more and more people realize there are some buildings, land and objects which should stay preserved as these places and things have a significant mark on American and Native history. I would also like to add the impact the settlers had on erasing Native history in my area. I will not speak on others areas. There were many tribes and frankly my backyard may very well have artifacts hidden in the ground. However in my travels with my Grandfather it was not common to come across Native items. I have held beautiful blankets and wood wares. I have held a man's head dress. It was gorgeous. The craftmanship and beauty were astounding.

As we have learned more than one person came across the ocean and "discovered," America. Technology has opened Native history. Some say there were thousands of tribes and millions of people. It was not desolate like old history books seem to play things out. A complex population was invaded and just like so many countries in history, war broke out. The idea of Natives being one population united is far from the truth. If they were one nation history probably would have been very different. I think everyone would have been dead or scrambled back to England.  More is also being published on the complex relationships Natives had with the Pilgrims, French, British and American Colonists and beyond as America grew. However American history books up until recently fluffed over the cruel extermination of a population. It saddens me Native heritage is not more woven into American history. I, myself have Native history lost in my family.

Fav pic!

Landers, Frary and Clark Percolator; Some Tips on Early Electric Appliances

$125.00

When I spied this percolator I got excited. I was even more excited when I realized it had all the pieces!
Such a beautiful piece for entertaining guests. This company was known for their small electrics and useful things for the early 20th century housewife. The company was established in 1862. https://nbindustrial.org/collection/landers/

Be weary of dealers claiming percolators were made before 1900. Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877 and in 1879 a reliable light bulb.
In the 1880's some cities had electric base stations operating only a few city blocks.
Only the wealthy homes, I mean mansions would experience what many thought a terrible glare in their ballrooms. They went from candle light or gas lights and squinting their eyes, to as if looking directly at the sun!
I know the look of gas lights. How? Amish friends. It gives off dull light so you don't trip but, it is not a bright white light. When you see metal or mirrors behind old sconces it was to help project the light.

Samuel Insull is a name not commonly heard with electric. He actually made electric affordable for the middle class household. He expanded electricity to the masses and not just the wealthy. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/insull_hi.html

When I say wealthy it is on the scale of the Mellon, Morgan, Ford etc. These were players in modernizing America. Surgeons were not thought of then like they are now but, their wealth now would not be part of the select few.
So really early small appliances and some larger like a dishwasher were purchased likely by households for servants to use. I think sometimes we lose the context in which items were used. It is important to understand the time in which an item was utilized. Not only does it make collecting more interesting but, preserves history more accurately when chatting up buyers or fellow collectors.
Think about this, only half of U.S. homes had electric in 1925. You would have to be able to afford it and frankly an area where people or business could buy it and have their building wired. Many people in rural areas today can still remember family members with water pumps and without electricity. So when you discover early electric gadgets it has likely come from a wealthy kitchen or a prosperous family.

Good gravy! Be weary of stuff you read online. Just researching for this article I found so many engineering sites with "electric firsts," with incorrect information. They did not match the Smithsonian, museums or company's actual historical information they have put out. One article stated 90% of American homes had electric toasters in 1905! Remember, I told you half of America had electric in 1925!
Actually electric toasters did not really take off until after 1928 with the invention of commercial sliced bread.
** 1929 the stock market crashed and plunged many Americans into poverty or extreme rationing.

https://www.nps.gov/edis/learn/kidsyouth/the-electric-light-system-phonograph-motion-pictures.htm

See Universal and patent stamped on the bottom.

Beautiful handles details.

Inside Basket

Spout

An Ordinary Person's Tribute to Anthony Bourdain

I grew up with women cooks. My Mom was taught by her Father's Mother how to cook from scratch. My siblings and I were never shooed from the kitchen. We watched and learned.
I worked at fourteen in my Mom's pizza and deli shop. At sixteen I bussed in fine dining.
I always loved to read but, somewhere around 21 I really started blowing through books to relax. I read a lot of history and non fiction but, basically really was not interested in people living in the present.
Along came Kitchen Confidential. I was twenty three and having an exciting social life. This handsome, rebellious guy is on the cover and he wants to tell you about real kitchen life. I am intrigued because it's an old friend calling back from my bus girl years. I'm not going to act like I can recite from the book from way back then because it would be bullshit but, what I can tell you is he hooked me from beginning to end. Why? Because it was raw and honest. I knew the people he was talking about and I knew him. He was this smart, charismatic sexy guy who relished a bit too much in the party but, had a lot to offer. Just because he indulged and made some not so great decisions did not make him less it made him human. He was not an air brushed, hypocritical GQ cover. He was real. He is many of us who are creative, emotional and like connecting to all kinds of people. We are not hedge fund managers and analysts. We are the artists, creators, cooks, cabinet makers, designers and more. Part of the art, recipe, production are people with their emotions and stories.
When Bourdain died it really shocked me. He was an amazing contributor. He was a realist and still had so much to offer all of us. However a part of me understood. We can all say why did you leave your daughter, mother and friends? Sometimes being an emotionally, connected human being is tough. I don't judge Anthony. He was clearly critical of himself. He was an adult making a life decision in his mind was the best exit. Will this be excruciatingly hard for his daughter and loved ones, yes. If he can see the pain this has caused I am sure he has regrets because he was not callous.
At some point those hurt the most will accept he had his reasons which he thought were accurate in the situation he was in. They will hold onto memories and continue to live their best life. Perhaps Anthony thought he lived the best life possible and it was time to extinguish the flame. It is bitter. Even us random people would have loved a proper good bye. God Bless you Tony. You showed us there was more to the world than just bad headlines but, real people just like you.

DIY With Wood Chips

I got wood chips on clearance at Hobby Lobby in the Spring. I love little doodads and have a craft box full of spare parts. If you are a crafter then you have one of these glorious catch all boxes. Hey you never know where an idea may take you!
Anyways, I needed markers for my herbs. I did not want to buy one more thing for my flowers as I was already over budget. Upon rooting through my craft closet I got the idea to use wood chips and left over craft/jewelry wire.

The wood chips I purchased had holes which made this project easier. Some pieces looked like price tags. Neat! 
I painted my wood chips and let dry . I then took a metallic permanent marker and wrote my herbs. Once dry I sprayed with outdoor craft clear coat for outdoor protection. Let dry. I then cut a piece of heavier wire and put through tag hole. Knot or make a hook at the front of the tag so the wire does not slip through hole. Cut your remaining wire to desired length. 
Note; Green floral craft wire will not work as it is not heavy enough . You need something a little heavier and will flex into pot. You can also curl the flexible wire for a more creative look too.

I have a pot at the end of my sidewalk . So I put my house number on a tag for our UPS driver.