A Walk in the Woods

Saturday morning was beautiful for a quick 4 mile walk through the woods on our property and some neighbors.  Below are some pictures to share….

Heading down our main dirt trail and took a trail heading to the west.  It’s a twisty turning trail that heads directly down to the creek.

Heading up the trail from the creek I see a neighbor has put up a new tree stand.  There are make shift bridges along the creek like the one above.  This bridge actually gets moved every year by the creek and they have to reset it, as you can see they have done.  Another neighbors trail that we have helped to maintain for years is in a low spot and is always full of water.  It’s a great spot for polywogs!

After the long low spot you head down to their bridge that is build out of railroad ties.  Perfect for the weight of horses and four wheelers.  Up the hill from the bridge is an old tire marking a property stake.  You can see the spring rains have kept these trails wet!  You continue on this trail and it leads you in a circle back to our property connecting to the open field.

Look closely and you can see the Man and Boy’s double tree stand for hunting.  It’s a special spot where a little boy has gone with his dad to share in a hunting trip!  Just past the stand I saw this poor broken robins egg on the ground on the trail heading back to the middle of our property and the arch where you know to turn.

The old pool deck serves as Grandpa’s tree stand as he can no longer climb into a tree.  We moved it back to an area he can drive to on the 4 wheeler and still enjoy time hunting.  Turning from there to the watery trail leading up to our bridge.  Once across the bridge turning to the east the creek overflows and when it dries up, lush grasses grow.  The bridges in the lush grass serve for 4 wheeler or walking access to the east trails.

Heading up the east trail towards the house completes the “loop” we call it.  There are many little trails that run off the main trail but if you follow the main trail you will come to the opening of our back pasture.  There is an old farm implement that was abandoned back in these woods and when we cleared for the new pasture, I insisted on leaving it where it was put to rest.  I wonder how much work it did and who left it back there in the middle of an over grown field.

And we have come full circle to the back of our little cabin in the woods heading home.

I’ve walked these trails and woods since 1972 and I was 6 years old.  Each trip is a new adventure with downed trees, new sites, water and animals.  I will never outgrow the excitement of walking in the woods!!

On this day…

On this day in 1935 the first canned beer went on sale from a company called Krueger’s.

You can read about it here:  First Canned beer sales

I am not a beer drinker but do like my beer can chicken!!

Well this is interesting!!!

I am fascinated by things sometimes and THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS!!!  I had no idea.  How wonderfully fabulous is that!!  They sure didn’t cover that in the movie Nemo!!

1955 Prestige Silverware Set

Today we had lunch with the man of the houses parents.  We then stopped at their house to pick up a silverware set his mother purchased before her graduation day from High School in 1955!!!

Every year “grandma Ruth” (the man’s mother) always asks us for Christmas gift ideas.  It was hard for her at first to understand my requests at Christmas.  I am a very practical person.  Sure, I love the finer things, but when someone is willing to spend money on me, I will choose something practical that I want and that I would love to save the money on buying for myself.  Some things I have requested are:  muck boots, black dress socks, leather driving gloves, a toaster and last year I asked for a toolbox with a few tools and different size nails I could use in my barn.  The first few years she would beg me to pick something different and now 16 years later, I think she knows me well enough to realize these are “gifts” to me.  Awesome gifts!!

So when she asked me the other day what I would like I was quick to tell her “silverware”.  Our set is now missing many things (I am sure the kids removed them at some point to dig outside or to take fishing in the creek).  I would like to have service for 8 again on all pieces.  Ruth then said to me, “you know I have a set I purchased before graduation from high school sitting in the basement” and before she could finish I said YES!!

You see these are not just silverware pieces.  These are special pieces she purchased as a young girl to take into her future with whoever her husband to be was and for the family she was certain to have.  These pieces were hope of a wonderful life and future.  These pieces were part of the mans childhood.  Through the years she has kept this set perfect.  This set means more to me than she will probably ever know.

The box has been carefully stored through the many years only making an appearance at a few very special family gatherings.  In my 16 years, I had never seen them.  Yet today opening the beautiful box they were delivered in so many years ago, these pieces are in perfect condition.

The certificate of registration of this hand picked set is in the box.  All the original paperwork and receipts are gently folded inside.

The silver etiquette book with complete instructions and pictures for the use and care of the silver is included laying gently on top.

There are many different serving pieces included.

I can hardly wait to use these at Thanksgiving when Ruth will be here to enjoy the future she chose and purchased so many years ago.  I will cherish this set and we will use it often with the same hope Ruth had for it so long ago.  I will save the paperwork and pass this set onto my children who I can only hope will cherish it as much as I do.

 

 

Tin Score!!!

TINS!!!!  Yayyy!!!  Ok, I love tins, I can’t help it.  They are a connection to history.  I love to find unique “old time” items from long ago. (See more of my tin collection here.)

Today was a rainy, cold day in Buffalo so we headed to an antique store we had never visited.  It is less than 20 minutes from our house and we drive by it quite often.  I am not sure why I have never stopped in there before but boy am I glad I did today.  The building was quite large and every little consignors area was decorated so nicely.  The prices were more than reasonable which was a treat!  We left with a nice collection of items in the car including these tins, an angel decoration, 2 wreaths, a candle, an antique toy car, and a home baked cookie Grandma bought.

A great way to spend a terrible day!!

Melville Reuben Bissell

Melville Reuben Bissell was born today, September 25, 1843.  Melville Bissell created the first carpet sweeper.

Following a financial breakdown which caused the Depression (Panic of 1873), Melville realized inventing something would offer financial security and set to work on creating the carpet sweeper.  He patented his product in 1876.

                                           

In 1884, a fire destroyed his plant.  But he rebuilt and actually expanded his business.  Sadly in 1889 Melville died from pneumonia.

The Bissell name and business was carried on by his wife Anna.  Anna Bissell became the first woman to hold the position of Chief Executive Officer in America.

                                                                      

 

 

 

Historic 19th century village

  Read about the Brooks Grove Post Office

THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!!!  IT’S AN ACTUAL WORKING/LIVING VILLAGE!!

In June my daughters class took a field trip to the Genesee Country Village and Museum.

I have to get this out now….I should live in this village!!!  This is the way/time/era I should have been born in for sure!!

This little village is an actual working village.  Volunteers live there or close by year round and the village works as far as growing food (all sorts of food) animals, actual 19th century kitchens being cooked in every day, the only 19th century brewery still brewing beer from their homegrown hops and barley, etc.  Women dressed in clothing from a long ago time are spinning wool, sewing, cleaning, gathering eggs and making stone ground bread from wheat grown in the village.  The food is picked up a few times a day and sent to a local military base.  They also have a restaurant that serves the food grown, butchered, and prepared here.  You can enjoy that with a homemade mug of beer.

These buildings had been carefully moved here to restore and protect them.  Most of these are the original structures!!  I attached some links and you may have to scroll down to find the history but it’s worth the minute to scroll!

I was so in awe, I barely took any pictures.  But you can read about each building and see the pictures of them here

 

Read about the School House

The first building we entered was the school.  My daughter is tall and could barely fit in the seats.  There was an old school teacher who held a “class” for a few minutes.  The building was so neat with a wood burner right in the middle for warmth and the boys were asked to bring in a piece of wood.  He chose my daughter to give an example of how children who were unruly were disciplined.  They had to stand in the front of the class and put their nose on a dot on the chalkboard for long periods of time.

Next up we visited the Drug Store.  This is all the girls in her class.

We visited the mercantile store.  My heart was racing in this building.  I would gladly have this whole wall in my kitchen!!

Next up was John MacKay’s home.  You could feel the history in this house and the housekeeper was so helpful in touring the girls around and sharing the story of this wonderful family from long ago.

A quick stop at St. Feehans Roman Catholic Church.  Not as colorful as churches today but I liked the simplicity of the church.

  The Hamilton House built in 1870.

I had to force myself to leave this house.  This could/should be my home.  This house was built after the house we currently live in.  The main part of our house was built in 1838.  But I really liked, ok LOVED, everything in this house.  This building is so grand, elegant, country, and historic.  I could feel the history of this house all around me.  It was fascinating to find out this was an Italian inspired house.  Being Sicilian, maybe that is why I loved it.

This Village is an hour away from where we live.  We were only there for a few hours but I am taking the kids back in a few weeks as you need an entire day to tour this village and talk to all the volunteers (and some paid) staff.

If you are ever coming to this area,  Niagara Falls, Toronto, Syracuse, Rochester or New York City, this is a must see attraction!!

Dream Oven

My daughter called me into the computer room last night and said “Mom….I found your dream oven”.  This was the picture she showed me.

Boy does that child know me.  I would redo my kitchen just to accommodate this beauty!!  I truly think I was born in the wrong era!!

 

Remembering…

I try to keep my blog upbeat, positive, and fun, exactly how I try to live my life.  This post will not be long but it is important to me to remember how our country, innocent people rather, were attacked and killed on 9/11/01.

I was at a charity meeting for our local childrens hospital.  I had asked my boss to take a few hours off work to attend this meeting which was being held to host an event to raise money for a very important piece of equipment which would better the care of sick children.  In the midst of planning the events while enjoying coffee and bagels someones cell phone rang.  Within seconds, literally, every person in the room who had a cell phone saw their phones were ringing also.  Within that minute our lives were FOREVER changed.

We could not get out of that meeting quick enough to get home to our loved ones, sit by the television and watch in horror at what was unfolding around us.

I live in upstate New York.  I am 7 hours away from the city and as I was driving home, I was passing firetrucks and policemen who were already on their way to the city to help.  They had no idea the severity of the situation at that point, yet there they were unselfishly heading the 7 hours away to help secure the situation.  Little did they know they were needed to replace all of the lost souls of their brotherhood.

That disgusting act of cowardness has forever changed the way I look at the world.  I grew up instantly from that moment on realizing I was now an adult in a sometimes evil world.

However, that moment will not steal any more of my joy.  I gave them a week of sadness, fear, confusion, sleeplessness, and unhappiness.  I then realized those terrorists did not deserve to win the battle they so cowardly launched by me falling into their sickening trap of instilling fear and powerlessness into our country.  Screw them (to be blunt!!)

So tomorrow I will feel for the families who lost their loved ones in this tragedy and pray for their peace, but I will be positive and look to the future knowing the cowards DID NOT WIN!!!

 

 

 

Anne Sullivan

Johanna “Anne” Mansfield Sullivan Macy a.k.a. Anne Sullivan was a strong woman for her times.  She had a very rough life in the beginning and not letting that define her is amazing to me.

Anne Sullivan was the teacher who was able to succeed in finding ways to teach Helen Keller, a deaf, dumb and blind child who was having fits of rage out of frustration.  Keller’s parents were at the end of their rope and turned to a school for the blind for assistance.  The director of the school thought of young Anne Sullivan, just age 20 at the time and mentioned it to her.  Anne left immediately to help the child.  So began their 49 year relationship.

This young woman was able to do something remarkable.  Something so selfless as to devote her entire life to helping another woman.  I am in awe of this.  She survived a rough beginning and became a remarkable human being.  Yet the focus on Anne Sullivan is no where near the level of attention spent on Helen Keller’s achievements.  I find this sad as the success of Helen Keller was based solely on the accomplishments of Anne Sullivan.  Truly an amazing person!

photo courtesy of Perkins Museum

Here are a few links with more information on Anne Sullivan.  I hope you enjoy reading about the strength and talent of this woman as much as I did.

National Women’s Hall of Fame

Wikipedia Anne Sullivan

Perkins Museum