Moon and Stars, A Vintage Glass Pattern

Our ESN Scavenger Hunt this week is about the Moon.  The vintage Moon and Stars glass pattern is one of the most familiar glass patterns around.  Just about anything imaginable has been made in the Moon and Stars pattern - candy dishes, relish trays, lighters, lamps, compotes and the familiar canister set - think I have one of those somewhere in boxes.  The Moon and Stars pattern actually had its beginning back in the late 1800s and was first made by the Adams & Co out of Pittsburg, PA.  They called the pattern Palace.  Adams & Co became a part of the US Glass Co. 
The Palace pattern became known as Moon & Stars because of the star-like design with round moon-like depressions.  This pattern has been made by several different companies.  Sometimes it is uncertain of who made what.  Moon & Stars came in many beautiful bright colors.

Here is a beautiful Moon & Stars Banana Boat in amberina from L.E. Smith.  L.E. Smith called the color flame.  Moon & Stars was one of L.E. Smith's most popular patterns and was considered part of the Heritage line.  Based on the label on this piece, this was probably produced during the 1960s.  You can find this lovely centerpiece bowl at CAROLINABLUELADY Vintage Collectibles along with some other great Moon & Stars pieces.

And, did you know that there is a Moon & Star Glass club?  http://www.moonandstarglassclub.com/  You might want to check it out.

Gotta Have Milk At Breakfast

Breakfast is our ESN Scavenger Hunt this week.  Love eating breakfast on the weekends - eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, biscuits and sausage gravy.  I could eat breakfast anytime of the day.

I'm sort of trying a low-carb diet, so eggs, eggs, eggs and more eggs seem to be the main breakfast staple.  I found a wonderful Artichoke Mushroom Frittata recipe and make it quite often.  Just saute the artichoke hearts, fresh mushrooms and onion.  Then pour the scrambled eggs over top.  Just when it is about done, top with grated Greyere cheese and let it melt.  It is absolutely fantastic.
 
Nothing goes better with breakfast than a nice cold glass of milk.  Here is a beautiful vintage milk pitcher in pink flashed color over Platonite with a raised spout from Hazel-Atlas. Standing 5 1/2 inches tall, the pattern looks like the Hazel-Atlas ribbon pattern. 

You can find this Hazel Atlas Pink Milk Pitcher and other great vintage kitchen items at CAROLINABLUELADY Vintage Collectibles  

Artichoke Mushroom Frittata and cold milk served in this Platonite milk pitcher makes for a special breakfast.

My Sister's First Haircut

My brother just e-mailed me a copy of a note I had written to my mother back in 1960.  He called it Donna's Confession.  It's one of those stories that we laugh about today, but it sure wasn't funny Thursday night, July 14, 1960.

The summer of 1960 - sort of a lazy summer.  I was twelve.  My sister was five.  She had long, thick dark brown hair.  It was very pretty and had never been cut except for the bangs.  My mother loved brushing her hair and making it curl.  I kept offering to cut it, but mother wouldn't hear of it.  She was not going to cut my sister's hair.   

We lived with my grandmother and my mother worked second shift at a factory.  After dinner, my grandmother would go back into her sewing room and sew.  There wasn't much to do except watch the boys play baseball across the street, not that I didn't like doing that.  I'm not sure why but on this particular Thursday night in July,  I decided I was going to just trim my sister's hair.  Just a little.  We were upstairs in our room.  I got the scissors.  I sat my sister in a chair in front of the mirror on the dresser and brushed her hair out.  It was so long and just needed to be evened out a little.  Told her to hold still and began to cut.

I never had any problem cutting my own hair.  Her hair was so thick and I just couldn't seem to cut it straight.  Kept trying to even it out, but this was not going according to plan.  My sister just sat there - have no idea what was going through her mind.  Pretty soon I had cut her hair up to her shoulders.  Not good.  I stopped.  It was too late, the damage was done.  I couldn't put it back.  Mother was going to kill me.  And, oh, if Grandma sees this I'm in worse trouble than my mother killing me.

I wrapped my sister's head with a hairnet so it just looked like her hair was up.  Put her in bed.  Once she was in bed, she didn't move.  I wrote a note to my mother and here is what I wrote:

Dear Mommy

I did a terrible thing to Ann you can possible guess.

I got my wish, but I wish I didn't do it.  Ann likes it, but she is afraid she will get in trouble or I will.  I know I will but she didn't do nothing except move.  I cut her hair!  I was only going to even it up, but she moved and then I had to cut more off.  I'm sorry, very sorry but don't tell Grandma what I did.  I thought I better tell you what I did instead of you finding out about it yourself.  You'd be madder if I tried to hide it.  I save her hair.  

Donna

Thursday July 14 - 1960 

After writing the note (did you notice how I tried to weasel out of it being my fault and that my sister liked her haircut?), I also got in bed and as far down in the covers as I could get.  She was going to be so mad.  When my mother got home that night, I was still awake.  She came upstairs and into our room.  She saw the note and picked it up.  She read it.  And oh, was she mad.  She yelled and cried.  I didn't say a word.  I think she was afraid to spank me, she was so mad.  She would say that this was the worst thing I ever did. 

At the time, I knew that I had done something that hurt my mother and I really was very sorry. 

     

Our National Motto - God and America

The following article was taken from the 1980 Farmers' Almanac, compliments of Avon.  It is an article written by Mary Accles in the Liguorian Magazine, a  Catholic magazine.  I am not sure when this article was written, but was probably just after the Supreme Court's ruling banning the word "God" from prayer in public schools.

OUR NATIONAL MOTTO

In God We Trust, originating during the Civil War as an inscription for United States coins, was first contemplated by the Reverend M. R. Watkinson of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania, a deeply concerned churchman who in 1861 wrote to the Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase.

The letter read:  "From my heart I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters."  The clergyman then suggested "recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins."

Secretary Chase, in complete accord, ordered designs prepared with the inscription "In God We Trust."  It first appeared on some U.S. coins in 1864, then appeared and disappeared until 1955, when Congress ordered it placed on all paper money and coins.

In 1956 "In God We Trust" was designated as the United States national motto and was signed into law during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

There are those who would exclude God entirely from the American way of life even though dependence on God was first permanently established by our Founding Fathers in the preparation of the Constitution.  Such permanence has been affirmed and reaffirmed in the context of assertions by many of our greatest statesmen, churchmen, authors and poets. 

We have the undeniable and indisputable claim that America is the only country in the world founded with an implicit faith in God.  The last sentence of the Declaration of Independence states:  "And for the support of this Declaration with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." 

In view of the Supreme Court's ruling banning the word "God" from prayer recitations in public schools, it's comforting to know "In God We Trust" continues as our national motto.

We shall continue to affirm our unqualified reliance on God and joyously acclaim, "In God We Trust."

-----Mary Accles

Liguorian Magazine

The Blender of My Childhood

I just unpacked the boxes that contained the blender and mixer we used when I was a child in the 1950s.  The Waring blender was in the dining room closet along with 2 Sunbeam Mixers exactly where my Grandmother had stored them.  I guess my mother and grandmother both had a mixer.  I'm sure the one with a little more wear was my Grandmother's.  I'm keeping the blender - it is just so cool.  Note that the jar does not have a handle.  The jar was made by Pyrex for Waring and is so marked on the bottom.

Look how clean the bottom of the base is.  I don't remember ever using this for anything other than making malts or milkshakes.  The thing was that they never tasted like the ones you got from the soda fountain at the corner drug store.  But, it was still a big treat when we got to make them - usually on Saturday evening as a family.  My brother and I usually had the honors of making them.

You really had to hold the lid down tight when turned on as it did not fit tight like they do today.  It was so much fun to make the malts, but I sure didn't like cleaning the jar with those blades at the bottom.  I am just so happy to have this wonderful childhood memory sitting on my kitchen counter.

Maybe this summer when the kids and grandkids visit, we can make malts.  We will definitely be making malts when my brother and sister visit.   

The Farmers' Almanac 1980

One thing that can slow me down is reading the stuff that I am trying to list like this Avon Farmer' Almanac Thermometer from 1979.  It is actually a thermometer and includes two Gentlemen's Blend fragranced soaps.  Pretty cool!  But the coolest thing that comes with it is the 1980 Farmers' Almanac compliments of Avon.  It's a good thing it is not very thick because I just couldn't stop reading it.  The pamplet is sort of stained, but there are no marks and is very readable.

On the back, there were instructions on how to apply fragrances. Did you know there are three phases of fragrance?  Your skin type also has some bearing on the types of fragrances that would best suit you.  Just really some cool information. 

There is also the 1980 planting and garden calendar which you would expect in the Farmers' Almanac.  One of the funniest things I came across was the Favorite Tombstone inscription.  It said,

"1787 - JONES - 1855 

Here lies the bones of Sophie Jones.  For her, death held no terrors.  She was born a maid and died a maid.  No hits, No runs, No errors."

Well, I thought it was funny.  Interesting statistics and political opinions.  I really don't want to talk politics in my blog, but I just found this interesting considering today's political climate.  It is called:

 Who Profits Most From Profits

"About seventy five years ago a good many men were going into the business of making automobiles - not to benefit humanity but to make money for themselves.  'Terrible', the reformers said.  Most of these men lost every cent they had, a few made some money.  A very few made millions, became extremely rich, built up huge corporations out of profits.  'Terrible', the reformers said.  Those huge corporations and the companies they help support, provide more than 14 million jobs in America today, jobs for workers who are among the highest paid in the world.  Those 14,000,000 jobs would never exist if it had not been possible to make and keep profits in the past.  Profits like that cannot be made today and, even if made, could not be kept.  The reformers have had their way.  But the millions of jobs we'll need tomorrow are not being born.  That's a terrible price for 'reform' that your children will have to pay."

This was written 32 or 33 years ago, but it could have been written yesterday.  I did finally get this listed.  You can find the Avon Farmers' Almanac Thermometer at CAROLINABLUELADY Vintage Collectibles.  The Almanac is included. 

There is also an article about Our National Motto.  Do you know what our national motto is?  Check back tomorrow.