A Local Advertisement

This nonsensical advertisement was in our local newspaper last night.
I think it's hilarious.
It makes me want to go visit his shop, simply because I'll wager that this gentleman shopkeeper has a great sense of humor!
(Sorry it's crooked - I was in a hurry! I have to get to work.....)

Luna Eats a Gopher (Warning... photos may be upsetting to non-gopher eaters)

Good morning, Tina here. May is almost over. It has been a busy month for Luna. She has been run ragged catching gophers on our piece of heaven above the river.

Some days she catches two or more. And snacks on them.

She brings them to the mat on the front porch. Sometimes before she dispatches them she meows so that I know she has a catch.

 Other times I exit the door just to find entrails and a slightly chewed head.

 It reminds me of that old Carl's Jr. TV ad: "Don't bother me, I'm eating."

Good girl, Luna.

Lovely Shower For A Lovely Bride-To-Be

We sisters were all able to attend a bridal shower last weekend for my nephew's beautiful fiancee, Nicole:

It was held at her Grandma Kay and Grandpa Bob's home in Sacramento.

 Their back yard is beautiful, and the weather was perfect!

I should have gotten more pictures but my camera battery died after I took these few photos.

 There was tons of yummy food and not just one, but TWO delicious cakes!

I was so happy that I was able to get the time off from work in order to attend. We got to meet most all of Nicole's family and three of her bridesmaids, and everyone was so nice!
It was truly a lovely day.

Vintage French Schoolbook

Sis Lori here, realized I had not done a post for a while, so here goes.....

Another vintage book from my collection, found at a book sale quite some time ago. I love the colorful illustrations, on many pages. It was published in 1938 and used at a Jr. High in the 50's. If I could have learned French from this cute book, I might have taken it, instead of German. We have some German blood in our background so I chose to learn it instead, and besides, I was the German Teacher's 'Pet' so I got great grades!!! I don't remember too much now, it was almost 40 years ago, but can still count some.....

A cute book following two wooden soldiers, Totor and Tristan, and the cute illustrations give you a clue as to what's going on.....

                       Above, dealing with the animals and below, Christmas, as far as I can gather.......

                            The garden, tomatoes, carrots, and something about being tired?????

                           The illustrations really help a lot, I can even try to guess what it is all about......

                                                a grand piano, I can get that one for sure.........

And this one is my favorite with the tin soldiers in all the different colors.

Such a cute and fun book!!!!!

A Country Drive

Good morning. Tina here.

Last Thursday my hubby and I took a drive. It was a drizzly day in Kelsey so we decided to get away and see what we could see.  We headed out to Coloma and then hit Highway 49. Almost to Auburn, we turned onto the old Forest Hill Road and climbed above the American River to Forest Hill. 

Heading out of Forest Hill we took what became Yankee Jim Road. Beautiful and curvy, only room for one small car! I have to admit I was nervous when we came a bit too close to the edge, it was a very very long way down!

We traveled for a long time and never met another car. We stopped at this amazing waterfall. It was so lovely and the water-music was fantastic!

 The moss was the most amazing shade of emerald green.

 Just across from the waterfall was this old tree with a heart at its base.

The toad in my kitchen garden would love to move in here! Nice and dry and a big picture window.

I had just gotten through saying the area we were in reminded me of Happy Valley out of Pleasant Valley near Placerville, when we came across this old suspension bridge.  Very much like our favorite old swimming spot and the "Rickety Rackety Bridge" in Happy Valley.

 This is the "Yankee Jim Bridge".

 Another, warmer, less-moist day we will come here and try our luck at gold panning perhaps.

After the suspension bridge we headed up to Colfax, and saw at least four different mines right at the edge of the road.

What a great way to spend a drippy and cool spring day.

Verner Panton Fabric

My friend Jamie and I were out shopping a couple of weeks ago. She spied this fabric panel first, and we both checked it out. When she decided not to get it and put it back, I picked it up and took a closer look. I loved the bold print and bright colors, and I was fairly certain it was vintage, from the 60's or 70's:

A very cool design:

The designer's name sounded familiar, but I really didn't know anything about it.
Only that I wanted it.

When I got home and did a bit of research, I found that similar panels have been stretched over canvas, making a lovely work of art for your wall.
And, apparently, they can sometimes command quite a high price on eBay!

More Thrifty Treasures

 I'm back again to share some more recent finds.
First up:
A cute little teabag holder. Yes - you hold the bag - thanks, buddy!

Colorful vintage cloth napkins in assorted floral fabrics, and the small tablecloth underneath them:

 A great pillow  - vintage barkcloth, fringe and a dog - terrific combo!

 A tray for "Baked Goods"  (hmmm.. how should I fill it...?), a nice Danish Modern style salad set, a Takahashi ceramic lidded jar, and two pretty cloth place mats:

  Vintage zippers in pretty colors - useful AND inexpensive. How much do zippers cost new these days, anyway?

 A lovely teal poncho, it's small, so made for a child, I imagine - although it doesn't look bad on Penny!

And this cute little gal....

A teddy bear gardener, she is ready with her trowel sporting a sweet little pinafore. It's a tile with vintage decal on it.
Cute!

Once Upon a Time in Placerville No. 11: The O'Donnell Residence on Main Street

Good morning, Tina here. We are paying a little visit to downtown Placerville today. We are going to stop by the O'Donnell residence. We can park our car at the belltower, which is right in front of the house. How handy.

What an attractive place. With its backdrop of pines and a lovely front porch to sit on, you could imagine it was out in the country, not plopped right down in the middle of town.

Oh what I would give for a lovely old home like this, with a wrap-around porch and a window seat in the second story tower!

On this postcard showing prospectors in Hangtown Creek you can see the O'Donnell residence upper-middle on the right. This photo is from the vicinity of the Placerville News Company. These miners thought nothing of digging up the street if they thought they might find some gold (and they did indeed find enough to make it worth their while)!

Plenty of parking at the belltower today. 

From the Mountain Democrat May 31, 1929:  The Placerville Shakespeare Club will hold a rummage sale at the O'Donnell Residence on Main Street Friday and Saturday.

Apparently the rummage sales were held frequently, about twice a year. Our Club just held one at the beginning of May 2013. I would have loved to have attended the sale 84 years ago, what bargains I would have found!

Article from the Mountain Democrat, September 27, 1929:

"The pioneer O'Donnell residence, which has stood like a jewel, and later like a sore thumb, alone in the Placerville business section, is being razed.

Workmen started during the week to demolish the structure at the request of the Misses Mary and Matilda O'Donnell, who have announced they will move into a new home which they will build at the corner of Cottage and Union Streets.

Rumors spiked when work was started, the impression gained circulation that Placerville's new theater transaction had begun to show actual results.  Although it is not to be inferred that there is any doubt concerning the ultimate success of the project recently launched by Roger W. Brown, it was explained by Mrs. Mary O'Donnell that the residence is being wrecked at the special insistence and request of her sister and herself. The theater transaction, according to Browne, is as much a live proposition as ever and details are nearing a form in which they will be given public announcement.

The O'Donnell residence has been a public landmark for more than a century, although not in the form that residents have seen it in recent years. Twenty-odd years ago, the present front first floor of the structure was remodeled and enlarged, with additions to the back, and the second story was added.

The wrecking of the O'Donnell house removes the last but one of the residences in the Placerville business zone.  One other residence remains on the north side of the street."

A sad farewell to the O'Donnell residence, but a excited hello to the new "Empire Theater" building!

We will make another visit to old Placerville soon. Hope you enjoyed this one!

What's Penny Wearing? #90 Hot Pink Crushed Velvet

Penny is modeling yet another thrift shop find for you today:

A vintage, handmade maxi skirt in hot pink crushed velvet:

It's a very pretty pink:

And it looks good with this blouse I have had since the 1970's that I used to wear with my Gunne Sax skirt:

If I roll it up the waistband, I can make it short enough to be wearable - but I don't need added bulk at my waist, believe me!
Guess it will need to be hemmed if I do want to wear it myself.
Or I might sell it.
Haven't decided yet.