HAPPY EASTER, HAPPY SPRING ... Vintage Postcards

 After our long and relatively somber pandemic winter we are enthusiastically welcoming Spring!  Here are my greetings to you for a Happy Easter and a Joyful Spring ... via vintage postcards.  To get a close up view of the images, just click on them.

Embossed and airbrushed

Hand-colored real photo postcard

French, hand-colored real photo postcard

Also French, hand-colored real photo postcard

French, hand-colored real photo postcard, but what does "Roomsaid Ulestousmise Puhl" mean?

Happy Easter "silhouette" postcard by the German artist Georg Plischke

Time to get out into the garden!  Another "silhouette" postcard.

A tea party in the garden.  Real photo postcard

Time for the tulips to bloom!  Advertising postcard by the Henry Field Seed Co., Shenandoah, Iowa

"Glad Pingst"-"Swedish for Happy Pentecost"

Pentecost is a Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension, held on the seventh Sunday after Easter.  I had to look that up!

Adina Sand is the artist of this postcard.

CELEBRATE!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, MY FRIENDS!

 So many of us are staying home this year due to Covid-19, and a number of friends aren't excited about fixing a big turkey dinner - for two people.  Not a problem here - even when we've gone elsewhere in the past, I still return home to make a turkey dinner for the two of us.  We love the leftovers! 

Following are two vintage postcards.  The first is a menu of a "Grand Dinner In Honor of Thanksgiving" featuring oyster stew, fish, turkey, sweet potatoes, crisp celery (glad to hear it wasn't wilted celery!) and for dessert, apples and pumpkin pie with coffee.   I like that the menu also includes the "Toast" - "Let Thanksgiving pleasure Be memories best treasure."  Good thought!

This card would have been published in about 1910.

Because of Covid-19, air travel is NOT advised.  Thus, the following postcard is particularly fun.  It was given to United Airlines passengers on Thanksgiving Day 1964.  Printed on the back:  "Thanksgiving Greetings from aloft...aboard a United Air Lines Mainliner, Thanksgiving Day, 1964."  It is also noted that United Air Lines was "The Airline of Sports Champions."  Who knew?!?  

For the flight, passengers were treated to shrimp cocktail, wafers, roast Vermont turkey, cornbread stuffing, giblet gravy, glazed sweet potatoes, buttered green peas, crisp roll, cranberry sauce, mayonnaise dressing, pumpkin tartelette and tea.  What a meal!  

Here is a random cartoon to follow these big meals.

Despite the many, many problems we're facing now, Thanksgiving is a good time to remember the good things we have in our lives - big and small.  A few thoughts for you to reflect on this particular Thanksgiving Day:

*  Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

*  Life is a continuous process of getting used to things we haven't expected.

*  When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1,000 reasons to smile.

*  A positive attitude is a magnet for positive results.

*  Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.

*  The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

*  The grass isn't greener over there.  It's greener where you water it.

*   Life is a bumpy road, and laughter is your best shock absorber.

HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING DAY EVERYONE.  ENJOY THE VARIETY LIFE HAS TO OFFER.   LOVE, ADINA

HALLOWEEN and CURRENT AFFAIRS

 This morning I was digging through old postcards in preparation for a Thanksgiving blog post and came across a few postcards that seem to fit into our current times.  See if you agree.

The first two postcards are ideas for your holiday entertaining (even if only for you and your immediate family).  The first is the "Turtle Trivet" which, according to the printing on the back, has many uses - it can hang on the wall as a decoration, it can be used as a trivet, and it can be used with toothpicks for finger foods.  

The next postcard shows the "Snack-A-Roo" which is made of seeds.  "He's a cunning, decorative centerpiece that quickly becomes the most unusual snack server imaginable.  Really something to crow about... ."  

Aren't these hilarious?!?  Imagine buying these?!?  Imagine using them?!?

Amazon has really benefited from Covid-19.  But buying things to be delivered to your home has been going on...forever!  See the many listed products that you could get just by checking the little boxes and mailing the postcard.  How about pie fillings (flavor?), Eau de Cologne (scent?), or greeting cards (Christmas?).  

Speaking of greeting cards, pretty soon we'll need to get busy making, buying, addressing and mailing them.  See this sampling of Christmas cards that you could order.

The following two postcards show movies playing at the time the postcards were printed.  The first was issued by Durand Theatre, in Durand, Wisconsin.  The movie, "Stranger At My Door" could be a good movie for tonight, Halloween.  Of course, it won't be showing at the theatre, but perhaps we could find it on AMC, Hulu, Peacock, or Netflix.  

This next postcard was issued by Rivoli Theatre, Cedarburg, Wisconsin.  The movie I'd like to see is "Are Husbands Necessary?" starring Ray Milland and Betty Field!  

On a serious note, we have a critical election in process.  This next postcard speaks to one of the issues.  It was postmarked April 24, 1989 - 31 years ago.  Still controversial today.

I think I love old postcards because they are so interesting - historical, funny, beautiful, and topical.  Check back soon for another round!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN.  STAY SAFE.  FIND BEAUTY IN THE EVERYDAY.

VALENTINE'S DAY TREAT!

When I saw this magazine cover...

… I was reminded that I had some left-over puff pastry in the refrigerator that needed to be used.  What a simple idea:  

RECIPE:  Slightly roll out the pastry, cut into squares, cut hearts out of the center of half of the squares, add jam (in this case, blackberry jam) to the center of the non-heart square, brush the rim on the same square with an egg wash (one egg, a bit of water, whisked) so that the pieces stick together, top with the heart square, stretching a bit to match all edges, use a fork to press the two pieces together, brush the top with the egg wash, and bake for about 12-15 minutes in a 425ºF oven.  

This is how much one sheet of puff pastry makes.

Voila!  These Valentine Treats are ready to eat!  Made them yesterday...all gone today.  




Just in case you're wondering, the recipe in "Better Homes & Gardens" uses regular pie pastry - NOT puff pastry as I've done here.  In all events, this is a pretty and simple use for left-over pastry!

PUMPKIN BANANA MOUSSE TART

It's that season of fall foliage, pumpkins and squash, and Thanksgiving!  

Although pumpkin pie is a staple of Thanksgiving meals, sometimes it is fun to do a one-off on a tradition, particularly when you are dining with a foodie.  This recipe, by Ina Garten (a/k/a The Barefoot Contessa), fits the bill and is truly delicious!  We don't typically think of pumpkin and banana together in a recipe but, trust me, this works!

PUMPKIN BANANA MOUSSE TART
This serves more people than a pie would, and can be made the day ahead.

For the crust:
*  2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)
*  1/3 cup sugar
*  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*  1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:
*  1/2 cup half-and-half
*  1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
*  1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
*  3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
*  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
*  3 extra-large egg yolks
*  1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
*  1 ripe banana, finely mashed
*  1 teaspoon grated orange zest
*  1/2 cup cold heavy cream
*  2 tablespoons sugar

For the Garnish:
*  1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
*  1/4 cup sugar
*  1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*  Orange zest (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
CRUST:   Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well.  Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and the bottom.  Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.
FILLING:  Heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes.  Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the  hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well.  Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly.  You don't want the eggs to scramble.  Remove from the heat.  
     Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water.  Add the dissolved gelatin, banana, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.  Set aside to cool.
     Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form.  Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks.  Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell.  Chill for 2 hours, or overnight.
GARNISH:  Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.  Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks.  Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and, sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest.  Serve chilled.

VALENTINES DAY & ROMANCE - On Vintage Postcards

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, MY DEAR READERS!  I HOPE TODAY BRINGS YOU MANY VALENTINES GREETINGS AND ROMANCE!

I have posted Valentine postcards on my blog in the past, so today, in addition to just one Valentine postcard, I will be showing you "romance" postcards.  At one point I had hundreds of postcards that fit into the category of  "kissing"!  

Let's start with the Valentine postcard.  This card is considered an "embossed" card.  It is undated but was printed in the early 1900's.

This next lovely postcard was mailed in 1923 in Praha, Slovakia.  I (obviously!) can't read the message on the back.

The following postcard could be exchanged for a kiss, however, "Strangers Must Be Identified."  The message on the back says, "Please present to sender and demand goods without delay."  Love it!

The postcard below is considered a "large letter" postcard.  The card was sent on July 8, 1907 to "Darling Daisy" and the sender notes: "I'm lonesome darling!"

The next card is a "real photo" postcard and required a lot of work on the part of the photographer (copyright 1918 by May Ross).  The center photograph and all of the headings would have been clipped from publications of the day, laid out, then photographed.  Take a minute to read the captions.  So fun!

The postcard below was presented by "Leo" to "Papa O Mama".   I like the little verse on the bottom:  "No doubt you will think this a largish account, But I can't see my way to reduce the Amount"  (edited).

One final postcard simply drips romance.  

LOVE TO ALL MY DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.  MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH JOY!

CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY PECAN TART

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!  It is baking season in so many homes, and a time to spend with friends.  Last night we were invited to a holiday dinner at friends, the Andersons.  I was asked to bring dessert.  What to bring?!?  So many options!  I came across this Taste of Home recipe in my online search of "cranberries" and "dessert," and I'm glad I did!  It was very easy to make, very festive and special for a holiday dessert.  The fresh cranberries give this very sweet tart a nice taste balance.   Serve it with whipped cream.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-CRANBERRY-PECAN TART.  Serves 12-14.
*  Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)
*  1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I used frozen)
*  1 cup pecan halves (NOT chopped)
*  1 cup white baking chips (I used a 4-oz. Ghirardelli white chocolate bar, cut into "chips.")
*  3 large eggs
*  3/4 cup packed brown sugar
*  3/4 cup light corn syrup
*  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
*  1 teaspoon grated orange peel (from 1/2 navel orange)
Preheat oven to 350º.  Roll out pastry to fit an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom;  trim edges.  Sprinkle with the cranberries, pecans and chips.  In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, flour and orange peel; pour over chips.  Bake 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

I never got around to taking a photo of the finished tart.  Use your imagination!  xoxoxoxo, A

WHAT NOT TO BRING TO THANKSGIVING POTLUCK.

Does this say "Thanksgiving" to you?

It's pizza casserole.  With all of the great traditional foods, it's hard for me to imagine someone having extra room in their stomach to handle this spicy, cheesy dish but, as you can see, much of it was eaten.  Fortunately, this did not show up at our house.  It was brought to the home of my dentist's administrative assistant (correct title?).  She and I got a bit of a laugh out of this dish that her sister brought to the family Thanksgiving meal!

For those of you who think this sounds good, if you do a Google search for "pizza casserole" you will get just under 1.8 million hits.  Good luck to you!

As for me, I think I'll stick with turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberries, pumpkin pie....

LEAP YEAR - LEAP DAY - FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Remember as a child learning the verse:

Thirty days hath September,

April, June, and November

All the rest have 31,

Except for February.

What about February?  Well, in three out of four February’s there are 28 days, but in a Leap Year there are 29 days.  This year is a Leap Year and, accordingly, this February 29 is Leap Day.  Why is this necessary?

At the decree of Julius Caesar in 46 B.C., one day was added to the calendar in order to synchronize our calendar with the Earth’s orbit around the sun.  To simplify, the Earth takes approximately 365.25 days to orbit the sun every year.  It’s that .25 of a day that creates the need for a leap year every four years.

Like many astrological events, Leap Day has a tradition.  In Ireland and England tradition allows women to propose marriage to a man on that day.  It is questionable how this tradition came to be.  One belief is that in 5^th century Ireland St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick that women had to wait too long to be asked to marry, and St. Patrick decided that on Leap Day it should be allowed.  Another belief is that the five-year-old Queen Margaret of Scotland enacted a law setting fines for men who turned down marriage proposals from women during leap year.  Regardless of when or how this tradition came to be, it appears from a quick review of YouTube videos that this tradition continues throughout the world.  Fortunately, in our modern age, it is now okay for women to propose marriage on any day of the year.

Of course, the tradition was captured on postcards during the Postcard Era in the early 1900’s.  Here are two examples from my collection.  The first card is quite serious, a direct request for marriage.  This postcard was sent to Mr. Chas. P. Arthur, Hampton, Iowa.  The sender wrote:  "Wish I was with you or you were with me... either one would be all right.  Don't you think?  Lovingly, Alethie".

"My dear and much respected sir, I send you this your love to stir; I ask your heart not in a jest, and hope you'll grant my fond request.  I'll be your wife until you die.  And now await your prompt reply."

The postcard above was postmarked April 8, 1909, and mailed to Miss Etta Tohd (?!?), Maiden Rock, Wisconsin.

Celebrate this Leap Day by watching the delightful rom-com, "Leap Year."  Spoiler Alert:  If you haven't seen the movie, don't watch this film clip!