Holiday - grace grits and gardening

Old Long Since

January 1, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Old Long Since is the literal translation of Auld Lang Syne which means “long, long ago”. Originally a Scottish poem, Auld Lang Syne is the age-old New Year’s Eve song played as the ball drops and the clock strikes midnight. Sometimes I’m awake to witness this event, sometimes not.

My collection of vintage New Year’s cards dates from the early 1900’s. Our neighborhood, Munger Place Historic District, was developed during this same time period. I imagine the first occupants of our home mailed and received New Year’s postcards similar to these.

Folks in 1913 were so well-mannered and sophisticated.

The messages on the back are timeless, the ink still vibrant and clear. The handwriting, cursive and rhythmic, is perhaps the only clue to the age of the post. Cursive is a dying art.

The sentiments written old long since are still expressed today…

I hope Santa was good to you… I hope you got everything you wanted and that the New Year will bring you much happiness…

Happy New Year!

talya

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Auld Lang Syne, Kenny G

Tonka Truck Tale

December 25, 2012 By Talya Tate Boerner

After crafting my letter to Santa, I proof-read my little sister’s. At the top of her list, a Tonka Truck.

“No, Staci! That’s a boy’s present!!!” I was incredulous. Although we both had tomboy tendencies favoring tree climbing to tea parties, she couldn’t waste her main gift on a boy’s present. Papa Creecy would buy us boy presents any time we wanted, at the mere mention of a matchbox car or a baseball bat…

Grateful to have been saved from such a misguided gift, Staci erased and erased and erased until she almost ripped the notebook paper. Over the bare worn spot, she wrote Baby Alive Doll in large block letters. There could be no confusion on Santa’s part. Much better, I thought.

Satisfied, we taped our letters near the rock fireplace in the living room. Santa would spot them the moment he slid down our chimney. I felt a bit sorry for Staci—her letter was really messy with all that erasing. I would have started over with a clean sheet of paper…

Christmas morning was cold and blustery and WHITE. Snow on the most wonderful day of the year! But the snow would have to wait. We crept into the living room wondering had we really been good enough? I had doubts.

Shocked, we stared dumb-struck at the Christmas miracle. Parked underneath the Scotch pine tree—a shiny Tonka Dump Truck and Front End Bucket Loader. Santa really didknow what we were thinking.

I was surprised to receive anything that year after making fun of my sister’s letter to Santa.

We played with those trucks for years, and to this day they sit on my mother’s back porch. Tonka Trucks are guaranteed for life, you know.

talya

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jackson 5

“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder

Easy Bake Gone Bad

December 12, 2012 By Talya Tate Boerner

Sometime between the first televised moon landing and the last Bachelor rose ceremony, the Hasbro folks completely ruined the Easy Bake Oven.

Gone is the signature turquoise color. Gone is the 100-watt bulb used for cooking.

Like many toys from my magical youth, the Easy Bake is now constructed in cheap Chinese plastic, outsourced to East Asia only to be recalled in the USA. The worst part—the Easy Bake is now Pepto-Bismol pink. Must every girl thing be pink?

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Barbie, but is she now the CEO of Hasbro?

44ish years ago…

On Saturday morning after Thanksgiving over giant bowls of Lucky Charms, Staci and I studied the Sears Christmas Wish Book. A three inch tome often used as a booster seat at the dining room table, the pages were stuffed with dreams of things we didn’t know we needed. Things not sold in town at Sterling’s Five and Dime. We thoughtfully discussed the merits of each item before allowing it on our carefully crafted Christmas list.

This was an annual ritual and colossal decision. Gifts from Santa saw us through to summer birthdays.

The Easy Bake Oven, a novelty at the time, was at the top of the wish list. We both agreed with little discussion. We wanted that oven. Even more than the new Pan Am Barbie or Twister game.

We quickly posted our lists fireside allowing Santa plenty of time for toy building and sleigh packing. Santa was a busy man—almost as busy as Daddy.

On Christmas morning, presents were scattered around the room and the stockings were over-filled with chocolate candy and tiny trinkets, but the Easy Bake was our favorite and most used gift.

Once again, Santa had graciously overlooked our trespasses. Once again, Santa managed to locate our chimney way out in the country between Cottonwood Corner and Athelstan. These details were as amazing as the little turquoise oven. We attributed this continued good fortune to our daily consumption of Lucky Charms. They really were magical. Just like Christmas.

talya

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch, Original 1966 Version

« Previous Page

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.