It's really nice to be able to see things clearly again. But that does NOT include what I see on my deck thermometer! I realize it's hot everywhere, but when it hits 100 in the shade, my AC runs non-stop, and even the pups don't want to go outside...that's just a tad hot!
My eye appointment rolls around each June and this time I needed new glasses. I picked them up this morning, got them adjusted, and now I need to get used to the new frames and different prescription. It's really nice to be able to see things clearly again. But that does NOT include what I see on my deck thermometer! I realize it's hot everywhere, but when it hits 100 in the shade, my AC runs non-stop, and even the pups don't want to go outside...that's just a tad hot! Y'all stay cool out there this weekend.....be safe too. Thanks for stopping by to pick your Muy Caliente Postcard and I'll see you Monday!
I'd like to introduce you to my friend Walt. We were in high school together and we also go to the same church. Walt collects PEZ. Oh boy, does he ever collect PEZ!! He has been collecting for the last twenty years and he has thousands. He and his wife Gail recently opened a little antiques shop here in town and he has a whole room dedicated to his collection. Walt showed me the very first one ever made...a Santa Claus...and he told me story after story about many in the room. He also has PEZ from around the world and it's kinda neat that the packages are in foreign languages. Any time there are new action movies released, there are also PEZ characters from the movie produced....Batman, Robin, Spiderman, the Green Hornet, Wonder Woman, the Hulk, and many, many more. Holiday favorites like the Easter Bunny and Halloween characters are also popular. I'm sure that every Disney movie character is represented too. If you look closely at the photo above, you'll see what I'm talking about. Posters, stickers, new PEZ, old PEZ, comic strip character PEZ, PEZ trucks and cars...you name it, he's got it! So I'll leave you with more photos of Walt's collection. Enjoy... P.S....here's my buddy Walt.
One by one, all the network and online news agencies are reporting that trash from the Japanese tsunami is washing up on west coast beaches. Original predictions were that this debris would be arriving next year, but it's already happening in many places. I received my Summer 2012 issue of NationalParks Magazine this past weekend and there's an article called "Found Objects" about two artists who turn the beach trash they find at Point Reyes National Seashore into art. Richard and Judith Lang have been creating art with found beach plastic for over ten years. If Point Reyes NS is like the rest of the Pacific coast, they should have bags overflowing with trash. In 2001, the park's visitor center housed their first exhibit: "One Beach, One Year", a year's worth of plastic found on Point Reyes' Kehoe Beach. They led the public on guided trips to the beach to gather even more plastic and then provided a "creation station" where visitors could make something out of their shoreline debris. "Our art is not conflict-free, but we want to make it beautiful so people participate", said Judith and Richard. I would imagine this was quite a wake-up call for people visiting the national seashore ten years ago. Today's amount and variety of plastic pieces is staggering and with the invasion of tons of floating debris from Japan, it's going to take a monumental effort by many people to keep the western beaches clean. If you have plans to visit an Atlantic or Pacific beach this summer, I encourage you to take along a couple bags and instead of picking up seashells, pick up beach plastic and do your part to take care of Mother Earth! I haven't seen Jessie since her birthday in March and it's been even longer since I saw Miriam. So what a treat it was today to have them both drive up from Fort Mill for a little shopping and lunch.
Jess has a favorite shop in downtown Hickory called Thad & Louise Boutique and that was our main destination. She found a beautiful black top and a couple of chic-looking dresses. In addition, she scored some funky-colored sandals that matched what she had on at Aqua. I found a new wallet to replace the stolen one from last month and Becky and Miriam both found some 4th of July metal yard art.....success all the way 'round! Since the temperature was an incredible 80 degrees and there wasn't a drop of humidity to be found, we ate outside on the square at Groucho's Deli. Yummy food, lots of laughter and stories...it was perfect. I mention Becky and Miriam and Jessie from time to time here on Postcards, so now you can put a face with a name if you haven't done so already. "I went to the drive-in theater, fell asleep, and woke up at the flea market!" I heard a fellow from Tennessee call in to the Sixties on 6 on Sirius XM Radio last week and those were his exact words. I laugh every time I think of them. I don't know how common Friday and Saturday night movies that morph into Saturday and Sunday morning flea markets are, but there's one not too far from here. It's the old Thunderbird Drive-In on Springs Road in Hickory. Although the movie part is history, the flea market part is alive and well. I took advantage of the cooler morning temperatures and went in search of bargains yesterday morning. I saw lots of car parts and baby toys, paperback books and produce, but nothing that struck my fancy...still no Scrabble games. I was a little surprised that the big outdoor screen was still there. So were the signs to slow down and turn off your lights, the entrance where you paid your admission, the snack bar, and poles the speakers were on. I'd actually like to have one of those metal speakers that sat on your partially rolled down window...it would make a groovy little lamp! It was almost a year ago that I met Junk-Sister-Sandi at the Wellfleet Drive-In and Flea Market on a Saturday morning in Cape Cod. Boy would I love to go back there again!
Thanks for stopping by on this Monday to pick up your Postcard. I hope your week is off to a great start. There's a chance that Miriam and Jessie will be up for a visit tomorrow so I'm looking forward to that! See ya then... I feel like a kid who lives way out in the country and has no one to play with! Becky and Roger are at the beach. Wendy is in upstate NY visiting family. I'm here by myself and the pups don't want to do anything because of the heat. I soon realized there was really only one thing to do...GO JUNKIN'! I've been on a quest to find old Scrabble games and I'm always on the lookout for vintage camping items. So I left Murphy and Baby Gracie in the air-conditioning and off I went to revisit my favorite honey holes. I struck out on the Scrabble games, but did find two very cheap, very cool items that I'll use when The Coffee Cup finally arrives. Take a look at this sweet little metal stand I scored for five bucks! Then I spotted a water jug hiding on the floor. I went to the bathroom and ran water in it to make sure it worked and didn't leak. It cost me all of $3.00. Throw in some inspiration from Cape Cod Sandi, add my vintage Campfire Marshmallow tin, and a few pieces of The Cup's dinnerware, and voila! Color me a happy camper with this cool camping vignette. Here's a very appropriate quote from Miss Sandi in one of the emails we exchanged today.
"I wish I were there to play with you, but face it, together we'd be some kind of dangerous!!!!" Junkin' Queens rule and the day was saved! I read one time that of all the senses, the sense of smell triggers memory the fastest. I believe this. It's this time of year that mimosa trees bloom here in the South and other places as well. Along many of the sidewalks that I walk the Schnauzer pups each night are mimosas. I am compelled to stop and smell the pink and white blossoms because it takes me instantly back to my grandparents' house in Landis. They had several around their yard and I grew up climbing them. I think most folks consider them "trash trees" as they usually aren't planted, but just spring up. They are very fast growing trees, can be aggressive growers, quite invasive, and will reach a height upwards of 30 feet. I would love to have one in my yard despite their bad reputation. Happy Thursday from my hometown full of mimosas that trigger sweet memories! Thanks for stopping by for your Postcard!
Over on Facebook, I belong to several "interest" groups...mostly camping and travel-related. Another one is "I Grew Up In Newton-Conover." It currently has 527 members and our discussions revolve around growing up in our hometown in the 50's and 60's. Conversations often start with, "Do you remember...?" Back around January, someone suggested that we do an alumni cookbook with recipes submitted by anyone who graduated from Newton-Conover High School.....lots of folks agreed that would be fun. Since I was the chairman of the cookbook committee at church several years back, I offered my services as consultant. Well....you can predict how that ended! To make a long story short, four of us banded together to pull this grand idea together. We met all through the winter, picking out a title, designing a cover, choosing recipe fonts, narrowing down colors, setting a sales price, and all the other fine details. As the recipes started flowing in, our excitement over this project began to build. Kathy Newton (Class of '69) was our boss and she did an incredible job! Bob Marlowe (Class of '64), Carolyn Combs Taylor (Class of '67) and I (Class of '68) rounded out our little committee. In the end, we chose the name "DEVILICIOUS!" because we are the Newton-Conover Red Devils and our school colors are black and red. We decided to turn all our profits over to the high school library for the purchase of books. The cookbooks arrived a few weeks ago and our sales have begun. Last Saturday we set up a table at H & W Drug Co. and sold quite a few copies. This coming Saturday we'll have a booth at the local farmer's market and at H & W again. Our local paper will be running an article about "DEVILICIOUS!" today and we're hoping that will generate big sales for us this weekend.
I love vintage porch and yard chairs with old, chippy paint. There's just something about all those flaky layers. Both sets of grandparents had metal porch furniture, but it was a ritual for them to get a fresh coat of seasonal paint and therefore, they never reached that rusty gold state that I love. I saw these last week while out junkin' at The ScreenDoor with Sister Bec in Asheville... Mornin' everyone...I hope you had a groovy weekend...thanks for stopping by to pick up your first Postcard of the week! Last Wednesday, Becky and I headed for the Wee Cabin minus the Schnauzer Herd. We had a beautiful three days in Black Mountain, with the highlight being a visit on Thursday with our good T@Bbin' buddies, Larry and Dana. Larry, Dana, and Girlie, the Boston Terrier are from Florida, but have a vacation home in Waynesville and for the last five years, we've tried to get together for a visit when they are in town. We finally pulled it off! Dana gave us the deluxe home tour and they have a beautiful, secluded log home. Her kitchen is straight out of a designer magazine.....ooooh it's nice. With antique family furnishings, her stained glass lamp collection, and stories about many of the items, it was a visual feast! They treated us to lunch at the mile-high Cataloochee Ranch looking down on Maggie Valley. Neither Becky nor I had ever been there, so that was fun. Rustic furnishings, rooms and cabins for rent, the ranch restaurant, stables and hiking trails greeted us. We enjoyed a relaxing lunch in the main building with comfy couches, quilts hanging from the stairway railing, and a big stone fireplace. The menu wasn't extensive, but the food was great and the company special.
The storm passed as quickly as it blew in and we were on our way to explore a bit around Balsam Mountain. All too quickly it was time to head back to Black Mountain though.
Thanks Larry and Dana for the lunch, the hospitality, and most of all, your friendship! We love ya!! |
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