Grandma's Special Platter Memories

year_born: 1948

memory: I have a white platter with with sprays of yellow flowers at N. S. E. and West. There is a faint gold border around the edge of the oval slightly scalloped edge. I have dated it from your site as Feb of 1938.

My dear grandmother was a simple woman who took extraordinary pains as a supurb homemaker. As a small child, I remember her pouring hot syrup that we had carefully boiled to almost the "hardball" stage into this special platter. Then we would wait until it had cooled enough to start pulling for taffy.

I also remember that this was her Fried Chicken platter. The chickens came from her yard and were small and not like the monster birds in the grocery today. The entire chicken fit perfectly on the platter...she fried the back, gizzards and liver also.

Nothing was wasted. Feathers were saved for feather beds and pillows. I have only this one small platter but I treasure it. It is worth more than gold to me.

location: Arkansas

The Laughing Place

year_born: 1957

memory: Auctions with my grandpa; I always got to bid on the trays because gram, served everyone off of them.

They had what we called the shelter house; on the southend was the kitchen, the water pump was on the west side and the wood burning stove on the east. There were 7 picnic tables, end to end and at the far end was a huge chandelier; acquired from the Palace theatre. Gram served all the people before she ever sat down. so I would make sure to buy the box of trays, ( and there was one at almost every auction).

Gradpa had cast iron cream separator, actually a couple. The old grinding wheels, of every size imaginable. The cobalt decorated crocks lined the driveway, (with Gramsflowers in them) and ever so many feet there'd be a buck board to sit on. There were so many cool things at their place (aka 'the Laughing Place'); people would stop and ask, 'are you open?' and Grandpa always said, 'we're always open, what can I do yafor?', whatever it was that caught their eye, they'd ask about and Grandpa would 'give' it to them. It happened so much, Gram was sick of antiques!

The Laughing Place is still there. My Uncle Gene wrote a song about the 'LaughingPlace', it goes something like this (in part);

Ol' briar rabbit has a laughing place in the middle of the ol'briar patch,
he can sit right there, look the farmer in the eye and never be his catch...
We'll I got me a laughin' place in the middle of the clear creek hills, I can
sit right here and watch the world drive by and never feel it's chills...

ty for letting me share. by Ginny Bell (aka Little Ginny)
location: Small townstate_lived_in: Ohio

Beautiful Memory of Granny and Special Occasions

year_born: 1962

memory: My Granny was given for her wedding a complete table ware setting of J&G Meakin Persian Garden design in 1932 apx. Only on special occasions like Chrismas was it every used. I can remember from a young age carefully setting the dinning table with irish white linen and serviettes. Silver cutlery for 8 adults.

When xmas pudding was served I was allowed to hide six penses (coin money, silver about 5 centsback then) in the plum pud before serving them to the guest. My granny died 4 years ago and she left me the table set and my sister the tea cups pots and cake plate set. Unfortunatly family pilfered pieces for the memories. So now I am trying to collect the odds missing.

I now lay my table with white irish linen and on herbirthday, set the china out for my mother( her only daughter) in her late 60's. To eat and remember the happy times when granny was alive. Now she always is alive in our hearts.

location: South Australia Gawler outside of Adelaide

Original Number One Barbie... Dreams Do Come True

year_born: 1962

memory: I had just traveled to Oregon for the Portland show. I said to a friend "I will never be able to add to my Vintage Barbie collection, the prices are so high.

"When I got back, I was on my way to visit the Cleminsons and stopped at a rundown Antique mall. There were many repro. #1 anniversary Barbies. I got all the way through the mall and looked in a dirty jewelry counter 50 ft from the cashier.There was a naked Barbie doll in the bottom. I looked at the tag it said old Barbie $5000. I looked closer at the dolls face. Something was strange about it. I thought it was a repro, then I suspiciously looked at the bottom of the feet. There were holes with copper tubes!! This was the REAL #1 doll! I looked closer at the price, it said $50.00. I almost died!!

I got the cashier to bring it out and went right to the checkstand. A lady next to me was very curious, I played it down. I put an extra $250.00 in an envelope for the dealer with a note thanking her for the opportunity to add to my collection.

Who said God doesnt care about the small stuff? He is a good Father who knows what touches our hearts. I was truly blessed and my faith has increased. My lesson is "never say never", all things are possible with God!