Columns

Give Me The ’70s

It only takes one line or a few musical notes and wham, I’m hurled back in time. At least that’s what happens to me when I hear a song from yesteryear. Maybe it’s a song I heard while watching the Perry Como show or Dean Martin program with my parents and siblings. Sometimes it may be a silly song we sang as we walked to the swimming pool at day camp. Somehow singing made the trek a bit more bearable under the summer sun. Most recently, I find myself pausing to listen to the songs of my young adult life when music (in the 1970s) could not be defined by one genre. The 1950s ...

April Showers Bring Flower Pots to Mind

April Showers Bring Flower Pots to Mind April brings thoughts of gardens, flower pots, window boxes and plants to the minds of homeowners (even if we did have snowflakes last week), and what better choice than vintage? Pottery has always attracted fans of retro. Names like McCoy, Weller, Rookwood and Roseville are some of the most sought-after pottery manufacturers but there are others including California pottery brands. Antique or vintage examples of flower containers are distinctive and not too hard to find at shops, estate sales or auctions. Colors are often muted pastels and ...

Master Gardeners — or MGers — Share More Than Just Green Thumbs

This article introduces you to a few Ohio County Master Gardeners (MGers). When asked, “What do you like most about being a Master Gardener?” “Wild Liz” Harper quickly responded, “Camaraderie! People of the same mindset meeting together ... How they challenge you. They offer so many programs concerning horticulture, beyond learning about plants and their care: rain barrels, what plants attract pollinators, gardening tools.” The Schrader Environmental Education Center in Oglebay Park is a nexus of gardening and ecological activity. With cirector and naturalist Molly ...

A Lesson From Lizzie

It was a silly, even prankish game we played in grade school. Actually, we were about middle school age at the time. As is the case in Catholic school, we lined up in silence and walked single file into school in the morning and after recess. The teacher, usually one of the habited nuns, rang a brass bell, and in we went. Somewhere along the line, maybe it was because of spring fever, we initiated this foolish idea to push the person in front of you in line. Most often we did this as we climbed the stairs to the second floor classrooms. It began as a simple nudge that had a ...

Quimper Is a Folksy and Fun Collectible

Quimper is attractive to display, whether you own one piece or dozens. This charming, colorful pottery is an example of faience ware, which means hand-painted, tin enamel-glazed earthenware. Named after the Breton town in northwestern France where it has been made for over 300 years, it has a strong following in the world of antiques. Often the theme is peasant images, seashore or fishing scenes. Wooden shoes (sabots), bread making, roosters and cows are some of the other common images found on this pottery. Like all folk art, it is attractive to fans of Country French ...

Head Hunters Seek Fun Vases From the Past

Head vases always draw interest in the collectible world. Made in the mid-20th century, these charming oddities peaked in popularity in the 1950s and ‘60s, about the same time Barbie made her entrance onto the American pop culture stage. The pottery vases were often imported from Japan and used by florists for gift arrangements, though early examples might be made in the U.S.A. and the earliest examples date to the 1930s. Generally showing a woman from the shoulders up, head vases remain popular with collectors today. Even my grandchildren ask about the pretty lady vase in my ...