Category: History

Tired Of Turkey?

How about a 60 lb Nicaraguan tarpon?

by Newell F. Johnstone, 1932

That could feed Dolly Parton and all of her ELEVEN brothers and sisters. Not a big tarpon eater? Perhaps bullfrog, like this pair in a Washington DC market, sounds tastier? The patron is off her head with anticipation.

by Clifton Adams

This DC chef seems no more excited about his frog-boiling tasks as he inspects the shipment from New Orleans.

The Puerto Rican peddlers below may not be flashing any smiles, but the market promises a tasty dish from the land crabs. First they boil their little bodies, scrape the meat out of the shells, toss them in with ham, green peppers, olive oil, and seasoning, mix it up, then return it to the empty shells. An egg is then placed on top and baked. Interesting, no?

by E. John Long 1939

Maybe you would prefer something tamer, like this morning catch from Winnibigoshish Lake in Minnesota.

Clifton Adams, 1935

And a side of hush puppies please!

https://thebeachhousekitchen.com/

When I Find Out Hallmark Is Showing The Encore Presentation Of That New Colin Ferguson Movie

1978 Cactus

…and then my husband tells me to tone down my enthusiasm.

1938 Cactus

That Classic Christmas Piñata

all images from 1955 Cactus

Even living in Texas, I’ve never heard of hitting a piñata for Christmas. One might lose the bat (or cane, as it were) and fling it into the Christmas tree, making it a holiday to remember.

Today’s images are all Christmas scenes from dorm life at the University of Texas in 1955. Some images were inaccurately labeled, like this one.

Not everyone. Not Carol.

These Spooks don’t seem to be haunting anything.

This girl seems horrified by her friend’s decoration. Thankfully, Santa is supervising.

We see scenes of tree trimming and wrapping paper cutting.

Men topping a diminutive tree.

Late night gift exchanges.

Ah, the excitement of the first tear!

And Now She’s 103

Always Home by Frank Coffey

Olivia de Havilland enjoys teensy cups of beverages with different branches of WWII servicemen as part of her service in the USO.

The Font That Gives Me The Heebeejeebees

I don’t know what it is about that font, but I don’t cotton to it. It’s not Nordic or Viking, but there’s something very anti-American about it, believe me. I can see why they chose it; it looks like holly leaves, sure enough. But no me gusta.

Today, we’ll be checking out more Christmas gift ideas from 1949. Yes, 70 years ago! Yes, another Christmas post! Only FOUR MORE DAYS!!

giphy.com

That’s right, Frank! And it’s time for indulging impatience with a new Polaroid camera! Don’t wait a week to have your film developed; get a chemical-smelly, low-res image NOW! You can see the actual size!

But maybe you don’t have a Polaroid. Maybe you have a real camera that needs a real exposure meter. Isn’t it cute–like a l’il Fitbit?

You could upgrade from still photos to moving pictures with a Bell & Howell camera. Is it me, or do the “hilarious Christmas moments” below seem poor choices?

If cameras weren’t your bag, you could gift a pen. Folks used to use pens a lot. For writing letters. And doing accounting stuff. And writing out checks. Now we just use them to sign forms. But Esterbrook gave you all kinds of tip options. Fun!

However, Parker claimed they made the world’s most wanted gift pen. The case looks as snazzy and cozy as a coffin. And no, it wasn’t 1951 yet.

All these gifts sound to mainstream? Too predictable? Well, you could always give your family the gift of Vitamin D and melanoma with a trip to warm places. No self-respecting Hallmark movie would host Christmas in Arizona or California, but if it’s swim trunks and palm trees you desire, wrap some tickets to paradise and stick a bow on them! And whatever you do, Merry Christmas!