Harry & Gladys: Watermelon

Harry & Gladys: Watermelon

Each and every year, at the close of summer, the little town of Montrose, Iowa gathers together to worship celebrate watermelon.  It is the same today as it was when I was a small child.  Free watermelon, free entertainment, and to my memory the best little carnival ever!

Here is an interesting tidbit......Did you know that my Grandpa, Harry Mitchell was one of the Watermelon Festival Founders?  I did not know that until a couple of weeks ago, so you could imagine my excitement as I was painting my Grandpa in an illustration about the very festival he helped create!  I couldn't help but think how "tickled" he might have been to see himself in this painting.

The Watermelon Festival is so much more than just a time to eat all the free watermelon you can, but it is really more of a "homecoming".  The adults bring their lawn chairs and gather around the bandstand to listen to the free entertainment and just sit and visit with neighbors, friends, and old classmates. Meanwhile, the excitement of the carnival and all it has to offer,  has the children buzzing at a much higher frequency.

When we were kids, we would really looked forward to the watermelon festival.  We would plead with our parents to let us spend the night with Grandma and Grandpa so that we would be close to the festival. The Mitchell's house in fact was very close,  we would spend our day running back and forth, begging for money to purchase more ride tickets and "yummy" carnival treats.  Turns out this was part of their master strategy, give us just enough money, but not too much, so that we would need to check back in at the house frequently.  Too think all these years I just thought we were really good at begging for stuff!

Thanks for reading this week!

Harry & Gladys: Chocolate Cookies

This was painted as a full sized illustration but as I was preparing for this blog entry I couldn't help but think about how this would be more appropriate as a recipe card. Somehow I feel that Gladys would have loved to share her recipe with you.

I said the very first week in my introduction that Gladys was famous for her chocolate cookies.  Now honestly I have no clue if she was the creator of the recipe, but even if she was not, she made them her own by blessing her family with their tasty goodness over and over again!

Now with permission from my Mother I will reveal her secret ingredient........bacon drippings!  Yes, yes, you heard it here folks. Warning!  Please check with your cardiologist before beginning this recipe.   If you decide to err on the side of caution and use shortening,  you will still love their deliciousness.

This week my cousin Dana shares her memories of baking with Grandma.

Dana's Memories

My memory of Grandma involves baking.  Just like all my cousins, I make and love her chocolate cookies, but I was fascinated when she taught me to make a pie.  She let me cut shapes out of the extra dough and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on them for a special treat just for us. Grandma had a way of making every grandchild feel special and as if we were the center of her universe. She was never to busy to give you a hug and a kiss-or teach you to make a baked treat.

Thanks again for reading this week.  My gift to you this week is a free recipe card download. Make sure after you download the pdf, you set the size as 100% or "actual size"  If you just click "print" it will print it at 155% so you might want to adjust the size according to your recipe box.  Enjoy!




Gma choc cookie recipe card

Harry & Gladys: Needle and Thread

Meet Harry & Gladys
Silver Dollar

Needle & Thread

Gladys always seemed to be keep her hands busy.  I loved watching her work and was especially fasinated with her hands.  The skin on the back of her hands looked almost translucent and were silky soft to the touch.  

She made all sorts of things but my memories are of baby doll quilts and doll clothes.  I still have my doll quilt that is pictured above.  My daughter used it with her baby dolls and maybe one day her daughters will also.

My sister Julie and cousin Dana share this week: 

Julie's Memories 

"Grandma Mitchell taught me the basics of sewing when I was nine years old. We gathered in her warm kitchen to construct a winter woolen cape with bright red braided trim. We recycled a worn out wool coat of Grandpas and fashioned it into a smaller outer garment for me. I watched mesmerized as she powered her treadle Singer and seams magically appeared. She patiently answered all my curious questions. 

Over the years, she gently instructed me in sewing on buttons, hand piecing scraps of fabrics, and the lost art of tatting with fine thread and shuttle. She also taught me hand embroidery and fundamentals of crochet. I never saw her without a project in her hands.

She generously let me filter through her needles and hooks, threads, fabric and a fascinating button collection. She passed on both the love of sewing and the habit of always keeping my hands busy. Her patience fueled in me a passion for sewing and needlecraft. Little did I know at 9 years old she was giving me a gift that would span a lifetime."

Dana's Memories

"Grandma was fun to snuggle up with on her couch. She attempted to teach me how to embroider when I was older (it didn't take) and allowed me to play with the wrinkles on her hands when I was small-I loved to pinch her skin gently and was fascinated when it stayed that way."

Thank you for reading this week!