The title of today’s post was created by my friend Joanne in Florida . We were talking on the phone about the different types of mugs people have in their homes. Think about the clunky white mugs in a diner, sometime decorated with a single stripe near the rim. What do your mugs say about you?
One afternoon my friend Vincie made a cup of tea. She asked me “ Do you prefer a thick lipped mug or a thin lipped mug?” Hmmmmmmm. I can tell you I had to think about it. Here’s what I learned about my preferences.
When I make a cup of coffee with a paper filter in a cone, I’m choosing a thick lipped mug. When I make a cup of tea I find I’m reaching for a think lipped China mug. I’d never really thought about my preferences before she asked me. I usually choose a family picture mug in the morning.
So I asked a few friends and family, who follow the blog, to send me some photos of their mugs. Mug racks snd mug trees seem out of style although there are hundreds of stock photos of them available .
What kind of mug do you choose? Do you have matching mugs or a hodge podge, mismatched collection? thin lipped, thick lipped, white interior, or whatever is on hand?
Joanne’s six white mugs, all matching. Joanne can’t abide a dark interior to drink from. Joanne’s other mug with the Canadian flag My mugs are a hodge podge mismatched collection on this shelf. There were more in the dishwasher Anna’s second grade drawing on the left, Steve’s Edvard Munch Scream, family photo mugs created by Marlene and sent as presents. There are two gifts from former students.
(Don’t put photo mugs in the dishwasher!)My friend Vincie has used each of these mugs for a period of time. The one on the right is in use now. Afternoon tea with a thick lipped on the left and a thin lipped on the right thanks V and G Daily ubiquitous glass mug with morning coffee in front. Favorite places reminder mugs in back. Purged most of life’s accumulated mugs a few years ago and kept only the special ones – Taos NM, Munich Germany, Ashville NC etc. Mostly used for afternoon tea time… Eileen and Linda Carrie in Maine reads inspirational thoughts on their mugs. I know she enjoys her coffee in them. Yeti Mugs and the Grandchildren Mug from Marlene in their Fifth Wheel on winter vacation Kristin drinks out of the porcelain fruit mugs. Her husband prefers the ceramic ones in front, collected while visiting places Here’s Laura and James’ cupboard with the You Are Here collection of Coffee mugs. I brought them Norway and Berlin and Mary sent a NYC There are small replicas for Charlie. These hanging mugs are thick lipped from Villeroy and Boch Naif pattern bought in Germany This mug holds pens pencils snd a couple of crochet hooks From a visit to Zagreb. A promotional mug, probably gotten from soup labels. used for soup. Could not drink coffee out of this 😂My neighbor Erica gave me this one years ago. from the Kitchen Annex in Shadyside. A recent acquisition from Joanne. Color of the year mug. A gift from a woolswapper representing common interest- Knitting Special Occasion Gift mug A thin lipped mug called a beaker. Perfect for a hot cup of tea Amy’s mugs with Polish Pottery, Best Grandma and her Yarn Store mugColleen says- Loved all the mugs on your blog Ruth. After a lot of downsizing and a little editing this is what happens here. Joanne and Katherine prefer the yellow mugs for tea and I like the Union Jack unless I’m having tomato soup and then it’s the yellow. And, you’ll never see dark in my mugs either. I think I need a cup of tea. Perhaps you’ll join me…. Colleen
Mary Alta Kerr Hendricks, my paternal grandmother, was born 130 years ago. She went by the name Alta. When my father was born they lived in Farmersville, Illinois. One summer my brother and I stayed with our grandparents and she taught me to knit. I was four years old.
This is just from the time she resided in a Nursing Care Center in Taylorville, Illinois. My grandmother kept a list of the afghans and shawls she knit for others during this period of her life. Written inside the cover of her copy of The Book of Common Prayer.
Heritage from a post. May 2017. Ben H at WordPress says “This week, share a photo of something that says “heritage” to you. It can be from your own family or culture — a library, a work of public art, a place of worship, an object passed down to you from previous generations.”
I held the quilt to the window so the light could show how beautifully it is pieced and stitched.
She knit the blue Afghan and handstitched the quilt. She could tat and crochet, too. Made egg noodles and hung to dry on a broom stick.
My father Roy J. Hendricks (b. 1912) is the boy standing on the left. Uncle Alan Ray Hendricks(b.1916) is the baby on my grandmother’s lap. My grandfather is standing, Floyd Merle Hendricks.Mary Alta on the left , Sarah and Will Kerr in Illinois
Here’s another post for Throwback Thursday
My paternal grandmother, Mary Alta Kerr, born February 7, 1892 and her brother and sister. I need to do more research, dig around in a box, to get info on her siblings details. I know she called her sister “Sis”.
This is the grandmother who taught me to knit when I was little. No date on the photo. She looks to be 5 or 6? Maybe 1900-1901?
Mary Alta Kerr Hendricks passed March 13,1979 and is buried in Morrisonville, Illinois.
This is a photo of my grandmothers recipe box. This is a poem about bread, glued in the lid given to my grandmother by Ella Beyer. She was my godmother and I was given Ella as my middle name.My grandmother on the right, the one who taught me to knit. 1973 photograph of me in the middle, my grandmother on the right and Aunt Vesta Kent on the left. Morrisonville, Illinois.
Great grandson Shawn Hendricks posted a photo of this tag found on his father’s (John)Afghan
Morrisonville City Cemetery Morrisonville, Illinois
This guest blog is from my friend Joanne’s sister, Mary, in Ottawa, Canada.
“They are little goldfinches in their winter colorings and fluffed up against the minus 18 (Celsius = minus 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures….In the spring they start turning yellow and then are really pretty. We get a lot of both gold and purple finches …. and chickadees, redpolls, cardinals of course, big and small woodpeckers, blue jays, and many others. Wild turkeys occasionally, the dreaded grackles and crows. Right now with the deep snow the birds spend more time hiding in the woods somewhere so today was a nice surprise.“
It was snow on top of all the rain that froze, crunchy and slick if you had to drive or walk anywhere- the advisory said Stay Home!
Driving in snow is one thing but ice is the worst.
I was out shoveling and salting and saw the city truck clearing and treating our street, coming down a second time. A wonderful sight. Our street was always neglected, the parallel park road always cleared but not our block. That’s not the case now.
We’ve a new mayor. He says they have to do better.
I really just wanted to write that date with all those twos. Before you know it in three weeks I’ll add another two to the date.
I’m glad I’m not in the dark snowy and muddy frozen woods this year, awaiting the meteorological prognosticator to emerge from his burrow and give us the news about the length of winter. Groundhog Day is here. What will Punsatawney Phil predict? If you’ve seen Bill Murray in the movie you know that Groundhog Day is repeated thousands of times until the main character becomes a better human. Many the compare the two years of the Pandemic to the movie.
Just tonight the weather people say we’re to get freezing rain which will create a sheet of ice and then snow on top of that. Highly motivational for knitting and making a pot of soup.
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This is the Ground Day Compendium today. You’ve seen the pics if you’ve followed the blog for a time. Memories of past Groundhog Days.
PURE PITTSBURGH SKYLINE 1993- BEFORE ALL THE SIGNS- THANKS TO GROUNDHOG DAY MOVIE CAPTURE
Tonight was the annual viewing of the Harold Ramis’classicGroundhog Daymovie. If you follow the blog, you know how much my family enjoys this holiday. (No gifts required)
I noticed in the opening credits how different the 1993 skyline looks.
The updated version will have to be another post. And I’ll need a helicopter ride to capture the same angle.
A screen shot of my computer screen shows the old skyline as it appeared before all the advertisements.
Just two years ago there was an article written by Bob Bauder about this issue- Skyline-defiling signs targeted by council chief. “Harris said the signs, including company names and logos, clutter the city skyline and detract from its aesthetic splendor.”
And author Charles Rosenblum’s blog post Under a Bad Sign– Pittsburgh Architectual Club weighs in on the issue.
About the only part of Groundhog Day filmed in Pittsburgh
We were there to see Phil the Groundhog rousted out of his slumber, and taken out from his cozy stump to see his shadow amidst the brotherhood of the Inner Circle of Gobbler’s Knob. The men were all dressed in top hats and formal attire.
Twenty four years ago (before the 1993 movie) my sister Mary and I drove in the middle of a foggy night to see the groundhog. I can tell you that it was a much different this trip. Last time we just parked on the side of the road and walked up the hill to Gobbler’s Knob. The whole event was well orchestrated and incredibly efficient, especially with the number of people coming to town. Lots of dedicated people making a concerted effort to insure everyone’s safe and happy experience! Everyone pleasant and a festive atmosphere. We had fun and were really glad it was rain rain and more rain instead of ice and snow snow snow!
Laura thought she’d like to go last year since it was on a weekend but it was super cold and I had an photography show opening that weekend and it didn’t work out. “Next year”, I said. “Next year.” Laura wanted to cross it off her Bucket List.
Mary came out from NYC on the train Thursday night and Laura drove in Saturday morning from Columbus OH.
We went to bed at 8:30 PM Saturday night and got up at 2:40 AM.
Pulled out of the driveway around 3:20AM and drove the 74 miles to Punxsutawney PA. Not to0 much traffic but when we got there the Wal-Mart parking lot was already filled up. We were able to find a spot behind the County Market in Groundhog Plaza and walked two blocks to a McDonald’s where we got $5 round trip tickets for the bus to Gobbler’s Knob.
Just like Shuey had told us (he went last year in the bitter cold, driving his MOTORCYCLE from Niceville, Florida) it was “easy peasy.” The crowd was estimated at 30,000 and yes, it rained on us the entire time but the temp was about 37 so no ice, no snow and none of us felt cold or miserable. I’d wrapped the camera in a couple of plastic bags and rubber bands on the end of the lens. At one point we were asked to all pull out our cell phones an light the place like a concert with a lighter. A fellow art teacher plays the bass fiddle in a band The Beagle Brothersand they played a few sets starting at 3AM. Oh, the Star Spangled Banner, too.
We stopped in at County Market to buy a couple of magnets and use their nice restroom. The clerk had been there since the night before at 10:30 and her shift ended at 6AM.
School buses lined up to take Groundhog Fans to Gobbler’s Knob
On our way to the buses we saw this Groundhog Bride. Groundhog Weddings were available but no “walk-ins”
Laura at Gobbler’s Knob
Cell phones light Gobbler’s Knob
Thirty minutes of Zambelli Fireworks in the woods was an unexpected delight.
The Beagle Brothers band
The Beagle Brothers played a few sets and the National Anthem. Fellow art teacher Kyle on the Bass Fiddle. Nice job!
Piles of snow and Television Trucks
Phil’s handlers belong to the Inner Circle.
Uh oh. He saw his shadow. SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER!!!
Six more weeks of winter, he predicts. The crowd let out a collective groan.
A fellow groundhog fan took our photo on Gobbler’s Knob
Josh (dogmatic liveart) painted Groundhog Day right on the spot!
his palette
Groundhog fans checking their photos and messages.
Headed for the buses at Gobbler’s Knob
Groundhog Fan with Groundhog Hat
Another shot as the light increases in the sky- Laura at Gobbler’s Knob
Photographer on Gobbler’s Knob
After the Prognostication
Getting on the bus for downtown
Kids playing on piles of dirty snow
Necessary facilities
Groundhog Statues all over town!
Celebration Tent
Downtown Punxsutawney
Mr. Tom Uberti shook my hand and welcomed me to Punxsutawney. AKA Big Windmaker. He graciously allowed me to “shoot him.”
2019
GROUNDHOG DAY AT THE OAKS THEATER
Happy Groundhog Day.
My granddaughter Maura has predicted six more weeks of winter prior to Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog.
We’ll know at sunrise if she’s right.
The movie starts at 7:30 PM at The Oaks Theater in Oakmont PA
Laura and Charlie called earlier to wish me a Happy Groundhog Eve.
You might remember my post of Woodstock Illinois where the movie was filmed or the post where Mary Laura and I ventured to Punxsutawney to see Phil at sunrise.
