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Showing posts from April 22, 2012

The Staffordshire Mezzanine aka Meat Strainers / Drainers

From the early 19th century, most dinner sets included a drainer, or mezannine as they are often called, which was flat and had a hole in the center, with smaller holes all around it. This drainer would fit inside a large serving dish and would have been used when serving meat, particularly fish, to drain the juices. From my personal collection are these two examples below. Copeland Spode, circa 1860 Duncan Rural Scenes with Hops Border Did you recognize them?  You're used to seeing them with my canine collection displayed on them. I decided to do this post because each time I show you all my doggies I have several comments and emails from you asking about the drainers.  Most of the time, you all tell me you had never heard of or seen them before so, I decided to gather some photographs and examples of these to share with you. Here is a rare, Chinese influenced piece with a camel and giraffe amongst exotic foliage. From Wedgwood, circa 1846, is this dr

An Impromptu Picnic

Since we've moved to this neighborhood, we've discovered one of the parks is just a few blocks away.  Shawn and I have been walking a path that goes around a large pond for the past few months.  Day before yesterday I decided we'd take a picnic with us.  The park has picnic tables around the pond but we chose to picnic on this shaded, large rock that overlooks the fountain.  I made us each one of our favorite cold cut sandwiches with mesquite smoked turkey, sliced monterey jack cheese, a little mayo and banana peppers, threw in some Fritos, and some fruit.  I had just bought this sparkling blueberry grape juice.  I buy this every so often for the kids, but I snagged it for us to enjoy today.  It is yummy! Of course, we dined on some transferware plates! I can't help it, sorry.     These are by Booth's, a pretty pattern with peonies and butterflies...pretty perfect for a Spring picnic, wouldn't you say?  I have four left

Garage Sale-ing With Shawn

Extremely out of character, last week  Shawn says to me, "We need to start going to garage sales while we're having this great weather".   HUH? Completely still, my eyes shifted from one side to the other looking for someone to jump out and shout "You've been punked!".   If a cat ever had my tongue, this was that moment.  I was dumbfounded, but after a long pause and no one telling me this was a joke,  I quickly sprang into verbal action.   "Oh, yes, I agree...let's go Friday, okay?", I say to him calmly, all the while thinking I've got this one chance to make him commit to garage sale-ing and it is NOW.  He brought it up after all.  "Don't act too excited Nancy... be calm...be cool. Act nonchalant", I was silently saying to myself.   Still in disbelief that I heard him actually suggest going to a garage sale and wondering if I was really having this conversation with him, he says "okay, let's go early rig