The Sidewalk Garden

My mother was a eternal optimist. When she looked out her window at the yard filled with snow birds savaging in the snow for food she would say I can see the trees "feathering", spring is almost here. She never complained of the weather regarding winter as a time for the earth to rest. Such a wise woman. Not me. I grow unceasingly impatient for spring.

Mom always waited in anticipation for the Henry Fields Seed Catalog to arrive for when it did it signaled that Spring would soon follow. My Henry Fields Seed catalog arrived two weeks ago and it hasn't quit snowing since!!!

I forgot what green grass looked and smelt like! I tell my grandsons and Godsons that soon we will build a camp fire again and roast those heavenly marshmallows they love so much. It's beginning to sound like a fairy tale, it's been so long. So did you know that in 1976 on this very day February 16th it was 76 degrees? 76 degrees!The 5 AM weather report said tomorrow may reach into the middle 40's! What a heat wave!

Here I sit with my cup of coffee pouring over my seed catalog trying to remember what my garden looked like last year. I planted my whole flower and vegetable garden not in a special garden on the side or back yard but instead I planted tomatoes and roses side by side along my sidewalk, I think big juicy red tomatoes bursting with flavor look beautiful right next to a red or yellow azalea! Yes I had a few family members laugh at me but the majority of my visitors thought my flower/vegetable garden was wonderful. When I was having a dinner party someone would just walked out on the sidewalk and pick fresh bell peppers, firm crisp cucumbers,jumbo red tomatoes and sidewalk stealing squash! Everything for a complete salad, and you never had to leave the sidewalk.

Another advantage of a sidewalk garden was it allowed you to keep an eye out for uninvited guest like rabbits and turtles. A rabbit can eat your vegetables clear down to the roots.

Nothing can compare to the satisfaction of sipping morning coffee on your front porch and watch your garden labor bloom into a wonderful array of colors and bounty!

So get those seed catalogs out and start planning yourself a little niche in your yard, whether you till up the ground or just use some good size planting pots, you too can grow a sidewalk garden! It doesn't take much to reap such big rewards, not to mention you will be feeding your family home grown veggies without chemicals!

Now don't let the heavy snow fool you.....I can see the tree's feathering from my kitchen window! Happy Gardening everyone!!! Aunt Onie

"Going Out" In The 70's

Ground Hog Day 1973


Maureen, Candy, Donna, Onie and Paula

Aunt Onie 1972
Today is Ground Hog Day. For me that means that good old Larry and I were engaged 36years ago today! And that started me thinking about the good old days of "going with someone". At least that was what we called it. Larry and I met on a blind date on November 29th, 1973 and got married April 18th 1974. Now that was some fast courting on Larry's part. We were crazy in love and just threw caution to the wind and set off on a "life long" commitment. How lucky for us that we made it work. Back then dating was serious business. We would meet with a group of friends and then pair off at the movie theatre, skating rink or Rexalls drug store. Those were the days.

I met Charles Wiggington at our local theatre and he gave me the ring he found in his Cracker Jacks box (how romantic was that!) He had dark curly hair and seemed so much older and mature then the other boys in our class. He was so moody and serious most of the time and had an air of sophistication about him. I never knew what happened to Charles since he never came back to any of our High School reunions.

I remember some of the Junior and Senior popular girls would occasionally date a new Sophomore boy causing much to talk about. I believe that the class of 1975 had some very cute boys in it that some of the "older girls" couldn't resist. Scandalous!!

As for me and my friends we spent Saturday night cruising around town in my freshly waxed 1951 Chevy. You could actually stand up in the back seat. Our usual hangout back then was a drive in called "Curley's". Best hamburgers and fries anywhere! We'd even do a little drag racing past the A&W Root Beer Stand and stop just short of the Ft. Wood Military Base. I'd still have that Chevy if someone took the time to tell me to keep oil in the thing. Oh well, what memories.

In High School all our lockers were down stairs and that one long hall was the meeting place to ask someone out for a date. Everyone just hung around their lockers and waited till someone walked up or left a note for you sticking out of your locker. That was when Maureen or Donna told me that this certain guy wanted to ask me out. He was good looking but had one flaw that I just couldn't over look.... He wore baggy pants! I turned this good looking guy down because he wore baggy pants! A man born before his time!! Back then you wouldn't be caught dead in baggy jeans. We all wore tight fitting, hip hugger bell bottom jeans. Straight legs were strictly forbidden! Thinking back to the 70's I think we were the best dressed teens since then! Our dresses were beautiful and short. We wore men's shirt over our jeans giving us a sexy look. Now a days the more worn and baggy the clothes the better. The same with our make-up. We took hours to put our make-up on and styled our hair. We were really into mascaras and eyeliner but would die if we wore black finger nail polish or other dark colors that are so in now a days. Our guys wore their hair long but stylish.

In the 70's if you got serious with one boy you "went steady". You even wore his class ring. You were "going with someone". That meant you didn't date anyone else. For that reason alone those commitments didn't last very long. One summer in 1972 my good friend Candy and I dated the "Ward" brothers. That's another blog by itself!

With Valentine's Day fast approaching I like to think back to those days of uncertainty. Who would be standing at your locker when you approached? Who put out feelers if you liked them enough to go out with them? There was excitement on Friday night. Being engaged 36 years ago I realize now how important it is to keep some of that excitement and uncertainty in my marriage. A little imagination can go a long ways. This Valentines Day put a little thought into your planned day for your special someone. Make them feel like you are dating them all over again. Till then keep your relationship alive and full of intrigue and mystery, yes Robert, mystery!
Aunt Onie