Bama Planter

I HAVE A HAPPY PAGE with most posts about primitives, flowers, old houses, and oil paintings. I don't do politics, wars , religion, or anything else that would draw criticism. I live in a happy Smurf land on here - although I have some pretty strong opinions. BACK IN THE 1980's, I taught Sr. Economics. One of the coaches taught Government. Both courses were for seniors in high school . At that time, I was a full blown Reaganite ! My, how the years have changed me ! The coach was a big Democrat. He would get the students and fill them with the "liberal" ideals of free education, free lunches, right to welfare, public housing, etc. etc. Then for the next 9 weeks, Seniors came to me for Republican Economics, a totally different approach! I taught the stock market, bonds vs. cd's, real estate investments, silver vs. gold as a hedge against inflation, etc. etc. By the time I had the last word, they wouldn't give a dime...

The season is changing and it's porch sitting time again. The 98 degree days and 90 degree nights are done again. I can back off the grass and only cut it twice a month to keep the mower battery going. I can work on sidewalks, fencing, digging the sunflower/okra/zinnia bed to a new length ( 40 feet ) to extend the 20 ft. I had this year. I have four trees to plant and three azaleas. And, a ton of sticks to pick up. I'm already gathering magnolia pods from my friend Janice's trees and freshly fallen pine cones from my neighbors' forest. The walnuts are falling, so that is a job in itself. The green hulls have to be stomped off with a heavy set of boots and then boiled in linseed oil to make the best wood stain. Then the walnuts themselves need to be cracked with a hammer. ( Squirrels are crazy to tackle walnuts but they usually try a few anyway. They bury two or three and forget where they buried them; that's how walnut trees get planted ) . I shall continu...

A LOVING TRIBUTE. My cousin has a friend whose mother was a quilter. She recently passed away and her children decorated the church with their mom's beautiful quilts for her funeral.

R. S. Prussia. The great porcelain made for the wealthy. My favorite from the era, circa 1890 - 1910 . Genuine RS Prussia marks have red letters, a red star and red outlines to the wreath. Leaves in the wreath usually appear green. Red areas can look rusty brown.

Oliver W. Hunt was born 9 January 1843 in Canton, Massachusetts, the son of George and Mary Hunt. His father was a blacksmith in Canton. Oliver joined the Union Navy on 5 September 1864 when he was 21. He joined as the lowest rank, a Landsman, being a person with no experience. He served on the USS Iuka and the USS Ohio. He was discharged on 15 June 1865 a few months after the war ended, as his enlistment ended then also. He returned to Boston to blacksmith with his father. He married and moved to Minnesota. The back of his ferrotype has a tax stamp, which was necessary for photographs from 1864 to 1866 to help pay for the war. The photograph was found at the seller's favorite antique shop in Minnesota. She knew nothing about Oliver, so her finding the photograph in Minnesota ( where he moved after the war ) further confirms that I have the right identity for the sailor. I was lucky to find him for sale in a group of photographs being sold in an 24-hour auction, and rese...

Henry was born about 1831 in Washington, DC. In 1860 he is residing in the 4th District, Post Office Rockville, Montgomery County Maryland. His family begins at the bottom of one page of the census and is completed on the next. Above is his family in 1860. -- Henry age 29 born in Washington, D. C. -- Louisa born in Delaware -- Ida their daughter age 7 ( born about 1853 ) -- Harry or Henry age 5 -- Charles age 2 -- Andrew age 1 -- George Crawford age 25 a hired farmhand. -- Henry owns real estate valued at $10,000. His personal estate is valued at $5,000 ( personal belongings such as farm equipment, furniture, and servants ). Both values are confirmed by adding up the figures from the page and checking the totals at the bottom of the page. ( The total value of personal estates for everyone on the page is only $6,075. What looks to be $50,000 by Henry's name is actually $5,000. The comma is not a zero ) Henry and Louisa's four children are all born ...

Topeka State Journal Monday 16 April, 1923, pg. 6: Olonzo Badders, 77, a Topekan for forty-two years, and a veteran in Topeka newspaper and printing business, died Sunday evening at his residence, 1717 Lane Street. Born in Baltimore, Md in 1846, he came to Kansas more than fifty years ago, first residing at Leavenworth, but coming to Topeka some eight years later. He was associated with F.P. Baker and J.K. Hudson for a number of years in the newspaper and printing business and later was connected with the Hall Lithographing company. He retired from business several years ago and his death was the result of a number of complications incident to old age. Mr. Badders was prominent in lodge and church circles in Topeka. He was a charter member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, and was a Knight of Pythias, an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Topeka Masonic Lodge No. 17. He is survived by 3 sons, Mayo L. Badders, Topeka, Harry N. Badders, Newton, and George S. Badders, Topeka....

A close-up of this young Civil War Soldier wearing a New York style jacket in this ca. 1864 ambrotype reveals he might have gone to sea before the War. When sailors crossed the equator for the first time, one ear was pierced. The second was pierced upon crossing the second time. Many examples of civil war soldiers with ear rings have been found on men who were known not to be sailors. There were other reasons for piercings: style, fashion, belief in health improvement, and choice.

Color enhancement adds life to this 1862 photograph.

The new color technology brings 125 year old photographs to life.

I've added a few new ambrotypes to my small collection of Civil War soldiers. This young man just came in.