A Simple Box

This simple, plain beautiful box is a music box that plays "Impossible Dream". It was a Christmas gift to me many years ago, I think sometime in the 60's, from your G'ma and G'pa Johnson. It has ever since had a spot on my bedroom dresser. I hadn't opened it to play for a long time until a few days ago. I thought it was broken because it wouldn't play, even after I wound it a bit. Seems there is a bit of a secret to begin the music - you must push the little button on the front to the right and hold it for a second or two. I think this box may have been the first in my love of "boxes" !

Where the Tall Corn Grows

At this time of year, back in Iowa, it is harvest time. It was my favorite time of year to go back to visit Mom and Dad and all the other relatives. The weather was always wonderful -- not too hot nor too cold !! AND, once in awhile, I was allowed to drive a tractor again. The machinery used these days is so much different than when I was growing up. We didn't have air conditioned cabs or power steering and power brakes back then. This photo of me was taken in late summer of the mid 70's on one of my visits. It seemed the corn was exceptionally tall that year. With me being a bit over 5 foot, it looks as if the corn is towering near 10 feet. Farmers felt they would have a good crop if the corn was "knee high by the 4th of July" !!

Candy, Anyone?

This pink depression glass candy dish was another one of those "things" that I talked my Mom out of several years ago ! It was something she acquired in the early years of her marriage. I have it filled with seashells and sitting on an end table (actually, the old wicker trunk) in my living area. Most of the seashells came from that trip to Hawaii that you and I took years ago. I realized the other day that I have been posting on this blog for over a year and there are still a few things around my home that have a story to tell. And then, of course, some of those old photos will conjure up some childhood memories. Seems there are not enough hours in the day as I need to accomplish all I want to do these days !!

Johnson's New Home in Town

In 1956, about the time I had started dating your Dad in high school, his dad was semi-retiring from farming. Your Dad's sister and family were moving into the big old farm house and Mother and Dad, (one day to be your grandparents) were building a new house in " town". Ogden was a budding metropolis of 1500 people and to this day, it still remains a small farming town with about the same number of people. The home they were building was ultra-modern for that day and age. Micro-wave ovens were a luxury then, but, Mother had one of the first ones to be seen in that area of the country. An inter-com system was installed throughout the house -- another luxury for that day and age !! Originally, the room over the garage was an open patio or "sun porch" and the exterior was painted gray with white trim. The house now has a new family living in it. I hope they will have as many fond memories of life within the walls of this "home" as I do.

More Rhinestones

When I was looking through the costume jewelery in that antique oak tool chest, I also found this bracelet. When we were kids, we did not get a lot of gifts from grandparents or aunts and uncles. One Christmas when I was about ten years old, a package came from Ohio from my Grandma and Grandpa Hanle. My sister and I both received these rhinestone bracelets. Quite grown-up jewelery for such young girls, but, did we ever just "love them". It would not surprise me if your Aunt Shirley still has hers, too. She is more of a pack rat than I am !!!