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Tuesday, June 2, 2009

2nd Time Around Salt and Pepper Shakers, on Three Or More Tuesday

Before I begin the day's post, I just want to share a little scene I photographed last evening. It's through our sunroom window, which explains the glare. Now you might think I am showing off my poppies, so bravely blooming their short lives away, but no -- look up the hill:


There is a rocking chair with an identity crisis. It is half-painted red, but still half green, on its
way to being part of our renewed porch, from yesterday's Porch Party Post.
It's almost always windy here; someone please send me some calm days so I can get all this furniture painted!

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Despite having scads of dishes and other table-setting accoutrements (hey, I spelled that right!), I've never had much in the way of interesting salt and pepper shakers. My mother, on the other hand, was the S & P Queen.

(The little horridly tarnished sterling set is there to show sizes; it is 2-inches tall.)

I have a few of Mom's favorites, and I am sharing them today, on
Three Or More Tuesday, hosted by Tam at The Gypsy's Corner.
Don't forget to click here to see more collectible and other Three Or More stories.

Plus I am participating in Second Time Around Tuesday, hosted by Diane at
A Picture Is Worth 1000 Words, as these shakers have been around the block more than twice!
Click here for more Second Timers!

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Now these look a little the worse for wear, don't they?


They are pewter, in a classic style. They have not fared well, living in the salt air of a waterside house.
One of them also seems to be listing to starboard . . .


I brought them home from the Southold house on Saturday,
as clearly the atmosphere didn't agree with them.


I can probably clean them up but I can't straighten the Leaning Shaker of Pepper.
Off to the jeweler for these little lovelies.

(And which is for the pepper, the shaker with the bigger or the smaller holes?)

Next up . . . Martha and George!


I have no idea how old these two china shakers are, but I remember them from when I was a very small child,
and I am well over a hundred years old, so they are indeed vintage.

George is looking rather grim:


And Martha seems a tad suspicious of all the attention:

Wouldn't you love to see them on a breakfast tray?
First thing in the morning?
Wear a robe! Martha shocks easily, and George can be a bit of a rogue.

And finally, for all the milk glass fans out there (you know who you are!), this set:


My mother loved milk glass. It was all over her house. She put milk glass in her daughters' shared bedroom, when those daughters weren't even school age yet. Even our bedside lamps were milk glass, and they are still at the Southold house, where they lit the nightstands in the little room my own daughters slept in:

My sister and I thought these lamps looked like little ladies holding onto big hats (look at the one on the right, see the arms reaching up?) and it's amazing they survived with only one tiny chip in one of the shades. I am pretty sure Peggy is responsible for that, not I. . . .


I am happy to have these little reminders of the lovely table my Mother set for family dinners -- even on weekdays. There was always a centerpiece, even if it was just a squat, pillar candle on a pottery or -- yes, milk glass -- plate, and there was always a first course, even if it was just tomato juice in a pretty glass.

I miss my mother very much; she is still with us, but Alzheimer's Disease has robbed us of her. I am grateful to have so many of her things, for she was a gifted homemaker and still inspires me.

Happy Tuesday to all. -- Cass




27 comments:

  1. I am so glad I found your blog today! You have the house of my dreams! I just love your salt and pepper ( the Milk Glass one, especialy) I will be back,
    France
    Passion of Milglass collecting

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  2. I love your collections of salt/pepper and the milk glass! What wonderful sentiments. :)
    Blessings,
    Sandra

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  3. I love all your shakers...whole lotta shakin' goin' on here!
    The George and Martha Washington are my favorites, and you probably already know they're highly collectible! Thanks for showing us!
    XOXO
    Joni

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  4. The rocking chair with the identity crisis is cracking me up!!!!

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  5. First off, Cass, I just wanted to say how much I love your cute personality. You soo make me smile...
    I love your collection here..My mom had the same milk glass ones and I have ONE of them. Can't imagine where the other might be. I keep looking at thrift stores, hoping I can find just one little lonely one to bring home for the one I have.
    I am so totally in love with your house....

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  6. I just adore those milk glass salt and pepper shakers! Haven't seen any quite like those before. The rocker with the identity crisis is where it should be: out having a "time out." And I am just now, at the ripe old age of 52, finally wanting to search out various accoutrements for my table!
    Brenda

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  7. Big holes for the pepper. They are really nice pieces. Get your husband to hold the chair and run around the yard catching the wind blown spray from the paint cans on the chair. Tell him he needs to be more of a team player.

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  8. What fun Cass! Love the poppy view of that rocker :0)
    All the salt and pepper shakers are great. Loved your funny commentary, too!!

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  9. Great collection of salt and pepper shakers!The rocking chair is going to look fabulous when it's done!Not that it dosen't look fabulous now.Don't tell it I said that!

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  10. Silver and milk glass, all gorgeous, OH MY! I love it!

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  11. Cass, I love your shakers! I'm laughing at your description of Martha and George's expressions! LOL! Love it!

    And I'm so sorry about your mother. I miss my mother, too, but she has actually gone on ahead to heaven. In the mean time, I look forward to one day being together with her again. Sending you hugs today.

    This may sound crazy, but on my birthday, I give myself a present from my mother. Something special I know she would have selected. Maybe you could read a verse of a favorite poem or from the Bible as a reminder that your mother loves you even though she's not "here" to tell you. Let those verses be a message from her heart to yours. Just a thought. :-)

    XO,

    Sheila

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  12. What a wonderful collection. I enjoy using a lot of my mother's things, too.

    Scribbler

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  13. I am a daughter of a woman who suffered from Alzheimer's as well -- mine passed away physically almost seven years ago - but, as you well know -- truly the woman who I called Mother was gone long before that. My heart aches for you and all of us who have lost or are losing loved ones to such a wicked illness.

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  14. What happy memories and lovely salt and pepper shakers.

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  15. Looks like Ms. Rocker is in time-out!
    And the poppies ARE pretty.

    You nailed it on the VBS thing.

    Happy Day!
    Candy

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  16. Hi Cass. Thanks for taking the time to visit me, and leave me such a nice comment. Your salt and pepper shakers are awesome. I love your house. My husband grew up in Pa. so we go back east and visit his folks. The styles are very similar. I look forward to meeting up again next Tuesday!!

    Karen

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  17. (((hugs))) about your Mother.
    Know what you mean about trying to paint when the wind is blowing. I have some paint projects that can't seem to get done. If the wind is not blowing, it is raining.
    The poppies are so pretty.
    Glenda

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  18. So glad I found your blog...I have so enjoyed browsing through it! You have a gorgeous home and super cute doggies!

    Love the milk glass S&P set! Now they just speak to my heart! :) So sorry to hear of your mom's condition. My grandmother suffered from the same, so I can relate!

    Have a great week! ~hugs, Rhonda

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  19. Oh Cass, what gorgeous salt and peppers. I love having things that remind me of my mom, and I know you cherish these too. Such a wonderful tribute also to your mom, it made my eyes tear. Thanks so much for sharing. Check out my blog I am taking a poll to see who would be interested in joining a Cloche Party. Let me know. Hugs, Marty

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  20. Hi Cass! Oh, what wonderful Salt and Peppers! My favs are the milk glass ones. I don't think I've ever seen any like these before. Those little milk glass lamps do look like little ladies holding up big ole hats! How cute are these?
    be a sweetie,
    Shelia :0

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  21. Love them all, Cass!! I have had to smack my hand when it comes to S & P sets!! They are one thing I could get addicted to!! I can see why your Mom loved these!!

    Thanks for sharing these!!
    Always a joy to visit you, my friend!!
    Blessings,
    Becky

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  22. Hello Cass, thank you for your visit today, I love your S&P's so much. I love anything vintage of course. Your story of the S&P's is charming. I am so sorry about your mom. It is like she is gone isn't it? My aunt whom I loved, had Alzheimer's, and it saddened us so much.

    I love your first photo and I hope you have fair weather soon. I detest painting but it is a good thing when done. Good luck.

    Until next time.

    Hugs...Jeanne

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  23. I had to laugh - I am seriously short of S&P shakers. I've had to uese the Easter Egg shakers on non-Easter occasions because I was too lazy to polish the silver ones.
    My mum also always served a glass of tomato juice as a first course when we were growing up - in a sweet little 'cornflower' pattern glass.

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  24. I love your salt and pepper shakers! The pewter set is my most favorite!! It is nice to have our Mother's things around us! One day I passed out at a convention, The paramedics came. Hubby got me into the motor home. I cried for my Mother! She died at the age of 58, So hubby did the next best thing, he turned around and went back about 35 miles and took me to the old home place to get my Mother's Table, which I have now in the dining room. I was talking to a Lady the other day, she was telling me how beautiful her dining room set is from Ethan Alan. I told her yes their furniture is wonderful, but I have my Mother's table and even though the top is not real wood, just the legs. I will never buy another! Hey I thought it was real wood all the time I was growing up! lol

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  25. Good Morning Miz Cass,
    Thank you for coming by my little blog and leaving me such a sweet comment *smiles*
    And wow, do you have a big house! LOL I have an old yellow house too but much much smaller than yours. Aren't old houses great?
    I had to smile about your rocker with an identity crisis because that's exactly what my bistro chairs have...they are on the deck half brownish copper and half white *smiles*
    And of course I love your S&P's! I think I love the pewter ones the most but all are lovely. Very nice collection!

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  26. Great collection, Cass and I definitely will wear a robe around her. LOL

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  27. The milk glass s&p shakers are the best. I'd love to find such darling ones.

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