blog #255 >> Driving in Oregon - 1952

This blog post is dedicated to driving in Oregon in 1952.
(And my dad.)

1952, was a great year for driving in Oregon. Nothing specific happened that I know of. But you could drive through the Mitchel Point Tunnel on The Columbia River Hwy after visiting Multnomah Falls and The Vista House. (The tunnel was blasted in 1966 to make room for I-84.) Or you could take a scenic drive on Hwy 101 along the entire Oregon Coast. (Or if you wanted to leave the state of Oregon you could get your kicks on Route 66.) In 1952 driving was still considered a skill and people took great pride in their driving abilities. It would have been considered quite a compliment to be called a "good driver" especially if you were a woman. Sunday drivers were not at all uncommon and neither was "joy riding." And with gas at 25¢ a gallon, you could afford to drive around with no particular place to go.

My Grandparents and their... 1948 Plymouth? (Dad would know.)

Seaside, Ore. (Note: Car on beach in lower right corner. You can still drive your cars on certain Oregon Beaches including Sunset Beach... I think... Dad would know.)

The lovely Timberline Lodge off Hwy 26.

Coast line north from Sea Lion Caves, Oregon Coast Hwy.

An official 1951-1952 Oregon Driver's Manual to help keep you safe on the roads in 1952.

Sticking your hand out the window means signaling, not waving.

Watch out for the little kiddies!

Traffic signs in 1952. (Note: There are no SPEED signs.)

Here are some important rules of the road to remember: Use caution when passing horses, don't shoot a gun across a road. Your bike needs lights. No, that's not a new law. It's been around since 1952. And of course the ever important, "Children Must Ride Inside Vehicles," not on the running boards, not on the hood. It doesn't matter if they're in a car seat or not, just make sure you didn't tie them to the roof.

And finally, The Traffic Cop. Beware... and respect The Traffic Cop. And you better hope he's in a good mood if you happen to pass him. He probably will be, there's not as much road rage in 1952, but there are no radar guns either and the speed limit is "The Basic Rule." So if he "thinks" you're driving too fast. You are. And that's all there is to it. So remember "The Basic Rule"* and everything you learned in this handy little guide to driving, and before you know it you'll be floating along the road with the windows down and the wind in your hair.

Enjoy driving!
T

* #35 The Basic Rule
"This is the foundation of the Oregon speed law. In effect it simply states that you must keep your car under control by driving speeds which will make it possible for you to stop or reduce speed safely whenever necessary to avoid colliding with other persons or vehicles."

blog #254 >> More Jello

The gods of Jello making must have been watching over this one, because by all account, it should never had made it out of the pan. It was doomed from the beginning. Maybe the mold is cursed. Last time I used this mold it didn't turn out either. Oh well, by some divine chance, it turned out alright. Here is my tasty pineapple-lemon Jello mold. I think I just waited way too long to add the fruit, but at least it didn't float to the top.
T

blog #253 >>I'm alive!

After being sick for over a month I'm finally feeling better! And with it I'm getting back into a regular schedule. Before I was sick I had finally starting to keep up with blogging and Etsy, but when I got pneumonia I didn't do anything except sleep and watch Gilligan's Island. In fact I watched nearly every episode ever made. It's one of the only things I own on DVD. And it's the type of show where if you sleep through half an episode, you'll still know what's going on. In fact I even developed a plot guide to Gilligan's Island.
I decided there are three main plot themes

Plot A:
Since Gilligan's Island is uncharted and less than 3 hours away from Hawaii, apparently it's quite a hot spot for people who want to escape civilization, rare butterfly hunters, migratory ducks, robots, movie producers, head hunters, evil twins, and lost Japanese sailors who don't know that the World War II isn't over yet. You never know who's going to drop by or be discovered on (or discover) Gilligan's Island. This plot usually ends with the intruder being sent off with cheering or escaping secretly by night, leaving the castaways stranded, but hopeful for rescue, and relieved that their annoying visitor is gone. Later the castaways will receive word over their transistor radio that the visitor to their island has reached civilization, and in most cases, has amnesia and no memory of Gilligan's Island, or no way of charting where it is.

Plot B:
Gilligan messes something up. Let's face it Gilligan is a klutz... and always hungry. This plot starts with Gilligan breaking something or eating all of the professor's glue or eating his luminescent paint, or shellac, or shark repellent or whatever tasty thing the professor is cooking up that day. Then all the other castaways say that they wish Gilligan never existed, or some silly thing like that, and Gilligan over hearing, runs away to the other side of the island. There he spends the night in a cave and has a dream about a fairy tale or old western scene or something of that sort with everyone on the island in it. Then the other castaways realize they miss Gilligan, bring him lots of blankets and bananas, and convince him to come back.

Plot C:
If Gilligan goes fishing, it's guaranteed, he's liable to catch anything but a fish. It's simply amazing what will wash into the lagoon. It could be an old rubber raft, a pint of ice cream, a treasure chest, a telephone cable, an old box of magic tricks, a box of radio active seeds, or moldable plastic, you just never know what might wash up after a storm. This plot usually ends with the castaways trying to use the (fill in the blank) somehow to escape, only to be foiled by Gilligan. From here it can turn into Plot B.

...So yes, I've watched an absurd amount of Gilligan's Island. But after all, I'm afraid the professor has stolen my heart.










In other news, I found the apartment of my dreams. I tried my best to get into it, but it wasn't meant to be. I should have told them I'd take it sight unseen. It was even in my price range and the rent would only be about $20 more than what I'm spending now. It was so lovely! I tried to get on a waiting list, but the land lord never emailed me back... sigh...


I also made a trip up to Estacada this weekend and stopped by Mike's and my favorite bookstore. All of their hardbacks are $2, all kids books and soft covers are $1, and all magazines are free. I got these Betty Crocker cookbooks, Campbell's Soup cookbook, and luster ware teapot all for $9.


Unfortunately, I'm not feeling back to normal yet. I pulled a rib muscle when I was coughing and it's still really bothering me. It's definitely going to be on my top ten most painful moments list. Since I haven't had any kids there's not a lot to put on there. The time I had a tooth filled without novocaine and the time I broke my foot would be two other notable mentions. Although when I broke my foot it was asleep, so this was actually more painful. I could even hear it when it ripped and WOW!... I knew it wasn't good. So in my attempt to keep everything in place and I've been wearing my corset. At first I just wore it at night to keep myself from rolling over strangely and re-pulling it in my sleep. But I think it helps so much, I'm wearing it all the time now. I originally made it for a costume, but I'm glad it's getting some use. Although it seems really strange to be wearing one, it does help my posture and I'm not keeping it very tight. I wasn't sure about posting that picture, it's reminiscent of wearing ones underwear outside ones clothes, but why not. I wear that sweater at least once a week after all. And I am very proud of my sewing on the corset.


Well, I guess that's enough to get myself caught up.
I'm glad to be feeling better and hopefully I can keep the posts coming.
T

blog #252 >>The Joys of Jello: Part 2 - Molds

In my fight to educate the public about the awesomeness of Jello I'll be posting a series of my favorite Jello recipes. Today's topic will be the classic Jello mold.

My Basic Jello Mold Recipe
(This is the one I use for every single one of my Jello concoctions.)

2 3oz boxes of Jello (or 1 6oz box)
2 envelopes of Knox plain gelatin
2 cups boiling water (or more)
(just think 2+2+2 and if you double it 4+4+4)

Mix Jello and gelatin in a large glass mixing bowl. (Don't use metal it will absorb all the heat of the boiling water.) Add boiling water stir about 3 minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved. Pick your Jello mold. Most hold about 2.5 - 3.5 cups liquid. Pour Jello into mold and top off with extra water if needed. Stir lightly in mold. (If you're unsteady and clumsy like me. I would suggest putting your Jello mold in a pan before filling for easier handling. Spilling Jello on the floors will make them sticky for weeks.) Place Jello in refrigerator. Chill overnight or until completely set. Now you're ready to unmold it. This is the hard part. But if you used the recipe above it's going to be super firm and much less likely to break apart. Here are the three main ways to unmold your Jello:



(a) Run a small pointed knife that's been run under warm water around the top edge of the mold to loosen it. (I've had very poor results with this method and quite trying it.)

(b) Moisten tips of fingers in warm water and gently pull gelatin away from top edge of the mold. (I almost always use this method to release them and it works great.)

(c) Dip your Jello mold just to the rim in luke warm water (DO NOT USE HOT it will melt the whole thing!) for about 10 seconds. Repeat once if necessary. Do not make your water hotter or dip more than twice. (I only use this method for though ones, after the top methods have failed.)

(d) Lift from water and shake gently to loosen from edges.

(e) Moisten the top of the gelatin. (This makes it easier to position on plate.) Place lettuce around the edges and hold in place with plate. (Do not use warm plate it will melt the Jello.)

(f) Then invert mold and plate together. Lift mold off.

(g) If your Jello is absolutely STUCK, and won't come out after dipping it twice in the luke warm water. Do NOT dip it again. The problem isn't that it hasn't melted enough. You don't need to melt it at all. The problem is that it's created a vacuum and your Jello mold is acting like a giant suction cup. The best way to get it out now is to slip a finger down one of the sides carefully and work your way around the mold, until you hear the "Swoosh" sound. Then you'll know that the vacuum seal has been broken and you can carefully pull it out the rest of the way with your fingers or invert it on a plate.

Good luck!
T

blog #251 >>Book of the Week: Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights, an excellent book and a good read, was written by Emily Brontë (the sister of Charlotte Brontë who wrote Jane Eyre.)
I especially like the illustrations in this copy.
T
Random House Publishers ©1943







Alright, I wasn't going to post this part, because it's long, random and a perfect example of me just writing whatever weird thing pops into my mind. But on second thought, it's already written and it's been sitting in my drafts folder waiting for revision for over a month. And since it's not for a writing class and no one really reads my blog anyways. I figured I might as well post more about what stuck me while reading the book instead of just the usual, it's great, I like it. So without further ado, here's the rough draft:

I think my favorite part of most every book is the introduction. It's interesting to see what the author/or editor chooses to write to set the scene for the following book. Sometimes it's the background on why the book was written. Or it will be a disclaimer about what the book means. Or sometimes it's a little insight into the lives of the authors themselves. The strangest introduction I think I've ever read was the introduction to "The Woman in White." (Pengiun Edition) It was very odd and it went on about how there was so much hype about it when it was first published, there was "Woman in White" purfume and novelties. And then he had this bit about freaks in the circus... I'm not really sure how that fit in... and then he went on about the author's personal life and his lovers and then he continued with how Wilkie Collins was addicted to an over the counter drugstore syrum... I think it was called "Mother Bailey's Calming Syrup" and how it was basically just opium and alcohol and how his friend, who was a doctor, said he was drinking enough each day to kill everyone at the table... yeah... it was strange... interesting, but strange. I don't think anyone actually read it before they printed it. Anyhow the book of the week is Wuthering Heights not The Woman in White.

Wuthering Heights is no exception to the interesting introduction rule. And even after reading the book the introduction haunts me as much as the story. It calls itself "A Biographical Notice of Ellis and Acton Bell" and is explained as follows. There were three books written by three sisters all under pen names. Charlotte Brönte the oldest wrote Jane Eyre (possibly the best book I've ever read) under the name Currer Bell. Emily Brönte the middle sister wrote Wuthering Heights (a really great book) under the name Ellis Bell. And Anne Brönte the youngest wrote Agnes Grey (on my reading list) under the name Acton Bell. As women they couldn't write a novel and be taken seriously so they published their works under masculine pen names. I also suppose the mystery in a pen name would have added a spark of appeal. With the new names the books were sent out to various publishers all to be flatly turned down. At last after many ill fated attempts "Wuthering Heights" and "Agnes Grey" were picked up and published but they found no immediate success. Later "Jane Eyre" was written and published to find little more success than the former two. And since they all shared a similar writing style and pen names it was assumed that they were all written by the same author as "Jane Eyre." This was a harmless error at first, but it proved hard to be corrected. A short time later Emily Brönte contracted comsumption and did not live past her 30th birthday. Anne Brönte was diagnosed with the same not two weeks after they buried their sister. She died less than a year later at 29. Neither lived to see their novels become a success. Later Charlotte Brönte wrote this introduction to clear up the confusion on who really wrote the novel. In her own words, "This notice has been written, because I felt it a sacred duty to wipe the dust off their gravestones, and leave their dear names free from soil."

And after reading Wuthering Heights I can see where it was all born. With so many of the characters dying of consumption or fever, and it has such a tragic baring, I wonder if it was perhaps forboding their very own future in some respect. It almost makes me imagine if possibly Charlotte could hear her sisters on the wind of the moor.

T

blog #250 >> Greetings from Yellowstone Park

Was there really a time you could feed bears in the wild?
It seems pretty unbelievable to me.
T

blog #249 >> The Joys of Jello: Part 1 - Pies

In my attempt to bring back the love of Jello, I'll be posting a series of my favorite Jello recipes. Here are two stupendously amazing Jello pie recipes:


Carrie's Jello Pie
3/4 cup sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 cup water
1 3oz box of Jello
3 cups berries
1 pre-baked pie shell

Mix cornstarch and sugar in saucepan, gradually stir in water 'til smooth. Stir constantly and cook over med. heat. Bring to a full boil and boil 1 min. Remove from heat, add Jello. Stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Add fruit and pour into pie crust.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

My Favorite Chiffon Pie
1 3oz box of Jello
2/3 cup boiling water
2 cups ice cubes
8oz or 3 1/2 cups Cool Whip
(Don't use low fat or fat free they won't work.)
2 cups berries
1 pre-baked pie shell

Dissolve Jello in boiling water, stir for 3 min. Add ice, stir for 3 min. Remove ice. Use wire whip and add Cool Whip. Fold in fruit and put in pie shell.


Cheers!
T