March weather has turned to February weather the last few days. Work on the cabin has taken a break until next Friday when it looks like a little warm up. Off to the basement we go, sorting, organizing and throwing. What doesn't get tossed will go to the thrift store in Coudersport. We woke to 7 degrees and beautiful huge snowflakes tumbling down this morning. Light the oven and get to baking for a couple hours was a good way to feel cozy in the kitchen. Dick requested a Hershey Cake and Peach Cobbler, so it will be, just give me a reason to get in that kitchen! I have a beautiful view of the barn and fields that I never tire of. While having our morning coffee Quincy started barking and it was one of his barks that something shouldn't be here. It was ol'foxy him or herself mousing along in the back field near the barn. If he had happened upon a hen that would have been Sunday dinner at the fox den. They have had their babies already and mama needs lots of nourishment to make milk for the little ones. Dick got the rifle and shot a couple warnings at it until it ran back in the woods. Just a little reminder, stay away from our hens!
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| Because one of us loves "real" whipped cream. Yes, the skinny guy! |
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| This is the Hershey cake with white frosting. Recipe in Della's Daughter Cookbook. |
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| With all the baking Sunday dinner was simple and small, steak quesadillas. Steak left over from Saturday worked great. |
I have no idea how many times I have said or heard, Wanna ride around town? Back in the 60s, wow, I am in my 60s as of age now. Ok, back in the 60s riding around town was the main entertainment for the evenings. Let's see, usually the ride around town started at Mom's Kitchen, Freeborns or Chat and Chew. If you went towards Stevens St. you could turn right or left and the same if you went the opposite direction towards Oswayo St. Whatever way you went that first left or right turn determined they would be all left turns or right turns. That would take you all around the perimeter of Shinglehouse. Then we would mix it up by going through town again and going the opposite way. No matter the choice that ride around town never changed! Ya might stop for a short visit with someone else "riding around town", pick up or let off a rider. From the time I was about 15 until 18 that ride was the Friday and Saturday night happening.
How did I get to thinking about riding around town???? Well, let me tell ya it was one of those memory flash backs last Wednesday. We went out for Buckwheat pancakes near Angelica at Cartwrights. They are only open for all you can eat pancakes during Maple season. They also sell all their Maple products. We couldn't leave without bringing home a bag of Buckwheat Pancake mix. The pancakes were delicious and the first time I had been there. We went with 3 of our friends, they are old friends as in....we have known them all of our lives. Didn't want anyone to think we have old aged friends :) After we ate Ron asked if I had ever seen the barn Marcia took a picture of and I painted a water color from the picture. No, I hadn't. We rode to the barn and I must say it was beautiful not as beautiful as the picture only the picture because only my friend could capture the right angle and lighting. Then Ron showed us the "Poor House" that sets near the barn, that totally amazed me. He told about how it had come to be and some history of it. Of course I wanted to know more about it and came home to google the "Poor House". I found pictures of it inside and out. The inside is what I really wanted to see but they have no trespassing signs all over. If I thought for a minute I could have broke free from the husband I would have been in that place! I probably would have had 3 guys pretty darn upset had I tried to get in. I am not going to get into great detail on the "Poor House" but will put a couple links below if you are interested in it. Even at a distance it was quite emotional to look at thinking of "if walls could talk". I'm sure there are good stories along with some very sad stories in those walls. Remember back then there was no assistance or welfare. If you couldn't take care of your family, the Poor House was where some went if there was room.
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| The barn at the County Home/Poor House. |
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| The amazing "Poor House" that I would love to get into! We could see an old couch in the window but we were just too far away for detail. Just a little closer would have been great! Like in it. |
Not only did riding around bring back a memory or two the "Poor House" did too! I was not much more than 5-8 years old when I heard the words, poor house. We lived on the farm and my dad said, this farm is going to drive us to the "Poor House". I remember crying myself to sleep that night wondering where the poor house was and would it be awful. It sure sounded awful. Finally my mom asked me what was the matter the next day and again I burst in tears and told her because we were going to the "Poor House". Good God, she said. Why do you think we are going to the poor house. Because, dad said so. Then she told me we will not be moving that dad said that because of the price of milk dropping and he was mad. Apparently there were many Poor Houses in the country back then. That is as close to the "Poor House" as I ever got or want to.
Speaking of driving us to the Poor House how about "drive me to North Warren?" I knew that was a joke or not. My mom would say that when she didn't like how I was behaving, especially in the early teen years. I will admit for a long time I really didn't know what she meant. In fact it wasn't till I was in my 40s that I learned what North Warren was. Mental Hospital! Lucky I never drove her to North Warren, my kids didn't me and we all living happily ever after.
The Poor House: http://louisqphotography.com/2013/09/27/allegany-county-home/
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyallega/poorhouse.html
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