My family can be a real pain in the arse. But like Woody Allen said, nope, umm, Bill Cos—nope, as my father often said, "Family, you can't live with them and you won't live long enough to see one of them pick up a check."
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| A look often seen on my dad's face when sitting next to my mother |
Do you remember these trees? They're currently featured at the Wisconsin Historical Museum. My Aunt Dora had them in different colors complete with color wheel. She was the one who got me hooked on
Shasta and candy sticks.
Our model today is Nanci, a cousin on my father's side, aka the Dempsey Olsons whose motto, "We can't cook but we can drink!" is eerily similar to members of a college sorority I kept running into at parties in the seventies.
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| The modern gal can put up an aluminum tree with one hand and hold her husband's drink with the other |
To Be Continued
I did not realize they started that long ago...I grew up in East Tennessee...we was so poor we barely had Christmas. LOL But the truth...we had a little farm that bordered a lot of other farms. Down there, at that time, and probably still...if a field is cultivated, cedar trees are quick to take root. So me and my brother would take off and hunt for the perfect Christmas tree...cut and drag it home. Sometimes probably close to a mile. (We were free to cut one no matter whose land it was on....)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know there was an East Tennessee, lol. My parents were so poor they had to split a single orange between eight brothers and sisters or so I've heard. An East Tennessee farm Christmas, now there's a Christmas special I'd watch.
DeleteHow would you cut it down, ax or chainsaw? OMG, really, a mile of dragging? You are a better for it I'm sure.
I should have read what I wrote...I meant if a field was left uncultivated, cedars just pop up...oh, we took a hand saw, or an axe. We were too young to use a chainsaw.
DeleteWhat fun, the Dad remembers those trees! Happy Thanksgiving from all of us!
ReplyDeleteI wish you all warmth and toys and perches and chicken and turkey, Brian.
DeleteI'm sure we had similar small trees whenI was growing up!
ReplyDeleteNow I must have one, Lady F.
DeleteThat saying of your Dad's is hilarious! I'm stealing! Ha!
ReplyDeleteIt's yours, Lydia. My dad was a hoot.
DeleteLOL great post made me laugh Nanci is a great poser and fun heheh! the trees take me back :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a glittertastic Thanksgiving over there
Best wishes from London :-)
She is a good little model at that. I think we're going to have a stormtastic Thanksgiving, Steve, but here's hoping.
Deleteso funny.
ReplyDeleteMy post has a silver tree in it... I grew up with the color wheel on a silver tree. Love the quotes!
LeeAnna
Let's hear it for silver trees, huhzah. I'd really like a white, pink or blue tree but silver will do just fine. I wonder if they make color wheels any more. I didn't care for the fake green ones even though some of them are pretty nice, but I always loved the out and proud shiny ones.
DeleteMy mother had a tree with the color wheel. I hated that tree.
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday. ♥
Awww, you gotta love a color wheel, Sandee. I think you might have been missing the brandy old fashioned that seemed to go with them.
DeleteHello, I do remember those trees. I always preferred the natural green pine for a Christmas tree. Cute post and photos. Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your day, wishing you a good week ahead!
ReplyDeleteI went through the phase of how can you put up anything put a fresh cut pine for awhile but I'm getting more nostalgic in my old age and after years of living here still haven't gotten up all the needles from years past. And one of my friends had put up a kind of gawdy but hilarious pink tree one Christmas and I think I'd like to go all out kitsch this year.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving Eileen!
I definitely remember those trees. My aunt had one, and the color wheel mesmerized my brothers and me.
ReplyDeleteI was mesmerized too, Sandra. It's one of my best memories of my Aunt Dora.
DeleteI just want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ella, may your carousel stay smooth and grounded.
DeleteSwinging by again just to say thanks for adding the festive photos to #XmasLinky.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you had a Christmas linky but added it to the sidebar when I found out. Wasn't sure if it was every Thursday so put it between the Wednesday and Thursday links.
DeleteWhat a fun post and darling photos ~ Happy Thanksgiving to you ~ ^_^
ReplyDeleteHappy Day to You,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Thanks, Carol, and a Happy Thanksgiving to you and Zoe.
DeleteHaha....I remember those aluminum trees ...my in-laws had a huge one and a giant color wheel. Good times! Also. Every Kodak picture we have of my parents features a drink of some kind in somebody’s hand. My kids will probably say the same thing about their mother someday. Again, good times )). Happy TG!
ReplyDeleteHa, I also remember lots of drinking in the sixties and it must be true in WI because the Historical Society featured this real looking plastic old fashioned in their exhibit. I remember making drinks for guests when I was years too young to be doing so. I also remember hanging out in bars with my dad drinking Kiddie Cocktails and listening to old time real country and wacky songs like, "Mama Told Me Not To Put Beans In My Ears."
DeleteMy dad *always* told us don’t put beans up your nose” when they went out. LOL.
DeleteJeanna, Shasta Soda is the bomb. I have been drinking it my whole life and love it. Their headquarters are about 2.5 miles away from my house in Hayward, Ca. They have always been a source of pride here in Hayward.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting and I hope that you and your family wonderful Thanksgiving.
It sure was, especially since we didn't get much pop but you could have one or two cans of the sweet nectar at my Aunt Dora's and Uncle Phil's who lived just down the street. That's fantastic, Patrick, we don't have anything that cool here although there seem to be a lot of Weiner mobiles still driving around.
DeleteThose Christmas trees look great.
ReplyDeleteI had one at school, a tiny one, but the kids loved it. They thought it was magical when it changed colors.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting. My first son loved the silver tree with the color wheel that was always up at his grandmother's house. I am amazed at what they go for in price compared to back in the 60's if you can even find one. Have a nice holiday season.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such a festive post. That silver tree is so lovely...definitely not something I've seen before.
ReplyDeleteHappy thanksgiving and thank you for joining our linkup party this week. :)
I remember those trees - my late aunt had one. I too, thought it was magic when it changed colors!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Jeanna!
I must admit I had several trees like that. I always prefer something fresh, but the last ten years or so I've gone back to an artificial one. - Margy
ReplyDeleteAh, holidays with the family! I'm glad you have such great memories and see the humor in it all :)
ReplyDeleteYour link at 'My Corner of the World' this week is much appreciated!
My Corner of the World
Your dad's comment about picking up checks is hilarious. We had an aluminum tree like the ones in your photos when I was a kid. I longed for a real tree. After all these years, it's still good to know others had a fake Christmas tree. Happy Thanksgiving, Jeanna!
ReplyDeleteSorry,last minute link, because today I got rattled by waking up with 5 inches of snow, BEFORE Thanksgiving??
ReplyDeleteAnyways, yes I remember these trees, but at that time we were not into trees yet. Have a happy Thanksgiving, Jeanna!