Spring is coming

Here are some tulips that are starting to sprout. I planted over 150 bulbs last spring and fall and most of them are starting to come out of the ground. The daffodils, day lilies, hollyhocks and sedum are also starting to show themselves.

We got several packs of seeds the other day. Last year we planted corn and had limited success. This year we plan to plant more and in better sunlight.

This will be the first season for me to plant beans, carrots, and pumpkins.

What kind of idiot...

... would put a feature article titled, "Lose Weight Fast" on a cover with a photo of a four layer chocolate cake and pancakes???

I don't vish to vork like this!

Zsa Zsa

Sunday dish

Fiesta promotional salad bowls from the early 1940s.

Fiesta ivory dessert bowl

This first picture is from an eBay auction I recently won. It is a vintage Fiesta 6" dessert bowl in old ivory. As you can tell, it was in horrible shape with multiple utensil marks on the inside and out. No major damage such as chips or cracks were mentioned in the item description so I went ahead and got it knowing I could probably clean it up.


Here's the same bowl. I got it in the mail this morning and used silver polish on it to remove the utensil markings. Thankfully none were deep enough to scratch the glaze. They were all superficial and relatively easy to get out. The finished piece looks like it was never used. When I get another piece with so many markings, I'll post a video on how to get them out.


Some more dessert bowls; left: chartreuse, yellow, rose, light green. Right: old ivory, medium green, turquoise, dark green.

90% off...

...is the only way to shop. Shown is some of my stash from the past few days from Kmart, JC Penny, Hobby Lobby, and Big Lots.

Goodbye, Russ

Russ Conway (April 25, 1913 - Jan 12, 2009)

Actor. Shown here on the right with Bette Davis from What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Check out his extensive resume on IMDb.

AT LAST

Chocolate Fiesta

Spent the entire day in eastern Alabama on business today. While in Oxford, I did get to go to a couple shops. I'd never been in a Dillards before. They had an impressive display of Fiesta as well as a ton of the new color, Chocolate. Some if it is shown here along with ivory:


I did get some vintage Fiesta at an antiques shop, a 10" plate in yellow, 9" plate in dark green, and three 6" plates -- all in good condition and for under $30.00.

Goodbye, Bob

Bob May (1939 – January 18, 2009)

Actor. Played the Robot on Lost In Space.


LINKS:
Bob May on IMDb
Bob May on wiki

Sunday dish

Got this table and shelf unit at Big Lots the other day. They had several of these in boxes this past fall for $1500.00 each. This was the last one and the display model that we got for $350.00. Perfect for some Fiesta...



Ice lip pitchers, creamers, carafes, and mugs.

Celine Dion in Birmingham

Last night we went to see Celine Dion in concert at the BJCC in Birmingham. I'm not a huge Celine fan, but I have to say this is one of the best concerts I've been to. She put a lot of enthusiasm into each and every performance. At times, there was a little too much enthusiasm and it came off a bit clownish, but she is such a great singer that nobody seemed to mind. Here are a few pictures I took from the concert...

There was a square stage in the center of the floor where Celine, the dancers and musicians could come up from the bottom.
A large 4-panel video screen was lowered at the begining of the show. When it was lifted, Celine was on the stage. Her first song was I Drove All Night.











For you fashionistas, here's the front...


...and here's the back.



I don't know what the hell she was wearing here! At times it looked like a hot air balloon or parachute.







Crowd went wild when she started to sing My Heart Will Go On.




Say goodnight everybody.

Goodbye, Ricardo

Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalban y Merino (Nov 25, 1920 – Jan 14, 2009)

Actor.

Mr. Roarke.
Zach Powers.
Khan.

(My mom always thought he was so good looking until she saw him as Khan in Star Trek II!)

Ricardo Montalban on wiki
Ricardo Montalban on IMDb

Sunday dish

Yesterday, we went out to some antiques shops we'd not been to in over a year. Here's what I got; bottom left, Carnival saucer in red for $2.00, top left, Fiesta 9" plate in light green for $12.00, top right, Virginia Rose 9" plate for $2.00. This piece is is horrible condition. The decal and gold trim are worn and there are multiple chips, but I don't think I've seen this decal before on the Virginia Rose shape. Bottom right; common 1950s rose decal on a Cronin plate for $5.00. Nothing wonderful about this piece, but I'd never seen the "Cronin Casuals" backstamp before. Center, Homer Laughlin promotional casserole in Fiesta's cobalt glaze with metal holder. The tag listed this as "blue casserole with metal frame and lid, AS-IS, $10.00." I've looked all over and can't find where there is any damage at all.

This is the third time in the past ten years or so that I've found one of these promo casseroles at a great price. They're never marked so dealers tend not to make the connection with Homer Laughlin or Fiesta. I once saw a red one in a shop in East Liverpool, OH. The lady tried to convince me it was Vistosa by Taylor Smith & Taylor since the base has a pie crust edge. She figured since there was no casserole listed in any TST reference for Vistosa that it must be very rare and priced it at $500.00. I tried to tell her it was Homer Laughlin, but she was convinced she knew better. Oh well.

Goodbye, Jon

Jon Hager (Aug 30, 1941 - Jan 9, 2009)

One of the musician/comedian Hager twins who appeared on Hee Haw. His brother, Jim, died last May.

LINKS:
Hager Twins on wiki
Jon Hager on IMDb

Goodbye, Cheryl

Cheryl Holdridge (June 20, 1944 – Jan 5, 2009)

Actress. One of the original Mouseketeers.

LINKS:
Cheryl Holdridge on wiki
Cheryl Holdridge on IMDb

Goodbye, Don

Don Galloway (July 27, 1937 - Jan 8, 2009)

Actor. Best known as Sgt. Ed Brown on Ironside.

LINKS:
Don Galloway on wiki
Don Galloway on IMDb

Goodbye, Steve

Steven Gilborn (1936 – Jan 2, 2009)

Actor. Best known for playing Harold Morgan, Ellen's father in the TV show, Ellen. He is sown below in an episode of the Golden Girls retrieving the Pope's ring Sophia had stolen.

Steven Gilborn on wiki
Steven Gilborn on IMDb

This is the only way to shop

Several Lenox outlets are closing here in the southeast. We have been twice to stock up on Christmas and birthday presents. The Lenox in Bessemer, AL will be closing this weekend. Considering it was a mad house today, I doubt we will be going back. Below are some of the pieces we got today. Vases, figurines, ornaments and glassware. No single item over $10.00. Between this and the sales at Belk and JC Penney, we are almost finished with Christmas shopping for 2009!

Rain

It has been raining since yesterday afternoon. I have never seen so much rain! The ground is completely saturated and there is nowhere for the water to go. Ten streets have been closed off due to flooding. Alabama weather is the craziest. We either get too much rain or not nearly enough!

Lipizzaner Stallions

This past Saturday we went to see The Lipizzaner Stallions at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham. They are trained to leap and trot in various formations. I'll post more on this show later, but for now, here are some pictures I took from the show...

Goodbye, Pat

Pat Hingle (July 19, 1924 — Jan 3, 2009)

Actor. Best known for playing Commissioner Gordon in four Batman movies.

LINKS:
Pat Hingle on wiki
Pat Hingle on IMDb

Sunday dish

Some of my Fiesta!

If you've never seen it...

... you MUST check out the Star Wars Holiday Special.

Fiesta advert

Recent ad for the new Fiesta chocolate color from Elder Beerman

Alexandra Billings

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon and posted a YouTube video of Alexandra Billings' "Katie's Corner." She has made several of these videos which feature her as the late, great Katherine Hepburn. There are so many comics out there who do Hepburn impersonations (Mario Cantone and Martin Short come to mind), but Billings' version is spot on. She has the voice, mannerisms, and overall look down pat so she has obviously, she has worked very hard to get it right!

Billings can take a seemingly simple idea and work it into something fabulous. Check out this clip of Katie's Corner Presents Concentration:

Alexandra Billings has appeared in Eli Stone, ER, and Grey's Anatomy. According to her site, she is, "the first Transgendered Female to play a Transgendered Female character on Television."

I have quickly become a fan and am looking forward to more from this wonderful talent!

Alexandra Billings LINKS:
Official site
YouTube Channel
IMDb