Mama's Kitchen and Red Gingham Curtains

Red Check Gingham Cafe Curtains, Mr. and Mrs. Plates, Wooden Chef Shakers, and an
O'Keefe and Merritt gas stove.
What do they have in common?
My Mama's Kitchen...in the 1950's, 60's & 70's.
Boy, do I wish I had that stove today. I spent many hours over that hot stove stirring gravy after frying chicken.
That's when we made gravy from the grease left from frying chicken...the good ole' sprinkle in the flour with a 'holey spoon' to make a paste and then pour in whole milk til the skillet was nearly full and then stir and stir and stir til it was thick and bubbly hot.
Oh! I nearly forgot, it's been so long, we put in salt and pepper right before the milk.
I miss that salty, whole milk, grease gravy today. Don't you?

This stove is almost like my Mama's....her's was missing a knob.
We tried knobs from other stoves and tried ordering one, but back then you were outta luck and better keep a pair of pliers handy.
Today you can get this O'Keefe & Merritt Reproduction Stove and replacement parts right over the WWWeb.
What will they think of next?

Funny what triggers one's growing up memories! Today it was the Mr. and Mrs. Plates found at the Salvation Army Thrift Store.
I remember making them in Vacation Bible School, but on paper plates.
Did you make your Mama a set, too?
These had been hanging in someone's kitchen for a very long time as was evident by the rusted hangers, the dirt and grime and the old yellow glue that was used to stick the fabric and rick-rack on the plates.
After a few hours of scraping and cleaning, they are ready to go on my kitchen hall wall...rusty hangers and clean plates.


The wooden Chef Salt and Pepper Shakers always set right on top of the stove within easy reach to salt and pepper the gravy.
I always thought the Salt Shaker looked like my Daddy, and if you look at my pictures here on CollectInTexas Gal, you'll see how it looks like me, too.
It's the eybrows.
Course, my Daddy didn't wear a Chef's hat.
His hat was a Black Felt Stetson in the winter and a White Straw Cowboy hat in the Summer.

I sure wish I had a kitchen window.
I'd sew some Red Gingham Curtains.