Pilgrim Hall Museum

Here is a link to Pilgrim Hall Museum- they have some collection available for viewing on line including the baby cradle of Peregine White- the first Pilgrim child to be born in America.
http://www.pilgrimhall.org/F-cradles.htm

Isaac Bumpass- home photos

Isaac Bumpass was a brother to my 8th ggrandfather John Bumpass- both being sons of Eduaod- most of the family settled in Wareham, Massachusetts. I have found some photos of the house that Isaac lived in Wareham- I was not able to load these photos as they are protected from doing so but I will post the link:
http://www.geocities.com/bumppy04/IsaacBump.html

Civil War Re-enactment This Weekend...

Here in Northern Illinois- it will be just outside of Deer Grove at the Sandy Pine Elk Farm. The battles will be Sat. & Sun the 30th & 31st.
This is located about 70-75 miles north of Peoria straight up Rte. 40. It is only about 8 miles from where I live so I think I am going to go tomorrow. I have never been to one- want to see if there are women dressed in period costume.
If you live in Illinois it would be a good day trip.
The actual address is 28650 Hannaman Road
Deer Grove, Il 61243
815-438-2463

I have an Award!

This award was given to me by Pammi of http://gritsgreensandcornbread.blogspot.com/
I feel very honored to have recieved it!
The rules for getting this award are as follows:
Once an award is received, the rules are as follows:Put the logo on your blog.Add a link to the person who awarded you.Nominate at least seven other blogs.Add links to those blogs on your blog.Leave a message for your nominee on their blogs.
I am nominating:
http://www.crockettscountrystore.blogspot.com/

http://farmhouseprimitives.blogspot.com/
http://plainandsimplykaren.blogspot.com/
http://yellowfarmhouse.typepad.com/yellow_farmhouse/
http://justcountrync.blogspot.com/
http://comegatheratmytable.blogspot.com/
http://saltboxfarm.blogspot.com/

Spongeware & Spatterware

I hope I am identifying these pieces correctly- The second photo shows a spongeware bowl my husband bought for me 15 years ago or so- it is one of my prized possessions and I keep it displayed with my Rowe salt glaze pottery.

It occurred to me a few days ago that I really should use it- I think it would look great filled with apples or pears.

The top photos shows a set of bowls that belonged to my mother- in -law. I have no idea what the age of these bowls is or where she got them but I do not use these either for fear of breaking them- I do think they are antiques. I should probably clean out the pie safe I store my candle supplies in and display these bowls on the shelves- but what to do with all those candle supplies it is holding!

Cinnamon Dough Recipe for Ornies

I know that many of you may have made this recipe many times- but for those of you haven't here is an easy recipe. I have not made them in years but plan on trying to find some pumpkin shaped candy molds to make little cinnamon pumpkins to add to my hips & sticks, and you can too!
3/4 cup of thick applesauce, 1 cup of cinnamon, extra cinnamon to prevent sticking, 2 tablespoons of nontoxic white craft glue, 1 tablespoon of ground cloves, and 1 tablespoon of ground nutmeg. This is more fragrant than regular cinnamon dough with the extra spices in it.
Mix the ingredients together thoroughly until they form a ball. The dough must be refrigerated for at least a half hour before handling. You can leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight if you wish.

When the dough is thoroughly chilled, roll it out on a large sheet of waxed paper. You can either lay the waxed paper on a counter top, or if you’re limited on counter space, you can cover a large cutting board with waxed paper and work at a table. Dust your rolling pin with a layer of cinnamon, and roll the dough out to an approximate thickness of 1/4 of an inch. Sprinkle additional cinnamon on the dough if it’s too sticky.
Now it’s time to begin cutting out the ornaments. Dip a heart-shaped cookie cutter in cinnamon to prevent it from sticking to the dough, and cut out the shapes. Use a drinking straw to make a hole in the top of each cinnamon dough valentine. Carefully transfer the cutouts to a wire rack using a thin metal spatula. You can either let them dry on the rack for a couple of days, or you can bake them in a 250 degree oven until they become dry. The drier they are, the darker they will become. Carefully flip the cinnamon hearts during the drying process to prevent the edges from curling.
Please Note** If you are going to try putting these in a candy mold like I am DO NOT PUT THE PLASTIC CADY MOLD IN THE OVEN!
These ornies will have to air dry and may take several days to air dry due to their thickness.
I think it will work best to dust your hands with cinnamon and then roll the dough into small ball shapes before pressing them into the molds. I don't think the dough will stick in the mold but be prepared as it might!

Great Fall Graphics!!

A friend of mine does these wonderful graphics and best of all they are free! She is so kind to do this! The graphic pictured is just one of so many that she has- scary Halloween, cutsey Halloween , and vintage Harvest! Go over and pay her blog a visit and get some graphics for your self! It would be great if you would post a comment to let her know how much we appreciate her kindness!

http://skullblossom.blogspot.com/

Memoirs of a Pioneer Woman

About a year before she died my gggrandmother Sarah Jones Dow was interviewed by the local newspaper of the time.
This is what she had to say about life in the early 1800's:
Mrs. Dow says she never saw Indians around where they lived In Mc Donough county, but after they came up to Whiteside county there were still some of them living in the woods.
Carding wool and spinning flax and weaving them into cloth for clothing and household use.
The family lamps in those days, when not the open fire place, were candles.
These were made of beef tallow, poured while hot into moulds, into which first had been stretched a wick.
Bullets also were moulded at home for ammunition for the family rifles.
In the pioneer days of Illinois, instead of homecomings, camp meetings were held in the summertime, after the crops had been laid by.
These were the signals for great gatherings of people who came oft times long distances to hear the revivalists or missionary preach the word of God, Mrs. Dow says.
She does not rememeber of hearing Peter Cartwright, pioneer of methodism in Illinois, but heard much about him. It was on occasion of one of those revivials, about 70 years ago, that Mrs. Dow was converted and joined the methodist church.

Chief Blackhawk- A Native American Indian

As long as I can remember the massive statue of Chief Blackhawk has always held extreme fascination for me. The statue is located at Lowden State Park in the small town Of Oregon, Illinois which is situated along the banks of the Rock River. When driving to the larger city of Rockford, Illinois the statue is very visible for the highway even at night as it is lit up with big flood lights.
As a small child and even today when traveling to Rockford seeing Chief Blackhawk is a big high light of the trip.
In the year 1767, in the village of Saukenuk, located a few miles north of the confluence of the Rock River with the Mississippi River in northwestern Illinois, a child was born. This was Ma-ca-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, which means "Black Sparrow Hawk" in the Algonquin language of the Sauk. Whites would later call him Black Hawk. He would become one of the most fearsome yet respected Native American warriors to be born in what is now the state of Illinois.
Sometime in early historic times, the Sauk, feeling pressure from the French and Chippewa, migrated southward out of central Wisconsin, into southwestern Wisconsin, Northwestern Illinois, and northeastern Iowa. Some settled at the rapids of the Mississippi, near what is today Keokuk, Iowa. Another group settled near the mouth of the Rock River in Illinois. A third group settled on the Osage and Missouri Rivers in the late 1700s. The Sauk were allied with the Meskwaki (known to whites as the Fox) and often lived among them and vice versa. Principal native enemies of the Sauk included the Minnesota Sioux (Santee Dakota and Yankton Nakota), Osage, and Chippewa.
At the age of just fifteen, Ma-ca-tai-me-she-kia-kiak joined a raid against the Osage. He succeeded in killing and scalping an enemy warrior, which entitled him upon return to Saukenuk to join in the scalp dance. At this early age, Black Hawk had become a Sauk warrior. A short time later, he led seven Sauk warriors in an attack against an encampment of 100 Osages. Ma-ca-tai-me-she-kia-kiak killed an enemy, then escaped without losing a man. In a very short time, he became one of the most influential warriors in the Nation.
Later in life Chief Blackhawk and his tribe left Illinois for the state of Iowa.

the Sauk were cornered and defeated at the Battle of Bad Axe on August 2nd, 1832. Ma-ca-tai-me-she-kia-kiak and his son (Whirling Thunder) were made prisoners and shown around the country by President Andrew Jackson as spoils of war. The rest were removed to "Indian Territory" to the west.

Lorado Taft, created the 50-foot statue as a tribute to Native Americans.

The figure is estimated to weigh 100 tons and is thought to be the second largest concrete monolithic statue in the world. Although Taft dedicated the statue to Native Americans, it has become commonly associated with Black Hawk.

The photos show different views of the statue and a view of the Rock River below as Chief Blackhawk sees it.

A Blog Give Away!

You could win the latest issue of Create & Decorate!
Just post a comment on http://sunshinenravioli.blogspot.com/
Tell her what you love about Fall!

I Have Won an Award

I have recieved this award from Sandy at http://fortheloveofprims.blogspot.com/

Go take a peek at the penny rugs she just made!

Thanks Sandy!

The Rules for this award are:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.2. Link the person you received your award from.3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.4. Put links of those blogs on yours.5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.

I am giving this award to:

http://primcyn1.blogspot.com

http://tailsfromthedogpatch.blogspot.com

http://sewprimitive.blogspot.com

http://farmhouseblessings.blogspot.com

http://primcreek.blogspot.com

http://oldecountrycreations.blogspot.com

http://oakleafhollow.blogspot.com

Harvest Moon!

I had to make a fast trip to the store tonight around 8 :20 pm Central time. To my surprise there was a Full golden Harvest Moon out! That is a sure sign of the coming Fall!

Prim Votive Holders

These are the greatest prairie prim votive holders! They look great with the candle light showing through them as your votive burns.

They are available om my website under Colonial Prim Needfuls.

http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com/

Those Wonderful Fall Scents!!

I am pouring candles in Fall scents tonight and my home smells so wonderful & is so cozy!
Pouring Applejack & Peel, Pumpkin Spice, Gandma's Cinnamon Rolls, Warm Vanilla Sugar and All Hallow's Eve! The great smells of cinnamon, vanilla, apples, oranges, pumpkin and, cloves all mingled together is just divine!!Too bad I can't put a scratch & sniff on this blog!!
http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com/

Prairie Prim Bar Tarts

The newest addition to our melters line! A sliceable bar tart that is 5 ounces big! Just slice off the amount you want to melt! It is made from the same creamy,highly scented soy wax as our other tarts.
The bar comes wrapped in a piece of stained grungy muslin and then is wrapped with twine to make it look old- like something you would see in a pioneer home.
Group a bunch of these in and old dough bowl or trencher for a prim prairie/colonial look that is also highly fragrant! Try some in Pioneer Harvest ( Harvest Spice) or Priairie Kitchen ( Pumpkin Spice).
These tarts are poured in bakery/spicey scents but can be poured in any scent that you would like- just type the requested scent in the comment section of the order form.

http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com/ - you can find these tarts in the Melters section

Thrift Store Make Over & Early Graniteware Coffee Pot

I found this early style wood candle holder at a thrift store and decided it needed updating so I gave it a coat of black paint and it looks much more primitive. It would great with a grungied taper in it!

It can be purchased at http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com/

You will find it in the Colonial Prim Needfuls section.

In the Smalls section you can find this wonderful early robin's egg blue granitware coffee pot- it is speckled with white although it did not show up in the photo.

To read more details for this coffee pot go to my website www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com

Lodowic Underhill-Il 64th Volunteer Regiment- Yate's Sharpshooters

Lodowic Underhill was my gg grandmother Sarah Jones Dow's stepfather having married my ggg grandmother Anne Dickerson.

Lodowic( also spelled Ladovic) joined the Civil War Il 64th Volunteer Infantry Regiment ( Company A ) in 1861.

This unit was also known as Yate's Sharpshooters- apparently for their accurate shooting abilities- The Governor at that time had the last name of Yates.

Lodowic's Civil War records state that he enlisted with Col. John Morrill of Dayton, Il( My mother and her family lived in Dayton, Il- a very small little town).

In My research I was disappointed to be unable to find a picture of Lodowic but I did find a picture of Col. John Morrill.( on the right)

To find Lodowic's Civil War record on the Illinois archives data base was a very thrilling treasure.

Thomas, Il- A Town Forgotten

Several years ago when I delivered our local newspaper to rural areas I was introduced to a little unincorporated town called Thomas. It was just a wide spot in the road with approximately 6 houses. Before that time I did not know that it even exsisted. I have since learned that it did at one time have more residents and that my aunt Nellie lived there for a while after she married.

I also know that at one time it also had a dance hall and as the photo shows a general store and a post office.

Both of these have been gone for many, many years. This fact has caused me to wonder why some towns continue to grow and prosper and others just fade away

The New Prairie Bonnet is Finally here!

I actually finished this bonnet over a week ago but had a problem with my camera so could not put the picture up.

This is such a great authentic style colonial prairie bonnet done in a reproduction calico.

You can purchase this at

http://pilgrimsandpioneersprimitives.blogspot.com

It won't be long...

before we will be seeing pumpkins in the fields, on porches and in stores. The leaves will be turning to such wonderful hues and the days will be cooler and the night air will be crisp.

What a wonderful time of year! My favorite time!

It's Time for Fall Y'all!!

It's hard to believe that the summer is going by so quickly!

It won't be long until the leaves start turning and the days & nights get cooler and our thoughts will turn to Pumpkins, gourds and other Fall decorating
At Brandyanne's we have been busy getting ready for Fall decorating with several items on the website and more to come!
Stop by and take a peek and get your decorating items today!
http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com/