I had forgotten, but I had ordered a Lehman's catalog weeks ago. I haven't seen one in many, many years and thought, sure, it's free. Let's have a look.
I sat down last night after the chores were done and started flipping through the catalog. What started as a 'sticky note' page by page wish list soon turned into memories from my childhood and more recent years of living very rural.
I've had this underlying desire to learn how to make soap. I already make homemade laundry soap as well as dishwasher tablets, but I knew a gal when I lived further north and more rural, who made her own hand soap and it smelled so good. She had given me a bar (lavender scented) one year and I wish I had asked her how to make it.
Then I see an entire page of soap making items in the catalog and I started thinking, "I wonder whatever happened to Stacey? She had given me that soap and I never knew her recipe."
Trust me, I am kicking myself for never asking Stacey.
Next up, essential oils. I used to use these years ago when my kids were still home and I would make my laundry soap. My youngest daughter said, "Mom, can't you make the soap smell like that teddy bear?" (meaning the Snuggle Bear) I said, sure, and found a Mennonite family a few miles away who made essential oils and bought some. Adding to the laundry soap really made a difference. Then the kids grew up, moved out and I stopped using essential oils. Maybe I need to re-think that. I miss the scents.
I had forgotten about this slice and dice. I remember seeing one in my grandma's kitchen and we were ALWAYS told to NEVER, EVER touch it.
Then I see it on the TV show Life Below Zero and now here. Ahh, the memories of watching my gramma use this when cutting up pork to make homemade pig's feet. (Never cared for it, but I sure do remember the weekend event of making it. I can still smell the odor)
Let me not forget when my parents would spend an entire weekend making fresh Polish kielbasa. Oh the memories there! The house smelled of onions, garlic and other spices for days after they were done. They would make at least 100-pounds of the fresh sausage. My dad grinding at the top and filling the meat into the crank, while my mom fed the casing (I believe it was pig intestines) as the ground up pork and other ingredients came through.
They had a meat grinder almost like this one.
Lehman's Meat Slicer
When the kids were younger and at home, I would buy a while package of ham from the deli, or a brick of cheese, a roll of salami and go home and slice it all up in one afternoon. We would freeze most of it, but that slicer has some great memories.
My slicer, which was handed down to me from my parents. Not sure how old it is, but it is AMAZING!
And finally, I have wanted to try and make my own ointments and creams. So I have been investigating where is the best place to get beeswax from.
I received an email earlier today about making Homemade Hot Pepper Cream for joint pain and arthritis, and of course, the recipe calls for beeswax.
WHO knew that flipping through a catalog could scrounge up such good memories? I had a fun time reliving those days.
Loved the post. I am going to have to get me a catalog for sure!
I was amazed at the food categories honestly. I don't remember them being in the catalog years ago.
Yeah was there many years ago. I will be making a trip there again soon. Great stuff they have!
I would be like a kid in a candy store if I had free reign of the store and an unlimited cash allowance to shop.