16 November 2007

Jewel-T and Bayberry

On our little jaunt down to Ste. Genevieve, we shopped the historic district. It was fun looking at all the antiques and such. In one store I noticed some dishes with a distinctive pattern. I exclaimed to Cindi that WE used to have those and that they came from Jewel-T, and the old lady who was in the shop said her mother had bought them off the truck years ago. I said "My mother had bought them from Jewel-T too." Weird to think of that lady's mother and my mother buying the same stuff - I mean, this lady was OLD. The more I thought about it, the less I liked its implications. No rude comments, please.

As we were wandering the streets, we found a candle store that had some bayberry scented candles. We've noticed they are harder and harder to find. We picked some up. To me that is THE way a candle should smell - my mother (of blessed memory) always had bayberry candles in the house. She loved the scent too, and so it always is to me the smell of the holidays at home. Give me that combined with the pungent scent of a cedar Christmas tree and I can close my eyes and hear all the old voices again. Isn't it odd how smell does that for faster than any other sense?

5 comments:

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

I have two bowls just like that I inherited. I love 'em. (SHE was old, too, who bequeathed them to me; she was 84 when she died.)

Anastasia

Doorman-Priest said...

".....the less I liked its implications."

I know how old you are. Don't be in denial!

The sixties are a great decade, I'm told.

Sorry, I jest of course. I meant thirties. (cough)

D.P.

Lutheran Lucciola said...

I have never seen the Jewel-T thing. Is it a midwest brand?
Very Swedish looking, with the flowers. It's quite pretty. No, the Italian and Jewish households around me didn't have Swedish decor!

William Weedon said...

Lucciola,

Jewel T was up and down the East Coast. I suppose it was also in the mid west. Here's a bit about it:

http://www.chinaspecialties.com/jewel_t_&_autumn_leaf.htm

Lutheran Lucciola said...

Huh.

I guess it wasn't popular in my ethnic community.

I like it now, though!