Charles Online - Latest Comments

Re: The Big Yellow Glass Bowl

Charles McDowell — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 22:56:23 -0000

Hi Charles Fries
I have seen complete sets (4 different sizes) in antique stores here in Oregon.
Anyway an antique store is a good place to start :-)

Re: The Big Yellow Glass Bowl

Charles Fries — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 22:13:30 -0000

Hello, my mom used to have a bowl like this but she recently broke it. Do you know where I can buy one? Thanks!

Re: Favorite April Fools Joke!

Wout Blommers — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 09:41:26 -0000

Oops!
Over here in Europe one is forbidden to copy money on a machine, even in black&white. It will cost you five years in prisson! Even a school teacher who needed these as samples to teach his children was fired for it...
Wouldn't be surprized if there is a law about it in the USA also.

Wout

Re: We are starting a NEW BUSINESS!!!

Randal2k — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:12:54 -0000

awesome! btw, nice site ;)

Re: Homemade biscuits

Charles McDowell — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:37:00 -0000

Well I was talking to Mom the other night, and she said I am wrong abut melting the lard. She told me that she melted the lard for cooking, pancakes, etc. And that you don't melt the lard for biscuits, in stead you chop it in to the mix with a hand flour blender.

Re: Favorite April Fools Joke!

Charles McDowell — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:54:58 -0000

I made some for work, as far as I could see, no one was impressed!

Re: Homemade biscuits

Randal2k — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:02:28 -0000

One of my favorite stories growing up. that and Lyle and the bridge, and the bucket on stage left...and many more. Nonetheless, In memory of the story I bought a mirror to go in the kitchen, it is from a Scottish biscuit company, and has a rooster and a biscuit on it. :)

Re: Favorite April Fools Joke!

Randal2k — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:00:24 -0000

you got me... I tried to get it and it's only an image!

Re: A Vision and A Dream!

Jan — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:55:21 -0000

I really liked the backyard at the De' Arrmet house. There was a porch off the kitchen that ran the length of the house. It was worn soft wood warmed by the sun and a good place for a nap. I remember falling asleep there. The backyard was large. The back of the house faced south with a tall plum tree to the left of the kitchen. We all ate plums and mom canned them too. The backyard was edged by fir trees and behind them was the driveway that led to an unattached garage. When we first moved in there were two rope swings strung up between the fir trees. They would swing very high over the driveway. Mom, Dad and all us kids down to Shirley (2 years old) played baseball in that yard. Calvin was just a baby so he just watched. We played with Bear's puppies and the baby calf in that yard. We sat in the shade and snapped beans for mom and dad to can. I didn't like snapping beans or the way the house smelled while they were being canned. The baskets of beans seemed unending while the bees buzzed and we watched mud dobbers building nest on the side of the house. I remember huge, old rodadendrums and large scraggly rose bushes. After living in Portland and it's outskirts Scotts Mills seemed like a magical almost foreign land of fun, adventure, and new experiences.

Re: A Vision and A Dream!

Jan — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:30:15 -0000

I believe the acreage for the De' Arrmett place was around 8 to 8 and 1/2 acres. If we walked west up the hill from the house we would come to a large gate that closed of the pasture. On the otherside of the gate there were several big apple trees. Then came the path that led to the small barn. There were wild blackcap berries and black berries in the pasture. Charleen liked to sit on top of the hay and look out the hayloft window facing the north. This portion of the barn was two stories high. The hay was not in bails it was loose. We were told not to climb on it or the cow wouldn't be able to eat it all broken up. Maybe, they just didn't want us playing in the hay. My memories of the pasture are mostly of warm summer afternoons and evenings. The smell of drying grass, dust, apples and the sound of the crickets. There were barn swallows swooping through the air and the call of the bob whites. Mom and dad would whistle bob - bob - white and they would answer. We kids tried but I was never sure if they really answered me. I remember picking through the windfall apples for one that wasn't riddled with worm holes. Grampa Nails put three of his horses in the pasture one summer. The horses loved those apples. Charleen got one horse close enough to the gate where she could mount the horse. She had a nice horse ride. Charleen showed me how to climb up and we both rode that horse around. It went where it wanted eating apples and grass. We got away with this 2 to 3 times before it got wise to us and wouldn't come close enough to the fence or gate for us to mount it. We complained to grampa Nails. He told us we had to boss the horses around and not let them boss us. We never did figure out how to do that so our riding days ended before we were ready. I remember that I thought the horse was really tall and the ground was far below us. It was fun while it lasted.

Re: Of Demons, White horse & Broken wood.

Randal2k — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:22:53 -0000

I can remember dad telling this story to us as kids many times :)

Re: New Years

Jan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:13:30 -0000

It was the end of August or the first part of September just before school was to start. It was one of those really warm days when the heat would last to midnight or later. Charleen was cleaning our side of the attick room. The attick room was divided by a huge brick chimmney. The idea being that the chimmney would heat this upstairs room in winter. Charles' bed was under the north window on a small platform which was the roof of the front porch. Charleen and I slept on the south end under a small window. It was going on evening and we were losing light. The light bulb was burned out so Charleen found a candle to light the room while we cleaned. The candle was in an old tuna can and wasn't very tall. We must of been at it for a while becouse the wick burned up and there was only wax left. Charleen and I watched the wax turn into a big ball of fire and float up towards the ceiling then over the bed and slowly decend. We were glad when it burned out just before landing. We were both quite excited and releaved the house didn't catch on fire. Mom was working at the Cannery that night and so was gone. Dad had taken everyone else with him to milk the cow.
We ran all the way up the hill to the gate leading into the West pasture, climbed over that gate and up the path towards the barn. Dad and all the other kids were returning to the house. Dad didn't say much, just asked if anything was on fire. When we got back to the house he went upstairs looked at the empty tuna can and the room. He said it wouldn't be a good idea to use any more candles. Mom and Dad bought light bulbs soon after.

Re: Of Demons, White horse & Broken wood.

Charles McDowell — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:03:34 -0000

There is one horse in the stables that I really like. It is dark brown in colour and its name is Chili. I can put my arm around her neck and rest the side of my face against hers. Chili is a very gentle and loveable horse. All the other horses just want to get their food. Chili on the other hand loves the attention and has no problem waiting for her food :-) But then she is not white either!

Re: Of Demons, White horse & Broken wood.

Jan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:50:24 -0000

I was sitting in the middle seat on the passenger side of the car when that Big White Horse hit the car. I remember we later passed the pasture in daylight and that horse didn't even have a limp. To this day I do not like White Horses or talk of demons.

Re: A Vision and A Dream!

Randal2k — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:00:26 -0000

I seem to recall many times where you did that to Dwight and I, but we never missed the reward. Berries, and apples and so much more.
Always a hard labor but, fun days.

Re: New Years

Jan O. — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:40:18 -0000

Oh, I don't think your any older then you feel. Each person in any situation has a different perspective then the others. I bet Will has memories that are even different again, He was only 4, 5, and maybe six years old though so again his perspective and memories will be different. I don't know if he remembers that old sewing machine and his finger. Has anyone emailed him your blog? You and Charleen are a goodly part of my childhood memories. Maybe since the two of you are older than me I have more memories that involve you two than our younger siblings. As you blog your memories they jog mine loose. I enjoyed those years at Scotts Mills too. My favorite house of all time is still the De' armitt's on the hill. Remember the basement dug out of dirt and the canned fruit room down there. Then there was the dead annimal in the spring so all the water had to be pumped out and started over. Did the folks sanitize the holding tank or just pump new water in? If we all keep at this memory thing I bet we can create quite a treasure for each other. Thank you for reminding us all of some very good years. At this point I think these are my best memories too. Later, Jan

Re: New Years

Charles McDowell — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:37:45 -0000

Hi Jan
Thanks for posting to my blog site.You are adding some really neeto
memories. Every time I look back at those wonderful childhood years, you are
always a big part of the memories. I did not remember Shirley on the steps,
the old wheelbarrow in De'rmitts house. I also did not remember the back
porch bathroom, or the peddle sawing machine in the Rat House either. You
know, I never saw a rat in that house, so I don't know why it was called the
Rat House! But the more I think about it, the memories start to come into
clear view. Maybe I am older than I feel :-)

Re: New Years

Jan O. — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:53:23 -0000

March 13, 2010
It looks as if the house on the hill still has the large front porch facing north. I can see the top little window that was on Charles's side of the the upstairs bedroom. It seems like his bed sat on a little platform created by the front porch.

As I remember there are quite a few steps leading up to that porch. Mom would hang the wash out there to dry during the winter. Shirley was maybe two years old when she tried to climb those steps. Her legs were just too short. I remember watching in amazement as she lost her footing and tumbled down those steps like a little rolling pin. She cried really hard, got up and tried to climb those steps again and if she didn't roll right down again. We were told not to let her try anymore. She sure howled. It must have hurt.

There was a huge, old wheel barrow on the place. Gayle, Will, and myself would be so hot, after picking berries, at the end of the day. We three would fill that thing full of cold water and use it for a swimming pool. It had a leak so the water would eventually drip out the bottom. We got away with this water play for quite sometime until mom saw us on her way to the garden. We were informed it cost money for the pump to pump all that water which was a waste of money. I think she listened for running water after that because she always seemed to catch us at it. We finally gave up and found other things to do.

I don't remeber much about the 'rat' house. Did it have rats? I remember the bathroom was on the back porch, obviously not part of the original house, it had no heat and was extremely cold. Taking a bath out there was not pleasant since only the parts covered by warm water were comfortable. I got pink eye there, one eye at a time so I missed two weeks of school. It was not fun. Charlene, Charles and I made a hot milk sponge cake at that house for someone's birthday. We hid it under the bed until it was time for the surprise. I found that recipe in my copy of Betty Crocker, but I've never quite felt the need to make the cake for Phil and the kids. Oh, that is the house with the old treddle sewing machine in the attic. I was treddling that thing so fast and Will stuck his finger under the needle. I think I yelled as loud as he did. I was sure his finger would never be the same, maybe it never was. I think mom or Charles pulled the needle up and out of his nail bed. That was not a good memory. I'm surprised I still sew. I think I've done enough remembering for one day. Love, Jan

Re: New Years

Charles McDowell — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:25:44 -0000

Letter from Charleen!

Thanks for today's chuckle, your story about the large yellow bowls. Sounds like you had an interesting day at Oregon City and Scotts Mills. So, the old church is gone and there is a house there now. I am not just sure where the old "De'armitt" house on the side of the hill, across from the Miller's farm is. Does it still have that large porch which faced the road? Did you see the "rat house" too? Guess that house must have had a lot of rats. We needed a cat!

In August 2008, Linda (Hoffman) Harrigan who now lives in Texas visited her brother John Meisner who lives on acreage way out on Crooked Finger Road in Scotts Mills. Florence (Shippley) Filmore who now lives in California, was visiting relatives in Woodburn. Since the three of us were friends at Silverton High School, Linda decided that we should meet at John's house. (Remember the Shippley family? They had around 16 kids when we knew them. We gave our dog "Bear" to them when we moved from Scotts Mills. The Shippley's had some of their sheep in our field for awhile to eat the grass. We were leary of that sheep with the horns. We enjoyed blackberry pies that Mom baked with blackberries picked from the wild blackberry patches.)

Re: Our Poodle Kitty!

Charles McDowell — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:20:25 -0000

Something else that is funny, Fearless enjoyed the attention so much while she was recuperating that she demands attention all the time now! And she loves to have that short hair petted a lot. Snowball still thinks Fearless is a different cat that we brought home :-)

Re: Our Poodle Kitty!

Randal2k — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:47:37 -0000

I laughed so hard at this, I almost fell out of my chair... this is a great looking poodle!!!!

Re: Fly Away Geese

Charleen — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:47:02 -0000

Charles,

Thanks for today's chuckle! I had forgotten that story.

Re: Fly Away Geese

Derryl — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:29:05 -0000

I wish I was there to ride in the old 1949 Ford Woody wagon.

Re: Projects working on at home :-)

Derryl — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:16:44 -0000

Nice work!!

Re: New Years

Charles McDowell — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:03:25 -0000

Hi Jan

Oh yes, I remember all those things in Scotts Mills. That was the very best
part of my childhood. If I could go back to a place in my childhood forever
and ever than that would be the place.

Charles
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