Saturday, October 17, 2009

Old Bowls

I used to have a set of bowls just like this one. I loved to use the yellow one for serving a huge amount of mashed potatoes at family gatherings where I couldn't just leave them in the pot that they were cooked and mashed in. The green one was the salad bowl. Sometimes it held coleslaw, sometimes a beautiful jello. The red one and the blue one I rarely used. Far Guys Mom always used her blue one, it is what she mixed her flour and water in to thicken her gravy.


Originally mine were found, at the resort. One thing that I didn't mind doing was shopping at garage sales and thrift stores for accessories and good usable kitchen items for the eight kitchens. I hated cleaning those eight kitchens..but they were well equipped! This set of bowls was spread out in four different cottages. I eventually replaced this mixing bowl set with other suitable bowls and kept this set for myself. ( a CEO perk..LOL)

Fast forward many years, we are here and Far Guy and I cook a Thanksgiving dinner. I get out the yellow and green bowls, I have to dig into my storage boxes to find them. After the big dinner, I put the bowls on the shelf in the furnace room, I might need them again at Christmas. The next week Far Guy is being a carpenter upstairs, and I am helping him. We hear a terrible crash, the shelf came off of the wall and the entire furnace room was filled with broken glass. Not only my two special bowls..but a bottle of Windsor and a couple bottles of wine. ..a smelly, glassy mess. The house smelled like a brewery.

I now have two blue bowls. One is mine and one was Far Guys Mom's, I still have my red one. I have always wanted to complete my set. I have seen this set in antique shops..usually they are priced around 100 dollars. This set was 39.95 did I buy it? No, Far Guy said I should have. I really do have more than enough bowls. I rarely cook anyway, and when I do, I just leave the pots filled with food on the stove..we rarely use serving bowls. Beside that I only needed the yellow and green bowls. I certainly didn't need an extra red bowl, or an extra, extra blue bowl. So I passed them up, sometimes it is all about the hunt..and when it is time to go in for the kill..you say Hey..that was fun..cross that one off of the list OR what in the world do I need all those bowls for anyway? :)

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a coincidence your post is. Mama had this set of bowls as I was growing up. For some reason, the yellow one was the only one to survive and it got used the most - for a big bowl of home-made potato salad for the holidays! About 20 years ago, I saw a complete set at a yard sale for about $10 and bought it - like you say - the thrill of the hunt. Last year, in an effort to downsize, I finally decided that I would never use all those bowls so I advertised them on craigslist and a young single lady bought them and all of mama's old iron skillets. It was a little sad to let them all go but in reality, my wrists could no longer comfortably use any of them!!! So funny that you turned down the recent set you found. It gave me a good feeling that the young lady wanted these for herself and was incredulous that she could actually afford what I was asking. Maybe another little girl will grow up with them one day! Thank you for the memories this afternoon. Hope you two have a good weekend.

Leah said...

I love those old bowls - I agree with Far Guy you should have bought them.... You could have found a home for the extras... But I've done that before looked and looked for something and it wasn't quite the bargain I wanted so thought I would wait and then I changed my mind!

The sun is now shining - yahoo! Maybe we will get a lovely fall day!

West Side of Straight said...

Yes, I think we all grew up with those bowls. I have a blue one too, but remember all of them growing up. Lets go looking for them. I'd like the big yellow one too.

Emma Rose said...

The Duchess grew up with those bowls too!

troutbirder said...

First time visitor enjoying your blog very much. Especially the Lionel train story. I still have one, set it up for my boys who were too busy with other things. I still play with it. :)

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

My mother had a set just like these. Many memories of cookie dough and cake batter lickin' those bowls.

Have a great weekend!!!

DJan said...

It's funny what you said about just leaving the pots on the stove after you cook. My husband is the cook in our family, and when there's just the two of you, sitting down for dinner is a whole different event from a family sit-down. We both like different things and we have adapted to our life together in a perfect way for us, as you seem to have done also. Thanks for the bowl pictures, I also had a set of them, and only one is still living and made the trip from Boulder in good shape.

Gail said...

You have pictured the bowls of our childhood. Thanks.

RURAL said...

Those bowls remind me of my Grandma, she had a set of them, and I loved them.

My Mom has a set of them in 3 sizes, in a deep pink. I have never seen them in pink again.

I bet Martha Stewart or someone like her has them for sale, reproductions of better times.

Seeing your photo made good memories come flooding back.....thanks.

Jen

Mary said...

My mom had the same set. I think she still has the littlest one. I pick up these at garage sales when they are cheap as I know I can resell them. I have a penchant for 50's colored Pyrex.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Next time when you have grand kids, they can learn colors from you while learning to set the table for fine dining.

Moms Musings said...

I had that set too. I only have the yellow and green ones. Before I got my stand mixer I used the yellow for all my cakes and cookies.

laurie said...

oh i understand that temptation, though.

♥ Braja said...

I loved this :)
And what's "need" got to do with it?!

LadyFi said...

Lovely bowls! So sorry to hear about the nasty mess left by the falling shelf!

Girl Tornado said...

I love old bowls. Those are very pretty. But like you, I am constantly reminding myself when I see something pretty or vintage, but I don't NEED that! It's hard to do sometimes!

Connie Peterson said...

I would get the extra ones if I had the chance - those are lovely bowls and something to hand down to your family.

I collect the ironstone ones, though and have a big set of them. I have to stop myself from buying more because I don't have enough shelf space for them all, now!

Jeanne Estridge said...

I mostly use stainless steel bowls now, but they're no good in the microwave. These are so beautiful, and conjure such great memories, I don't see how you resisted -- but I admire you for doing so!

L. D. said...

I had two marriages and we combined the two sets for awhile. Finally we eliminated some as we just didn't need that many. We have some yellow and yellow green and dark green ones too. Never had a blue or red one in any set. I like those. I once owned a resort cabin, one, and when I sold it I kept the yellow ware bowls and some really unusually red stencil plates that remind one of blue willow, but are not the same. I liked your blog on bowls.

Lanny said...

You're inside my brain on this one, standing in the antique shop, conversation going on in head.

DayPhoto said...

My brother has my Momma's bowls. They are the very ones you show here.

Thanks for the memory

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Iowa Gardening Woman said...

I remember those bowls very well, I have several of the covered ones in the same colors, I use them for butter.

Pamela said...

I am sad!
I have some old bowls from my mom - and I broke one a few years ago.

But, I keep using the other two -- it just makes me feel close to her. I miss her - and it's been 16 years.