Just Pickin'

Most everyone that knows me knows that I come from a family of, ahem, “collectors.” But I could write volumes on that and maybe one day I will, but not today. So, part of this adventure that I’ve chosen to undertake in renovating this house and landscape, is that I have the wonderful, or cursed, ability to walk right out into my back yard and go “pickin’.” No, not as in mandolin or banjo or flat pickin’, but Pickin’, like the show, American Pickers. There are no deals to be offered, no haggling or back and forth, just plain and simple easy pickin’.  I know, it’s a little bit redneck to go pickin’ in your own back yard, but it can be cool too. Today’s pick looks like this:

A nice little quint of “glassy” ladies. So, what are they? Three are canning jars and the two smaller ones look to be old pharmaceutical or household vessels. From left to right:

Ball Ideal with glass lid, quart size

Unknown with cap

Mrs. Stewart’s Bluing, minus the cap (what the heck is bluing anyway?)

Atlas E-Z Seal with glass lid, pint size

Atlas E-Z Seal with glass lid (slightly aqua tinted glass), quart size

I just looked up bluing, and apparently bluing is a solution that is added to laundry to enhance your “whites.” It’s the old school method for whiter whites. Thanks Mrs. Stewart! Check her out – hotter than firecrackers on the fourth of July!

I love the typeface on the Atlas and Ball jars – always have. It’s a shame these were left outside to get all rusty crusty (although I am a huge fan of the oxidation process of weathered steel), these fetch a decent price on ebay, when in pristine condition.

Oh well, for now they’ll just be cleaned up and left sitting on my kitchen window sill- a good daily reminder to get gardening, so I can, in turn, get to canning! There are many other picks that I have yet to discover, like an old parking meter!?! I know, I know, look back at my first sentence. But really, it will make an awesome wall hanging one day. Presently, it is an industrial model of housing for a huge family of fire ants! One that did not want to be disturbed, and violently let me know it! I’ll “pick” it another day, after I’ve put out the fire ant killer.

Have you "picked" anything lately? Did you repurpose it as home decor or garden art?

I'd love to hear your stories; email me pictures if  you have any and I'll post them.

Happy Pickin' ya'll!