Friday, October 23, 2009

Postcard Friendship Friday! Pumpkin Seed Charm



Postcard reproduced here with kind permission of http://www.cardcow.com/

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday! We'll celebrate with another Hallowe'en postcard. This one includes a verse that instructs us how to keep black cats - and their associated bad luck -away. The not so menacing Jack o' lantern will keep him at bay as long as he is fortified with a ring of pumpkin seeds.

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Mmmm - pumpkin seeds! For years I was aware only of those store bought seeds that are covered in a salty salted saltish crust of salty salt. The main flavor was salt. I ate so many pumpkin seeds..well.. it's just a wonder I didn't end up like Lot's wife.
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I can almost hear my ankles swelling!
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Only 4 carbs per serving but enough salt to preserve you over the winter.
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I was in my early teens before we had our first home roasted pumpkin seeds fresh out of the Jack-o-lantern.
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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1 pinch salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.
Delicious!

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The postcard is dated October 31, 1921. There is no stamp, or postmark. Perhaps Grandma tucked it away in his mother's suitcase during their last visit with several reminders of "don't forget to give this card to little Albert on Halloween!
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It reads:
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Hello Albert
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How is Grandma's little boy - what have you been doing since you got home. Love and kisses from Grandma

Sounds like a mighty nice Grandma, doesn't she?

I searched for Park Idaho, but found no information to share with you. Zilch. Albert lived one state over, in Leadpoint which is an unincorporated mining area in the far north east of Washington State. When I think of "mining town" I automatically think of coal mine. Leadpoint mines, however, contained galena (which is lead) and other associated minerals and elements:

Leadpoint Mines Mineral List:
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Cerussite also known as white lead
Dolomite sedimentary carbonate rock
Fluorite calcium fluoride -used in smelting process
Galena lead
Limonite an iron ore
Pyrite a carbonate mineral also known as fool's gold
Quartz second most abundant mineral on earth. amethyst and citrine are examples of quartz
Scheelite ore mineral of tungsten
Siderite a valuable iron mineral
Sphalerite zinc ore
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Leadpoint is a hilly or perhaps mountainous area with lots of lakes.
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Speaking of hills:
Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas anchored by some hilly isle.
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Here's where me n' the Mister were this week!
Celebrating our 40th
what a life!
See you later today!
In the meantime, stop by and visit our PFF host, Marie at Voila! Vintage Postcards!

11 comments:

Marie Reed said...

With all of that salt they must be a VERY kosher product! Happy PFF:) Are you proud of me I'm actually commenting on Friday! Imagine that?

Marie Reed said...

haha! I put you link in the Mr. Linky:)

Beth Niquette said...

What a lovely post! I especially loved the black cat postcard--I collect black cats because I love the way their eyes glow in their little furry faces.

Happy PFF!

MrCachet said...

I don't mind the salt on the home-done seeds, but to me - the seed doesn't break down enough and I'm left with some seed in my mouth that I don't know what to do with.

I'd just as soon CRUISE!

Snap said...

Always fun to read your posts .. how you lead from one idea to another -- all related! Loved the Halloween card and the pumpkin seed recipe. The postcard dated Oct 31 from Park, Idaho. Happy PFF! and Happy Anniversary.

SparkleFarkel said...

What lovely grandma-sentiments! I wonder what Albert dressed up as that year...?

Sheila said...

Black cats are considered good luck where I come from. :) Great post as always!

Margo said...

happy anniversary and pff! I love the home roasted seeds. Why do you think they put so much salt on the one's you buy? It's so much salt that it hurts!

Mim said...

I've never done home made roasted pumpkin seeds but they sound delicious.
Happy 40th! That's worth a long cruise

steviewren said...

You lucky doggies! On a cruise living the high life....where is my postcard????????? What, you were too busy having fun and eating pumpkin seeds to mail me a card....I'm crushed.

Heather at My Coupon Coop said...

I love that postcard and all things Halloweenie!

My Mom used to roast pumpkin seeds for us when I was a kid. I'm going to have to give that a whirl now that I've got some of my own!