As I sit watching another reality show about finding treasure in things people no longer want or just forgot they have, it reminds me of the fact that I love old things. One man's trash is another man's treasure is a true statement. I have always joked that every bicycle I owned as a kid came from the dumpster. It was a fun thing on Sunday afternoon to ride with Daddy in his old pick-up named "Betsy" to haul off our trash in search of treasure. We found many treasures on those Sunday trips such as a beautiful painted canvas that hung as a room divider in our dining room for many years, old glass bottles, toys, pictures, boxes, bowls, lamps, pottery, what nots of every shape & size plus that old 10 speed bike. All these old things people threw away became fun and loving treasures for me and my family.
Recently my sister, Amber and I took off on a Friday afternoon and headed west toward Rustin, LA. It was an amazing trip down memory lane and a great way to make new memories searching for treasures. We had a blast and met lots of great people as we searched to find some special old things to bring home. I bought an old aluminum cake carry-all that reminded me of one like my Mamaw Smith's that she would carry her famous strawberry cake to the family reunion. And I love old copper so I picked up a copper fondu burner that now sits in my dining room. We even stopped by the old Trading Post antique store that we went to as kids that was owned by our step-grand father, Papaw Sullivan. I believe that it was playing there as a kid that gave me such love for things that have history, things that have a past, things that make you wonder if they could speak, what would they say?
What old things do you love? What memories do they trigger in you? It doesn't matter to me if these old things are valuable to some historic specialist or guru of all things old. What matters to me is if these old things make me smile and bring a memory of happy times in my life. One man's trash truly is another man's treasure!
P.S. Are all old pick-up trucks named "Betsy"?
P.P.S. I am including my Mamaw Smith's family Reunion Strawberry Cake recipe below for you to share with your family.
Mamaw's Family Reunion Strawberry Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 box frozen strawberries (thaw & half)
1 box strawberry jello
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 box powder sugar
3 round cake pans
Non-stick cooking spray
1 stick margarine (softened)
For cake: In a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, 1/2 of strawberries, jello, eggs, water and oil. Mix well and then divide batter evenly between lightly greased and floured cake pans and bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set on racks to cool before icing. For Icing: In a large bowl mix powder sugar, margarine and other half of strawberries. Ice all three layers and stack evenly. Use fresh strawberries for garnish.
P.P.S.S. If you have recipe for fondu or any good easy recipe that I can use for my "old" new copper fondu server, please share.
Happy Living, Loving & Laughing,
Angie Lu
