But the drive to Linton, ND, is totally worth it.
When we get to this sign I get excited because I know we're almost there.
We stayed the night with Corey's grandparents - Grandma Claire and Grandpa Andy. This is part of Grandma Claire's cellar pantry.
I said that if there is a tornado, I want to get stuck in her basement - it's fully stocked with plenty of wine, homemade brandy, canned fruits and veggies, and jams and jellies.
Corey and I got to sleep under this beauty. It was made by a friend of the family. It's a great example of a vintage improvisationally-pieced quilt. And with such a wide variety of fabric.
While in Linton, we drove through the flooded areas, specifically "old town Linton." The drive was sobering. The homes in old town (the low-lying area of town) all have a sign posted on the front door. Some say "safe for reentry" some say "unsafe for reentry." It's a strange sight. The "unsafe" homes seem to be abandoned already. We're told that the city has dug a large hole north of town and the homes that are unsafe will be discarded into the hole.
Aside from the old town area, other areas that were flooded, such as the Linton Golf Course, are mostly all cleaned up and are back in business. It's amazing how the citizens of the town and outside volunteers have helped this city rebound so quickly.
Our prayers are with all the people and families still affected by this flood.
While Corey and his cousin Patrick spent this morning golfing, Grandma Claire and I took a little trip to Strasburg, ND, to visit the Little German House.
Isn't it cute? It's located right off the highway, on Main Street.
The Little German House has a great inventory. Some cute little Dutch items. I'm such a sucker for Dutch stuff.
German Cuckoo Clocks. How cool are these?!
I like this one.
A vintage baby shirt (handmade of course). And look at that darling hanger.
And then I found the aprons. And my life was complete.
I couldn't live without that pink one. It came home with me. What was I just saying about being a sucker for Dutch stuff? I don't lie.
This room made me want to play dress up. Gloves, hats, jewelry. What more could a gal want?
Oh and this caught my eye. It was tucked in a hallway nook. What a beautiful old quilt.
No German house is complete without a few quirky German mugs.
"Not only am I perfect, I am German too" ... I know a few folks I could buy that for.
And this is one of my favorites, "You can always tell a German but you can't tell him much."
Oh how true that is.
How did this photo get in here? These are Grandma Claire's clothespins. I though they were pretty.
So anyway, Grandma Claire and I headed back to their house and I displayed and photographed my treasures out on her clothesline.
First, my dutch girl apron. The shop owner estimates it's from the 1950s. This was my favorite purchase of the day.
Next up, a close second to the Dutch girl apron, a vintage German/Dutch apron.
It's definitely quite old ... although I have no clue how old. The apron has a few German/Dutch sayings, a visual image, and the English translation. My favorite is "Fett fraw iss gutt kummrowd," which means, "A plump wife is a good companion." In the center, it reads "Look onct ... we can talk Pennsylvania Dutch." Grandma Andy can speak German and he could read this just great. So I'm thinking Pennsylvania Dutch is very close to German.
Oh and it's barely visible, but I also bought a $1 vintage hanky. It's purple and orange and is visible to the left of the German apron.
This beauty is a 1950s Christmas tree skirt (it's folded in half in this photo). I'm not sure if I'll use it in its current form or if I will make something out of it. Like an apron or two? Or a table runner perhaps? I'd be terrified to cut into it, it's so precious.
Also pictured is a German handmade garland. The shop owner said they are used as decoration on a Christmas tree. I think I'll hang it in my sewing room year-round and hang it on the tree at Christmas.
Before leaving town, Corey and I practiced shooting at the Linton rifle range.
Grandpa Andy came along too. He's so tough, he shoots without ear plugs.
Corey is a great shot.
Grandpa Andy did very well too.
Me? Um, not so much. In my defense, they shot about four times as many bullets as I did.
Yeah that's my excuse.
Thank you Grandma Andy and Grandma Claire for your wonderful hospitality and delicious meals while we visited.
...
In case you find yourself in Emmons County and want to visit the Little German House, the address is 500 Main Street, Strasburg, ND, the phone number is (701) 336-7555.
The hours are:
June through August: Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm
September through December: Thursday and Friday, 1 pm to 5 pm, and Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm
January and February: closed
March through May: Thursday and Friday, 1 pm to 5 pm, and Saturday 10 am to 4 pm
1 comment:
Legend has it that the Pennsylvania Dutch are actually German and when they came to the US Americans asked them what nationality they were and when they responded "Deutsch" us uncultured Yanks heared "Dutch" and that's where the term came from.
Either way, I speak pretty good German and I can read Dutch just fine and understand it pretty well, so they are similar. Cool aprons!
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