Big milk bottle

Today I was off from work because I have to work Saturday, and we decided to take a ride to Greenfield. I was looking for something up there and I wanted to take some pictures and play with new camera apps on my iPad. Paul decided to go a different way and all of a sudden...there it was, the big milk bottle.



A little history.... This milk bottle used to be on Rt 5. I remember it years ago when going to Greenfield with my grandfather. In fact, I'm sure I remember a picture of my father sitting on top of this (it is 16 feet tall, I can't imagine how he got up there). Anyhow, in recent years, I realized that this bottle wasn't there anymore. I always wondered if it disintegrated so badly that they just demolished it, or if they moved it somewhere. It was always a mystery.

**Update - Saturday, August 27, 2011

When we got home from our ride last Tuesday, I did some research on the Internet on the big milk bottle and found out that it was made in the late 1920s for the Quonquont Dairy Farm's dairy bar which was located on Rt 5, a few miles from the Quonquont Dairy Farm. They used to sell ice cream out of it (the back of it has a dutch door).



In 1951 it was moved across the street (which is where I was used to seeing it), and then in 1995 it was moved in front of the building which houses the Whately Historical Society. We found out that they still use it once or twice a year to give out ice cream.




So, we took another trip up there today to check out the Quonquont Farm. It is now an orchard that sells apples and peaches; you can pick your own or buy them at their farmstand. The lady working there knew about the big milk bottle. This farm used to be one of three dairy farms in town and they delivered milk all the way from West Springfield to Greenfield. We joked about the fact that the bottle has been moved around a lot. Who knows, maybe some day it will end up at the Quonquont Farm.

10th Annual Paul and Marley Zoo Picture

It all started back in 2002 when I took a picture of Paul and Marley walking at the Forest Park Zoo. My mother-in-law, Priscilla, loved the picture and a tradition was begun. Each year I have taken a new "zoo picture." Paul says the last one will be at Marley's wedding.

2011


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2006

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2002

Marley's first craft fair

Today Marley and Kristen had a table at a craft fair at School St. Park in Agawam. It was a benefit for the Girls Club of Springfield. The daughter of someone Kristen works with was hosting it. This was Marley's first craft fair and they have been getting ready for this for months (see this blog).

Paul (and I) got there early to help set up the little tent that they had.



Kristen had bought a pin maker a couple of months ago. These are a few of the pins that Marley made for me and Paul.



Marley set up her pins.






And Kris set up her crayons.



Here's their table.




I was babysitting for Mason so I brought him to the craft fair and we had lunch.





In the end, the whole craft fair didn't "fare" too well. There weren't a lot of customers. The most important thing, though, was that Marley had fun. She was very happy with her earnings that day, $18.50 (even though the agreement was that she had to give half of her earnings to her mother until the pin machine is paid off!).

Pandamania

This week was VBS, Pandamania, at our church. Tonight was the closing rally. Marley's cousin Zach went this year. Tonight Mason, Marley, Baba and I met Bebil and Zach there. It was a fun time. Mason was pretty shy, but he did love the brownies.






After VBS this morning, Cindy, my friend from work, took Marley and her little granddaughter Kailey to Friendly's for lunch.



Thanks, Cindy.

Making notebooks

Marley had two friends over after church today and Kristen made little Crayola notebooks for them with her new "notebook making machine." (I'm sure it has a name but I don't know what it is.)

Next week Kris and Marley are participating in a craft fair. Marley has been making "pins" and Kris has been making "crayon creations." These have varied from crayon letters that spell out your name, to cupcakes, to Chinese fortune cookies, to caterpillars. Every time I go over there lately her kitchen looks like a crayon factory. I think the caterpillars are the only ones that are going to make the cut.

She is also making notebooks out of all of the crayon boxes.



She sure didn't get her love of crafts from me. I feel like I could break out in hives just listening to all of her ideas.

Fun with apps

I got a new app for my iPad called Strip Design. These are a few of the pictures I played with. I love this app!

Soap ball

Paul has been making soap balls for awhile now from scraps of shower soap. This was the largest one yet (picture taken next to mug for size comparison). Strange, but frugal!

Mason's 2 year pictures

Isn't he just the cutest little boy ever?

Jack and Jill

Paul and I went to our first Jack and Jill tonight, a pig roast. Our friends' son is getting married next month. We had a really fun time. Different, but fun.

Dot

Now that Dot is feeling a little more comfortable in her new surroundings, I want to start bringing over some of her pictures. This picture was taken some time in the 1960's I think. She and Emilio DiLorenzo (who, by the way, had the best Italian tenor voice ever) used to sing together on the Bethany Hour, a radio program on Sunday mornings. This picture, along with a plaque, was given to her as appreciation of her 20-year committment to the Bethany Hour.

Today I put the picture and plaque up in the little memory box that everyone has next to their bedroom door to identify their room.