Show and Tell Friday: Rindercella and Her Three Sistie Uglers

Thank you Brenna, for telling me about Show and Tell. Show and Tell Friday is being hosted by Kelli over at her blog. You can go there by clicking on the little square above that says Show and Tell. Maybe you also can show and tell next Friday. I am enjoying, as I can, going to the different blogs and looking at what they are showing. There are collections, things that are historical or came from other countries,items that speak of tradition and heirlooms, things people have made and much more. I smiled to see that I am not the only one who showed something book related. It really is fun to get a glimpse into other women's lives, to see what they treasure, etc.


When I read about it, I started thinking about what "things" really are important to me. If you have read some of my other posts about things, you know I have had this subject of "things" on my mind quite alot lately. It is no surprise, I found that the things most precious to me are not very practical. Many have memories attached or a story behind them which are what make them so special. For this first Show and Tell, I decided to show a book I treasure.

Here's the "tell":

As a kid, usually once or twice a summer, I would go to visit grandparents whom we called "The Grampies" who lived in Bend,Oregon. I have many fond memories of those days.

Grandpa would always be the first one up. I could hear him out in the living room building a fire. The sound of a crackling fire and smell of burning wood would waft through the house, inviting me to go join him. For breakfast, Grandma would often serve the fruit of our berry-picking labors. Grandpa especially loved huckleberrying. Huckleberries only grow in the higher elevations there, which is also where the bears are - or so Grandpa said. He had many a fun moment with various grandchildren, popping out of the bushes with a roar -- each was certain they were about to become bear food!

They had raspberries growing in their yard too, so we often had raspberries on our pancakes, or even just a dish of them, sometimes over vanilla ice cream. And Grandma would always give us a little orange flavored vitamin C next to our plates. To this day, the taste of orange flavors and raspberries take me back to that 60's style table where I would look out over the beautiful view of the mountain range, including the Three Sisters, peaks named Faith, Hope and Charity, with their neighbor, Brokentop Mountain.

Sometimes Grandpa would hitch up their boat and they would take us water skiing. He'd also take me fishing once in awhile. Of particular recall is once when we went with one of his friends (or maybe my Great Uncle Elmer) and we fished all day in his little boat. I was the one who caught the biggest and best fish. Funny how that always happens when little girls go fishing with grandpas...

If we weren't going anywhere, Grandpa would let us ride his little Honda 90 motorcycle all by ourselves around their acreage. We would swim in their slimy pond next to the chicken house, hike around in the red dirt where tumbleweeds (and stinging ants!) grew abundantly, or build things with wood scraps.

Sometimes before bed Grandpa would "read" a book to me. It was more a retelling of famous stories, with Grandpa's own artistic interpretation. One of my favorites was "Rindercella and Her Three Sisty Uglers" (he must have read it to his own children too, because it was already "vintage"). I'd say "No, Grandpa, it's CINderella and her three UGLY SISTERS!". He'd say "Really? Okay, I'll try it again", then just read it again, the same way he always did. He'd tickle me if I protested too much. It is special to me that he lived long enough for me to see him do the same thing with several with my own children.

After he passed away suddenly in early March 2005, just days after we had a huge celebration for his 90th birthday, my aunt was asking us if there was anything we wanted. I mentioned that if she ever ran across the old Cinderella book, that would be something very precious to me. Being from a fairly large family, I never assumed that, even if it was still around and located, I'd actually get it! But soon thereafter, she unearthed it from somewhere and it became one of my most treasured possessions. It sits on a shelf in our bedroom where I can see it every day. Some of my children are too grown now to enjoy a fairy tale, though they do enjoy mom's reminisces, but sometimes I take it down and read it to my younger children.

I hope you enjoyed my walk down Memory Lane and now, my pictures of the beautiful 1954 Grosset & Dunlap edition of Cinderella, which is the very book my Grandpa read to me those years ago.




This is the front cover. As a girl, I imagined this is what my wedding dress would look like.



The artwork of the illustrations is so beautiful.


All of her little friends and that famous pumpkin.

Cinderella forgave her step-sisters, even after they were so selfish. And a romantic outdoor dinner with her prince.

A lovely wedding of every little girl's dreams.