The Saint Louis 1885 Campbell House Museum Grounds

Actual Carriages of the Campbell's.

President Grant may have rode in one of these.

21st Century image of CAMPBELL HOUSE Museum on the left 

and circa 1885 image of CAMPBELL HOUSE on right.

Robert and Virginia Campbell's residence during the GILDED AGE can be toured in Saint Louis.

~On the Grounds~

Robert Camp­bell (1804–1879)

Mr. Campbell married Miss Virginia Kyle in 1841.

He wrote to her and said: “Rec­ol­lect you will soon be my coun­selor and advi­sor and it may be – man­ager – that of course I will not acknowl­edge and I feel con­fi­dent you will make, ‘my yoke easy’ and my life happy.”

Virginia Kyle Campbell (1822-1882)

From all of the avail­able evi­dence, Virginia Camp­bell was an impor­tant 

part­ner in Robert Campbell’s busi­ness and social life and she was able to chal­lenge the tra­di­tional role of women of her class through­out her life. In other ways she ful­filled the tra­di­tional role assigned her by soci­ety, includ­ing man­ag­ing a large house­hold and staff.

In many ways Vir­ginia was unusual for a  19th cen­tury upper mid­dle class woman. She had a strong inter­est in national and civic affairs. She often trav­eled alone with her chil­dren, which chal­lenged the social con­ven­tions of her class. She inde­pen­dently sup­ported many phil­an­thropic causes, includ­ing Fr. DeSmet’s Indian mis­sions in the West.

Vir­ginia died on Jan­u­ary 30, 1882. She died just a few years after her hus­band and also like him died at home after a short ill­ness. She was 60 years old. The estate was divided among their three sur­viv­ing sons, Hugh, Hazlett, and James. By all accounts Robert and Vir­ginia had a very happy mar­riage. Their sur­viv­ing let­ters indi­cate that they sup­ported each other in their respec­tive roles with a great love for each other and their children.

Saint Louis has a gem,

d

The Saint Louis 1851 Campbell House Museum Stairwells and Sitting Room

The Saint Louis Campbell House Museum is very stately to observe and once inside, 
filled with grand things and features.  I continue the tour of this fine example of the GILDED AGE.

 

On the wall beside this nice library cabinet, are dark markings of black soot deliberately left behind so you can see for yourself how the black invaded the interior of the home.  The furniture hid this and would be noticed when moved to remodel.  So moved she is for a reason.  I don't think I would have liked to clean this soot on a daily basis.  I complain about dust in my old house now.  It can always be worse.  Worse.

Looking out the window toward Downtown Saint Louis has a clearer view with better quality of air than what was called "BLACK TUESDAY" in 1939.  Saint Louis burned South Illinois soft coal which was a high sulphur dirty coal that didn't burn clean.  During the Depression, people were looking for cheaper coal. 

On Tuesday, November 28, 1939, a meteorological temperature inversion trapped emissions from coal burning close to the ground resulting in "the day the sun didn't shine".

Thick black smoke enveloped St. Louis, far worse than any previously seen in the city. The day came to be known as "Black Tuesday".
The smog hung about for 9 days over the course of the following month.

~James Campbell's Sitting Room~

Unique items in this room are the Scottron Mirror, Oil Painting of James Campbell, 

Sunglasses and Music Box.

Samuel Scottron designed this unique mirror. 

“Scottron’s” detail on back of mirror

   

Blessings to you this fine day,

d

THE U R Not Fat DIET

The Saint Louis 1851 Campbell House Museum Master Bedroom

~LACE~

Virginia and Robert Campbell's Master Bedroom Suite 

has tastefully decorated windows with the gorgeous extra long lace panels that couldn't go unnoticed.

Was a treat to me to see such lace.

This was one of the things I remember the most 

about this mansion.

Blessings to you,

d

Prairie Kitchen Maple Cream Pie

My Daughter made this and I helped by eating some.

~PRAIRIE KITCHEN MAPLE CREAM PIE~


Dining On The Prairie is HEAVENLY.

Sweetly Yours,

d

Sweetened condensed milk 
is a staple in many kitchens in which it's used to create desserts 
that are always reliably rich and smooth.  
The combination of these ingredients 
makes a prairie~licious pie.

Glad you stopped by!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons toasted chopped pecans

1  14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup maple syrup

dash of salt

1 baked 8-inch pie shell

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare Pecans by placing chopped nuts in a shallow pan.  

Drizzle with a bit of vegetable oil and a dash of salt.  

Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once in a while.  

Set to the side until needed.

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, syrup and salt.

While cooking over LOW HEAT, stir constantly until mixtures bubbles up.

Then cook uncovered for additional 4 minutes.

WATCH carefully to prevent scorching.

POUR mixture into baked pie shell.

Let COOL completely for about 3 hours.

Combine in a chilled bowl the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla.

Beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread on the cooled pie, and top with toasted pecans.  

Chill until ready to serve.

PRAIRIE PROUD,

d

Joining 

FOODIE FRIDAY

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/2014/05/foodie-friday-may-2nd.html

Jibber Jabber

It's MAY DAY!  Remember when children made May Baskets filled with flowers and candy, placed them on the Neighbors' doors, knocked really hard or rang the door bell then ran to hide in the bushes to surprise the Neighbors?

i do
i do
i do

After school today, Lil Miss and I will make May Baskets.  This should be entertaining.

It's been a very LONG WINTER in many ways.  The flowers appearing have eased the tension...some.  Still the cold months on the Prairie for me have been very very  v e r y  long.

As I drove Lil Miss to school today, the outside temp was 41, but the drive was so purdee.  The trees have leaves and there are still some shades of pink splashes on the Redbud trees.  Some neighbors already have Irises bloomed.  


Mine are budding, but seem small in comparison to two years ago.  Still, I'm looking forward to when they bloom.  Some smell like Grape Jelly.

The Lilac Bushes are blooming, 
but blossoms are small as well.  Dry year?

 ~Lilac Confetti for Weddings~

Making plans to prepare a flowerbed in the backyard where the Irises will have room to spread out and not be landlocked.  They are presently in a narrow flowerbed along a wood fence where the leaves are growing slanted as if they are reaching out for more room.

I believe that this fence flowerbed will have to have a different plant so they have room for healthy growth.  I'm alright with relocating them to the backyard.  Years ago a neighbor of ours had raised flower beds in her backyard where she had Irises.  I so admired the beauty.  Having FLAGS in the back will be an asset to calming my nerves these days. 

I'm becoming an old ninny.  With a mixture of hormones, the lack of hormones, too much stress, the aging process, the mind with memory challenges, the body with a memory that aches....i have to deliberately speak out loud scripture to remind myself that life is good and I will not fear.  Slow down and be happy.  God's on the throne.  Prayer changes things.  Jesus is Lord.  I am not in this thing called LIFE alone.   Holy Spirit help me.  

 
It is getting 

easier 

and easier for 

me 

to part with 'THE 

JUNK' 

that is taking 

up space all over the 

house.  Papers in 

boxes are getting the 

attention that they 

deserve.  Clothes have 

been thinned through.  

Ready for round 19.  






I thumbed through a magazine to read about 3-D Printers and it made me pause about the possibilities that these devices have to offer.  Like a conspiracy theorist, it freaked me out a tad.  Just a tad and I had to put the magazine down while shaking my head.  I'm wondering how much more.  

 It's NOT nice to fool Martha Stewart.

There is such a push to be paperless...what's a paper receipt anywho?  My son says it's liberating to shred his receipts.  After I go through all this paper resting in boxes, I may have to agree.  I have paper checks from way back.  Up until recently, every house, auto, medical and credit card payment we had ever made, was in our possession.  We held the actual contract.  Checks are legal contracts.  When you signed one of these, you were saying to the ones receiving it that you were transferring funds from one account into another.  That you were good for your money.  Bill paid and here's your check to prove it.

I held out as long as the BANK let me and they would return the actual check back to me.  Not so anymore.  Check images are in the paper statements.  I suppose it will just be a matter of time before the BANK doesn't mail to their clients a paper statement, but instead all transactions are on line.  It will be up to the individual to check their statements on line.  POOF.  You are no longer holding paper copies of anything.

Pictures on line and if you want a copy of the image, you will be the one to do the foot work transferring the image into your CLOUD.  Where's that storage at anyways?  POOF.  It disappeared in the STORM of technology.  

It's a different ballgame these days.  I actually do like swiping my plastic debit card at the store when I am out shopping.  Of course there's still paperwork to do to keep up with receipts for the transaction and making sure that this receipt is recorded.

EMP.  Heard of that one?  Electromagnetic pulse.  With this happening, we'd have to pause and go about things differently.  The so called little guys without an education might save the day.

How on top of things are you about the current events?  There is so much information out there in the world that I have to discipline myself and limit the stimulation overload that steals my peace.  Not being one to put my head in the sand....I like to know what's going on.  STILL too much news can overload one's circuits.  Heard that saying too much of a good thing can be BAD?  Unhuh....and too much BAD can be BAD for you.  Makes my neck crack.

Yesterday, I attended a Recognition Ceremony.  Even had a bottled water with my COOKIE.  The Speaker was a highly educated woman with two PHDs.  Okay, she tried to be funny.  Stammered a tad.  Shared how the little guys made a huge university function.  If it weren't for the little guy....the floors wouldn't be polished, the cars wouldn't be parked, the smiles wouldn't be handed out, the food wouldn't get served, the toilets wouldn't be flushed, the...on and on she talked.  Though she was working at recognizing the workers behind the scenes that are needed to make the place float, she wasn't very convincing that she thought so highly of the little guy.  In reality, if it weren't for the little guy, she wouldn't receive a PAY CHECK.  She'd be teaching simply for the EXPERIENCE OF IT ALL.  That nice suit she was wearing was probably made by a little guy.  The hairstyle she wore probably was shaped by a little guy.  The fancy car she mentioned she had to have another park for her, probably was built my a little guy.   

Really, we are all little guys in one way or another.  A college degree has its place in the world and can open a lot of doors, but not everyone wants a college degree or the line of work they are in doesn't require it.  Training and being well informed are needed in many cases.  Experience in a field goes a long ways.  Hearing from the LORD is high on my priority list these days.

The one that created the universe does not have a college degree.  Imagine that.  The one I call Lord and Master, does not have a PHD.  He also doesn't put the little guy down because they are not well read.

Now, if you'll excuse me...I think I will go scrub my toilet, listen to the birds chirp and watch the clouds float by.  I have a check book that needs balanced and laundry to do.  Vegetable Soup for Supper tonight.

May Basket, anyone?  Thanks.  Don't mind if I do,
d