Saturday's fun and adventure

Before any more time slips by I wanted to share our Saturday adventure. After being back here at the homestead for over two years now, we finally made the thirty minute drive to visit Lehman’s Hardware. So this past sunny Saturday morning, with our niece and her husband along, we drove down to Kidron, Ohio.

It was a busy day at Lehman’s, being a Saturday with such fine weather. There was a flea market just across the street so before venturing into the hardware we decided to do a little junkin’. I found a #7 Wagner Ware cast iron skillet to bring home with me for just $5. I love it because it’s not only a little deeper than most of my cast iron skillets, but a great size, in between my small and large skillets. What with giving up my cheap coated cookware, this was a great find at a great price.

After browsing the tables at the flea market we ventured into the world famous Lehman Bros. store which has been enlarged and changed quite a bit since my last visit some years ago. I am sure I missed some of the many wonderful items because there was just so much to see. I totally regret forgetting my camera! If I had taken it along I would have shown you the largest display of cookie cutters I have ever seen. I would have also shown you the pottery and enamel ware section where I oohed and ahhed over bowls and bread pans. But alas, I left those behind and moved on.

I’ve no doubt I spent more time in the cast iron sections than anyplace. You see, I had regretted not coming home with a good sturdy tripod and Dutch oven on my last visit to Lehman’s years ago. We found the tripod we wanted and with much consideration and examination along with my dear, sweet niece’s generous nature telling me (to my surprise), “get what you want” I finally chose my Dutch oven. At first I was going to get the standard three legged over the coals style for outdoor use. But then I reconsidered this. In the end I decided on a flat bottom 7 ½ quart model that could be used not only over n open fire, but on the stovetop or in the oven as well. The iron on the flat bottomed style is just a teensy bit thinner but the style will serve well for outdoor cooking on the grill or with the pot hanging from the center of the tripod. Browsing the assortment of cast iron cookware I couldn’t resist treating myself to a small melting pot. This I know I will use as well.

the "new" skillet, Dutch oven and melting pot.

I also found another nifty item; a lamp top that fits a canning jar, converting any pint mason jar into an oil burning lamp.

This then led to finding an inexpensive globe top to fit as well. Here I’ve shown it on a quart jar since I had no empty pint immediately available. If the wick were longer a quart jar would work equally as well.

It was a grand and great day, the sun shining brightly to take a bit of the chill off the crisp fall air, the trees at the height of their autumn beauty, and the four of us walking away with useful goods at fair prices that will last generations. I don’t shop often to say the least and this is the first time in a very long time I have shopped for anything besides food. I’m not a shopper in general, avoiding the consumerist lifestyle for the most part. Seldom is there much of anything I need in the way of consumer goods. But I must admit this was fun, the most fun I’ve had in a spell.

On the trip back we sidetracked over to Wooster where our nephew treated everyone to lunch at the Longhorn Steakhouse. Ironically three out of the four us ordered chicken, lol! With the rising cost of everything, it has been a very long while since Coop and I have dined out, so this was such a nice treat. It was so enjoyable to spend the day with two of our favorite people and top it off with a good meal someone else had cooked and would clean up. It could not have been a more perfect and special day! And a special thank you to Jenni and John for being so gracious and good to us.