Monday, October 20, 2008

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.

15 comments:

  1. Oh I've always wanted to visit Lehman's, I've spent quite a bit of time perusing their website. I love the lantern, what a great idea!
    Glad you had such a good time :)
    Niki

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  2. Sounds like you had a great day.

    I want to visit Lehman's so bad!

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  3. I'll join the others in the Lehman's envy - we've ordered from them a few times and have always been pleased with our new goodies! It looks like you picked up some great stuff...and what a nice find at the flea market as well.

    We, too, are switching to cast iron. I'll admit that we're doing it gradually so that we can get used to a whole different way of cooking, but we've already noticed a difference. I don't know if it's real or perceived, but the food just seems to taste better. Dave says it doesn't have that "Teflon aftertaste." :)

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  4. Ahhhh! You are so LUCKY! Thirty minutes away - that's awesome. You'd never get me out of there. I could probably buy a car with all the shipping charges I have paid for items I've ordered from Lehman's. (My favorite is wash stuff - I get stuck on the wringers and plungers pages in the catalogue for several minutes at a time.) That's an awesome pot. Good for so many things - I immediately thought of baked beans.

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  5. You are so very welcome! We had a wonderful time ourselves, spending Sweetest Day with our favorite people. You're always so good to us, we do what we can to reciprocate your thoughtful generosity. John could not have gotten the garden shed so near to completion without your hubby's help. We're both so glad that you're not just family, but friends and neighbors, too!

    Besides, I needed a cast iron dutch oven myself, and Lehman's is definitely the place for that. We'll have to have a bonfire soon so I can get it broken in and ready to use.

    Even if we hadn't bought anything, it was such a nice day to get out and drive through Amish country. It was encouraging to see so many Obama signs, not to mention the big one on that barn. I did take my camera, but didn't manage to take a single photo. Guess we'll just have to go back. ;)

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  6. My shopping at Lehmans is my husband's nightmare! I'd take a trip to Ohio just to go there. I do get things out of the catalog but shipping is so expensive.

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  7. I don't mind saying I'm a bit jealous of the adventure and the finds!

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  8. Thanks everybody for your nice comments about our store! We work hard to make it the kind of place that is fun to visit, even if you don't buy anything. These days I spend most of my time in my office at our nearby warehouse, but if I'm around don't hesitate to ask for me or my father Jay. We would love to say hi!

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  9. Am I gonna have to invite all my blog friends to Ohio for a stay so ya' all can make a trip to Lehmans??? :))) Wouldn't that be something?!

    Thanks for all the great comments folks! And what a surprise to see a Lehman show up on my blog! Appreciate your dropping in. I bet you don't get tired of the positive feedback. :)

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  10. Thanks for commenting on my journal. I have a cast iron dutch oven that was my mothers. Probably 65 years old. I love it. Anything I cook in it is delicious.

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  11. Oh my! Let's do a Lehman's trip together! It's not so far from where I live, but I've never been there. We ordered from the catalog back in the days when we had no electricity, and lusted over the many cool things they offered.

    We're going the same trail, back to cast iron. I have my mother's dutch oven and a smaller pot that is similar to a dutch oven. Everything tastes so good when cooked in that pot. I'm sure some of Mom's seasonings are still in the iron.

    Great post! Thank you for sharing your very special day--and people--with us.

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  12. Hey, you got an actual Lehman! Awesome!

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  13. OK now I'm seriously jealous...you and granny sue live close enough to do a Lehman's trip...I've never been and wow what trouble if I ever do get turned loose in there with some cash, lol!

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  14. sounds like you had a great day

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  15. Granny Sue - maybe we can hook up when you come to Ohio in Jan. Something to ponder.

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