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Saturday, July 19, 2008

1988: A TYPICAL YARD SCENE IN RURAL HAMILTON


TODAY IT'S A LUSH GREEN LAWN, BUT BACK THEN IT WAS A MUDDY MESS, TYPICAL OF THE MANY RESIDENTS OF HAMILTON FROM THE PRE-1950'S ERA WHEN WE HAD GARDENS, CHICKENS, AND IN THE CASE OF THE GLOVERS, A GAGGLE OF GEESE. DURING THESE YEARS, THE ARENA FAMILY LIVED NEXT DOOR IN OUR HARTLEY AVENUE DUPLEX. THEY WERE WONDERFUL NEIGHBORS. MOM GLOVER AND MOM ARENA HAD A LIVELY BARTER TRADE GOING FOR MANY YEARS. GLOVER CHICKENS AND EGGS FOR MOM ARENA'S INCREDIBLE ITALIAN PASTA AND AN OCCASIONAL BOTTLE OF HOME MADE WINE FROM THE ARENA WINE CELLAR.
I SUSPECT THAT FEW VISITORS TO THIS SITE "CANDLED" EGGS. OUR "CANDLER" WAS A CYLINDRICAL BRASS FIXTURE WITH A LIGHT BULB INSIDE. THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE SIDE WHERE THE EGG WAS PLACED SO THAT LIGHT WOULD SHINE THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE EGG, REVEALING ANY BLOOD SPOTS, WHICH WERE NOT SOLD BUT PERFECTLY GOOD TO EAT.

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