Recipes

 

It's been a year and a half since mom died.  It's time to clear her house of the contents. I won't say its been an easy task.  At times I am overwhelmed by the task as she saved everything and other times I am overwhelmed with feelings of loss.  Sometimes, I'm just overwhelmed with the thought that I don't know what I'm doing.  Julie Hall, The Estate Lady, has helped tremendously with her posts that I read.  See the link to her blog under the tab for Blogs I Follow.  She is simply amazing!

Some of the origins of the recipes are and their relationship to my mother:

• Aunt Lena was Lena Mae Carrington Rose, her husband's cousin's wife
• Aunt Roxey was Mildred Roxey McNeilly Perry, her maternal grand aunt
• Grandma Harder was Mary Jane McNeilly Harder, her maternal grandmother 

 

The next few recipes I include because they just seem so like my mom.

 My dad, Walter J. Schnack, had a favorite food.  It was peanut butter.  Yes, you'll remember that he wrote about peanut butter in one of the Vietnam era letters!  My mom used salted Spanish peanuts in the cookie recipe and the contrast of the salt and sugar was mouth-watering delicious!

A multi-generational family favorite is Unbaked Cookies.  I can remember making them so often that I didn't need to look at the recipe when preparing them!

And last of all, folded and tucked between dividers in mom's recipe box was this page torn from a magazine or pamphlet.  I don't know if its something she saved or someone else ahead of her but reading it made an impact on me.

A perfect prayer for an empty-nest mom and an aging mom.   I know my mom missed having me around once I was grown and had a family of my own.  I often miss my own daughters.  But, I am so very proud of what my girls have accomplished in their lives.  They are resourceful, intelligent, funny, beautiful, caring, and so much more.

1966 4 5 Chuck Rose to Lena Rose

The first Vietnam era letter I have was written by my father's cousin, Charles Elbert "Chuck" Rose, when stationed at Cu Chi.  Cu Chi was infamous for its enemy tunnels.  I am grateful to his daughter, Elaine Rose O'Hara, for sending it to me with permission from him and his family.

Family names in this letter and their relationship to Chuck are:

• 'Mom' was Lena Mae Carrington Rose, his mother
• 'Dad' was Clifton More Rose, his father
• 'Kenny' is Kenneth Wayne Rose, his brother
• 'Chuck' is Charles Elbert Rose, himself and author of this letter 

Charles Elbert "Chuck" Rose

Tuesday
5 April 1966

Dear Mom and Dad,

Just a short note to let you know that I arrived safely.  I'm located in a place called Cu Chi about 20 miles west of Saigon.  It's very hot here, many days it gets above 115° and the sun is really hot.  I am in the process of peeling for the first time and I've only been here 5 days.  They keep sending captured enemy weapons to us and I'm glad I'm not in the infantry, because a lot of them are dying for their efforts.  I never knew how smart I was to get into Ordnance until now.  The risks to the tech personnel are not much.  They don't have many of us and they take good care of us.  You can bet that we really work to keep their equipment going.  We have new and good trucks, tanks, and weapons although they are pretty tight about giving us parts to fix them.  But, its a long way to the States so I guess we can't complain.  I'll close for now.  Hope everyone is well and Kenny can get home soon.  Tell Dad to cheer up.  I'm probably safer here than crossing

Church St. in Oneonta like Ken did.  But I'll be glad when my time is up so I can go elsewhere.  This place isn't quite what I'd choose but I've seen worse.

All my love,
Chuck

1948 11 25 Thanksgiving greetings to Walter J. Schnack

Imagine, just 25¢ to send a letter air mail!  Today, the cost is $1.10 for 3 ounces.  What a difference 65 years makes!

 

Various family members contributed to this letter to my father, Walter J. Schnack; when they gathered together, in his absence, for Thanksgiving dinner.  My father was in the United States Merchant Marines.  The names in this letter and their relationship to him, in the order of appearance, are:

• 'Son' or 'Jake' or 'Junior' was Walter J. Schnack, self
• 'Mother' was Olive Letha Rose Schnack, his mother
• 'Charlotte' was Charlotte Grace Rose Mackey, his cousin
• 'Chuck' was Charles Elbert Rose, his cousin
• 'Lena' was Lena Mae Carrington Rose, wife of Clifton
• 'Mrs. Carrington' might have been Sarah J. DeMond Carrington, mother of Lena
• 'Viv's better half' was Harry Donald Cope, his brother-in-law
• 'Harry's better half' was Vivian Eleanor Schnack Cope, his sister
• 'Clifton Rose" was Clifton More Rose, his uncle
• 'Ward' was Ward Orna Mackey, husband of Charlotte
• 'Dad' was Jochim Walter Schnack, his father
• 'Doris Rose' was Doris Jane Rose Hastings, his cousin
• 'Katie' might have been Katharine Rose Schnack Jones Gall Hammon, his sister
• 'Gerald Rose' was Gerald Arthur Rose, his cousin
• 'Eddy' was Edward Alexander Schnack, his brother
• 'Larry' was Larry Ward Mackey, son of Charlotte and Ward
• 'Cheryl' was Cheryl Marie Mackey Parsons, daughter of Charlotte and Ward

Thanksgiving Day
Milford

Dear Son,
Wish you were here today to help eat our Thanksgiving dinner.
Mother

Dear Jake,
I bet you are having a good dinner too, but wish you were here with us.
Charlotte

Hello Jake,
Wishing you and Chuck were here today.  Come to the farm and see us.  Thanks for the letter.  Really will answer it.
Lena

Hello Junior,
Eating dinner at your house.  Wish you could be here with us.
Love,
Mrs. Carrington

Hey fatso!
If I eat another dinner like I did today, I would weigh about as much as you do.  Sorry you couldn't be here but maybe you _____ have your on the high seas.
Viv's better half

Hi Jake,
There wouldn't have been anything left if you and Chuck had been here.
Harry's better half

Hello Jake,
Wish you could of been here today, also could have used you for the past month.  We are working on that barn.  Milt Heller has been helping me.  Don't over eat.  I just did.
Clifton Rose

Hi Jake,
We had lots to eat today.  Glad you are getting to see the world.  Quite an experience.  Come to see  us sometime when you're home.
Ward

Greetings!
Can't seem to eat as much per sitting as I used to.  But, I enjoy it just as much.  We're having a fine family gathering.  Hope you're enjoying yourself.
Dad

Hello Jake,
Just had a swell Thanksgiving dinner.  Hope you had the same.
Doris Rose
Katie
Gerald Rose

Wish you were here.
Eddy

Larry says "Hi" and Cheryl says "Soo"

1941 6 24 Beatrice Camp to Olive Schnack

To see the relationship of the people in the letter, please go to the Names page.  In order of their first appearance in this letter are family members:

• 'Olive' was Olive Letha Rose Schnack
• 'Flo' was Florence Alice Rose Lawlor
• 'Harriet' was Harriet Julia Camp Baird
• 'Miltie' was Milton George Camp
• 'Aunt Lu' might have been Lulu Peck Louden
• 'Aunt Lu' might have been Louella Rose
• 'Walt' was Jochim Walter Schnack
• 'Lena' was Lena Mae Carrington Rose
• 'Len' was Leonard George Camp
• 'B.' was Beatrice May Rose Camp

Laurens, N.Y.
June 24, 1941

Dear Olive,

I was pleased to get your note from Mr. Lalot.

I know you are very thin but you will soon gain.  You are thin and I'm fat.  I weighed 120 1/2 pounds when I came home.  Is your stomach better?  Maybe you have jaundice again.  I wish I could come see you again.  I don't see why Carson didn't come in to see you Sunday.  He was in the hospital when I was.  Flo said you were better yesterday.  I'm so glad!  I can't wait for you to get home.  I wish you were here, too.  I could stand some help but if you were just here to look at Harriet once in a while and tell me she looked good, I'd feel better.  I get awful nervous sometimes.  I know she must be all right, though.  She eats like a pig; her bowels are good - not watery - she sleeps good - of course, like all bottle babies, she has lots of gas and sometimes regurgitates with gas.  She weighed 5 lbs 3 3/4 ounces Sunday a.m.  I haven't weighed her since.  This darned typhoid business makes me nervous, too.  I still

haven't heard from Miltie's specimen.  The one that was supposed to go today, I got out too late for Sam.  I have to step on it a.m.'s.  I thought Aunt Lu was going to help me a couple days but she hasn't shown up.  Dr. Murray was awful afraid I was going to roast her.  She didn't like my outing flannel diapers.  She wants me to get heavy cheese cloth.  Aunt Lu said she'd get it and make them.  I get awful tired.  It takes all my time to feed both, wash clothes, and fix formula.  I haven't got organised yet.  Dr. Murray was swell.  One of the nurses had knitted her a white bonnet.

I haven't heard from you or Walt today.  If I weren't so tired, I'd go down and see Walt and call Flo.  I was glad to see her last night.  She was in an awful hurry.  She made the basket, that Lena had and left torn and dirty, look like new.  I was glad as Dr. Murray made me bring it right up to the nursery.  I want you to see Harriet.  I think she is awfully cute.

Yes Olive, I have realized all too well that we have needed each other.  I have felt so helpless.  I have

had to practice good psychology.  I couldn't help you and I didn't want to hurt by baby.  If you were only better, how happy I'd be now.  So please don't worry; don't eat the food that you know isn't good for gall bladder and hurry up and come home.

Do you enjoy your radio?  Flo is good isn't she?

I must close now.  I have to put up Len's lunch and feed Harriet.  She gets fed 10 - 2 - 6 at night; 9, 12, 3, and 6 daytimes.

Would you like to have me come see you again?  I could come between the 12 and 3 feedings if you would like to have me.

Please hurry and get well.

Love,
B.

1934 3 29 Olive Schnack to Harriet Burgett

Spelling and grammar may change as I transcribe.  This letter originates in Laurens, Otsego County, New York and was mailed to Harriet at a Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California address.

My grandmother, 'Olive' Letha Rose Schnack, wrote this letter to her 'Aunt Hattie', Harriet More Burgett.  'Walt' is Olive's husband and my grandfather, Jochim Walter Schnack.  'Vivian' Eleanor Schnack Cope and Walter J. 'Junior' Schnack were their two children at that time.  'Bea' was Olive's sister, Beatrice May Rose Camp and 'Flo' was her sister, Florence Alice Rose Lawler.  'Ma Carrington' might be Sarah J. DeMond Carrington, the mother of 'Lena' Mae Carrington Rose.  'Clif' was Olive's brother and Lena's husband, Clifton More Rose.  'Dad Camp' might be George W. Camp, Beatrice's father-in-law.

I don't know who the 'Bs' are and I don't know who 'Ruth' is or how either of these relate to the family.  I'd be glad to read your suggestions in the comment field.

Something I found of interest...
In 1934, in New York alone, 10,670,325 pounds of butter were produced earning $2,880,988.  See page 2 at the following link.  http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/AgCensusImages/1935/03/05/1537/Table-10.pdf 

Laurens, N.Y.
March 29, 1934

Dear Aunt Hattie,

I wrote you a letter about two weeks ago but didn't look at your last letter for the address.  I thought I could remember it but guess I'm not as smart as I thought I was because it came back.

I'm working awfully hard now and so is Walt.  We are milking three cows now and I have to help in the morning.  I churn about three times a week and am getting so I can make pretty good butter.  Last week I sold five pounds and there will be more this week.  Flo

bought some.  We have six fine baby heifers which we are going to raise.

Two weeks ago I got 150 baby chicks.  They were dandies.  I haven't lost a single one yet and how they grow.  They keep me busy, too.

Yesterday morning, Vivian went to school with Junior so she could get vaccinated.  She had such a wonderful time that she cried when I wouldn't let her go in the afternoon.  This afternoon, she and I went down to school to the Easter program.  The first grade sang two cute Easter songs and Junior was a rabbit in a little first grade play.  I had to make a hat for

him to wear.

I received your card the other day.  The B's don't get a chance to quiz me.  I don't believe I've seen any of them since you have been gone.  I am glad to hear Ruth came through her operation so nicely.  You must manage to keep quite busy.  But, I can just imagine that it won't be long before your thoughts turn toward your flower garden.  I'm afraid mine won't amount to much; probably a lot of the perennials froze out because it was so beastly cold.

Bea has been to Grand

Gorge three weeks tomorrow and nothing yet as far as I know.  I stopped in at Ma Carrington's last week.  She is worse than seven year's itch.  But, I suppose it is only human nature for her to think only of Lena.  I'm afraid Clif is in bad shape.  He has symptoms of angina pectoris but it seems as if he is too young for that.  Dad Camp has been ordered to lay off for two months.  He has angina and one day at work he very nearly died.  I don't know what would happen to the family if he were taken away, do you?

Walt will finish papering the dining room

tomorrow.  It surely is going to change that room unbelievably.  He started it last week but he doesn't get a chance at it during the week as he doesn't get through all his chores until after 8 o'clock.

Emilee Smith sent me a box last week with fifteen dresses in it.  About half of them will be house dresses and the rest good ones.  Two of them are so fancy I probably won't wear them much.  It was a big help as I needed them.  I invested five dollars in art_ _ _ and oxfords last month and I have made good use of

them already.

We are all anxious to have you back.  It seems like a long time.  Jr. and Vivian send kisses and thanks for their cards.

Write if you get a chance.

Love,
Olive

P.S.
Just found the other letter I wrote that came back to me so I'll send that along, too.