The Thankerchief™
If the dark cloud of COVID-19 has a silver lining, surely the gestures of kindness and generosity, from nation to nation, neighbor to neighbor, reflect the best in mankind. So many are sacrificing so much, we cannot thank them enough. To assist in that endeavor, we present the Thankerchief™ to honor for our front-line heroes – doctors, nurses, first-responders, firefighters, law enforcement, military, and more, along with our personal heroes – parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, and all who deserve our unending thanks. In addition to saying Thank You in 56 languages, it holds...
Read MoreThe Amazing Handkerchief
You’re familiar with “amuse bouche” – a sumptuous little treat for the mouth; well, we’re providing you with “amuse yeux” a little treat for the eyes. We can only provide a small sampling, but the archives are so vast, we hope it whets your visual appetite to delve deeper into the world of fashion and flirtation via the delightful, demure, yet seductive handkerchief. Photographing the exhibit at the San Francisco Public Library was a challenge due to reflections off the display cases, but we hope these snippets will give you some idea of what’s...
Read MoreTexas & The West
We’ve traveled through Kansas and Oklahoma in our sojourn west, and I’m sure a few Texans are wondering when we’re going to give a tip of the ten gallon to the Lone Star State where The Stars at Night are Big and Bright. (Sorry, couldn’t resist. Did you know there are 100++ songs devoted to Texas? from Abilene to Amarillo, Big D to Brownsville, Galveston to La Grange, Luckenbach to San Antonio…Texans love to sing about their state!). There’s just so much to see and do there. If ever you find yourself in Texas, I’d strongly recommend a road trip of this fantastic state. Some...
Read MoreThe Prairie
The Prairie “… a region so quiet and pristine that we have the sense of being the first human beings ever to set foot in it. We fall silent ourselves in its midst, as if conversation in a place of such primeval solitude would be like talking in church.” Jim Fergus, The Wild Girl We began our cross country junket in Kansas, and as we trek across the prairie, we soon encounter cowboys for this is their terrain, filled with long dusty days and cool starlit nights. Often filled with songs around the campfire… “Where the leather is scarred, there is a great story to tell.” Jimmy Tart...
Read MoreKansas & Missouri – America’s Heartland
In this land of plenty we have extoled the beauty of the “fruited plain” and now turn our attention to the grandeur of the “amber waves of grain”. Note the golden wheat featured on the prairie in this souvenir hankie, along with pioneers traveling the Santa Fe Trail, a miniscule oil well (gushing, no less!) and domed state capitol. Also note the American Flag at 12 o’clock marking the geographic center of the U.S. We are indeed in the “heartland” of America. As discussed in our New York blog, these delicately embroidered hankies were never utilitarian, but strictly for collecting and were...
Read MoreMemorial Day Video
“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers In the past we have paid tribute to the brave men and women who fight valiantly to preserve our freedom. Today, we’ve compiled those tributes into a YouTube video to showcases handkerchiefs from WWI and WWII. The musical accompaniment is “Hymn to the Fallen” sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. As you view the video, you’ll...
Read MoreInsects
Having lauded the glories of gardens and the virtues of vegetables, it’s time to acknowledge those who make it all possible…no, not gardeners….think smaller………..infinitely smaller………yep, insects. Those most beautiful pollinators – butterflies are frequently featured on handkerchiefs. “Butterflies are not insects… they are self propelled flowers.” Robert A. Heinlein, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls Their inspiring metamorphosis from crawling creature to winged wonder has led several cultures to imbue them with the symbolism of rebirth and new beginnings, which is why butterfly images are...
Read MoreFruits and Veggies
Is there anything better than fresh corn, asparagus or vine ripened tomatoes in summer? Fresh blueberry, cherry or strawberry rhubarb pie? Fresh peaches in August? We’re approaching the season that is truly “ripe” with pleasure. You can tout all the highfalutin’ flash freeze phenomena you want; nothing beats the real deal ripe off the vine. “The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all…Without proper care for it we can have no community, because without proper care for it we can have no life.” Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America: Culture and...
Read MoreBotanical Beauty
The season of growth and reawakening has arrived. A time when the sun warms both the earth and our spirits, and drops us at the doorstep of restoration. Gardens have for centuries nourished and sustained, inspired and enriched our spirit. They provide both playground and classroom for endless learning. From Buitchart to Boboli to Shalimar Bagan, from Versailles to Villa D’Este, from Giverny to Exbury and beyond. We’ll focus less on the manicured masterpieces of world renown, and instead spotlight the simple pleasures we can all enjoy. As far back as 450 B.C. the book of Ecclesiastes...
Read MoreThink Pink
Once upon a time long ago in a land far, far away known as Dallas, there lived a beautiful young girl named Brandes (rhymes with Candace) who adored the color pink. From the tip of her little knit cap to the bows on her teensy slippers – pink. Her jammies, blankie, teddy bear, and bedroom – pink; her petticoat, sweater, suitcase, even her Christmas stocking – pink! Methinks perhaps she was on to something and wise beyond her years. Tailors and couturiers have known for eons that the rosy hue flatters everyone, men and women alike, enhancing every skin tone. (Ever seen Oprah in raspberry?...
Read MoreNew Orleans
It’s no surprise that a city as diverse in culture, cuisine and citizenry requires multiple monikers to capture is magic. New Orleans is known by turns as “The Big Easy’, The Birthplace of Jazz”, “The Little Paris of the New World”, “Mardi Gras City” and “The City that Care Forgot”. The current favorite sobriquet? – “The Big Easy”. In the early 1900’s New Orleans had a dance hall named The Big Easy, but it wasn’t until 70 years later, when Betty Guillaud, columnist for the Times-Picayune used the term to compare New York (The Big Apple) to New Orleans (The Big Easy) that the name took...
Read MoreSan Francisco II
“Leaving San Francisco is like saying goodbye to an old sweetheart. You want to linger as long as possible.” Walter Cronkite And linger we shall…with so many marvels to explore, the city requires an extended visit. In San Francisco I we found handkerchiefs that were virtual tourist guides, amassing dozens of highlights on a single canvas. The colorful compilation below has so much to say it has to start listing locations! Note the Fog is featured in its own special corner. Truly the mercurial mists are part and parcel of the city’s character, as so many visitors have declared. “We’ve never...
Read MoreSan Francisco I
“San Francisco, open your Golden Gate You’ll let no stranger wait outside your door San Francisco, here is your wanderin’ one Saying I’ll wander no more.” From the 1936 movie “San Francisco” music by Bronislaw Kaper and Walter Lurmann, lyrics by Gus Kahn Trying to describe the magic of San Francisco is impossible, as her features and flavors are endless and ever changing. We encountered this same conundrum when attempting to showcase New York; some places are simply beyond description. To keep the locals happy, however, we’ll do a quick fly-over before moving on. From the Golden Gate Bridge...
Read MoreLady Luck & Superstition
“Luck is a strong horse; it can carry a man to very distant places!” Mehmet Murat Ildan Is luck in the cards for you this year? In handkerchief’s heyday, a favorite Christmas stocking stuffer was a calendar hankie proffering best wishes and good luck. The Swiss German handkerchief above abounds with four leaf clovers and ladybugs. The comely miss needn’t fear having a black cat draped across her shoulders as the cards she’s holding are all Aces! Note how the months cleverly mimic playing cards. Note fashion hankies were still popular in 1968. Fanciful hankies were a go-to wingman for...
Read MoreA New Year is a Gamble
This sophisticated, celebratory hankie sends cheer and good wishes to the recipient in a multitude of languages. What a lovely gift to start off the New Year. “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” Oprah Winfrey Sparkling and effervescent, champagne epitomizes jubilation and revelry. The list of “best years” ends at 1949, which helps us date this charming accessory. This hankie is a hoot. Although the dice spell “Good Luck” this gentleman’s roll may have sentenced him to buying a Mathusalem or (gasp) a Nabuchodonosor for the celebration. Yikes! Seeing these...
Read MoreJoin the Conversation
