Re: Details of Clark Ashton Smith's life.
Posted by:
calonlan (IP Logged)
Date: 30 November, 2008 09:37AM
My grandmother refused to prepare oppossum because it's hands looked like a baby's hands to her - nevertheless, we often bought "rabbit" from the man who delivered coal, which dressed looked like rabbit, but was discovered as often to be cat. Ah the post-depression era!
As to "canned" food, that which has been referenced so far has to mean commercially "canned" food in metal (so called "tin") cans -- Clark's mother was an adept at "canning" in glass jars, as were most housewives after the advent of the glass jar and canning lid emerged - during the early years of my marriage, my wife and I had an extensive domestic garden and at one point had over 400 jars of "canned" goods in a storage room - green peas, peas, cherries, apple sauce, peaches, apple butter, pears, berrie
of various sorts and whole berries, juices - we made our own cider and Apple vinegar -
We also bottled our own beer (dark), made wine from everything (rose petals, rice, rose hips, cranberries -- we made our own pickles, slack lime sweets (what wouldn't I give for some of those now), and dill (old family recipes all) - we raised and butchered our own beef (jersey steer) and pork. Had a freezer full of our own fryers (did 100 in one day once, yuck) - had egg producing hens and ducks -
stored squash, potatoes, and yams, turnips, and onions -- you may be assured, Clark's Mom did very much the same, except for the meat in the freezer and butchering the larger animals - In addition, Auburn's climate was very agreeable for olives, and at the time I lived there they were produced commercially.
There was an olive tree, peach tree, and a couple of plum and pear varieties growing on the Smith 40 acres - and a limitless supply of blackberries. Canning in jars only requires a large pot, heat source, water, and tongs - plus a modicum of sugar and salt for most things - I might add that Clark loved pickled (german style) cabbage - and, though I don't think his mom made them, he liked the pickled watermelon rind my mom made - Clark gave my mother one of his carvings - small head Carol called "Dolup" - she gave it to my brother who, dear mercenary that he is, got a ridiculous price for it on ebay. (my brother hated picking blackberries - definitely an urban type).
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