sarah in nyc

 My husband and I (and truth be told) mostly my husband, have been rearranging and reorganizing now that there are only two of us living here.  I went through some of my treasure trove of vintage goodies. I picked these out to wash and iron and they will soon be put into rotation of use or display and other pieces that have been in heavy use will be put away to rest for a while. Each of these pieces is charming but each one also just raises questions that I have no answer for. If any of you can solve any of these puzzles I would be really grateful-- so here they are. Schmatta Puzzle # 1 These two pieces of unbleached embroidered linen embellished with crochet lace are clearly a set. But a set of what? I immediately thought that the smaller lozenge-shaped piece was a liner for a silver bread platter. I even had a choice of which one of my silver bread platters to use in the photo below. If that is the case, then what is the purpose of the larger scallop-edged piece?   The ...

 Monday was Tu B'shvat, the Jewish new year for the trees. When I went to Orthodox day school each student got a baggie filled with a piece of dried carob, a mini box of raisins and a tangerine. Inside the bag was a label identifying that this bag was a gift from the Leaf family in memory of  Clara Leaf. Being kids, we were often less than gracious about this annual gift. Most kids hated the carob and tossed it around the room. I loved the carob, there was something so cool about being able to put something that felt like wood into your mouth and have it be something to eat. I remember a tangerine fight in eighth grade that had a really messy ending. Each year we blacked out our teeth with the raisins. Decades later I realize that Clara Leaf's yahrzit was probably on Tu B'shvat. My mother used to mark her own mother's yahrzeit on Tu B'shbat. It was probably actually a day or two before or after. Every year on the Shabbat closest to Tu B'shvat my mother wou...

This wonderful cloth was given to me from my friend Vivian from her late mother's incredible stash of vintage linens. The style of the gryphons  makes me think that cloth was designed and embroidered around 1910. It is often at the center of our Shabbat table. When it gets soiled I hand wash it and iron it. This time the olive green braid fell off. The wide zig zagging embroidery that secured the trim to the cloth just rotted away. I removed the trim and discovered that it was actually made out of woven/braided copper wire. I scrubbed the tarnish off, ironed the cloth and sat down to re attach the trim. I used the line of discolored linen as my guide for attaching the braid. I stitched the braid with tiny tacks of metallic thread. As I worked I was able to look closely at the embroidery. I recalled that when this cloth was new in my household there were a few old tarnished sequins attached to the scales of the gryphons. ...

There are mitzvot that you need to do without thought of any reward. Bikur Cholim, visiting the sick is one of those mitzvot. Earlier in the week we went to visit our friend who is in the hospital in New Jersey. Our  formerly vital friend is indeed very ill and our visits have been distressing to my husband and for me.We have taken small comfort that our drive to the hospital has us drive through Paterson. Patterson had been the great center for silk weaving.  You can see how wealthy it once was. The stucco building in the foreground is the musician's union building. I don't know what the elegant factory behind used to produce. I love the ghost of a building visible below. We were glad that we spent time with our friend. Our drive through Patterson isn't exactly a reward but it makes the journey easier. Old abandoned brick  factories by a river just feel like home to me. My to do list these days is long. My nephew is getting married. His sweet bride lo...