Today's vintage valentine
Cottage Life
This is our "lil' Stanley". Growing up in the Northwest it seems we've always a stanley around. They were usually battered, having been run over once or twice or wedged between a rock and a hard place after falling off a moving pickup truck. They were never washed out with soap. Rinse only. The decades long accumulation of coffee oils added to the flavor.
Lil' Stanley being filled with morning coffee
The trademark green hammered metal canister always conjures up the smell of cedar sawdust and chainsaw oil from my childhood days growing up around loggers and "shake rats". Lil' stanley has a great handle, an extra wide mouth and is really made for soup but It keeps my coffee hot and I like the big cup. This one is "Railroad" stanley...
My son Will gave it to me when I was working for Union Pacific. And yes son, I know that if I post pictures of trains I might be considered a "Foamer"
These are hobbyists who enjoy railroading and railroad operations.
Though the association is always made with reference to "foamers," as frothing at the mouth as would a rabid dog, but the truth is, that isn't how the term originated.
The Western Pacific (now the UP) runs the "Feather River Route" eastward along the Feather River to Portola and beyond. The timber industry has now been gutted, but at the time there were a lot pollutants being dumped into the river upstream, primarily waste from mills and stagnant log ponds.
This caused the formation of copious amounts of foam in back washes and eddies along the river, a favorite place for rail buffs and photographers.
Often times, these people would wade into the river to get the right angle for a photo, usually knee deep or deeper amidst the foam, hence the moniker was applied; "Foamers." Its meaning has been upgraded to describe an over zealous aficionado of rail operations.
You needed a thermos that could keep a lot of coffee hot for a very long time just in case your train got held up in the mountains. All the large stanleys that I remember growing up ended up with makeshift handles held on by plumber's straps, or baling wire. Most were accompanied by one of these...
Before and After
Railroad Stanley
Before
Straight out of camera
After
A Stanley sketch with added color.... I know but it's been a long week. Work with me here.
"Not so"Healthy Choices
Okay. So this was the snack at class yesterday. 'nough said.
Hmmm... Pause for Thought
in keeping with the "stanley" and valentine theme...
Until next time...
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