I normally don't pay any attention to the statistics of this blog but I recently became aware of how much attention one long ago post has received. I had yet another email about it which piqued my interest so I did some digging. The Canadian Needle Nana post that has garnered the most page views by far, over 15,000, wasn't because of the stitching life I share. It is this one published May 23, 2019-
Links, Woolworth's Famous Cheesecake, Flowers At Last (Update, thank you for letting me know there might be an issue with this link. I've therefore added it to the featured post spot on the right there.)
In that post I talked about how Mom was a Woolworth's shop girl for 25 years. I made the Woolworth's icebox cheesecake and shared the recipe. I did share what I was stitching but that was an aside to what captured attention.
I've also gotten the most emails by far about that post. Yes it was definitely the Woolworth's connection that drew all the attention. I didn't know that Woolworth's was all over the world. I heard from lots who had worked at Woolworth's- first job for many and as teenagers often. I heard about mothers, grandmothers and favourite aunties who worked there. And what people ordered at the famous lunch counter. The Woolworth's Cheesecake recipe also garnered a lot of comments and questions. So many said it was a happy walk down memory lane for them. What a treat that all has been for me and nothing I've written about since has struck such a chord. So thank you!
Now on to other happy things...
I just love when I find a new (to me) artist and a very special one. Rien Poortvliet is a Dutch artist and considered one of the greatest nature/wildlife painters- a fellow who never had a drawing lesson in his life. Can he ever paint fur! But it was his paintings/drawings of the fanciful creatures, Gnomes, that brought him international fame.
Here is a poster of one of his paintings. It can be purchased at Fine Art America and if you google his name, you will find YouTube videos of him, a most modest fellow. Rien believes every painting should tell a story. I just love this deer!
33 comments :
Woolworth's was full of fun memories here too, they had the best banana splits at their food counter. That's way too much snow!
I have a lot of good memories from shopping at Woolworths. I remember the open displays of little toys and I could pick out the one I liked best. Now everything is packaged and I have to buy 10 of something to get the one. Good memories.
I used to love Woolworth's! I miss those found counters that so many stores used to have. I love your cross stitch project. Such a pretty needle book!
I remember the cheesecake we had a Woolworth's in Wisconsin too - my uncle was a manager of one many years ago. Isn't it funny what can draw the attention to a blog. Your snow looks pretty but I bet like us you want spring to come
Thanks for sharing your most famous post. I remember Woolworths but don't think I was a big shopper there. I got a kick out of your husband's photo. I didn't read what you wrote until after I checked out the photo. My thought was he's got to be tall -- but not knowing how big the trees were I had no reason to think that. You verified it with words. Still don't know what made me think he was tall... I'm very happy you are getting the snow and not sending it to my area below Washington, DC. Happy quilting this week.
Great cross stitch progress!
I somehow missed your original post about Woolworth's and the link you've included doesn't work. (I see "Sorry, the page you were looking for in this blog does not exist" when I use the link.) We never ate at the Woolworth's counter (and would love to see their cheesecake recipe) but we often shopped there. It was a child's paradise when we didn't have much money.
I love Poortvliet's paintings and illustrations. His gnomes are wonderful as is the deer you've posted here, but my favorite of his illustrations is of an ungroomed but delightful Airedale (my favorite breed!). (See here: https://www.etsy.com/ie/listing/155657509/airedale-terrier-by-rien-poortvliet-1983?ref=reviews).
what's it like being married to a gnome, a giant gnome! Guess you "travel a lot?" lol
love your pics always
I have a cheesecake recipe from a friend, maybe some 35 years ago, I always called it " Connie's recipe" but the Woolworths one is so like it, I'm guess as we had Woolworths down here in NZ then, now called Countdown, that would be where she found it.Never fail, always so yummy it doesn't have any kept for another day. The painting. out of all of his, this would be my pick.
I love Rien Poortvliet - my parents have a few of his books and I enjoy looking through them every now and then... That is such a sweet needlebook! Very clever use of scraps! xx
The Rien Poortvliet painting and your colourful stitchery is just the ticket to lift our spirits in these disturbing times, Jocelyn! Thank you! I still pine for those chocolate milkshakes from the Woolworths lunch counter. (Also the yummy hot sandwiches.)
15K is a lot of views Jocelyn! For some reason I wasn't able to access your link, but I did a search on your blog and found the post. I also found your Mother's recipe for cheesecake, so I'll save that one too! My goodness you have a lot of snow. Your husband is a nice looking gentleman and so tall! I bet you make a striking couple. Love your progress on the sampler. Take care!
I love the Rien Poortvliet picture! I’d walk every day too if I had such a gorgeous place to walk! My once tall hubby has shrunk too! He was dismayed to have lost nearly 2 inches when they measured at his last doctor’s appt. I’m sure I have too! Love your needle book! I need one just for my cross stitch and tapestry needles. It on my mental to-do list!
LOVE that you created something SEW useful with some of your smallest fabric scraps!! Thanks for sharing your new needle book with the February 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge, Jocelyn. Happy stitching!
I don't think I ever had cheesecake growing up. What I do recall eating at Woolworth's is hotdogs. They had a machine on which the hotdogs were grilled and it turned like a rotisserie. I walked down to the Village Hall to pay the water bill yesterday and wished again that I had warmer clothes for winter walking. Stay warm, I'm guessing this latest storm is coming your way, although we've had much less snow than was predicted, at least so far.
Pat
How fascinating, Jocelyn!! Woolworth! Gosh, I hadn't thought about their food counter, and how we used to visit it when I was a small child. So very long ago - and I've never had their cheesecake but I will happily check out the link. Ice cleats! Yes, I do remember having them as a child as well. Not that they would fit me now, but I do wonder what happened to them. Thank you again for the Cubii link! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
How funny about that old post. Yes, we have Woolies over here too. I do love the painting. He captures the expressions so well. That does look a tad chilly outside. Stay warm and enjoy working on that stitchery.
Another blogger posted this week about Woolworth's cheesecake too! (I don't remember who though.) We had Sanders' hot fudge, a local Detroit favorite, on cream puffs with ice cream as a very special treat there. I remember the donut-making machine too; watching the cakes in oil as thy circled around, then being flipped automatically to brown the other side. Yum!
I remember Woolworths! Isn't that fun, to have so many hits on that post.
Your needlework is amazing.
I love your little needle book using up every scrap of tiny fabric and it has turned out so pretty. I well remember Woolworths and how many a teenage school leaver chose to work there, although I don´t remember the shop selling food - maybe I was more interested in the earings etc. at the time.
How fun, we grew up with the books illustrated by Rien Poortvliet ( 1932- 1995) he has his own museum here in the Netherlands.
Your cross stitch is going to be awsome!
What a great memory - my mother used to make that Woolworth's dessert and it was SO good. I haven't made it in years so might just have to get inspired.
You've made great headway on your floral sampler - it's looking wonderful. I have toyed with doing a sampler over the years but never could settle on a design that I really liked. There are simply too many nice ones out there!
Your needlebook is lovely and WOW, that cross stitch is gorgeous! I didn't realize you were in Ottawa -- I visited your city once when my sister's family was living there in the early 2000s. It sure is beautiful with all of that lovely snow. In the Southern U.S. the trees are budding up and it's raining all day today, turning my back yard into a mud pit. :-)
Hi Jocelyn,
The picture of the deer and gnome is awesome, so life like. And your Cross Stitch is coming along nicely. Love flowers in February...so cheery. Your Needle Books is so pretty. I really need to make a few of those. That's lots of snow. We have about 4 or 5 inches on the ground now. It's suppose to warm up to the 40's and 50's this coming week, hopefully it will all melt. Have a great day!
I remember going to Woolworths and loving to get their fried clams for lunch! I've never seen this recipe for cheesecake but will definitely save it. I've never heard of Rien Poortvliet but love that little gnome in that picture! Have a great week and happy stitching!
Many MANY memories of Woolworths from my childhood. My Mother loved to eat there! I remember where they had a separate area for others. Of Course this was before the Civil Rights took effect in the USA. As a child I did not really understand the separate but equal. But that was life then and life now is much different.
Nice post! Love your sampler! Hugs
Fabulous photo of your husband....and yes he certainly is not gnome size. We have Woolworths here in Australia, but they never had a cafeteria. Such a pity, as the cheesecake certainly sounds like a winner. As a little girl I always made a beeline for the toy department. Oh my, the artworks of Rien Poortvliet are magical. The deer is sublime. Cute little needle book cover. Those petals fashioned from little scraps of fabric are lovely and as for your Floral Motif embroidery....it is looking beautiful.
I always loved to go to the city and visit Woolworth's It was a treat if we got to go with my Great Aunt because that meant we could sit at the counter and eat there. Lol. What delights a young mind. Your needle book is fabulous. I love the whimsy of the design. Happy quilting.
Woolworths, from long ago and far away memories! Will try to sort out the rest of the recipe, would not open, so I can try this one!
We had a Woolworths here on Long Island, NY when I was a little girl. I don't think we ever ate at the lunch counter though. That cheesecake recipe looks tasty. I love that artwork! How adorable and that deer looks so realistic. Your sampler makes me smile as it reminds me of the very first cross-stitch (it was stamped) that I made as a child. The motifs are very similar. It still hangs in my house.
We had a Woolworths, but also a Newberry's which was nearby. My mom would buy fabric to make me dresses there. Such awesome memories from so many people. Oh the gnome piece is awesome, and he does have a knack for fur.
What a gorgeous little needle case!
I really enjoyed reading your blog post about the most popular post by far. Your writing style is so easy to read and you share a lot of interesting information I didn't know about the Dutch culture. The way you got to the most popular post by far was interesting and unexpected and I loved reading the story. Woven Pot Holders
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