International Talk Like A Pirate Day 2011 Premiere Video!

The Secret's out!

Yeah......so you guys might want to check out Foxmorton & Crew in the newly released ITLAPD video!

'Cause, we rock!

And so do our ever-lovin' mates! You'll think they're awesome! (Because they ARRRRRRRR!)

http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

 It's right on the front page!


And remember:
Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day-September 19-Please comply.
xoxoxo
~Foxmorton

From Chumbucket:
It's the "International Talk Like a Pirate Day Drunken Sailor Sing-Along a Go Go!" – edited by Mad Sally and featuring more than 30 separate clips of more than 50 pirates, four rubber chickens, Pandaboy, a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist and a beer swillin' pig. They come from all over the U.S. – from the Virgin Islands to Seattle, from Los Angeles to upstate New York, with stops all over the country and more than a few surprises! The entire crew of The Pirate Guys LLC – Ol' Chumbucket and Slappy, Mad Sally and a version of Jezebel the Web Wench are all represented. There are professional singers (thank Neptune!) and enthusiastic amateurs, all havin' grand fun with one of the best-known, best-loved sea songs of all time.

Dancing Bunny Ballerina Pirate Vest...and Nana

I just had occasion to comment on my Facebook:  "Yeah.  Not a lot of call for dancing bunny ballerina pirate vests."  lol

It made me smile.

And I could use a good smile today.  Me Mum, who is 100 (I was adopted late-I'll leave ye to the math) took a turn these past two days and well......you can figure what we thought was coming.  But it didn't.  And she rallied.  And she may be 100 but she's still me Mum.  And losing yer Mum hurts.  No matter.

So, that gave me occasion to post on me dear mate Cap'n Slappy's Facebook:  "I can't believe I've got to go to ANOTHER hospital and register as a pirate so they won't give Nana Daisy Rose (me Mum) the old dementia stink eye whence she starts telling the nurses her daughter is a pirate and *&^% you tell me any different."

Of course at the last hospital several years ago no one believed her.

It caused a ruckus.

That's putting it mildly.

You don't know me Mum.

Funny how we judge our elderly, eh?  I happened to come to visit one day while she was in the bathroom with a nurse and the conversation was a riot.  Except it wasn't when I realized that they had her pegged for loony tunes.  Which she can be sometimes....just not about that.

Her daughter IS a pirate.  Pirates DO come to her home.  I DO sail on a real pirate ship.  And she, herself, has dressed as a pirate on more than one occasion.  And she likes it.

 Now this revelation forced me to swagger on down to the nurses station and have them write in red ink-underlined thrice on her chart-Daughter IS a pirate!"

Which I did again today.

The nurse thanked me. Me tattoo (Pirate Girl) eases the way for them a bit.)  ;)

Now, how does this relate to:  Dancing bunny ballerina pirate vest you ask?  Well, I'll tell you.

After I commented to Slappy, he commented to me:  "Aye! And I think to add to the confusion - ye register as a pirate dressed as a ballerina. (But talking like a pirate.) And when they finally recognize yer pirattitude ... twirl, leap and flutter away yelling, "THIS DOESN'T MEAN NOTHIN'! I'M STILL A PIRATE!"

So, yeah.  That's how that happened.  But wait!  There's more!

It just so happens that I own a dancing bunny ballerina pirate vest.

Seriously.

I use it in my Pirates of CHAOS Bookeneer reading program.  You know:  "We've got library carrrrrds and we know how t' use 'em!"  (premise being we don't need to read about pirates-we already know about pirates-but each of us has something secret they want to learn-Cap'n Foxmorton's secret wish is to be a ballerina and the library provides us with the treasure of words.)

And so because, as my lovely daughter points out, everything comes full circle, here it is.

And it was a funny way to get there.

I know not what the next hours, days, weeks, perhaps even months (or years?) will bring but I do know that me Mum ranks right up there with the strongest and bravest of pirates.  Always has.  All her life.  And when the day comes that she decides to weigh anchor and sail on her own to Mingulay I'll stand on the shore with me tankard raised and bid her a hearty Yo-ho!  And, in spite of me tears, I'll smile.

MF
2011

"In a beautiful blue lagoon on a clear day, a fine sailing ship spreads its brilliant white canvas in a fresh morning breeze sails out to the open sea.

We watch her glide away magnificently through the deep blue and gradually see her grow smaller and smaller as she nears the horizon.

Finally, where the sea and sky meet, she slips silently from sight; and someone near me says, 'There, she is gone!'

Gone where? Gone from sight, that is all.

She is still as large in mast and hull and sail, still just as able to bear her load. And we can be sure that, just as we say, 'There, she is gone!' another says, 'There, she comes!!!' "

--- Unknown

Vintage World

This photo called to me at a rogue estate sale this weekend.

$1

Wish I could share more visual detail with you all. Note the lady on the porch and the man with the Mad Hatter black hat and (possibly?) tattered tails holding the white horse.

The pic is age-fused to the mat so I will never know if it was dated.

Also, the pic is not that spectacular and yet someone thought to lovingly frame it.
 
 I long to know more..........
 
But nevertheless, that is the intrigue of treasure hunting and it shall have an honored place in my home.

GOATS & PIRATES & CRYPTS, OH MY!

Here's just a tease of my Beekman 1802 trip this week!

Jolly Crackers, me loyal and devoted swab, (he's only allowed a feather duster since The Incident.  Aye, The Incident-though thankfully not at Beekman....) and Mistress Fortunes (ship's less than accurate fortune teller) and me best mate and galley mistress, Weevils, sailed with me to the FABULOUS land of Goats & Cheese!

For a full account and pics as well sail on over to:
http://thegoatborrower.blogspot.com/2011/08/beekman-1802-and-lots-of-goats.html

And, for the Artsy Version check out:
http://collagepirate.blogspot.com/2011/08/beekman-1802-artsy-side.html


You won't be sorry!
(Sorry, like Jolly Crackers was after The Incident.  Aye, the Incident.  Though thankfully not at Beekman......)

Fair Winds and a followin' sea......
~Cap'n Foxmorton

Grandma's Dishes

In my on-going quest to log a great many of my treasures (ain't bloggin' grand?!) I stumbled upon this delicate china set.

Given to me by my Mom, who has just turned 100 years old, (remember-I'm adopted-so do the math)
I have had them for a good 20 years.  They survive every move by traveling on my lap with the final load.
They belonged to her Mother.  (so do that math!)

Oddly, for all my collections, I don't own a china cabinet.  I suppose I'm going to have to start working on that. 

SERENDIPITOUS BOOTY

Ah, silly Serendipity, how I love thee.

Just days after reading the article about transferware and then discovering I already own a set I, of course, indulged my thrift habit and went in search of more china......because, as we all know, I need more thrift in my house.

Now, this whole transfer thing could be quite like white Volkswagons-you don't notice them until someone mentions them-but I was completely bowled over to find, just sitting there, these amazing pieces.  And (bonus!) two of the pieces had a nautical theme!  Can you say:  pirate?

So, I share with you my Serendipitous Booty of the day!

Platter: (on back)
 FAIR WINDS
 Original copper engravings depicting Historical scenes of Chinese export to America
USS Delaware capturing LeCroyable
Alfred Meakin Staffordshire England

Plate:  (on back)
THE FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM
Original copper engravings depicting Historical scenes of Chinese Export to America
Alfred Meakin Staffordshire England

This piece, although I know is quite worn, presented itself as quite a bit older than the others and I was intrigued by the markings on the back.  In addition to the company there is also a unique potter's mark that looks somewhat like a pressed key indentation.  At any rate, it called to me and so came home to live in my plate rack.  I hope she's happy there.

Plate (on back)
Furnivals
Versailles
R.N.
England 221872
(you can just see the potter's mark to the right)

And last, but not least, the Ever Odd Bit that always manages to find me called out from a dusty bottom shelf.  Who, I mean really, who? throws something like this away?  It was just begging to live with me!  AND to be used quite soon at a fancy summer outing!

Oh, right.  And how could I leave this behind?  I mean, really, could you?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pour a cup of tea, grab a plate of cookies, sit in some Battenburg shade and Google the word:  Hoarder.  ;)

UNEXPECTED TREASURE

So, treasures come in the most unexpected places.  Sometimes you have a treasure and you don't even know it.

An article in one of my artsy-fartsy magazines brought my attention to transferware, the art of transfering design by thin copper plate to dishware.  The method made these patterns more affordable to the masses, who couldn't pay the cost of hand painted china.

Cool.

But the pictures posted with the article were of dishes I already owned!

Seriously!

I grew up with these dishes and generally paid them no mind.  I remember my Mom being in her glory when Dad purchased them for her but, quite honestly, never gave them much thought other than to eat from them.

Years and years later, after my Dad's passing, my Mom, in a fit it seemed of discarding everything she ever owned, packed the dishes and sent them to my house.  I was slightly shocked but grateful and used the plates as everyday china for ages.  Again, not much to say about them.  They held food nicely.

I used them up until 2002 when I impulse purchased an inexpensive set of china with a spiral pattern from Pier 1.  I was big on spirals at the time.  I carefully wrapped up my Mom's china and packed it away.

And there it's stayed.

Until this morning when I read the article.

I've always had a soup bowl (the perfect size for a hat pattern tracing) and a platter (great for a matching hat brim) from the set that didn't make it to storage so I popped the bowl out of the cupboard and here's what I found:

The bottom reads:

ROMANTIC ENGLAND

Warwickshire 16th Century

West Gate and Leicester Hospital

~In 1571 the Earl of Leicester endowed as old soldiers home.

English Ironstone

J & G Meakin

England

I was in a rush to snap this to post but a quick peek at the platter appears to

indicate that when I unpack the china I'll find completely different scenes from

different times and areas.  Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the research and discovery.

Unpacking that box has definitely moved to my Top Five Thing To Do This Summer!

Hmm.   Now where can I find a cheap china cabinet?