A Nod to Napco (National Potteries Corporation) โค๏ธ๐Ÿคโค๏ธ

By Gail Moore Woltkamp It simply wouldnโ€™t be Christmas without her. The vintage ceramic โ€œcold paintโ€ angel passed down to me from my grandmother is a keepsake I look forward to displaying year after year. Aside from her festive style and intricate design, itโ€™s her signature Napco marking that confirms her authenticity to prime collectors.Continue reading “A Nod to Napco (National Potteries Corporation) โค๏ธ๐Ÿคโค๏ธ”

Landmarks Lost : Reflections of a Kansas Town ๐ŸŒป๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŒป

By Gail Moore Woltkamp Notable landmarks that were once part of my life and neighborhood while growing up in Independence, Kansas, are now gone. Some, I consider historically significant, not only to my life, but to the town and to the state of Kansas. Mercy Hospital ๐Ÿฉต Something that seemed unprecedented, from the time ofContinue reading “Landmarks Lost : Reflections of a Kansas Town ๐ŸŒป๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŒป”

For the Love of Northeast Oklahoma ๐Ÿ’š

Although I am a native of Southeast Kansas, part of my familyโ€™s history is deeply rooted thirty miles south and across the state line into Northeast Oklahoma. My dadโ€™s paternal grandparents owned a family farm and ranch in Oklahomaโ€™s Washington County, (thirty miles northeast of the larger Osage County), from the early 1900s through theContinue reading “For the Love of Northeast Oklahoma ๐Ÿ’š”

Guess Whose Parents Remind Me of My Own ๐Ÿงก

Have you ever sat down and watched Spencer Tracyโ€™s final speech at the end of โ€œGuess Whoโ€™s Coming to Dinnerโ€? You should. As late to the party as it sounds, everyone should see this movie. Combine Tracyโ€™s eloquence and thought-provoking dialogue with knowledge that the actor was ill through the entire making of the filmContinue reading “Guess Whose Parents Remind Me of My Own ๐Ÿงก”

Worth Every Trip โค๏ธ

By Gail Moore Woltkamp In my very early childhood, my grandmother and I would walk a few residential blocks from my house, pass by several store fronts, including my dadโ€™s barbershop, to the Woolworthโ€™s store in downtown Independence, Kansas. Once reaching our destination, our shopping experience was never disappointing. Sweeper bags, hula hoops, aspirin orContinue reading “Worth Every Trip โค๏ธ”