This is what a brain looks like

Out yesterday doing some shopping and came across these neat old Denoyer-Geppart anatomical models.
These are the hard plastic (or some are porcelain) take-apart models we all used in science classes.
Do schools still use these? I feel like this is something that's probably been replaced by a computer program. I know that at my college they still used skulls and bones for my anthropology class.
There are obvious reasons why these old models are collectible. First, they are macabre and cool looking.
Who doesn't want to set a head and brain on a shelf. It is quite the conversation piece.
Second, there is some historical value now that they have ben used less often due to technological advancements.
And lastly, since they were primarily used by elementary and junior high school students, there is plenty of nostalgic value.

Buttons Buttons

I'm always in need of vintage buttons to replace missing ones on my clothes. My mom picked up this button collection for me the other day. I've got them all sorted and now I can get started sewing!

Another awesome photo album

I'm such a sucker for old photos. Alanna hates it because I keep buying these boxes and boxes of old photos.
They're not great sellers, but I'm soooo addicted to them.
We were in Dodge City yesterday and stopped by the antique mall. I saw this great photo album the last time we were in there and I finally pulled the trigger.
It looks like it was a family in Dodge City, probably with some money. Nice house and a series of travel photos.
Also someone in the family went to Southwestern College.
Lots of REALLY neat ones.

Couple of neat old movie flyers

I was out at a local yard sale on Thursday and purchased these couple of old movie flyers.
They are not official studio posters. They are, more likely duplicates made by the local theater. The Twilight Theatre was the only theatre in Greensburg from 1917 until the 2007 tornado. It's possible that these we're made locally ( possibly on The Signal printing press) then hung and handed out around town.
The first flyer is a movie called Man of the Forest (1933) starring Randolph Scott. Scott later became a pretty if western film star.
The second one is from a film called Smokey River Serenade ( 1948) starring Ruth Terry.
These are REALLY neat because they were supposed to be thrown away once the movie ran. Someone saved them and preserved them. Pretty cool.

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in another world

When we first moved to Kansas everything was strange and/or amazing. I would equate it to when a country person moves to the city.
For them it's like "what do you mean I can get corn dogs at two am?"
For me it was like "120 acres is a SMALL farm?"
After living here a year, some of the newness had warn off, but on occasion
I turn the corner on a dirt road and I end up somewhere like this.

TREASURE HUNT: box of old 1930-1940 kansas family photos

Geez Louise I love old photos!
There is something extremely satisfying about holding a old photograph in my hand. The texture, the yellowing of old photochemicals, there's something really special about them.
In the digital age, photos have become information and data. I'm not anti-technology by any means. I love my Canon 7d and I have long acknowledged the enevitable eradication of photo chemical photography. It's going to happen.
But that doesn't mean I won't have a soft spot for traditional photography for the rest of my life.
Often when we are out, we find boxes of old photos. Once cherished they are usually viewed by younger generations as "garbage" that takes up too much space. If the family is smart, they will try to sell them and I purchase them whenever I am able.
We found this lot at an estate sale. The family didn't want them and we purchased them on the cheap.
Alot of them were just snapshots of family cars and brothers and sisters. But there are usually a few gems.
This lot also came with a stack of cabinet cards, which are always neat to look at.
Well divide them up into lots and probably put them on the etsy store for other people to enjoy.
I LOVE old photographs, do you?

TREASURE HUNT: Owls, some toys and a wicked old pillow case

We were out hunting for treasure in Wednesday, traveling north and east from Greensburg.
We went to an estate sale and stopped into a Goodwill and came home with a few neat treasures.
I really like the set of weird ceramic owls.

The overwhelming awesomeness of my first mancave

In the city there's a premium on space. Especially when you rent and I've always been a renter. I've also only lived in two of the highest rent cities in the country, Boston and LA.

Here in Kansas all they have is space. Space is to southwestern Kansas as pavement is to the city, there is way too much of it.

When Alanna and I moved into the house we had five bedrooms. Yes, five bedrooms. Five. Think about that. Oh, and no roommates.

In Boston a five bedroom is good for six roommates atleast, assuming there is only one couple and there is never only one couple.

In our last apartment we had one room. Not one bedroom, one room with a big bookcase that separated a "living room" and a "bedroom." I think it might have been 600-700 square feet.

So when we moved in we set to divide up our abundance of rooms. Alanna got two, we used one for storage and a photo studio and I got... drumroll please, a mancave.

First in my life. A whole room for Pat. Patroom. Pats Playhouse. Me, mine, mee mee.

Then I realized that with greater house space comes greater responsibility.

I am embarrassed to say that the room is still not complete ( although after talking with friends, most mancaves are never finished).

But one shelf is right as rain. Cooler than the other side of the pillow and jive like a jimmy jam.

See if you can pick out all of the wonderful treasures on my shelf.

There is one very cool toy I'm going to post about later. Can you guess which one it is?

What is an essential part of your mancave?