BLOGGING
&
EXTENSION CLUBS
During the late 1960’s, when I was a young stay at home mom I was a charter member of a homemakers extension club. My two older daughters were not yet in school and my youngest was not born, when the women of our subdivision formed O’Fallon Hilltoppers Extension Club, through the University of Missouri Extension Division.
It occurs to me, the shelter/lifestyle blogging community is very similar to these clubs. Members of extension clubs met in each others homes, shared ideas, worked on crafts, stood by each other in times of need. My extension club friends were always available for any emergency. We shared life experiences, craft ideas, recipes, babysitting and in my case, my fellow members shared maternity clothes and passed along baby clothes and other things, when my youngest daughter was born, in 1971.
I was a member of O’Fallon Hilltoppers until 1973, when my first husband and I built a home, for our family, in the country. I have many happy memories of my years in the club.
Besides meeting in each others homes, we attended district meetings and other events.
One Achievement Day, my bread and butter pickles won Blue. That is a fun memory from when I did a lot of canning and preserving vegetables, grown in our gardens.
I remember when Missouri celebrated our Sesquicentennial in 1971. The O’Fallon Hilltoppers put together a display at one of the Saint Charles churches, using items from our homes, related to the “old days”. One of those items was my grandparents’ oak rocking chair. The chair has rocked our babies for over 100 years and continues it’s comfort to this day.
We dressed in pioneer style clothes, for the event, celebrating our state’s 150th anniversary.
Today, I believe home style blogs are an electronic version of extension clubs. Ordinary people sharing ideas and telling stories of their extraordinary lives.
I searched for information about the Hilltoppers, but didn’t find anything. I found a history of Miller County Extension Clubs. Click HERE to read about these clubs.
Burlap Pocket~The Schaefer House, Jefferson City Missouri (after Christmas sale)
Bandanas and Mats~Wal-mart
Flatware~HomeGoods
The chargers are platters I found online at Mikasa. The pattern is Nautica
Salad Plate and Mug-Ciroa Mila~HomeGoods
Dinner Plate~Mikasa French Countryside
Bowl~Corelle
Glassware~Old Time Pottery (several years ago)
Rooster and Hen~Dillards (about 10 years ago)
The fabulous red geranium is locally grown.
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