Five on Friday: Dorothea Day

I work as the curator for our small local museum. On my first day there, I was greeted at the door by the smiling portrait of the museum's first curator. I had never heard of her before, but as the months went on, I began to learn a lot about this dynamic woman. I became fascinated by her and I was sad that I'd never get the chance to meet her. (She unfortunately passed away in 1992.)

So I decided I'd host a day at the Museum to honor her legacy. I began to gather stories from people who knew her so I could record and share them. I read her cookbook and watched episodes of her cooking show so I could make one of her recipes for our celebration.

It turned out that a few of the stories were a little too off-color to share with a mixed-age crowd and many of her recipes featured alcohol as a main ingredient. I had to laugh--this only endeared her to me more. 

So it is much to my delight to share that she and I actually have quite a bit in common:

1. We both worked at the Red Mill before switching jobs. As a matter of fact, she was the very first Executive Director of that historic site and set the tone for the work I did there decades later.

2. We were both actresses with a penchant for dressing up. (And, I dare say, both look fabulous in a mob cap)

Promo shot from her Colonial cooking show

Me making candles at the Red Mill, which I wouldn't be surprised to learn had been started there by Dorothea

3. We both had five kids.

4. We both loved finding yard sale treasures, particularly vintage ones.

5. While I was at the Museum yesterday and making sure everything was ready for our party on Saturday, I had one of the episodes of her cooking show playing on loop. The volume was turned pretty low and I wasn't paying attention to it. However, all three times that the show played, I somehow heard her say this statement: "I love to eat and I love to cook."

Same, Dorothea. Same.

*****

I can't wait to share her with the public tomorrow so if you're a local friend and free, stop on by. We'll be sampling her Blueberry Slump (without the rum), making candles, writing with quill pens and more.