Dear Sun Spots: Is there any place in the wide world where I can find kitchenette brooms? They are light and easy to use. I have had two for ages, and they are really ready to retire. I’d appreciate if very much if you could please find any such thing. Thank you. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: According to www.frentzandson.com., The Famous Lay Kitchenette broom is an 18-ounce wonder originally made by the Joseph Lay Co. of Portland, Ind., in 1936. It is now manufactured by the Quinn Broom Works in Greenup, Ill. Contact Quinn Broom Works Inc. at www.quinnbroomworks.com, P.O. Box 575, 1527 IL RT 121, Greenup, Illinois 62428, (217) 923-3181, fax (217) 923-5150 or toll-free at (800) 626-7282. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Standard Time Monday through Friday.

Dear Sun Spots: I’m looking for someone who has a Parcheesi game the person would part with. We used to enjoy the game. Thanks for your help. I can be reached at 562-8731. – No Name, No Town.

Dear Sun Spots: I love your column. I read it every day.

I’m hoping someone out there can please help me. I’m looking for two National Audubon Society singing-bird clocks. I have two that were my mom’s that need to be fixed. I need two complete clocks, working well. I need the ones with the owl at noon, wood-framed. I also want a 25-inch console color television with remote in good working condition. It would need to be delivered. Anyone who can help with either of these can please call me at (207) 778-6865. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, Sun Spots located one clock online at www.audubon.org. The clock has authentic recordings of 12 favorite North American songbirds. Manufactured by Mark Feldstein & Associates, these 13-inch diameter clocks come in green or natural oak frame and have a light sensor that deactivates the songs when the room is dark. For more information, contact: Mark Feldstein & Associates Inc., (800) 755-6504.

Dear Sun Spots: I grew up at the end of the long road then known as the Millettville section of the town of Norway, just before the Greenwood town line. I can remember, as a small girl, a snow roller coming to the end of our driveway and turning around. It was no small job to get six horses turned around in a small area. Our neighbor, about a half mile away, was driving the team. He had two pair of beautiful black and white horses. The other pair belonged to a brother-in-law of our neighbor. If you look at the photocopy I’ve included, you’ll note there were several reins coming from those horses. As I remember it, there were six reins, two from each horse. The driver had three reins in each hand. You will also note a hitching post in the lower left of the copy. That gives you an idea of how deep the snow was in those olden days. We don’t have snow like that anymore.

I believe the roads were being plowed by an old tractor around 1924, possibly later. I never saw a snow roller on Main Street, but do remember some kind of small plow being hauled by one horse to plow the sidewalks. And I walked to school the length of Main Street.

I do remember that when they started plowing snow with a tractor, a crew of men proceeded the tractor to shovel the snowdrifts before it could go through them. Some of the drifts used to be 15-feet high. We don’t see those any more. – Anna Woodworth, No Town.

Answer: Sun Spots thanks you for the wonderful letter, Anna, and is sorry she couldn’t publish the entire piece here. It was fascinating. Sun Spots would encourage you to please contact your local historical society to share these wonderful memories and any photographs you might also be willing to share as a way to ensure this history is saved for future generations.



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