These are some of the Amazing Jellies, stuffed olives, and Sweet 'N' Hot Pepper relish, we carried home, from Rug Cottage, and Barntiques, between Iowa City, and Kalona... {just a couple miles to Sisters' Garden...}
This was my breakfast... 2 Morning Star Sausage Patties...{they are delightful... my family can't tell they are meatless...} Raw, sliced Vidalia Onions, and that Wonderful Sweet 'N' Hot Pepper Relish... Oh my....
It's hard to see... but this is the most darling wire patio set! I have spring and fall, retro cushions, for the glider and two darling swivel chairs!!! They are in excellent condition! I like 'em without any cushions... they are very comfy! Dale and I sat and visited in them, last evening... they are Great!
Allyson and I took off, a little later than we had planned, on Friday afternoon... We previewed a 'Sandersfield Auction', Marengo, Iowa {I love this man... he is such a dear soul...} and I left a bid, with Dale, for the Gnarly Patio Set... Then we headed down the winding back roads, towards Kalona... It is an Amish area, and very lovely.... We had the top down, in the Mustang, and Allyson asked, if I was Thelma, or Louise.... I'll have to watch the movie again, but I'm pretty sure, I'm the Susan Serandin character.... We were both starved... so, I thought we could go to an amazing restaurant, in Oxford... { a darling farming community, that still has all of it's wonderful mid 1800's architecture...} The restaurant is called 'Augusta's'... As we were walking up to the door, a young man met us, and said, they were closed... a major water leak... We were very sad....{next trip!} So, we headed for Kalona... There's a very nice restaurant there... 'Tuscan Moon'... they closed at 2, and wouldn't open 'til 4.... we missed it by a few minutes.... So we headed to the Bakery, had a light lunch... Then I wanted to take Allyson, out in the country, to the Amish Grocery Store... It's wonderful... way out, and back on gravel roads... We bought some wonderful pies, and breads there... They have fresh eggs, and all sorts of bulk products, for baking...
We ran through, pretty fast... My Pal, Nancy, {rug cottage} closes at 4... I wasn't going to miss her... So, we made a bee line for her store, and found all sorts of treasures.... Allyson went crazy over the jellies... Oh my... Nancy sent some home with me, a while back... I was HOOKED! No sugar, or corn syrup... sweetened with juices... It is the best...{the 'sweet 'n hot pepper relish' is AMAZING!} So, we loaded up, and headed for Barb H.'s... {sisters' garden} Oh my... it was breath taking...I always buy all my candles, at Sisters'... She carries the ones I like best... out of anywhere...Barb had to run... she had a wedding to go to... so, Sweet, Deb, stayed and took great care of us! Wish we could have gotten around sooner... but, no way... We bought some very cool treasures there...{always do! the little Mustang was getting pretty filled up, between the 2 darling stores!} and headed for Iowa City... Artifact's, on the corner of Market and Gilbert, stays open til 6... I thought Pal, Mark, from Decorum {only 2 doors down} was open til 6, as well... to our disappointment, he closes at 5... {next time} But, we had a wonderful visit with Todd.... And found some great stuff! Allyson had never been there before, so she really was intrigued!
We only had a small salad, for lunch, so... I thought we should treat ourselves to a trip to 'Hamburg Inn'... It's just around the corner from Artifacts, and is steeped in history... It's been there forever, and is quite famous... Many U.S. Presidents have eaten there... Reagan, Clinton, Obama, along with many who didn't make it... It's like a time capsule... Tho, Allyson went to College in Iowa City, she had never been there... She loved it! We had a 'Pie Shake'... {Bourbon Pecan, was our choice... you can pick any, of their huge selection of homemade pies and cakes... we almost picked the Red Velvet Cake...Mmm.... Mmmmm..., and have them blend it, with ice cream... oh my gosh!!! We spit one, and still had a little left over!} They also serve veggie burgers, and breakfast, all day... they have a very diverse menu... I love their sweet potato fries... and sweet potato pancakes... oh my...I could go on and on! The customers are as diverse as the food...Professionals, to families...laid back college students, to retired folk... very cool!
Dale called, from the Farm Auction... and was beside himself... almost all of the bids I had left, were, in his words, " Blown Away!!!!{ he almost sounded a little frantic!} He was stunned... I, was actually happy... This was very neat old primitive farm stuff... and that is much of what I do... I'm glad to see, it's holding it's own! I can run down the roads, and find this stuff... and... I have some pretty cool stuff, already... so.. no worries... I'd feel worse, if it all went for nothing, to be honest... I knew, if the Farm Auction was 'Crazy', so would the Sandersfield Auction, on Saturday... I was correct... Dale went, and I left one bid, with him, on a Gnarly Patio Set... He got it... The Antiques, were out of sight... I saw a clock, during the preview, Allyson and I stopped at, that I have a twin to, at home... I paid 100.00 for mine, in Amana a few years ago, at a sale... the one at the auction sold for over a thousand.... { and it wasn't family bidding on it...oh my...}
It was pretty toastie, here, yesterday... Someone stole my lawn mower, so am down to an old reel mower... I was mowing with that and got pretty sweaty... John's going to get another one, on Monday... I wouldn't mind the reel mower, if the blades were sharp, and the grass wasn't this long... It's great exercise... Maybe, once I get it cut back, I'll alternate, between mowers... { sharpen the blades} I can breathe much better, not sucking in all the exhaust....
Well... I've gotta make a move....
Hope Everyone Has Thee Most Glorious Sunday!
Barb C.
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