Tuesday, February 19, 2013

ahhhh.... Somewhere...My Love...

After posting about the trip...
Something kept...haunting me....
as...it had...for several days...in the back of my mind....
It was about The Presentation....
I simply...could not understand...why...Folks...were so moved....
Moved to tears...
one Person said...he cried...three times....
I don't ever take notes...for a Presentation...
everything...comes straight from my heart...
so...I couldn't go back....and see...what I had said...
Then...last night...as I was sitting...listening...and searching through music...
I realized...what it must have been...
It was the stories...about my Dad....
I spoke...of the very first...Heart of Country...we Showed at...
When...somehow...."The Junk Dealer"....from Fairfax...Iowa...
was Welcomed...into the Best Antiques Show...in the Country....
I had spent years...defending...these...old...worn...'Misfits'...
because...at a tender age...Dad...taught me...and showed me...their...Soulful...Beauty...
that...so few...in the Antique Community...could see...
They...in my life...were like..."The Coat of Many Colors"...
and...I couldn't understand...why...others...would make fun...of them...
and...me...for being...so...Proud...of them...
and...Laugh...at the Old Painted Farm Cupboards...
ask me...if I had just painted them...with 'Porch Paint'....
I thought...about...my most favorite...Old Cupboard....
with the story...of when it was last painted...back in the 30's....
The Elderly Woman...I had bought it from...way back....
stood before me....almost...in a daze....remembering...that Old Cupboard...being painted...
in the Farm House Kitchen....by her Mother in Law...
as she was feeding her...Little...Daughter....in her High Chair...
then...in a quiet...tone...
"Yes...I remember that...it was the year...my Little Girl...died"...
 
By every right.... I really shouldn't have been accepted...into Heart of Country....
I am...a Misfit...
The Things...I Love...so Very Much... and Respect so...for their...incredible...Journey...are Also...Misfits...
Just as...the Day Old Calves...and Sickly...Ponies...we rescued...
and the Old Trucks...that most folks...wouldn't drive...
The first year...we went to Heart....
my Show Partner...thought...I must be confused...
surely...WE...were not going to be included...
Libby...took a Chance on us....
and...Dad...was a Huge...part of it...
Tho...he had passed away...more than a decade...prior...
To...the date...
He passed away...on Friday, the 13th...of February...1987.
So...Heart of Country....and Valentines Day....have been difficult...
We drove...an 81 Ford Ton Truck...with a Couple Hundred Thousand Miles...on it...Loaded...Beyond...belief...and pulling a Big Trailer...
That first...year...
{The Porters...ran..when we opened the doors!
and asked...who the heck...Loaded all that Heavy Stuff!
 We Did!!!}
I remember...when we found our empty booth... prior to set up...
It was Glowing!
They had made a mistake...and put a Spotlight...on it...: )
{an Expensive....Option...I couldn't afford...}
The booth...was packed...tight...with Old...Farm...Gnarliness....
and...many...scratched their heads....during set up...
But...Lord...when the Show Opened...
Our Little Booth...Sang...
so did something else...
Throughout...the entire Show....
even tho... Everything...is Country Music...in Nashville...
Everything...
The Live Band...on Preview...and...the Music...chosen...throughout...the entire Show...
was..."Somewhere...My Love {Lara's Theme}"....
My Dad's...Favorite Song....
{and...Movie..Dr. Zhivago}
When I arranged his Funeral...
It was so sudden...and...I was only 23...
in such a dazed...state....
It was... such a Horrible...Loss...
{I'd...suffered...many losses...before...but...always..had Dad..to lean on...
I...was...Lost...so...very....lost...}
I Knew... what Song...had to be played...
I had the Organist...play it...over...and over...and...over....
She asked...what other music...I would like...
I said...No...Others...This One...only...
{I'm sure...she thought...I was out of my mind...
in reality...I guess...I was...}
I remember...she found...it...without the Beautiful...ending...
'Lara's Theme'...
That...wouldn't do...
I was adamant...it had to have the Beautiful...ending...
and...that...was what played...over and over...
at Heart....
I suppose...most folks...never understood...
ahhhh...
but...I did...
and...so did...Dad...
Yes...it has brought me...to tears...this morn...
as well...
Love to ya...
Barb C.
{ I had some folks...ask me....after The Presentation...if..these were...stories...I created...
or..if they were true...
: )
oh my...
I couldn't make this stuff....up....
This...is...All...About...The Journey...
Heart...and Soulful...
it truly....is....}
 
 


4 comments:

Rita C at Panoply said...

Barb,
I don't know you, and I wasn't at Heart of Country in Nashville, but oh my gosh...you've made me teary-eyed just reading your recap & how your dad was with you, then & now.

I love reading about moments when we are touched by our loved ones who've passed....

I love the stories behind the old pieces, big and small...

I look forward to getting to know you better through your blog...can't remember who linked me up, one of the other vendor's mention, I believe (Urban Farmhouse, maybe?)....

Such hard work, I know, I do it on a smaller scale with two of my sisters in our local antique mall, but never in a traveling venue....

Such heart and soul, you are your dad's legacy - thanks for sharing!
Rita

Simply Iowa said...

Awww....Thank You...Rita...: )
Yes...it is...hard work...
but...the Rewards...are always Bigger...than the Struggle...
{and...I'm not talking about...'money'...if it were all about that...I would have quit...a long...time...ago...: ) }
We...tho...often...don't see them...until...after we are licking our wounds...: )
I am...so very Thankful... for Everything...
As far as the Old...Worn...Chipped... Frayed..Mossy and Mended things...
that touch my Soul...{from..'The Love of Old'...}
I refer back to my Streams in the Desert...{a Daily Devotional...I was given as a gift...from a Dear Friend...so many years ago...} It says... "The Lord...will not look for your beauty...when standing Before Him... He'll be searching...for the Battle Scars" in other words...our 'Journey'...
I am so Happy..to have you....with...and hope...to meet with you...someday...
Keep up the Good Work...and enjoy...every moment...with your Sisters...
I lost...one of my...Beloved Sisters...Chery...9 years ago...What a Blessing...she was...in my life...
Love...to You...
Barb C.

Renate Schulte said...

,very well done! Love stories like yours!

Simply Iowa said...

awwww...
Thanks...Renate...: )
Love...to ya...
Barb C.