Tuesday, April 29, 2025
These... 'Are' the good old days.
: )
Sweet Pal, Gail... is back in town, from the East Coast.
Always feel honored when Gail calls, and want's to share her time, visiting 'Home'...
with me.
<3
Gail... is One of The Most Amazing, and Knowledgeable Folks, I've ever known...
in this 'Business'
We go... back, Waaaaaaaaaaay Back. : )
We actually met, when I was 10, or 12, tho, we didn't discover that... until decades later.
Gail... is also a 'Horse Woman'.
One of her Friends, back then... was the daughter.... {Bev}
of one of my Dad's dearest Friends, 'Joe'.
: )
I used to hang out there... with Dad, watch Bev, and her Friends... {Gail} work with the Horses.
: )
I... was a 'Kid'.... the 'Teen Girls', didn't pay me much mind.
; )
Years, and Years, later...
{neither of us remembered the other, from 'The Horses' until much later.}
We were both on The Antique Circuit.
: )
Runnin' and Gunnin'....
Chasin'...
Huntin'...and Gathering, at Estate Sales... Auctions, Shows... and Yard Sales.
; )
Gail... oh my.
: )
That Girl,
wish,
I had a thimbleful...
of her
'Knowledge'.
I admire her... so.
: )
Dear Friends...
Ed, Brandon, Michael... and Gail.
<3
13 years ago, today.
We were at The Lighthouse Inn Supper Club.
<3
{The 'Historic' Lighthouse, sadly... burned to the ground, last year.
: (
Edith Lucielles,
{ formally... Squaw Creek Tap} is next door, to The Lighthouse. }
That was Such a Fun... Evening.
; )
Live... Jazz, at The Lighthouse, then...
we all visited Gail's Beautiful Condo, that was in the old...
Bottleworks Factory, in Cedar Rapids.
So Cool!!
; )
After lunch, yesterday... invited Gail on a little 'Junkin' Spree.
; )
There's a newer place in CR, that I've been wanting to check out.
Away We Went!!
It is a Lovely Store.
LOOK What Gail Found!!!
OMG!!
Early.... Early.... Early, Beautiful....
Hand Embroidered... {Silk Thread}... Coverlet, of sorts.
Jaw Dropping.
<3
That Girl.... Has an Eye!!
<3
I about Died, when she pointed it out to me.
<3
All I Saw.... were Hearts, Everywhere.
<3
Gail... saw Poppies.
: )
When my hands touched the 'Fine... Work',
'Soulfulness'....
oh my.
I nearly... melted into a Pool of Goo!!!
: )
We both left... without it, but.... it haunted me, all the way Home.
So Wished... Gail would've bought it.
No more than sat down... at Home, my phone rang...
it was Gail.
: )
She Went Back... and BOUGHT IT!!!
YAY!!!
<3
Some of my VERY Favorite things, in the House... are from Gail.
<3
Many of my Favorite things, at The Rabbit Hole, are... from Gail.
: )
Victorian... Textiles.
<3
Gnarly... Fringed... Lamp shades.
Beads... Prisms... Chandeliers.
Paintings...
'Soulfulness'.
; )
'Soulfulness'.
<3
It's gonna be a busy week, have many obligations.
Pal, Bill... is Home from his Much Deserved Cruise, so... he'll be helping me tomorrow, getting computer things done, so I can get things on... to Lawyer Meardon.
: )
Have to pick up a Massive Load of Vintage Concrete Statuary, Wednesday, and maybe Thursday.
but...
Will be meeting with Pal, Gail... before she heads back to The Coast, on Friday.
; )
Gail has invited me to come visit, oh my.
She... and her Wonderful Husband, might be sorry if I ever took her up on that.
; )
Might become a Squatter.
: )
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
{Happy Birthday... in Heaven, to Sister...
Chery.
<3
April 29, 1946 -
December 22, 2003 }
Monday, April 28, 2025
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Business... is Business.
oh... yes.
The Load's We Carry.
: )
Above... is the image I was searching for yesterday.
Love It...
and
Every Southern Iowa...
{Early 1900's What Cheer, Iowa... area}
Photo, from an Amazing Photo Album, I bought from Old, Pal....
and, Fellow 'Junker'... 'Scrapper', Allen, decades ago.
<3
I've often wished... while looking at the Amazing Images, in that old Album....
I could've met the 'Photographer'.
; )
oh my....
That Person....
was a
True Artist.
<3
Pal, Cheryl... invited me to breakfast this morning, at Edith Lucielle's.
We've been trying to get together... for weeks.
Almost... made it happen, this morning, but... Cheryl cancelled, at the last minute.
: (
I Get It.
<3
: )
oh my.
Sometimes... the mind says "Yes"... but, the body...
says...
"No".
: )
It Is... What It Is.
; )
Enjoyed a Lovely... Breakfast, at Edith Lucielle's, minus...
Cheryl's Beautiful Company.
Another Time.
; )
been struggling... with quite a little bit, over the last several years.
{Many... Have. : ( }
sadly...
have to take on a very difficult week, addressing issues, I've been puttin' off,
maybe, very.... sadly, maybe...
Patsy was saying something else.
?
'Don't'
when it comes to
'Feelings'
'Business...
Is Business'.
There are no friends... or family,
in...
'Business'
certainly...
No...
'feelings'.
Think I may...give it a whirl.
No Feelings.
Business...
Is
Business.
Done, and Done.
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
Saturday, April 26, 2025
The Load's We Carry.
{The above... Flora, makes me smile... when they 'smile'.
It's Blooming at The Rabbit Hole.
<3
Rescued them from a Cemetery, Pal, Allyson and me visited several years ago.}
Yesterday.... was an overcast, kinda chilly.... day.
Which, was ok.
Helper, Brandon... came back to help with more yard work.
By the time he arrived yesterday afternoon, there wasn't much time to get big projects started.
So... we tackled smaller ones.
Moved furniture, re-packed the garage... and, sadly.... we buried The Beautiful... Squirrel, who has lived in John's Old Oak, for many years.
: (
He was Huge!! <3
Was just telling Pal, Bill, the other day... while watching The Squirrel... Play, Way Up High... in The Tree, he looked bigger than a Huge Tom Cat!!
<3
I found him... while picking up trash in the yard, yesterday.
: (
Between the highway, and the 'store' across the road, oh my. It's never ending.
: (
It's Heartbreaking.... living on this 'Highway'.
Can't begin to tell ya... how many little 'souls' we've buried here thanks to 151.
Every time I saw that Squirrel, up in The Tree....
Warned him, to Stay the Hell Away.... from That Highway.
: (
Brandon, and me... moved many mountains, in a few hours.
then...
Pal, Dale.... came with his Van... to take Brandon, and his yard equipment to Brandon's Home, in Lisbon, Iowa.
{The Ford isn't set up with a hitch. : ( Brandon's Truck... is down.
I'm tellin' ya, trying to get anything done, around Home, anymore.... well...
; )
It's an 'Adventure', to say the very least.
: )
Grateful for Dear Friends!! }
Yeah.
; )
After dropping Brandon, and his trailer... off, last evening, told Pal, Dale... to pick a place to Dine.
I owe him... Suppers, along with Fuel Dough.
{Gads. ; ) }
Dale said he liked 'Whitey's' in Lisbon.
; )
He'd been there once before.
I'd been there a couple of times. Good Food.
To say Dale is a 'picky eater'... would be a HUGE Understatement!!
Hahahahahaha!!!
: )
Meat. Potatoes. White Bread. Butter.
NO SPICES of ANY KIND!!
No Ketchup... Mustard... Mayo. Gravy.
No Pizza, No Mexican... No Italian,
NO SAUCES.
To my surprise, a while back....
I watched Dale order a 'salad' for a side, with his Meat, and Potatoes.
{Shocking!! : ) }
uh... but, Dale's kind of
'Salad'...
Iceberg Lettuce
ONLY.
No other Veggies, and NO SALAD DRESSING of ANY KIND!!
; )
Hahahahahahaha!!!
; )
All of That...
Being Said....
Dale Loves His Sweets.
; )
Cookies. Chocolate. Cinnamon Rolls. Candy.
{How Dale... can Devour Cinnamon Rolls, but... won't TOUCH a 'Spice', I'll never know.}
: )
We had a Great Time... at Whitey's.
Dale ordered their Broasted Chicken Dinner, I... ordered their Special.
Pork Chop Dinner, with Extra Gravy.
; )
{Took most of it Home. Me, and Miss. Peanut shared the leftovers today. ; ) }
The Bad Thing... about Whitey's...
It's a Bar, too.
; )
and, I... wasn't drivin'.
; )
and...
I haven't written... nearly as much as I'd like to, lately.
oh my.
It's always a gamble... ordering a mixed drink, at a Bar that's unfamiliar.
I've learned over the years, the best mixed drink to order at new Bar....
is a
'Long Island Iced Tea'.
; )
Even the most inexperienced Bartender can throw a 'Long Island' together.
: )
Turned out... Whitey's Sweet Bartender.... was a Pro.
; )
Uh Oh.
I had two.... and, a sip... of a third, but... then, decided I'd better walk away.
: )
{while I still... could. oh my. ; ) }
Dale dropped me off, at the door, at Home...
had my arms Full.
Leftovers, and all sorts of other things from yesterday's travels.
oh my.
Got up... this morning, couldn't find my purse.
{Fairfax Bank Money Bag}
???
Looked Everywhere.
: (
Called Dale, bright and early.... figured I'd left it in his Van... as I was luggin' other crap, and missed it.
He didn't answer.
{Dale was at his Granddaughter's Piano Event, Early... this morning. ; ) }
Drove to Dale's Farm... about 20 miles, checked out his Van.
No...
Purse.
{I was Sure... it would be there.}
: (
Panic... began to slowly creep in.
: (
Called Whitey's....
while driving Home... from Dale's Farm.
{They'd just opened for the day.}
Turned out the Awesome Bartender's remembered me.
: )
oh dear.
"Oh My Gosh!! Yeah, I remember You!! You, and Cody were talkin' about Texas!!"
; )
yeah...
"me, and... 'Cody'??? oh, yeah... 'Texas'."
; )
????????????????????
The Sweet, Kind.... Bartender looked for my little Fairfax Bank Bag, all over.
<3
Not to be found.
: (
<3
It was close to 11 a.m. by then... while driving from Dale's....
had to make 'The Call'... to my Beloved...
Fairfax State Savings Bank.
See if my card had been used, since Whitey's, the night before.
Gratefully...
Kathy, answered my call.
; )
She, and Polly...
'understand'.
: )
<3
Hahahahaha!!!
Yes, we shared Many... Many Laughs, this morning.
; )
Kathy reassured me, that the last charge was at Whitey's.
but...
They'd Be Keeping an Eye on my account.
<3 <3 <3
{Love my Bank!! <3 }
Long Story.
; )
Found... my Fairfax Bank Bag 'Purse'....
sitting inside...beside the breezeway entry door,
where I had to set everything down,
in my arms...
to open the interior door.
Somehow....
I kinda believe, there might be a 'lesson', here.
; )
Maybe, a couple.
; )
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
Thursday, April 24, 2025
The Details.
Spent the day.... yesterday, Running, it seemed.
: )
It was quite a morning, getting everything in line.
oh my.
Not Even... gonna get into All of The Chaos, yesterday morning encompassed.
oh.... dear.
Grateful... to Those, who rode that Crazy Train, with.
oh my.
; )
Things calmed down... considerably... when we could actually begin work.
Helper, Brandon...
on the Lawn, and... me, down The Rabbit Hole, and... Lawn.
; )
The above image... made me Smile.
: )
The Gnarly... 'Wild'... Bittersweet makes Quite The Statement.
<3
oh my.
The Fish Pond.... was low on water.
We've had little rain, this Spring.
so...
Gave It a Big Drink!!
; )
Haven't seen The Fish, lately.
There's only One... Gold Fish/Koi.... left, and maybe... maybe...a few Volunteer/Squatter...
Crappies.
: )
The Gold Fish, is Huge.
but, he's got to be pushing 16 years old.
Last I saw of him... was about a month ago.
He was pretty slow, but... then, the water was cold, so... didn't expect him to be swimming laps.
; )
I've been preparing for his passing, for the last few years.
: (
Grateful... he's lived this long.
<3
He's had a pretty good life. : )
Got him at Walmart... along with two others, who... over the years, have passed away.
: (
They were only a couple inches long, when they came to The Rabbit Hole.
They Grew to be HUGE, in the old... Stock Tank.
; )
I keep it heated in the Winter, with a Stock Tank heater. It doesn't keep the water 'warm'... but, it keeps it from freezing solid.
; )
Hopefully.... The Fish, has survived another year.
<3
He'll be looking for Chow, when the water warms up... a bit more, if so.
<3
Haven't been Down The Rabbit Hole, lately.
: (
too much on my brain.
Always makes me sad, when I go there... and The Fountain isn't running.
: (
The Fountain...
running
and,
Alison Krauss, 'music'...
are 'Musts', at The Rabbit Hole.
<3
Everything Else, can be in Total Chaos...
it doesn't matter, as long as The Fountain is running, and...
Alison Krauss is playing...
there.
<3
so...
cleaned out
The Fountain,
and...
gave it a
Good Talking To....
when the pump didn't want to go.
; )
It... Finally Took Off, sending Ice Cold Water straight down my arm, into my arm pit, as I tried to situate The Love Birds... on Top!!
; )
Happens EVERY Spring, when I have to Fuss with That Pump!!
; )
Hahahahahahaha!!
GADS!!
It's Worth It.
; )
<3
The Sparrows.
<3
They've been Down The Rabbit Hole, forever.
<3
The old... forlorn, metal Martin House, has been their Home, for decades.
<3
The 2020 Iowa Hurricane,
{derecho}
bent the Martin House's tall pole.
{145 mph sustained winds, for over a half hour}
Helper, Brandon... and me, tried to straighten it, back then.
It's better than it was, but... still has quite a 'Lean'.
; )
The Sparrow's don't seem to mind.
<3
A Dear Friend, left the above Angel... in our drive, several years ago.
<3
It was the first thing I saw, when Jethro... and I, pulled in at Home, after leaving our Peg, for the last time.
oh my Lord.
: (
that's Exactly... how I felt.
All 'Hope'... was lost.
: (
Peg's Memorial... now.
<3
One... of them.
Peg, is Everywhere... here, like All of Our Loved Ones.
<3
Two, and Four-Legged... Winged, and Finned...
'Loved Ones'.
<3
{'Wheeled'... too. ; ) }
As I was poking around inside the Gazebo...
{Chaotic.... Winter Ravished... Gazebo. : ( }
ran across a Beautiful, 1800's Runner.
Handmade.
<3
It was hanging from the Gazebo's Picket's trim.
?????
I carefully... pulled it down, took a seat, at
the
Old,
'Iowa Marble'...
{some Folks call it 'concrete'. : ) }
Garden Table,
under
John's Old... Oak.
Examined the Beautiful Runner's... Fine...
'handwork'.
oh my.
: )
Reminded me... of another warm, sunny day... when
Peg, and I... sat at that very table... under John's Old Oak,
'Fondling'... Lace!!!
{Hahahahahaha!!}
; )
Amazing...
Vintage....
Handmade Lace, that Dear Friend, Kate...
had sold me.
{'gave' to me... basically. <3}
Peg, and I... visited about the 'Lace'...
back then, and 'Why'...
we were so 'Taken' by it.
?
We landed on the answer,
being...
'It's All About The Details'.
Whether it be... a Bird's Nest, a...
Spider's Web, Crunched Fenders... made Whole, Fabric... turned into Quilts,
Thread... turned into Lace,
The Ground... turned into 'Crops',
'Thoughts' turned into Documents, Law... Books... Music, Poetry.
yes...
in
'Fine'...
Art,
It's
All...
about
'The Details'.
; )
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
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