Things...with 'Heart'....

I glanced over the house...yesterday...and realized....how many things I have with 'Hearts'...

I do Love them...so.... {reminds me of Dad...}

This...is just a handful...of what is...laying around the house...and shop....

Some of them...are precious gifts...from friends....

some...I have found... in odd places....and consider them...a little 'wink'...from Dad....

Just...when...I needed...a little...'wink'...

I have scraps...of paper...from friends...Loved Ones... with hand written Hearts....

and...I see Hearts... in so many..things...

or...maybe...to say it...better... I see 'Love'...

I know...that sounds...corny... but..it's true...

Life...is filled...with darkness...and...troubles...

but...while we travel...on our 'Journey'....there is always...Light...

and...Love....if....we open our eyes...and Heart....to see what is right in front of us....

I remember...the Beautiful Gourd..Peg embellished...as a 'Joke'....and gave to me...laughing....saying she had themed it...around a Crazy...Dream I had...and shared with her...

She must have thought...I was out of my mind....when my lip started quivering...and tears...streamed down my face...as I held it in my hands...

She had strung...a Heart Necklace...through it....

and...it touched....me...so....

She had...no idea... what that meant to me....

another...'wink'....

 

This...poor...little Heart Shaped...Victorian Pin Cushion.... is...Mounded...with scraps...and fragments...'Winks'....
Somehow...I always find one more empty spot...to poke...one more treasure...{wink} in....

I have had this old...Wall Pocket...forever... Love it.... Cob Webs...and all....

This Old worn Velvet...Horned piece...hangs...next to my bed... more...cob webs....

Mark had these...for me... He has given me...so many Lovely Heart Shaped pieces...over the years...A  Dear...Soul...

Another Folk Art...piece....that hangs...in my room... I always wonder...who made these... and...for whom...
 Someone....that meant much...to them....

Another...Heart...from Mark... This is an Old Hose Sprinkler... I have never seen one....until now.... Love It!

Harness Buckles... I do...Love them...so.... I wonder how many miles...they traveled...at the side...of a Horse... Many...Many...Many...

Most see...a Tractor Seat.... I see a Heart....: )

I remember...the first year..we did Heart of Country...in Nashville....It was 2001....Libby Kramer...took a chance on us.... We weren't...like the rest...I told her so... I said... "I don't have a 40,000 Cupboard...This is Iowa....and...we'll be bringing...Old...Iowa Farmhouse....pieces..." She laughed...and said she couldn't wait to meet us... {Loved...Libby...miss her...: )} All of our friends, who had been there...{I never had} were very concerned... they knew...what I carried...and...kindly...so kindly...offered to send things...to 'help' our booth...I was getting nervous...thinking...maybe...this was...way out of my league....
But then... made a decision... We were going to do the very Best...we could...with what we Know...and Love....and we took only...
Vintage Iowa Farmhouse...
{after all..we had to represent...who we are...and what we do....if we took...what we didn't...that wouldn't be fair, to the customer, who may come to visit us...here...}
When we bailed...in the 81 Ford...Ton Truck...with a couple of hundred thousand miles on it...Loaded...like the Beverly Hillbillies....and a FULL 16 foot enclosed trailer...in tow...I looked at my friend...as she slid in...
 then glanced at the 'Jesus Carved Cross'...hanging on the rear view mirror...
I said to her..."See that...Believe..It...'cause...that's who's gonna get us to Nashville..." and Fired the Old Ford up...
When we arrived...at The Opryland Hotel...in the late hours...I pulled into the Magnificent Portico...and the Valet...came promptly...to the door...of The Old Ford...He was in Fine...company...with all the Limos...
The Valet asked...if I'd like him to park the Ford.... I BURST out Laughing! "No, Honey...I'd better handle...this one...: ) " We had him help us...with our bags... oh..dear... : )
When I walked into the Lobby...I about...fell over...It Was...Stunning....!
{I was...getting...a bit...nervous..if this...was what we were supposed to fit into.... Yikes!}
But...never the less... we had made it there...literally...on a Wing...and a Prayer...and I Loved...what was on the Truck...
When we found our booth...the next morning...in the Fabulous Convention Center... it was brighter...than the others... They had made a mistake... and put a spotlight...on our booth... Our Booth was Glowing! {that is an expensive option...that we couldn't afford...it took every penny I had... for my share of the booth...and expences.... } but...instead of moving it...they left it...since...we didn't mind...{oh my! } They gave us...a Most wonderful spot...and..a little extra space...{Holy Smokes!!!} We worked our tails off... and...the little booth...that was shining...so brightly...it was Packed...from Floor...to Ceiling!!! We took a little guff...for the Grungy Old Farmhouse Stuff....from one man....but..other than that....Everyone...accepted us...and Welcomed us...with Open Arms.....
Especially...Libby...
 When the Show Opened...for The Preview Party... The Band played...'Somewhere My Love"....
That was my Dad's Favorite Song... I had it played...over and over..at his Funeral.... Normally...they play Country Music...there... I was Taken Back..to say the least... I knew...Dad was there....
They played that song...throughout...the entire next 3 days...
My friend, and I cranked...we had a Wonderful Show....and...I felt...so Honored...to just be a Part...of it...Still do...every year...

After I posted this....I really...Looked..at the image.... Morning Glorys... are...my favorite...I thought...it was because...they are so Wild...and Unruly...or...maybe...because...I Love..their Sweet...Smiling Faces...every Morn....but...while looking at this image...I realized...their leaves...are perfect...Hearts.... Their Shadow..is even Lovely.... Love 'em!!!!

Dad passed away...when I was 23.... I ordered this Stone....for him...I had...no money...his other children...put money towards it...but...it still... left a substantial...balance...{I had my Heart...set on this one... no 'pun'...intended: ) }The Funeral expenses...were tuff....and..selling Dad's things...to help pay for them...was tuffer....{a Heart Breaker} I was expecting Liz....and Justin...was just, 2... I wasn't working...to say...things were Tight...would be a Huge...understatement...but...we managed to sell some of our things...and...to gather up...enough...to do this...for him...it was the last thing...I could ever do for him....
Since...he passed away...on The 13th, of February.... and....the Heart Shaped Cake...I had made him...for an early Valentine's Day Treat... that was half eaten... was the only thing...that survived the fire, he had been in...{It was Untouched...}I knew...Dad..had to have this..one...I wouldn't settle...for anything...less...
Sure do miss him... sure do love it...when he 'winks' at me...