Simply... Iowa.

Took a drive....

Saturday...morn...

Went to pick up...the doors, I'd made an offer on....

an hour drive..... 

I was looking...forward to.... : )

It was a Beautiful.... Day....

When I got to the Old House.... met with Ron... 

{the owner}

at the New House... on the hill....

He was, just setting down... to feed Edie....

His... Beloved... Wife...

of 50 years....

: )

They worked, side by side.... over the years....

had their own businesses.....

then... they decided, 12 years ago... to buy these 35 acres....

with the buildings... falling down..... and the old house.....

to... reside in... while they worked.... non stop... side by side.... 

building their Dream Home....

: )

Then..a couple years ago.... as they were clearing timber.....

Edie had a stroke....

one...of four.... she would have over the next year and a half....

Edie was in a Rehab Center... until Ron said.... "No More....

she's coming Home"....

He's taken care of her.... the last eight months.....

in the partially finished basement... of the new house....

I sat there... at their kitchen table....for a long time.... visiting with them.....

oh my....

: )

Ron told me...to take a 'Tour'... of their work...

upstairs.... 

: )

It's going to be... something... else.....

: )

I saw... as I walked through... all of the unfinished rooms....

they had so carefully thought out.....

The new...doors... still in their packages.... waiting to be hung....

the wiring.... run... waiting... to be.... finished....

So Close.... 

their Dreams.... are so.... Close...

yet...

so far....

so...very...far.

Ron... can't leave Edie... for very long....

unless.... she's sleeping....

then... he goes out... and cuts brush.... and timber.....

He calls that... his Therapy.

Ron...is a Master Carpenter....

he created a special 'lift'... for Edie... for her baths.....

and... put a chair lift... in... so they can go upstairs...where, in the unfinished house... he created a Therapy Station.... for Edie... to work on walking....

oh my....

Ron... needed to stay with Edie....

so.... I went on... and got the doors...out of the Old House....

asked him... if it would be o.k. if I took a few pictures....

{he thought I was Crazy.... who would want to take pictures... of that Drafty.... Crumbling.... Old Farm House? : ) : ) : ) }

As... I walked through....

The Old Darling.....

oh my....

so many thoughts... danced through my mind.

It was built, in the late 1870's or early 80's...

The Man...who built it.... I was told... by Ron...

was a Military Man...

{like Ron..who Served in the Navy}

He built it... Over the Top....

had 16 buildings.....

and it was quite...a Farm. : )

Now...

I carry the Beautiful.... Beautiful... Old Entry Doors... away....

ones... that a Team of Horses... brought... in.....

It was heartbreaking......

I wished....

the Ford... and I... could have loaded the whole house..... on it's little bed....

to say....

I was Melancholy....

would be an understatement.

I walked the perimeter....

saw the Rhubarb... that was planted.... a hundred years ago... or better....

poking it's Head Up.... just outside the door....

then, was drawn... to an Old.... Tree...

The Bark....

is incredible....

{I had noticed it... on the last trip.... Fascinating...oh my.

Ron said.... it's coming down... before Fall... : ( }

I had to swipe a chunk of the Bark.... that was falling off.... to put down the rabbit hole...

 by Virgil's Cupboard....

When I shared that with Ron, and Edie...

They Both.... Rolled their eyes... : )

oh dear... : )

It was a long...drive...home....

That Evening.... 

when...the day... was done.....

 I sat... and thought about the day....

I put my head...in my hands....

and wept.

oh my...

oh...my.

Those... Old... Iowa....

Back Roads....

can take you.....

to places....

you never... dreamed of.

Love to ya....

Barb C.

This Old House.....

has really.... seen it all.....

The Summer Kitchen....

His.... Cap.

The Parlor...

Living Room

Dining Room....

Upstairs...

Upstairs Bedroom....

where...at one time.... you could walk out... on the upper porch.

: )

Bedroom....

I Loved... all of the Old Wallpaper....

I...could have moved in...to this Old House....

a Quick... Scrub.... leave the paper... that was holding tight....

and Furnish It...

with what.... it was meant... to be Filled With!

Victorian... High Post Beds....

in their Original...Dark Alligatored Finish...

with Gnarly Old Crazy Quilts.... Layered... upon them....

Empire Chests....

Step Back Cupboards....

Filled with Ironstone... and Chipped... Stained...

Romantic Staffordshire.....

Gnarly.... Tattered... Victorian... Furniture....

Grungy... Oil Paintings...

: )

In the Summer Kitchen...

there would be a Dry Sink....

a couple Scrub Topped.... Work Tables....

: )

Crocks.... and Jugs.... Canning Jars... lining... the Open Shelving....

Masses... of Wooden Bowls.....

an old Wood Box.... {Like The Awesome one... I have that's all hand Dovetailed...}

Filled with Wood.... and Cobs!}

: )

The Kitchen....

would have.... a BIG....Wood Burning Cook Stove....

a Big.... Kitchen Clock......

Keepin' the beat....of the Day....

: )

A 7 foot Harvest Table....

Miss Matched... Chairs....

3 Old Step Back Cupboards....

A Big... Dry Sink.... : )

and... 

LOADS...of Cast Iron... Cookware!

and...

and Apron... hanging from... an old hook... by the door. : )

You see....

what these images.... show...

I see...

all of the above.

: )

yes.... it was...all... right there....

: )

Upstairs, bedroom window....

It was originally.... 

a Bay Window....

Hallway.... between the bedrooms....

I...Love.... the Wallpaper.

as found.

going.... down.

The porch... off the Summer Kitchen... : )

The wall.... inside the tiny... porch....

{LOVE THIS!!! }

The Beautiful...

Beautiful...

Doors...

{They.... are Sold... }

The Screen Doors....

{on Hold... through today. }

The Tree....

oh my.

It Stands..... just behind... the Old House....

if only...

it could talk. : )

The Bark....

is... Amazing.

Ron, and Edie....

Love Birds...

Ron is 78... Edie... 74....

Ron...even cuts Edie's hair....

said after her brain surgery.....

there was so much glue, in her hair.....

he couldn't bare to pull on her hair.... it hurt her, so.....

He shaved it all off....

oh my....

These two...

are something... else. 

I Pray.... they get their Dream.... 

finished....

well...

I guess...

in many ways....

they already... have.

: )