Sunday, August 31, 2014

It's all... about 'the journey'....


Liz unpacked... many old paper items... the other day....
from Wally's Old...Home.
Several were old Newspapers.... like this one... that had been saved... that had articles about The Amana...Colonies...
This one is dated 1939.

This one... was from 1946.
These Folks... were very Proud... of their Community.
They should have been... it was Beautiful.

I'll be capturing more images, soon....
The Old Home... is for sale, as well....
It needs some work.... and a lot of cleaning.... but... it would make someone... a Lovely Home.
Jon and Heather...{Wally's Son and Daughter in Law } will be taking offers throughout the Sale...
 {Sept. 11th through the 14th. }
If it doesn't sell... it will be listed with a Realtor...



The Kids invited me to go with them.... to The Thresher's Reunion.... in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa... yesterday....
What a Gift...that was. : )
Dad and I used to go every year...then.... John and I....and the Kids.... then... when John's back... couldn't take all of the walking... the Kids and I would go....: )
It's been a few years since we went.... I, had completely forgotten about it....
Too many irons... too many fires.
Liz and Miss. Scarlett joined us... it was a Great day. : )
Huge Crowds... and... it was Hot.... but... it always is... : )
The Little Ones... really enjoyed the Train and Trolley rides.... All The Noise....and Whistles... of the Big Steam Engines...
They got to make rope.... and stir Apple Butter... over a fire....
I bought them whistles.... that drove Everyone Crazy.... but me.... : )
They played in bubbles.... that were created by a Hit 'n Miss Engine... : )
I watched as their minds... Whirled... while watching all of the 'Motion'... from all of the engines...
We ate all sorts of Awful... things for us... but... it tasted really good. !
They loved seeing all of the Critters..... and talking to people.... : )
It...was a Great Day. <3















I have been asked.... throughout...the last few days....
"How am I doin'? "
I...always reply....
"I'm hangin' in there"... : )
then... correct myself... and say....
"I'm doing Good." : )
That's what  'Faith'... asks me to say.....
I get so...frustrated with...myself....
I try... so hard.... to stay strong....
I...know... in my Heart.... it's 'Faith'... 'Trust'... in the Lord... that has carried me....
The Prayers... all of you... continue to send.... they have put a shield... around me......
yet....sometimes... my mind... lets 'worry'... and 'sorrow'...worm their way in....
and... I melt.......
Then... I ask the Lord... to take...them... carry them.........for me.... and show me... The Way.
I...know... whatever...whoever... confronts me... has had to come through The Lord... first.....He won't let me endure... more...than I can handle....
but... I have my 'moments'.... trying to figure out.... which way to turn.... first.....
I... feel like a little June Bug...in the midst... of a Whole Bunch.... of Hungry Ducks.
I keep busy.... have to keep my head above water..... and... feed the Ducks...
I sat down...the other day.... and began writing 'Thank You' cards.... to All of the Kind...Souls.... who have thrown out a Much Needed Lifeline.... over the last several months....
I finished... two.
I couldn't do it.
The words... were so.... flat..... I.... simply couldn't do it.
Please Know... if... you are reading this.... and have sent cards....  helped us.... through Prayer... Kind Thoughts... and... in so Many... other... Beautiful Ways....
Please Know... You are in my Heart.... and I Thank You.... Thank God... for You.... Every Day.
Please... keep those Prayers...coming.... I'm gonna need them...now. : )
Peg... is perking along.... some days... are better than others.....
She needs your Prayers... too. : )
Thank You... for Them......
I had a woman stop by...the other day.....
She wanted to visit with me... about my 'Faith'.... thought I should look into her way... of thinking... interpreting...
 what the Bible says....
I... admired her.... being able to quote so many verses....
I... stood there... kind of stunned.... as she, then... quizzed me....
and began telling me... of who... the Bible says... won't get to Heaven....
 : )
I... don't know all the stories of the Bible.....so well... that I can quote them... so eloquently.... as she.... 
I told her.... that...
Then... shared with her...  my Favorite verse.... I learned...by Heart... when I was 5....
John 3:16
" For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."
What I do know... is Our God.
We've gotten...'Pretty Tight'... of late... : )
There are no coincidences on our Journey.....
I... believe... everything happens... for a reason...
to...learn... and Grow... from.
We...are All.... His Children...
The people... we meet... on our Journey...along with all of the 'circumstances'... are sent to us... for a reason.....
She interrupted... and said... "Yes... maybe, I was sent here... to teach you something.... : )"
I looked at her...thought about it...for a moment....
 then... looked to the Sky.....
and said.....
"or... maybe... it's the other way around."
: )
{then.... she was.... stunned. }
It's all... about... The Journey.
{we agreed... to Pray... for each other... <3 along with All.... who suffer...struggle... and are trying to find...their... Way.}
: )
Love to you.....
Barb C.
{The next couple of weeks.... I will be posting... mostly...about The Amana Estate Sale.
I hope... to see you there. <3 }





Thursday, August 28, 2014

a.... 'match'... made in Heaven... : )

Oh... my.
After Heather and Jon... 
{Wally's Son and Daughter in Law...}
 Liz and Miss. Scarlett... left Wally's Home...
this afternoon...
I...sat down, on one of the old.... Amana Sofas.... and looked through the Old...Old... Leather bound 'Dictionary'.... we placed in the Big Room...
: )
oh my.
I looked up my last name.... and John's...
seems...over a hundred years ago... as... today....
'we'
were a perfect match.
: )
When I picked the song...
'You don't know me'...
by Ray Price... well...
it was also...a perfect match.
: )
The 'Lucky Guy'... in the song... to me... is The Lord.
He... is...Thee.. Lucky One... to have John... with Him... : )
{I...sure didn't want to let him.... go. Not...even... to Our Lord. }
{ask the Chaplain... }
oh my...
oh my... 
: )
Back...to The Sale.
We found some.... lovely... lovely... 'Littles'... 
today....
Loads... of 'Paper'... and some Beautiful... old... handmade lace....
: )
We have Miles... to go.... but...then....
It's all... about...The Journey....
: )
Love... to you...
Barb C.
{if... you don't listen... to the music... I post.... 
well.... Bless Your...Heart.
: )
You... Miss... A Lot. 
It's Poetry... set to... Tune. 
Amazing. }

This... and the below image....
I captured... just before... I found my way....
Home. : )
Yes... we were....
a Match...
Made in Heaven...
{but...then... we always knew that... : ) }
It...was always...so... 'easy'.... between us.
We... were... Blessed.... : )

Captured this image... this Morn.
: )
John's Beautiful... Roses.... are Looking Up... to The Heavens...
{He So... Loved His... Roses....
His Sister in Law... Dorothy..... helped him get them going.... so...many...many... years ago... : ) }

Loads of Early Amana Fabric..... and Textiles... throughout.... oh my.

I spent... hours..... going through the Most... Unusual... old Cards.... They are...Beyond... Cool.
Love the Walford Advertising!
Prayers......
oh...my...
Paper.....
oh... my....
Simply....
Perfect.
We found so much of this... beautiful... handmade lace.... rolled...on rolls... from early...empty...
 aluminum foil... rolls....
then... stored in an early Cedar Chest....
They are all... starched... and Ready to Go...
oh my....
Love....
Vintage Christmas!!!
Vintage... Sewing!!!
and.... to end this day...
Li'L Abner... : )
oh my.
: )
{simply... iowa... : ) }

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

There's a Million... Good Daydreams... to Dream on... but... Baby... {all of our Children... and Grandchildren} You.....are My Favorite... 'Memory'... of All...

An... Old Tin Horse.....
and... the Birds Nest....
Mama found....
{as her Grandpa...would have... as well. Then... brought into the house... to Share. }
Liz... is her Father's Daughter....
Scarlett...is her Mother's...
: )





It Truly Is... All...In The Details.

Spent Sunday... and Monday Morn... with Miss. Scarlett.
: )
She stayed over....
: )
We went to supper Sunday... the waiter kept directing all of his questions, to me....
I...then directed them...to Miss. Scarlett.
She decided on a lovely supper.... for us. : )
{and... yes...I tipped the patient waiter... well... : ) }
When...the 'little ones'... are near...
tho... I tend to try....and 'control'... most everything...in my life....
Keep 'things'... moving... through the uncertain... waters...
Try.... and keep all the pins in the air.... and shoes...from falling... 
When the little ones... are with.... I think... whatever it may be...
Let it... Be. : )
I watch them... experience... 'Life'....
Whether it be.... from an old whirly gig....
{they watch the gears...spin....and... 'wonder'... : )
 I watch Their.. Gears... spin... : ) and... 'wonder'... : ) }
or... seeing a little ant... move mountains..... or...a spider... spin her web.... or... catching rain... on our tongues... : )
We give Scarlett...a rag...and cleaner... at The Old House.... she gets to see...first hand... what a 'difference'... she can make... : )
I played the above tune... because...it came to mind... last night... while I pondered...
I could have chosen any version, but...when I heard this one... it reminded me...of Liz... : ) she whistles like this.... all of the time... when she approaches...
{her Dad... got such a Kick out of her... : )  We all... do.
We...are Blessed.
Liz told me...this morning... "Yes...it was Perfect... it was recorded on my Birthday!"
 I didn't notice that.... Cool!
'Details'.... : )}
Went to the store... picked up some DVDs .... Mostly Tom and Jerry.... 
{and a Sponge Bob we didn't have... }
Some crunchy snacks.... juice.... we were set. : )
I got the movie going.... we lounged in Gamma's Bed...
{we also bought pillows.... after Polly ripped my feather pillows to shreds... a few weeks ago...}
oh my...
We watched Tom and Jerry...all night long.
I was sure...she'd conk out... after an hour or so...
not...so... much. : )
We managed to get a few winks....
We strolled down to the rabbit hole... the next morning... after the Thunder...stopped...
but... danced in the gentle... rain. 
Scarlett... loves things that...'Move'... like the little grinder...in the house, and the Whirly Gig....
near the rabbit hole....
{as does...Justin 'J'... <3 }
Liz delivered a Big... Old... Cupboard, from Wisconsin....to the rabbit hole....
 then..... took Miss. Scarlett home....
oh my.
I went on...to The Old Amana Home....
I didn't stay more that a few hours....
it was so Hot... and  Humid.
The Old House... stays cool... but... it's so... stuffy... from being closed up...for so long.
Do ya open the windows... and sweat.... or... keep them closed...and smother...?
oh my...
I opted to keep the house shut up....
but didn't stay long.
Got quite a bit done....
Sorted and cleaned some of the old tools....
oh my....
There are some really neat ones....
Then... sorted through sewing items....
I'm going to have to get some folks...to come in...and help me identify some of them.....
Then... got lost in the Old Books... again.
{Peg always rolls her eyes... at me... when she sees me... get that glazed look...on my face....
I...open the books.... then...flip through the pages.... marvel...at the pressed flowers...four leaf clovers....  and 'make do'... bookmarks... {John and I... do the same... <3 }
My mind...just...wanders....
I...think...to myself.... "wonder... what they were reading...that touched them so...? and... who was the last person...to read... what I am...now? " 
Yeah.... Peg... our Mad March Hare.... couldn't sit still.... that long! }
{Please... keep Peg in your Prayers.... she is fighting a battle.... <3 }
I opened a door... to one of the Old Amana Cupboards.... was surprised to find a door... inside... for, I suppose... 'special'... things. : )
I love those kind of surprises!
I'm putting some of the Oldest Books... and most unusual ones... inside that Old Cupboard. : )
I realized... as I was writing... this morning....
It...truly is.... all... in the 'details'...
Maybe... why... I love 'Old'..... so much....
and... Nature.
Back...in the day.... they went above...and beyond... with 'details'.... 
Hand dovetailing... so... perfectly..... Their writing... was so... Beautiful....
Fabrics... and Rugs... so precisely done....
Like... a spider... and her web....
or... the birds... Nest....
oh my...
God...Truly... has Blessed Us....
with 
Beauty.... and Ability....
Amazing.
Love...to ya...
Hope you have a 'Beautiful Day'... and... take a moment....
to 'see'... the Amazing 'Details'... 
that surround...You. : )
Barb C.




Old Farm Cupboards... found their way to the rabbit hole... this week....
They are pretty Wonderful... : )
Thanks so Much...to Julie... and Liz! 

Love... The Hidden Door!
Love. 

This book was written in 1932.
{the page above... is the introduction page....}
oh my.... {sigh......}
A little scrap of paper.... was used for a book mark....
: )
John and I... do the same.
So many of our books... look just like this....
Love this tiny... Brass... tin...
still holding it's original... little caps... : )
This is sooooo Cool.
an.... Early... Telescope....
I looked out the window... with it....  it is.... Strong..... 
Found some... amazing.... Needles....
They are....HUGE.......
This little portrait... is being used... for a most Beautiful.... Bookmark....
My two Favorite tools.... so far.
oh my....
The tiny saw... has many adjustments.... it's so intricately made.....
as is... the Tiny.... Nippers! {also has a tiny adjustment... on it as well...
too...cool... }
{It Truly Is.... All In The Details!!!}


Found this slide.... in one of the Old Cupboard Drawers......
very...  cool.