simply iowa: Wrecking... Ball.

I don't know... what made me decide to drive... to pay the phone bill... yesterday.

Normally... I pay it on line.

Maybe... because it was such a Beautiful day.....

Maybe... I simply needed to find the road...

: )

It's about a 20 minute drive... but, it's a pretty one. : )

I drove 'Gypsy'... the Big Ford... She needs to be driven.... and, I enjoy... climbing up...in her...and Bouncing down the road.

The way I go... to the other town, where I pay the bill... takes me past a Farm, that...my Dad lived in...

when he was a Young Man... starting out... with his earlier Family.

Every time he and I would drive past it... he would share such.... fond memories... of his life there.

{I later found out... after he passed away... living there... was... wonderful... for him...in the beginning. Then.... turned out to be... one of the worst... times of his life.

He lost everything.... and divorced.... when he left there. But... he never.... shared... the 'latter' version with me.

Only... the Happy Times. <3

That's the way he was.

: )

He saw life... no matter how difficult it was... only... in a Positive... way. }

I think of him... every time.... I pass that Farm. : )

I received a call... a few years back, a woman had some things for sale.

She had been referred to me... by a Friend.

I took down the address... and made my way towards the town...where I pay the phone bill.

When I turned on to the road... she had named.... the hair on the back of my neck... stood up.

I was heading towards... Dad's Old House.

Knowing... the rest... of the 'story'... I really never had any desire.... to get closer... than the highway... that runs parallel to Dad's Old Farm.

I thought to myself... as the Ford and I slowly crept closer...over the rough gravel.....

'This can't... be... my destination.....'.

I pulled in.... at Dad's Old Farm....

Looked at the 'Number'... it was the place.

I sat there... and looked at the numbers.... and added them... together.

They equaled 13.

: (

Dad...was born... in 1913.

He Passed away... on Friday the 13th... of February.

at 7:33 a.m.

The number... 13... has never been... one of my favorites.

I... just...sat there... in the drive. Frozen.

I put the Ford in Reverse.... JUST... as a Woman... opened the door... to the House.... and was waving... 'Hello'..... : )

oh my.

I was stuck.

I...had to get out... and talk to her.

I can't begin... to tell you how difficult it was... walking through the doors... of the Old Summer Kitchen.... knowing... my Dad... had spent such an unhappy time... there.

His hands... had touched... the door knobs.... and he probably moved things.... around... and worked there....Laughed... there... and... cried... there.

oh my.

To say the very least.... my Heart... was Heavy... and... in my throat.

{Honestly... I was dizzy. }

The Woman... walked me in to The Old... Summer Kitchen... that was the House... in the beginning.

{1850's }

It was full of 'stuff'.... but... next to the Huge... Hearth.... was a Big... Walnut.... Cupboard.

She said... they were going to eventually.... tear the Summer Kitchen down... : ( and would I be interested in it.

It was originally built in... when the House was built. It was Sandwiched Tight... between the Outside Wall.... and the Stone Hearth.

oh my.

I knew... John, was the Only... One... who could remove it... without destroying it... or... the Building.

It was in July... and so...Hot.

but...

He agreed... to come help... a few days later.

: )

{He knew... how Very Much.... that Old Cupboard... would mean to me. {Coming from Dad's... }

<3 <3 <3

oh my.

We worked... so Hard.

Took us... all day.

It's here... in our Dining Room...

: ) : ) : )

As I was approaching Dad's Old Farm.... yesterday....

I saw smoke... in the distance.

I knew.

As I rounded the curve... I wasn't prepared.... for what I saw.

Everything....

Every Building....

Every...Tree.....

was gone.

Leveled.

oh my.

I was Driven... to buy the cd by Eric Church... yesterday.

The song... "Like a Wrecking Ball"... was on it.

It's one of my Favorites....

I was listening to it... over and over... on my ride... to pay the bill.

The lyrics... have little to do... with this... except....

the Title.

oh my.

The Journey.

Love... to ya...

Barb C.

I took this image.... as I was leaving The Farm.... for the last time.
It was... Beautiful.
and....
so... very... Peaceful... there.
I worked there... a couple of days.... sorting through things... and buying things.... that had been buried in the Old Barn... for a hundred years. oh my.

I pulled Gypsy over on the shoulder... of the highway.... and took this image.
I...couldn't... bring myself....to get any closer.
There was a Farm House... Summer Kitchen.... Big Barn.... and Massive... Beautiful... Trees....Standing there.
There....
right... There....
where... there... is... nothing.

This... is the Old Summer Kitchen.
It was built in the 1850's... and was the First House... on the property.
This is where the Old.... Walnut Cupboard... was Living. : )
I'm sure... the Cupboard was built... right here..... on The Farm.... From Native Walnut... Trees.

The Old Summer Kitchen... was Leaning Hard... on the Cupboard.
John and I... had One Heck... of a Time... getting it out.
oh my.

This window... was next to the Old Cupboard.
in fact....
The Old Cupboard... is faded... from the light... and weather... of the broken window.
I admired this... so.
I wish... I could have rescued it... too.
I Loved... that someone... Long... ago... had painted Flowers.... on it. <3

John... taking a Break.... checking out all of the 'Early... Craftsmanship'....

The Old Cupboard... was also... cut in to the Floor.
oh my....
what a Job... Carefully... Carefully... removing it.

Getting it 'Free'... was a 'Job'....
carrying it out... was Also.
It's Solid...Walnut.
Nearly 8 feet tall....
over 20 inches.. deep... {One Board...Sides... all Hand Cut....and Square Nailed. }
To say... this Old Boy... is 'Heavy'... would be a Huge...
Understatement.
The passages... in the Old Summer Kitchen... were Narrow... and Tight.
It was Hotter Than Hell....
but...
We Got 'er... Done. <3 <3 <3
: )

I, also bought the hand forged Iron... Fireplace Cranes....
I sold them to a Friend.... and she sold them... right away.
I...wish... I would have kept them... too.

Home.
Saved...
'Rescued'.

The Woman... didn't let me in The House.
I didn't ask.
{I could tell... she had her reasons... for not letting me in }
but... I bought Piles... of 'Paper'.... some of it... was art work... from the early 1900's.
I have a feeling.... the sketches.... and drawings... are from the inside... of The Farm House. : )