The Farmer's Wife....

Bailed in The Ford...yesterday....

and took a trip to Nebraska.

Went to buy... two Store Cupboards.... that sounded exactly... like...
 what I'm Hunting For!!!!

The Woman couldn't send images.

but...

They matched the 'size'... 'shape'... and 'age'....of what I'm looking for.

Turns out... they had it all.... but... one... had been refinished...

{I was told they had old finish.... }

the other...

was something that would require John... to get it 'back'... : )

The Folks... seemed kind of surprised... when I said...

"One... needs more work...than I can do.

The other... is too 'Pretty'. : ) "

The things... that find their way.... down the rabbit hole... are 'worn'... and well... Loved.

Worn Velvet... Tarnished...Silver.

White Ironstone... that is sepia toned.... from over a hundred...years...of use.

Little Old.... mirrors.... that are... 'Ghost Mirrors'....
they reflect a 'muted' image. : )

Old... rusty... fragments... of toys...
Parts.. Pieces.... and Gears...

Dirty... 'dug' bottles. : )

If you display.... these...Old...Soulful... 'things'.... on a refinished... 'Pretty' piece....

well...

They all Look Bad.
The Cupboard...and... The Soulful... 'littles'. 

I don't think... they understood... completely.
: )

but...

I can't buy...to 'buy'.

When I'm Hunting... for The Rabbit Hole....

Whatever 'It' Is.... has gotta have soul. : ) 

To me.. when a piece... is 'Skinned'....
{refinished}

it...loses....
 'something'. 

'soulfulness'.

I figured that out.... about... 20 years ago.

I used to 'skin' painted pieces.

Had to Get To That Honey Pine!!! 

or..

'Quarter Sawn Oak'.... : )

Then... one day....I got a call... from some Folks...from around Clutier, Iowa.
: )
The Kids... were little... 8 and 10...

We bailed in The Aerostar... Van... and went to see these Folks...

who said...they had Two Farms...

One, Farm House... was Filled with Antique Furniture.

{The Farm House... was 'Storage' for them...
 They lived at the Other Farm House, just a half mile...away. }

The Little Couple.... had been married... forever.

They were tiny... people. Quite...Elderly. <3 <3 <3 

I was sooooo Excited.... to see what they had, in the Old Farm House.

: )

When we walked inside.... I saw... it was all... 'Oak'. 

; (

Varnished...Oak.

{Don't get me wrong... I Love...  Oak... but... not this.
It was too... Slick. 'Skinned'
They, over the years... had it all refinished.
 I... was searching.... for... 'something'... 'as found'...
I was just... beginning... to 'feel'... the difference. }
: ( 

I asked them... if they had anything... with 'Paint'.

They looked at each other...
 'Thinkin'..... 

The Farmer said.... "Well... there is that Old Cupboard... at the other Farm...
that our Boy... has in the shed... and stores his oil in.."

"That's The One.... I'd like to see." : ) 

So... we all headed to the other Farm.

: )

We walked into the little shed... and... saw...
 The Most.... Beautiful.... Old.... Handmade...Stepback... Cupboard.

: ) 

Filled with oil cans... belts for mowers....
parts...and pieces.... of this, that...and the other... piece of equipment.

: )

The paint... was so cool.

Layers... of Gray... Cream...and White.

: ) 

It had a Tin...work surface.... for rollin' out dough.... : )

The Farmer asked 200. or 250. for it...

{a lot... for us. }

but...

My Head Nodded...YES!!! I'll Take It!!!

<3 

oh my.
!!!

{so much... for a 'poker face'... : ) }

The Farmer began taking the contents out...

I offered to help... but.... he insisted... he'd do it... : )

so... I began visiting with The Farmer's Wife.

She... was Lovely.

We stood, and chatted... watching The Farmer.... pile things... here, and there. : )

Never taking our Eyes.... off.....of the Old...Cupboard. : ) 

The Farmer's Wife...said....

"When we were first married, we lived at the other Farm.... with my Mother and Father in Law.

I remember, that Old Cupboard... : ) 

It stood in the Kitchen... near the Wood Burning Stove. 

: )

My Mother in Law... was The Best Cook. : )"

she went on...as our eyes... were 'Fixed'... on the Old Cupboard.

: ) : ) : ) 

"I...remember... the day...she painted it... 'white'... 

{the last... time it was painted... around 1930  }

I was sitting at the Round Oak Table.... feeding my Little Girl... her Breakfast... in her Highchair.

: ) 

That.... was the year... my Little Girl... died."

oh my.

My eyes.... were no longer... 'locked'... on the Beautiful... 'Soulful'... 

Old Cupboard.

They went straight.... to The Farmer's Wife.

I put my arm around her....

'speechless'.

The Farmer's Cupboard.
Mr. and Mrs. Heck
<3 

I can't explain it.... but.... the Old Surface.... on a piece... somehow....

has an aura... from all of the years.

I...think... it takes in.... 'The Journey'... somehow.

: )

When...that is skinned...from it.... to bare wood.... well..... 

'something'... is lost....and... it doesn't have the...
 'Warmth'...

anymore...

to me. 

So... yesterday....The Ford and me... came home.... empty. 

: (

The Folks... were Great... <3 

 They are retired... and were Long Time... Antiquers.
He was 80...she was 79.  : )
He... was Born on the Farm.... I visited yesterday.
He said... "I was Born Here...and.. Never Left!". <3 <3 <3 

: )
We sat...and visited...over Coffee and Cake.
She said... "You come to our House... The Coffee is Always...On."
{It was Gooooood Coffee... too! }

I stopped at a Big Antique Mall... on the way home...went through it...twice...

and...

bought... nothing.

: ( 

I was thinkin' about that.... all the way home.

{10 hours... on the road }

I really... am Thankful... for what's down the rabbit hole. : ) 

I was thinking.... about the Old Cupboards... that are in the Big Truck....

The Amana Cupboard... that's in the Gazebo. :: )

I talked with my Friend, from Wisconsin.... who is selling me back... several pieces, she used only for display... in her store. {She closed a while back. }

She bought most of them 6 years ago.... and is bringing me two... on Sunday....

Others are coming to Gold Rush... in May.

I am Soooo Excited.... to see Those Old Friends.... again. : )

I Loved Them... when I bought 'em.... still do... always will. <3
It's funny....
Cupboards... like the one, above.... wasn't 'accepted' by many... 20 years ago.
The 'Country' People... turned their noses up....to something... like this....
Old...Iowa....Farm Cupboard.
'Not Old Enough.... and...Too Much...'Porch Paint'. "
: )
The Oak and Pine Folks... would have Dipped It and Stripped It....
{after all.... That's a Mess!!! }
: )
It took me.... a while, too...
but...
when it Clicked..
It Clicked.
<3
The Farmer's Wife...
was quite...a Gift. <3
Love, to ya...
Barb C.