It's All... about 'the journey'.

I worked down the rabbit hole, today.

After the Storm Blew, through...last night... it was much cooler... today.

I'm still.. not feeling the best. 

so... didn't get much done.

When I came up, this afternoon, I called Michael, Peg's Beloved.

: )

I hadn't visited with him... for a few weeks.

Our conversation started off...'well'... then, like always... it seems... the tears fell.

First, Michael... couldn't speak... then, I couldn't. 

We Miss... Our Friends. <3 <3 <3 

Michael said... he's only been Fishin'... once, since Peg's Memorial.

It...just... isn't Fun, like it used to be... and, it gives him too much time, to 'think'.

oh boy... do I understand... that. 

After we said our 'Good Byes'... I thought about the little old... 'Wash Stand'...

Peg, had brought to The Sale, here... a couple years ago.

I fell in Love with it, the moment we pulled it from her Van.

: )

I told her I wanted to buy it... and she had a Fit!

Insisted... that I take it. 

{ I always tried to get 'Square' with Peg.... one way...or another. : ) 

but, I still...OWE her...The Moon. : ) <3 }

It belonged to her Brother, Jerry... who Loved... Early Furniture.

Peg has given me many... of Jerry's things... over the years, that she'd inherited... when he passed away.

He was very young... when he passed away. It was very sudden.

Peg, Adored...him. <3

Many of the furniture pieces, in Justin's old Bedroom, were once, Jerry's. 

All 'Heck' was breaking loose... the year, she gave the little, old...wash stand... to me.

I put it in the breezeway... and, there... it's sat.

It had gotten buried, with things... that needed a place to land... for a 'minute'... that, turned into years.

I cleaned it off, this Evening.

Carried it inside... sat it down...beside me.. and examined it. : )

It's constructed...from Walnut. 

I'd bet... it's an Iowa Piece.

I'd guess... it dates to the 1850's or 60's.

It's all hand made.

The gallery....and drawer, are hand dovetailed. : )

At one time... in it's life, it was 'wounded'.

Someone... repaired the 'wound'... with a tin patch.

: )

{reminds me... of a 'Tin Man'... I knew. : ) He Patched...Much, over the years...for me. <3 }

Years...Decades...maybe... a Century...

dissolved the tin, to nothing.

Only, a few rusted away...remnants...of nails, are left...nestled...in the old, walnut top,

where the patch had once, been.

: )

I dug through the hardware, Peg sent to me, from her Dad's... and found a nail... to repair, a little piece, of the gallery. : ) 

'The Journey'.

Jerry's...Peg's... and mine.

then, there was another, 'journey'...that I could see.

{I think, tho... I never knew, Jerry...

 he, could 'see' too. : ) <3

'The Love...of Old'. }

How it was constructed...

What Tree, it was constructed....from.

{Just think... It had to be a Mighty...Walnut Tree, as the boards... on the top, and shelf, below... were cut from a single board.

Over 17 inches wide.

That's pretty wide.

The Harvest Table... {Only me...and Harold, could Love : ) {and Ed...}

where, I sit, tonight... has a two board top.

It's also, Walnut.

One board... of two...on it's top... is nearly 22 inches wide.

The Tree...that board was cut from...would have had to of been... over 36 inches, in diameter...

150, to 200 years old...at that time.

There will never be Trees, to cut...like this again.

They are all gone...or, protected. }

Walnut, was plentiful... in Iowa.

Much, of our early furniture... is made from it.

Gary Darrow, a Dear Friend, from way back... taught me so Much... about the 'Construction' of early furniture.

Years ago... he bought, much...from me.

I always... Loved.... Early Handmade Furniture...

but, I thanked him... over the years, because... tho, I loved it...

I Really... Loved It... when I could recognize... and, understand...all of the hand work.

'The Journey'

These were Farmers... who built this Furniture.

They didn't have schooling... on Cabinet Construction.

They, learned from their Fathers...and Grandfathers.

Gary said... in all of the Early Furniture... he bought, over the years....

he never saw a 'dovetail'... that was cut, without 'perfection'.

These Folks, back...in the day... didn't have fancy tools... or...even, electricity.

: )

yet... they Built pieces... that have endured... over 150 years.

Priceless.

So, you see... tho...sometimes, things look 'ruff'.

Sometimes... if, you look a little deeper, you'll forgive, the imperfections...

: )

and, like me... come, to Admire... Them. 

after all...'The Imperfections'... have a Story, to Tell...

and a 'Journey' all, their own. : ) <3

Love, to ya...

Barb C.

Hand Dovetailed Gallery.

Corner, of the Gallery.

Hand Dovetailed Drawer.
Front and back.

Nearly 18 inch... wide, Walnut Top.

Where... the 'Patch'...was.
The split... in the top... is a 'split'. This, was 'One Board'. 

I... don't know where, the little....old... Wash Stand... will,  'stand'... here.
but,
for now... It'll Hold... Justin and Katie's Home Grown...Tomatoes!
{Gold...to Me! }
{like, the little old....stand }
: )
{Sweetie, thinks it's just fine... where it's at. : ) }
I, didn't have the heart...to give it a bath.
I kinda like... that dust, and the thought, of Peg's fingerprints, that... are still there.
: )
Like, her Brother... Jerry's...are, too. : )
{and.. maybe...even...a Mouse Turd.... or, two...from the breezeway. : ) }
I remembered the tune, above... from when I was little...
about an Old...Four Poster Bed, that was made... by 'Hand'. : ) }
<3 <3 <3