Nightmare....

Thanks to Everyone, for the calls, e-mail and comments... You will never know how much they were needed....

Since the sad news of Maggie, I haven't thought of much else... except... I have to keep running... Sale, next week... and hundreds of miles, in between....Dale and I went to Des Moines, with his Van and Trailer on Tuesday... We went to pick up the Auction stuff, and I had to make a house call, on the way... I bought a nice load... I'm not putting images on, as to squirrel away some stuff for the sale....{I will be posting a few treasures...to get you all excited!}Seemed Dale and I were delayed, at every corner... It was an incredibly, long, long day.... I was worried about Maggie...all day...We got most of the Stuff from Jo's, and I got home, a little after midnight... I had an appointment, yesterday morning, to look at more stuff, and went... I sure didn't want to.... I apologized to the Older Gentleman, for my appearance... I explained, what had just happened, with Maggie, and why my eyes looked like hamburger... He said, "don't think anything of it... my daughter just went through the same thing, with her dog... Cancer... surgeries... rehab... and her beloved, lived only 6 months..." It sounded to me, like it was a difficult 6 months...so, if for no other reason, I'm so glad I kept that appointment...

Peg made it, into town, and we had a quick cup of coffee, she had plans, for the afternoon, and I needed to get stuff home, from Dale's...Dale was kind enough to help..{ I was just going to pull his trailer down home, and unload...} Peg popped out, and before long, John, Dale, Peg and I had stuff poked everywhere... I really don't even want to go look, inside the Shop, this morning.... Liz called, she had taken several days off work, to be with Maggie, so, now, I think she's gonna hang with us...

I'm going to try and just talk business... through 'sale time'...

I will have to share my nightmare I had, last night.... I don't remember everything, but I was at an auction.... running to, and fro... great stuff... John, Dale and Mark were there... I was exhausted...I was buying very well, but couldn't keep up...I was totally overwhelmed... so, I sat down....away from the crowd.... and it felt like I had a bead, in my mouth, rolling around...then, several... turns out, they weren't beads... they were my teeth... my teeth were all falling out.... I looked down, and there was a trail, of my teeth, going back to where everyone was...by the auctioneer...I stood up, and started gathering them up, in my hand... I knew I could never smile again... I went and paid my bill, and realized I had missed all of the stuff, I had went to buy... My customers were all furious with me...What a Nightmare...it seemed so real....oh my....

My Love to You...

Barb C.

Maggie passed away this morning...but..we know...Liz will never walk alone...

This is an Oil Painting, Liz's Fiance', Nick, painted for John, and gave him 2 years ago, at Christmas... Of Liz and Maggie walking down the Wintry streets, near their home... I knew them both, the minute I saw this... It was a wonderful gift.... I have had folks call, confused with my posts this morning... and they didn't realize, until they read the 3rd post, that Liz's Best Friend, Maggie passed away, in the night, after her surgery, yesterday... I was posting, so fast, I didn't really think about it... so... hope this makes more sense... sorry....

Peg called, and said life is a wreck up here... it seems, so...an ongoing 'wreck'...but...Liz and I still have our Faith...and we know... we don't ever walk alone....

Asking for Your Prayers...

John just brought me in, the 'Last Rose', of the season... I'm really not sure I'm gonna make it...

Please send a comment to Liz's blog...{liz-lemon-aid} or, an e-mail... {elizabethelm@ymail.com} Loosing your Best Beloved Friend, is one of the hardest things for me... Witnessing your Child, lose her Best Beloved Friend... well... That Trumps Everything...

heartbroken....

This is Liz's post, from last week... Liz had come to terms with the amputation, and had studied everything she could, to make this transition work, for Maggie... Maggie was the most wonderful Best Friend... She was with Liz, since Liz moved out on her own... They went everywhere together...Maggie loved to run... Liz would go for bike rides, and Maggie would run beside her...I always felt better knowing, Liz had Maggie with her...in their little house.....

Maggie had the kindest heart... The last time I saw her, I was inconsolable... We were at the vet's office... Maggie limped up to me, leaned her chest, into my knees and buried her head in my lap... She was the one in pain, but she couldn't bear seeing me so distraught...

Maggie loved everyone... She was so wonderful with children, the elderly neighbors, and other dogs...Everyone loved Maggie.... She was an Angel....

Liz is Heartbroken....just... Heartbroken....

We all are...heartbroken...................................................... {Liz rescued Maggie, 4 years ago, from the shelter... she was just a pup....if you are thinking about a best friend... and, please, think hard... they are Angels... please visit your shelter... and save an Angel...You will rescue them once... they will rescue you, from that moment on...}

Our Maggie.... is Gone...

Liz just called... Maggie developed a blood clot, after her amputation, in the night, she passed away...

And All The Answers Could Be Found in Children's Nursery Ryhmes

This is a Child's Sugar Bowl, in the Old Mother Hubbard Pattern... I love this... It's from the 1880's, and really touches my heart... Beloved Dog... Old Cupboard...what more could anyone want... well... maybe a bone, for the Dog... This is the emblem, on my top oven door, from my old cook stove... It's wood/gas combination.... We use the gas side, only... I love it... It's from the turn of the last century, it is a Superior brand...{ I think it is a real jewel...} I bought it from my old friend, Cindy B. {Lady Bug Antiques...Waterloo, Iowa} Many years ago...{ I haven't added anything, lately to the "Iowa Farmhouse Style" blog... But have no fear... I will...I am very excited with this new adventure... it is something that has Always been very close to my heart... I'll let you know when I start posting...} These are the darling Sterling Berry Forks, Amy N. found for me, at Gold Rush!{ Amy found two groups, of them... one group at 45. each, the others at 5. each... I opted for the latter...I will pay up to 20. each for them... I collect them, and they are not for resale, at this time...} The center fork is for pie, or desert, it is pretty common... but... it has 'Mother' monogrammed on the handle... Love 'em! This is a Gnarly Old Glass Ladle, with a Gnarly twisted wire handle.... The ladle's bowl, has a crack, probably a hundred year old one, but I love it, anyway...It's a Cool Thing.... I spent the day, grocery shopping, Old Mother Hubbard, found her Cupboards Empty... John won't set foot in the grocery store, unless he is almost starved to death...I completely forgot to grocery shop, before I left, and was shocked when I opened the fridge, to find it, almost totally empty, when I got home Sunday night... oh my...

I didn't run down the road today, antiquing, ... so... no new images... I poked around the house and breezeway, tonight... and saw a few fun treasures...Here they are...

Please say a prayer for Maggie... Liz's Beloved Friend... She is having her leg amputated tomorrow... my gut is churning... I hate this... I'll be on the road, all day... Headed back to Des Moines...The road, always brings me peace... It's going to be a long, long day...

Barb C.

{ when I got home, late Sunday night, tho the cupboards were bare... there were soup bones, simmering in the crock pot, for the Hounds... Our Babe's will never be without a bone... no way...}

I was reading "Streams in the Desert", tonight...{I wish everyone, would have this book... I can't begin to tell you, what it has done in my life...The first year, I followed it, day by day... then, I let the Lord guide me, to what I needed for that day... God has never let me down... It's always the Perfect Lesson....

Tonight I read...{a portion of page 287}

{There are times when everything looks very dark to me.... so dark that I have to wait before I have hope. Waiting, with hope, is very difficult, true patience is expressed when we must even wait for hope...When we see no hint of success, yet refuse to despair, when we see nothing but darkness of night through our windows, yet keep the shutters open, because the stars may appear in the sky, and when we have an empty place in our heart, yet we will not allow it to be filled with anything less than God's best....that is the greatest kind of patience....}

It is difficult, to believe... and keep faith... when you can't see through the darkness... A dear friend of mine, has been going through a very difficult time, and is angry with God... We are all in the middle of a most Glorious Painting, it's titled 'Life'.... The Master, isn't done yet... Though things may seem unfair, and the loss is great, in my friend's mind....The Lord is waiting... When my friend, forgives...looks up... Thanks God, for everything he has endured, asks for help, and God to Shower him, with Blessings... they will come... maybe not in the package my friend expects, or dreams of... but... they will be much more Grand, than my friend could ever imagine....

Barb C.

{ I have to remember this... daily....it's difficult...when life starts smothering... sometimes it takes me weeks to come around...my feet get pretty bloody, from the rough and rocky path... but... they always heal...and are a little 'tuffer', for the next 'go round'....}

Haunted....

When I was trying to capture an image, for Face Book, a couple of weeks ago, I snapped several images, in the kitchen, where I do all of my computer work... Just several of the ones in the kitchen came out this way....{ I believe there is a reason for this... a tragedy occurred here, in this room, about 60 years ago} I'll show others, taken that night, and share some of the stories, from over the years, closer to Halloween....

In this image, it appears, someone is standing behind me,{ 12 inches, or more, off the floor...} I have always known the house has a Ghost, or two...{ John and I, have both seen a man, in a suit... Once, I saw a perfect silhouette of a man, talking 2 steps, in John's room... and John saw a man, in a suit walking out of our old Grandfather Clock { we were both afraid to say anything, to the other, for fear, we'd each think the other was Crazy!} I used to tell Julie, about our sightings.... she was a non-believer... Oh well... Just like Lydia said in Beetlejuice..." Ghosts will only be seen by the strange, and unusual...I, Myself, am, Strange, and Unusual"... I don't care... as long as they don't try and scare me, or physically touch me... we're good...I say it out loud," You are welcome, here, on your journey... but if you scare me, in any way... tho, I'm not Catholic, I'll have every Priest in the County here..." I have never been afraid... whoever they are, it seems, they are not mean { I can feel that... I have been places, where I won't go in... or, won't stay long} These Departed, seem sort of oblivious to us, like they are living in another time... So, no worries... I Hope they find their way, someday...

Barb C. {Oh, and for those who may think I doctored this image... all I can say is..."Really"... I have used this camera, daily, for months...and never had it take these kind of images...Nor, have I ever taken an image, that is even close to the outline of this person, who is behind me... so 'double exposure'...nope.... It's like I was totally surrounded by swirls of smoke.... I was so tired that night... but was determined to get an image, for face book... {My pal, Audrey, was insistent, that evening, I have a presence there...so I kept snapping images... it was the same time I got the image, accidentally, that I posted, that was so sad... I had been crying, for days before, and that image, by accident, truly captured my soul.... it was a very strange night...{ I showed that image to Mark, during Gold Rush, he didn't think it was me.... Liz, on the other hand, knew it right away.... she said,"Mom, I grew up with you, and I've seen you like that before"....all I can say, is I wish she hadn't seen that person...That image makes me cry, every time I see it... What a sad, broken, beaten down, soul... I look at the eyes... and there is nothing left.... what an image... for an accidental shot... I guess, everything does happen for a reason... and, no.... I wouldn't know the first thing about 'fixing' an image}....

My Day Off.... oh well....

It started off pretty good... then... the phone started in... seems I was a 'Wanted Woman'.... Between phone calls, bookwork, bills, and folks, that just plain, needed me.... it wasn't too restful....and... 'The Fall Harvest Sale'... is just little over a week away... oh my....I'm lacing up my running shoes, and throwing on the red cape! Peg is coming up, Thursday... What an Angel... I was thinking, today.... our booth at Gold Rush was 10x60... completely empty... three of us have have the trucks unloaded, and booth set in about 10 hours... Peg and I do the shop, garage, hen house, gazebo, 2 massive tents and spill onto the lawn...oh my... in a few days...We always seem to pull it off... but, as I look back, I have no idea how... I have hundreds of miles to cover, this week... many house calls, and treasures from Des Moines, to finish gathering up! I am soooo excited to keep getting little notes from folks who are making their way, to the sale! I tell everyone, I may look like I know you, smile, and nod... but trust me... there will be no brain cells left....{ I don't have many to work with now....}

Well.... The Beat Goes On!

Barb C.

I'm Home....

This is a cool, old Corner Cupboard I bought Sunday, late in the show... This is a Super Fun, hooked rug, that was for a stair case.... I Love it!!!! It must be 30 feet long! It has a horse, house, school, eagle, Indians, a farmstead... and... it also has a few holes... but...I Still Love it! The show was great... for September... It was Great seeing everyone... The Canadians are on their way home... and... they will be missed.... Amy N. popped in, after Junk Bonanza, with pals..." we had several folks stop in, on their way home!} I mentioned to Amy, to keep her eyes open, on her travels, for Strawberry Forks.... I swear it wasn't 5 minutes, and she had located several...{ I have been hunting, for a year...Thanks Sweetie!}

I bought several treasures at Gold Rush, but, most sold, during the show... a good thing... however, I did squirrel away a few goodies, for the Fall Harvest Sale! And.... I have many house calls lined up this week!

I'm exhausted, and am trying to take Monday off...

My Love to Ya!

Barb C.

Gold Rush... Fun...Fun Fun!

The Gang.... there is a herd of us, heading for Michaels, tonight... Oh My... We are going to Rock Michael's...it'll never be the same! Here are the amazing Mums. from Sisters'... Everyone wants them, here in Minnesota... but... no way... They are Fall Harvest Bound! Oh my gosh.... This table, will totally blow your mind... This Could Sooooo Be a Keeper... Oh my... The fun never ends.... Yes, yes... this is, the smallest show, at Gold Rush... but... laid back, and it's wonderful to have time to visit... oh, yes... And... time to talk....to my Wonderful 'Regulars', who always seek our booth out, 'First'... { Tho... some folks would say... well... I am a bit....ahhh... 'Long Winded'...'Blog' wise... and... in 'person' wise...some... like me, love to visit, and read...

Here's a snippet of Gold Rush...

Wish You All... Were here, to visit, and have the most wonderful Supper... at Michaels....

My Love to Ya!

Barb C.