Norway Auction...

Tom Sandersfield... My favorite Auctioneer.... He and Jimmy, gave me a hard time, all day...they poked and prodded...always fun, and lighthearted... I love those Boys... Good Men... Jim Arp...my second favorite, Auctioneer...{sorry Jimmy... but... Tom and I go wayyy back... to the days he was the 'Second Auctioneer', with Vernon Brecht... I was about 10, when Tom started with Vernon... those were the days... oh my...} Sally was Full... Poor little Mustang... Little Ford was wrapped, stacked, and strapped... I'm sure driving one of 'my' loads home... made John's day... tho... he had a lot of fun digging through the contents of the old garage... and found some cool stuff! John squeezed in the Ford, somehow.... {welcome to my world....} Visited with Dale, and Mark...yesterday morning, before the sale started... they were at the auction, looking through, and I asked them, if I should come.... They both thought I'd find some stuff.... Norway, Iowa, is where Mark lives, and Dale grew up, and has lived in this area his entire life.... it's just 10 minutes from me... A small Farming Community, it's largest business is Frontier Herbs... a wonderful, worldwide Natural Products Business...{they were doing things right, before it was the 'right thing' to do... Organics...}

The Ford was still partially loaded, and it was close to the start of the Auction.. So, I asked Mark, if he thought I needed the truck... He didn't think there was much 'big' stuff, I'd want... so, he said bring the car... Well... I filled the Mustang... and then called John, had him ask Justin to help him unload the truck, and bring it, too.... I bought the contents of a shed... a wonderful old General Store, Enterprise {2 wheeled} Coffee Grinder { a Big Daddy!}.... 2 beds... loads of littles {children's books... fabric... rugs... unusual chick feeders...an old, old teeny tiny sprinkling can...lovely old frames... a wonderful old Gilbert Store Regulator Clock... with a fancy pressed oak case.... {it's spring is sprung... and the winding arbor is broken off.... {where the key fits, and you wind the clock...} I will tell you... someone had some bloody knuckles, after that spring blew... I have had this happen...when winding a clock... oh my....} The Lady who was having the sale, is 87 years old... and a very sweet, and charming woman... She helped me fold many old quilts I had purchased, and pointed out the ones her mother and grandmother made... Nothing fancy... but, wool...and warm... she said, in those days, it was most important that the quilts were warm.... She told me the old clock had been in her home, her entire life... I'll have it running, in no time....{no pun intended} Dale helped 'ring' the auction... My favorite Auctioneers were having the sale... It was good to see everyone... Dale helped us load, and we went out to supper together... It was a long day... I'll be unloading, cleaning, sorting and repairing, today...

Hope you find much rest, on this most Beautiful Sunday....

Barb C.

Old Books....

These Old, Old books have been fun, to see... they have been quite entertaining....

This is a cool book...1833.... Old Dictionary... very interesting to read.... I have a passion, for old, old books.... tho, it seems, I have little time, to sit down and read them... Just pulling them off the shelf, and flipping through them, is relaxing, to me... The old dictionary isn't dated... but... it calls fire arms, muscets... a Firelock, a soldier's gun.....so... I would guess it's from the earlier half of the 1800's... The 1833 book, and the dictionary are leather bound, and lovely... The other, 'Ladies Companion', is from 1851, and quite interesting... I will make a point, of spending a little time, with this one...

I didn't get the truck unloaded, entirely, yesterday.... I'll have John lend a hand, this morning.... I have an old grinding stone, complete, with it's stand... and a little too awkward for me to handle, alone.... I bought several grinding stones, from Carole.... and an early Amana stand, for a wooden wash tub... I'll see if John can get the centers out of the stones, and then, stack them on the old Gnarly stand.... they will be wonderful for the Mid West Show, next Sunday... I'm going to have some wonderful Surprises, for the show....

I was the Bobbling Clown, again, yesterday...{remember the blow up Clowns, from the 60's... it was about 3 feet tall, and weighted, on the bottom... the kids could punch it, and it would weave around, but would always stand straight up, again.... well..... that's my life, it seems... I'm the Clown...I guess the blessing, in this statement is...I keep standing...} I quit a little early... turned the phone off... and came up to the house... where my best Girl, was soooo glad to see me....{Pal, Mary S., gave me a little sign, that says, something like, "May I always be, just half the person, my dog thinks I am"....

People... what in the world, is wrong with them....I just don't get it....

I'm headed to an auction, this morning... we'll see.... seems I have money gushing from every orifice,{ spell check doesn't recognise the word 'Orifice'.... so... I looked it up, in the gnarly early 1800's dictionary... it was there... it means... 'any opening'... for me, it means...'Every Opening'}.... these days.... always plenty of palms out....and...Winter ahead.... oh dear...

Well.... I've got today... and, that's good enough for me...{still standin'}

Have a Great Saturday....

Barb C.

On The Road...again....

Maurina had this little Cross... She knows how much I love this kind of stuff... It is going in the bedroom... along with all of the 'Rest in Peace' plaques... Some may think this is a little 'dark'.... well... I see nothing brighter, than Heaven... and... 'Resting in Peace'... well... one can Never have, too much Peaceful, Rest...and... if it weren't for these little plaques.... who would remember these folks... I think about them....who they were... where they lived.... what their life was like, 125 years ago... they may be absent... but... not forgotten... Be sure and check out their blog... It's Lovely... Sisters' Garden... is so Peaceful... and... Balanced... Being 'Balanced'... is a 'Good Thing'.....It's beautiful.... A Cool Load, from Carole's.... The cab is full...too... I unloaded from Maurina's, before I headed to the Amana's... That was a heavy load...oh my...it's been a long... long... day.... Spent the last two days, on the road... I took Sally, on the road for appointments...in the Iowa City area yesterday... so enjoyed a very relaxing visit at Sisters' Garden, Bloom and Barntiques and Rug Cottage...I truly admire, all of the Women, that bring so much inspiration, and stability, to my life... Barb H., has been a truly amazing 'Rock'... I had a great surprise, at Sisters'... Sharon, from Sweet Repose, was just leaving...it was so nice, to see her... { I look like a sight... I've dyed my hair, black, again.... Must be this 'Goth', 'thing' I'm going through....everything seems a bit 'Dark' these days...and my nerves are, well, simply... raw...I guess it's good timing... folks will just think I'm getting ready for Halloween....}

Today, I was on the run... Maurina is having a yard sale... and was was kind enough to give me an invite... I ran over, first thing... we had a great time... I found all sorts of fun stuff...{Images, in the daylight, tomorrow...}She took me through her Store, in Czech Village... then bought me the most wonderful lunch, at the 'Blue Toad' {next door, to the Famous, 'Red Frog'....}... Oh my... we had Potato Dumplings... gravy... their special, home fries.... red cabbage, and a Blue Moon... Oh dear... it was Mid West, 'Soul Food'...{the very cool, Bartender, even had the recipe for 'Root Beer'... oh dear... I have been hunting this recipe, for 30 years... It will drop you to your knees...and... it truly tastes, just like root beer...{he made us a sample...it's amazing...} Then my old Pal, Carole, from near Amana, invited me over, to go through her barns... and buy.... It was Grand....We had a wonderful time... It was great seeing Carole, and Jerry... It's been a lot of years... They said something, very nice... They said they called me first, because over the years, I always treated them fair...I was, and am... truly... touched...by that statement... made my day...

I left my camera at home, today... I would have loved to have taken so many images... oh well...

Hope everyone, has a wonderful...Friday....

Barb C.

{ Polly keeps putting her cold nose, under my elbow.... she's ready for bed... me too... and it's only a little after 9... oh dear...}

Polly's Home...

Thank God, for the Most amazing Vet, and Staff.... I didn't get any images there... as soon as I pulled up, they brought Polly out... oh my... She was going crazy... Pulling the poor trainer around and around... so... I loved her up, and corralled her in the Mustang...it was a long, long trip home... Polly was a nervous wreck... poor Girl....The closer we got to home, she seemed to know...When I parked the car... she flew towards the house...{dragging me...all the way!}I let her in... then she bee lined for the bedroom, and sat, staring at the bedroom door......No way, was she climbing on my bed, 'til she got a bath! So, she jumped in the tub, and I gave her a nice long bath! Then we went downstairs, and watched t.v.,{She has her own Wing Back Chair, in the t.v. room... all day, she refused to lay on the floor...whatever room she's in... she's on a chair, or sofa... When I did laundry, she even jumped on the old sofa, in the basement... She has Never jumped on that sofa.... Poor Baby... No flippin floor for her! She has eaten all of her rib tips, and is totally in love with the Dog Treats, Liz made, for the Dog Cancer Tribute... She sniffed those out, immediately! She has slept, a lot...I think we will both... sleep well, tonight...

Thanks to Everyone, for Everything....

Barb C.

{Betty G., I know we have never met... but... You Are an Angel... I'm sure of it... Thank You...}

{I hope you have a minute, to read, all of the wonderful comments, from all of the Angels, that keep me from falling off the cliff... Oh my.... Thank You....and... Thanks... to those, who don't leave a comment... but keep us, in your prayers.... oh my....}

Sweet Mary....

Mary met up with me, before I went to get Polly...We had lunch...at Famous Dave's, in Cedar Falls...She thought I needed a friend... Mary... is the most wonderful, friend...She loves her Cats... Like I Love my Critters...Mary took one of our Kittens, that was kind of a dwarf... some of my other friends wanted him.... but, I knew he had to go to Mary... Mary battled cancer, shortly after she took 'Munchkin' home... she says, he kept her going... Her husband snuck him into the hospital, after her surgery... the first thing Mary asked for, upon waking, was her Kitten......

Munchkin is very blessed to have Mary, too...

{I found this wooden carved Kitty, at Bob and Vi's... it had Mary's name on it...it even matched her top!}

{Meeting at Famous Dave's, worked out great... I took rib tips home for Polly, Nicky and John... They all were very pleased...}

I wanna come home...

My Polly gets to come home... this, afternoon... I know... some of you think I'm crazy... But... when I moved away from my Mother's home, and, out on my own... I was 15 years old... My Best Friend was Dolcey...a Great Dane...{rescued} We moved into a 10 by 50 trailer, in the Winter... it had an old screen door, with plywood over it, for a door,{no lock}{not good, with -10 below outside...}... and no pipes under the sink,{they had frozen, and broken} just a 5 gallon bucket... that I poured down the tub drain, after washing dishes... the furnace wouldn't turn on and off, so I did it manually... but...we had heat... I bought the trailer, for 600.00...{I am so thankful, for that Home...That I had enough money to buy it....} we lived there all Winter...

{I have heard some of my friends make fun of that old Trailer Court.... They say, it's got a lot of 'White Trash' in it... well... they only say it once... to me, anyway... after I tell them, that's where I started out... Good... Kind... people there... and... great memories...} I don't think I could have made it, without Dolcey's unconditional love...

Having Polly taken away... well... I really couldn't grieve more, over a human... sorry... if this offends some of you...{ tho, she is alive...and has been with wonderful people... just having to give her up... well... it's like, I would imagine, having a child taken away...wrongly...unjustly...}

In my life... I have Never... been loved... by any human...so unconditionally... as by my Animals...They Love me... no matter...

This has been a horrible 10 days...and with the loss of Maggie... just before... I'm waiting for the next shoe to drop...

Barb C.

{ I have sent Prayers out, for Carolyn M... She is at rest... with her beloved, Roger... Heaven is a Sweet Home...and a bit more beautiful, with Carolyn's decorating abilities...can't wait to see what she does with the place...May God Bless their Souls...}

The Gnarliest Quilt...

I found this Unbelievable Quilt, while on my trip to Elkader, last week... {Turkey River Mall } It knocked me off my pins... I am not a quilter... But I appreciate, and love them so... If... I were to ever make a quilt... this would be exactly what I would create... A primitive Log Cabin...{or...maybe, a "Crazy Quilt"} surrounded by Big, Beautiful Floral Fabric...something, off the charts, beautiful... oh my....

The Old Quilt is quite large....{full size, at least... with the center, being about the size of a crib quilt...} I would so love to visit with the one, who created this quilt, a hundred, plus... years ago...I have a feeling...we have much in common... I showed it to Peg, and Patty, yesterday... Patty's jaw dropped...{Fern Hill} {I told her, it would make her smile... she was speechless....} and Peg...well... she said it was absolutely me...} I have always loved a 'Leather and Lace' look... It's the whole package... Like, the Iowa Farmhouse.... You would see a beautiful, ornate Wardrobe... then, open the doors, to find it filled with gnarly old bed ticking, from Grandma's House.... and Grandpa's old Coveralls, in need of mending... fifty years ago...but never got done......It's hard to explain... maybe a bit 'Bohemian'...but... when I laid my eyes on this Quilt... it spoke clearly, without saying a word...

This old quilt's handwork, is amazing.... The Log Cabin center, is nicely bordered, with the Floral Fabric... every inch of this quilt, is finely hand pieced...{tiny, close stitching} It is filled with the softest, pulled wool....It has a lovely, very early, gray and black, pinstriped back, that Wanda liked... of course...{Gatherings} I guess... there's a little something for everyone, in the Old Darling...

Well Gals... I LOVE everything about it...the entire package... It's truly, one of a kind...

Barb C.

Treasures...

I Love Funky, Weird, Gnarly, things... so... this old tool, was right up my alley...it's very cool...

My friend, Don Mc., thought so too.... he snagged it, out of my pile, at the Estate Sales Check Out...{he didn't know, he was in a 'sold' pile...} thought he was going to buy it... ah... not so much... I asked him to step away from the Gnarly Tool... it was in my pile... he graciously, put it back... Poor Don....

the heart shaped pieces, are a buckle... love 'em... and the tiny wire whip, is for 'Horlick's Malted Milk'... very sweet...

A Few Treasures from the Estate Sale....

Had a busy day, with Liz.... I started working at the shop... but she needed some help... so we wound up spending the day, together... it was very nice... Liz had borrowed Sally, while her car was getting a check up, she brought it back, last night...... and.... I gotta tell ya... just bailing in that little car... with the top down... radio cranked... toolin' down the Hi Way... with Liz.... was the best pill, I could take....It was a warm, 80ish, out... Sunny... and perfect.... oh my...{we even gave Sally a much needed bath!}

Here are a few images I took, this evening, while unpacking the Estate Sale Stuff.... I panicked,

as I was digging through the truck... I was missing some very cool stuff.... I called Bob, the friend who was having the sale, and he said Mark had taken those items with him... Thank goodness...

These are 2 early quilts, I found.... and I'll be darned... one is red and white.... I was asked this morning if I got a red and white quilt.... my reply..."ah...nope".... see... no brain cells... I think they both date from around 1870.... the red and white one, has a tag that says it's early 1800's.... I don't think so.... I love the Comforter, I think it's 'Flying Geese'... the fabrics are very, very early examples.... The quilting is wonderful, on this quilt... and the triangles are tiny... like 'em.... I love quilts like this, that have a huge variety of fabrics.... This is also, hand pieced... oh my... the time.... these 2 inch letters, are sweet... I would guess from the 40's or 50's... fun... This is a double jar lifter... for canning... it's on it's side, in this image... It's really cool, with jars in it... I have never seen one like it... I loved the wear on this Kraut Cutter... and the lolly pop top... Old Egg Basket.... I don't think one can have too many wire egg baskets.... This wire basket is quite large... it was filled with old rag balls... I like it empty... very gnarly... This is a tiny little clock... maybe, 3 inches square... I love porcelain dials...{faces} so, grabbed it, too.... There are quite a bit of 'littles', to go through, yet... I'll have more images, in the next day, or so...

Barb C.