On the Road...today...

I was snapping images, yesterday morning... and these old Ornaments...resting in a, badly broken, Staffordshire, compote..{ I can't bare to pitch it.... some day...I'll get the glue out....}they were calling out, to me...they were a gift...years ago...as I looked closer, at this image... I realised, my reflection, is in one of them...I almost deleted it... but then, It made me see.....how old...and drawn, I have become...I see why those images of people, back in the day...always looked so much older, than they were.... It truly isn't the Years...it's the Miles....and...this Old Gal...has got a lot of 'Miles'...on this Old Frame....

Bills to pay... I figure...by the time we are caught up...I'll be just about broke....

I am thankful...we are getting caught up...

 Today, reminds me of a letter that came along with...one of my most Favorite Cupboards....ever...

I was talked into selling...several years ago....It was from deep, Southern Iowa... A Big...Walnut Straight front Cupboard... with Ox blood paint...

I had all of the history on it...it had started out, in a Sod House.... then...moved to the 'New' House...that was built in the later part of the 1800's.... then...that house was boarded up.... in the mid 1900's....and was going to be dozed down....in the 1990's....full... a woman stopped in my shop, wanting to know, if I was interested in anything, out of that house...she had begged them, to let her go inside, and rescue, before they dozed....{she was a friend of the family, and convinced them, that there was value in there, and the elderly owner, could use the money...}

There is a LONG story...on how, I wound up with that Old Cupboard... but, that's another day.... {Susie, the girl who rescued everything...and I... were left speechless.... it was a 'meant to be'...thing......}

Susie had saved all sorts of letters...from the 1800's...and one of them, I saved, with the 'Sod House Cupboard'... A young woman, had moved from the Southern Iowa Farm...and the only family she knew, and settled with her husband, and, then children in the Red River Valley.... she wrote, in that letter...about the little critters, she loved...the cold Spring...late Snow... and her children... then...she said.."Yes Mama, the land here is beautiful... I just wish the weather was more predictable, and the crops...more sure.".... she was worried about the uncertainty, in her life...{I know I'm not quoting it word for word, it's been years since I read that old letter....and, when I let the Cupboard go...I sent the Letter with it...} but...I sighed...as I began to write this, and, I can tell you...in a hundred and forty years....nothing has changed.... Life is so Uncertain....

Have a Wonderful Day...

Barb C.

{I just reread this... and noticed the title...I titled this...before I wrote it...or had picked the image....ah...yes...on the road...again....and...adding a few more miles.... oh my....}

Winter's Morn...

We are getting a bit...of Snow, this morn... it's Cold... but....so Beautiful...

I grabbed the camera..as Polly dragged me out the door, for her morning walk....

Nature...is so incredible...what She can do...with just a Dusting of Snow... She gives everything...another dimension...one...that it will only have... for this very instant... with a whiff...of a Winter Wind...it could all be changed...

Hmmm....kind of like...Life....

Have a Glorious Day...and...Enjoy...the Moments....

Barb C.

Bits of Christmas...

I snapped these images...as I was leaving the shop...last night... I love the Old Silver Medicine Cabinet... It has a thick Plate Glass Mirror, in it...that has a gnarly crack...that I had to leave.... it's stable...and isn't going anywhere... and...it seems perfect...for the old piece... I think a new one...would just be...wrong....

It's been good... spending time there...I'm getting things done...and hauling, armloads, from the house, daily,,, the shop is full... I need to start thinking about Heart of Country....less than 2 months away....it doesn't seem possible....

Oh My....

I'm not...going to rush...thinking too far ahead...I don't want to lose This...Holiday Season...

Love, to You...

Barb C.

Ya'll Would have Been Proud...of me...

This is the ceiling...in the Big Room...where the Christmas Tree is... I sat there...last night...looking up...at the Christmas Bell....wondering...how...I was going to get through this...today...with Mom... I so... did not want to give her this news.... but...that other, person, who lives in my body...took over...and...totally handled it...just like...she always has.... she needs to hang around, more often... The one...that is always..boo hooing... needs to go away...}

I know...most of you...don't know me...and those that do...probably don't....as well as they may think....

Some folks...think I'm tuff...some...think...I'm weak....and the truth is...they are both right.... the one thing...I will say... is if I am in charge, of your care.... I'm the Best Body Guard...you could ever have... I have taken care of my folks, since I was a young girl....and this weekend...was a tuff one... I was blindsided... dropped to my knees... and...was lost....I simply didn't see this one coming..{neither did the surgeon...}

But....funny... I was such a marshmallow...all weekend....up to the moment, I walked up to her, this morning....

 then...when I faced my Mom

...to break the news to her...about the cancer... I laid it on her, with so much spin...she was almost happy to have it! don't ask me, how I do it...because...I even surprise myself....{and...I do not lie.... I always....tell the truth....}

We went to see the surgeon...his nurse almost spoiled it all...by sounding so sad... about the findings....Mom wasn't fazed a bit, by her tone... and said, "Yes... Barbie told me...all about it..." 

The nurse turned to me, and said, " You have talked to her?"....my reply..."Yes I have! and we know how Lucky she is....to have found this! and the Margins...are Clean...around the biopsy!...Lucky.. Lucky... Lucky!!!!"  and...I also...told her how fortunate she is, to have had this cancer happen...While getting ready for her surgery, to remove it, a couple of weeks ago....and as I helped her, into the hospital gown... I noticed a few spots, on her back...that I had the surgeon look at today....well... the ones that I thought were ugly...were fine! but...two cute little moles...were not...! So... when she has a skin graft, next week, on her leg...they will remove those..as well..Lucky!!! If she wouldn't have had that cancer, on her leg...I wouldn't have seen the cancer, on her back! oh my...

It's all good... 

but...

I Gotta Tell Ya...

I Am Drained.... 

{I am Smiling!}

But...

I Am...Drained...

Love, to You... 

Barb C.

{there is Always...a Silver Lining...if you look for it....I just hate...digging for that magnifying glass...sometimes...it's mighty hard, to see...}

Mom and I will have lots of appointments...in the next couple of weeks... I so wish... travelling wasn't so hard on her...that worries me more...than the procedures...oh my...

This...is What I Saw....

I walked down the stairs...tonight...after fixing myself...a spiked Egg Nog.... sat, and gazed....at the Tree...and...simply....Reflected....

It was a Cold day... good to be inside...had a few, folks pop in... all...a welcomed, sight...

But...I had this Egg Nog...and, quiet time, with the Tree... on my mind...since I woke, this Morn...

I keep thinking...about, this last year... oh my....

Then... I think...about what lay ahead....oh my....

Think...I'll go back...to the Tree...

and

The Rabbit Hole...

Happy Holidays...

Love, to Ya...

Barb C.

A Lovely Day....

Tho....I expected to see no one... The shop was busy, all morning, 'til around 3:00...A big surprise...

It was Great seeing everyone...Lynn and Lea, from Southern Iowa...They were a sight....for sore eyes....{literally} Good....Good.....Folks....

Kerry, and her darling Family, stopped in, on their way to the Polar Express Train Ride...and  harvested some Old Bottle Brush Trees, for her collection...

Then, some Gals, from Northern Iowa, popped in.... they had found the 'Rabbit Hole', through the Iowa Blogs... cool...  I was apologising...all over the place.. for the Messes.... then...Dan, {Jo-Dan's} chimed in....and said...it looked pretty normal to him....about then, Lynn, said something else...to that effect.... and I realized... it was a losing battle....those Boys...Love to Pick!

The Gals, were very kind...and I asked them, to please come back, during Sale Time, in the Spring...when things are kind of.... on their feet....

Thankfully, they had visited Sisters' Garden, earlier, and could see... some folks...actually have everything 'together'! They loved it! Sisters' is an Amazing Store... They also know Brenda, from J.B. Knacker.... Brenda had put them up, for a night....on one of the Girls other excursions!! That Brenda...she is So Over the Top...Kind..! Love Her! I sent them on to Fern Hill, in South Amana...to sample some Home Made Fudge....{'Prelude', in the Amana Colonies...Lovely...}

Katie, Liz, Justin 'J' and Miss. Scarlett popped in...brought lunch...and visited... that was Grand!

Pegadoo, and daughter, Sarah, stopped by...we had a great visit...

Then...Brandon..{House Things} popped in... and brought me some Great Vintage Tree Toppers! and Wreaths! It's always good to see Brandon...he is such a Gentle, Creative Spirit...

For everything, being...so.... inside out....upside down... it was a very good day...

At 6, I took off, in Sally.... to meet Sweet Amy, and Pegadoo...for Supper.... Peg is going back, to Mayo, today....She has another treatment, Monday...

Amy's Grandma, is making Peg, all sorts of cook hats! In all sorts of Crazy Colors! Peg looks Great in Hats...

It was so much fun....with the Girls, last night....We are hoping....we can all go to Nashville, in February...like we did, this year....

The Prayers are working.... I can see it.... Peg says, she can feel them...we are so Thankful, to Everyone.... and speak of you all....with every visit.... whether, we know you...or just know you, through the breeze, that blows, through the waving of your wings... we feel you...Thank You....

I'm Open Today... 10 - 6...

Gotta Go...

Love to You...

Barb C.

Yellow... such a happy color.....

I could have described this old Cupboard's Surface...as Butter Cream... or... Daffodil... or, some other ...embellished, twist of vocabulary.... but...as I stood back...and looked at it, in the shop...I said, to myself... ahhh...Yellow.... such a Happy Color....I need 'Happy'...we all need..'Happy'...and this Color....made me smile...we need smiles...too...
John did a beautiful job, on this Old Beauty.... from the 1870's... We moved the Walnut Wardrobe out, and to it's new home....I ripped the shop up, with that move...and, continued the the carnage, moving the Old Yellow Cupboard in....so....come dig...but, don't expect splendor... just a work in progress... ah, yes...once again..."it is...what it is"...

I will be Open Today...10 - 6, and tomorrow...as well... stop in, if you have a chance...

I was planning a relaxing....Mad Hatter's Open House.... but... once again....I have had the rug pulled from beneath me... I can physically work through, most anything.... but...when it comes to the ones I love..so very much.... yes...they are my weakness... I finally got the results...yesterday morning... for my Mom's mass that was removed from her leg... I had called...and called... was reassured... by the surgeon, it was nothing.... so...I really wasn't worried... guess... I was wrong.... and...so was he...it is cancer...
This...is almost...almost...too much...for the Hatter...Twice...in a little over a month...I have been faced with telling....two of the most Dear Souls... in my life...they have cancer.... I don't want to do this....anymore....
I will be working... today... and visiting Peg...tonight... I haven't told my Mom, yet... we see the surgeon, Monday....I'll figure out a way...before we meet with him...I really can't talk about it...at all...without falling apart...and...I can't fall apart...when I talk to my Mom... I have to have options... and a strategy...just like with my Peg....
Thanks, to Bud, for calling, yesterday...he asked if there is anything he could do, to help me.... I said, he just did...he called...he listened... he is... truly...an Angel....
Please put Mama...in your Prayers... no pain...no pain...she is suffering so, after the surgery.... and, Peg told me, to tell you, every night, when she lays down...she Thanks God...for all of You...and the Prayers...You are sending her way...She Can Feel Them!
Love, to You...
Barb C.
I keep thinking about the song..."What do You Say"..."What do you say, in a moment like this, when you can't find the words, to tell it like it is.... you bite your tongue, and let your heart, lead the way"....Seems...I'm the chosen one, always.... I don't want to do this...anymore....{ I thought, I'd like to hand this job over, to someone else... but, I wouldn't wish this... on anyone....} Liz sent a song to me, this morning...she was thinking about me... one of the lines is..."running 90 miles an hour down a dead end road" in an old pick up truck....
I now understand why...I always  have...

I will be Open...Saturday...and Sunday....10 - 6...but...no Open House....

I will be here...Saturday...and Sunday...10 - 6....
But....I will not be having an Open House...
There will be lots of new stuff, in....and, I'd love to have you stop by...
Love, to you...
Barb C.

The Sweet Old Truck...and The Load of Vintage Bottle Brush Trees...all were Harvested at The Plaza Antique Mall!

Plaza Antique Mall.... what a Treat!

Plaza Antique Mall, in Dyersville, Iowa...{Yep...where 'Field of Dreams' was made...} Is Always...always....a Treat.to visit...and shop....
I have known Kathy...the Store's Manager...for ever.... she is a Wonderful Soul...her entire Family is....I so enjoy, visiting with her.... she and I discussed Peg...and...to my surprise... she is a Huge Volunteer, with the Cancer Society.... what am I saying...I shouldn't be a bit surprised... she is such an Angel.... She, too...is keeping Peg in her Prayers... and is such an optimistic Soul... Love Her...
The Mall was Incredible...I found Treasures, as soon as I hit the Door! I had deliveries to make, this morn, then had to pick up, at an Auction...then...on to friend, Vi's, in Manchester...and...well... Dyersville...is only 17 miles east of Manchester....right on hiway 20... oh my.... What a wonderful day...the road...always soothes my soul...
Tho...I really should have come home, and worked in the shop... I truly enjoyed Everyone, today...and...I found some Great Stuff! A Truck Load of Vintage Bottle Brush Trees!!! The Most Darling Truck...to Haul them in! Ironstone...old tin cookie cutters... silver goblets...old books... a Massive,Velvet Pincushion... and...just...'fun'...stuff... it's all good... but....The Folks Today...were the Real Treasures...
Hope You had a Great Day...
Barb C.


Kathy {far left} and the Great Plaza Crew!...what Super Folks....The Mall is Amazing...
They are located at 1235 16th ave. Court S.E., Dyersville, Iowa 52040 {563} 875-8945
you can see it, from hi way 20...and be sure and eat, at Country Junction Restaurant, just a block away...whew...Good Eats!}

 {had to unload...the bath tub...this morn...and...the image of it...in the truck... and...even standing next to it, while it was in the truck... one might think...{like John did}...well...that's not a very big tub.... when I say...it's 'oversized'...I mean it....it's about 6 feet long...and...about 3 feet wide...or...maybe...40 inches......{oval shaped...very...cool...} and... Heavy... we had Josh, come help us...lower it off the truck.... I'll have images of it down the road... it's a Cool Tub!}