The..Journey... : )

I'll have a Long.... Story to share with ya...

tonight...

: )

This was The Road... to The Show...

Saturday Morn...

oh my...

The FUSO and I....took it all in... 'Stride'...

{The FUSO:

Tall... Cab Over... Short Wheel Based.... Dual Wheeled.... Rear Wheel Drive....

 Diesel Sippin' Box Truck....

a.k.a.

'Hog on Skis'...

: )

Liz... followed... in the Heavily Loaded... Ford...

when she pulled in...at the Show...

she yelled...

"MOM!!!! Don't Ever Ask Me to Do This Again!!!! Five Years Ago... No Big Deal...

I was Thinkin' All The Way Here... NOW.... I Have Something To LIVE FOR!!!"

oh my...

What a Ride...

oh dear...

Love to ya...

Barb C.

The above tune... crossed my mind... as The Fusie and I were.... toolin' down the slopes... : )

Anamosa Show... Opens at 7:30... Be There!!!

I have no images... of the Show...

so you'll simply have to come...see.... for Yourself!

 It's Good!

It's Full...

Lots of Great Stuff...

at Really Good Prices!

Get There Early!!!

Our Booth... is 98% Done...

and Lookin' Pretty Darned.... Good!

: )

{wish I had flowers... but was waaaaaay too tired to stop...tonight...}

Thanks...so Much...to Liz...for Helping!

Along with Barb and Dan... Dan and Jo... The Promoters... and Family...

Load In... went Smooth as Silk!

{I'll tell all about... 'today'... next week... it was quite an adventure.... to say the least.}

I have to be up... and out the door... by 5:30...

so... I'm hittin' it...

{doin' laundry... now... oh my... }

Love...to ya...

Barb C.



It's...Show Time....: )

We got the Big...Truck loaded...this afternoon... for this Sunday's Show....

and...

I gotta tell ya...

it was...Chilly...

: )

Then... headed an hour south... to Duwa's Auction...

I had planned it all out... so I'd have an hour... to scour...the Auction... before it started...

The Ford and I...were Hummin' down the Interstate...

when... I saw a car... on the side of the road... with steam rollin'...

I pulled off... backed up... to see if they needed help...

He Sure... did...

Long story short...

I wound up... helping him... get his car... to a station... then taking him on to his job...

I felt so sorry for him... The Wind was Howling... the Semis... were Flyin'....

I simply... could not... pass him by...

His name is Augustine...he's from Ghana... originally... but has lived here, 12 years...

and works at The University of Iowa Hospital...

Such a kind...Soul...

: )

He said... "Nobody stops... for people... I can't believe you stopped..." I said...

"I stopped... because, I have been where you were... many times...and I was helped... by others...I know... how cold... you were...and how far... you'd have to walk...there was no way... I could drive past..."

{It was a Trick... making room in the cab of the Ford...{so embarrassing... } I have Packing Blankets... Packed Tight... inside...{amongst... other... 'things'... from my last...'outing'... oh...dear...}

I got him to work... just in time... but... nearly missed the beginning of the Auction....

I called Dwight... {Owner of Duwa's Auctions} and asked if he'd get me a bidding number....

He said he'd be Happy to.

{He and Junell... are such... Great Folk...}

I ripped my coat sleeve out...when I crawled under Augustine's car... to see where the leak was coming from.... so... I looked like a Mess... when I got to the Auction...

One of my friends...at the Auction... said 'The Ford' passed her, on the Interstate....

Like It was on Fire!!!

She said... "You must have been in a hurry...to get here...!!!"

I said... Noooo ... I didn't want my rider to be late, for work!

Thanks So Much...to Bud...and one of the Family... from the Estate... we bought so much from... for helping load...tonight...

oh my...

It was Cold....

I'm leaving the Ford Loaded... and put as much as I can, of the Auction Gatherings...in the Booth...

as found...

The majority I bought... came from one Estate...

There is some... Great Stuff... on this load...

It took a Long Time... to post this image...

Check fb for more images...

Love to Ya!

Barb C.

If the world is cold... make it your business, to build fires... : )

I reposted this quote, on fb today...

When I saw it... it reminded me... of Dad...

When I was a little girl...

 7 or 8....up until...I could drive... myself...  

Dad would leave me at the Farm Auctions...

to do his bidding for him....

We'd walk along the piles of Farm Scrap Iron...

that were to be sold...

he'd tell me, what he wanted to pay for each of them....

then... take me to see Orvie... {the clerk, at the auctions we went to....}

and tell Orvie... to make sure.. he didn't miss my bids...

I'd be taking care of Dad's bids...  

: )

The Scrap Iron... sold at the end, of the auctions... as a rule...

so... I'd have to wait all day...

In January...February, and March....

it's mighty cold...

Before Dad left...me, to go to cut iron, at the last Farm... we'd bought Iron at, the week or two prior...

he'd walk around... the old buildings... scrounge up... a barrel...find a place, out of the wind...

 then... gather old scrap lumber...

and start a fire... for me to stand by... if I got cold....

The other Men... would stand by it, as well.... throughout the day....

and keep feeding the barrel....

but....

it was always... Dad....

that started the fire....: )

I sure miss him...

He was a Cool.... Cat....
and...no...
they don't make 'em...
like my Dad...
anymore...

: )

Loading for the Show... in the Morn...

then... picking up a load... tomorrow afternoon...

oh boy!

It's gonna be a Busy....Weekend!

Don't forget...

Show on Sunday...the 19th

Lawrence Community Center

East Main Street

Anamosa, Iowa...

early bird 7:30 'til 9

then...

9 'til 3!

Love to ya...

Barb C.
{people...have mentioned, over the years... I look mad, when I bid...at an auction... : )
I figured out...why...
When I was little.... and bidding for Dad... against, the other Junk Buyers.... I knew... I had to look serious...stay focused... on the Auctioneer... and keep close, to him...
or they wouldn't take me seriously...and they might miss my bid....
so... guess... it stuck... : (
: ) }
{and...for the record... Dad...wasn't standing around a 'Burn Barrel'... after he left me... He was cutting Iron...on the Cold... Ground... and loading it...
He shoveled train car loads, of Coal... to make money... up into his late 60's.... and Scrapped Iron, on the Hottest and Coldest Days... you could imagine...until the day he died...
He worked every day... but Sunday, his entire life.
 I remember him heating water on the stove... then, putting it under the Old Ford... to warm the oil... so it would start...and he could work...
One Winter... when I had no work, nor did he...
{nor did.... anyone... }
he and I shoveled sidewalks... in town...for people.... just to make a few dollars... he was nearly 70, then....
I have Never...known any Man... that worked harder....
{John... is Runner Up.... I admired his work ethic... when I met him...
I have a hard time... respecting anyone... who doesn't... work...  }
and we struggled... for money... always... it seemed... but... I never felt 'poor'...
 I always thought... we were... Blessed....
so...very... Blessed....
: ) }



Cleaning...Cleaning... Cleaning! Show... This Sunday!!! Get There Early!

Worked in John's Shop... today...

Cleaning... and Slickin' some Old Gnarliness... up....

: )

I Do... so Love... that Job... : )

You really get to know something...

while 'Bathing' it...

: )

We're cleaning up an Old... Chick Incubator, and putting, gnarly... fat... legs on it...

so it will be Coffee Table height...

it's gonna be Cool... : )

Then... worked on an Old...McCormick  Seed Sorter...

It looks like a tall bench... it'll be Perfect... to put Spring Plants in...

cleaned on a Primitive...Cupboard.... it's ready to Rock... : )

I have very little... 'planned' for the Anamosa Show...

We're loading...Friday Morn...

I'll, like I always do...

Start Grabbin'... and Throwin' 'er On!

It'll be some fun stuff... : )

and...a Great Show...

always is... : )

{Lawrence Community Center,

{E. Main St.}

 Anamosa, Iowa

7:30 a.m. {early bird 5.00 }

9:00 a.m. 'til 3:00 p.m. 2.50

{get there EARLY!!!

They have Wonderful... Food... too... }

Hope to see ya...

Love..to ya..

Barb C.

{down 10 pounds... : )

the scale...and I... have become... friends...

 {as long... as it keeps...showing... lower...and lower...numbers...

we'll get along... just... fine... : )}



Diggin' Deep...

oh my...

Here is one of the Dormers... up....

It was so cold and windy, today....I didn't unload the other...

mainly...worked on projects....

Peg called... and is perkin' along with her treatments...

Three...More....Days!!!

{She Thanks...You All...From The Bottom of Her Heart....

 for the Continued Prayers...

 as do I... : ) }

I have received... calls today... and over the last week... of others... that are Struggling...so...

I...Pray...for All... who are in the Midst... of Trials... and...am Focusing on them... 'Well'... : )

I managed to get two images loaded, this eve....

the below..... is of the little thimbleful of treasures... from last night...

Love... love... love...the little Bear Autograph Album....

{love it all... : ) }

Busy Day...Tomorrow...

I'm gettin'...

My Game... On...

: ) : ) : )

for tonight...

I'm hittin' it...

Love...to ya...

Barb C.

Soulfulness....Taking the Rabbit Hole... to Heart....

It was a Long... Day...today...

Picked up the second Dormer.... {that was Frozen, into the Ground...broke a spade...handle... prying it from the Grip... of The Frost!!!}

and lots of Dibby Dabbies... that are posted on Barbara Conner Facebook... and Simply Iowa Facebook...

I have tried... for the better part of an hour, to post them here... and all I could get to go... was this one...

Go Figure...

The One... with 15 Vintage Rosary Beads... : )

{think I had a little help... ? : ) }

I gathered a darling group... of soulfulness.... late in the day....

As I unpacked... it all... and had it strewn across... the Old Harvest Table....

I realized... why... I love the rabbit hole... so.

It's filled... with these little...old... soulful... heart warming... treasures...

From... the old...old... handmade lace...and ribbon... some... just little fragments... like...the ones... I found, today... just...scraps... of satin ribbon... not enough... to make a full...project...yet, were carefully wrapped on an old piece of cardboard.... because... someone... thought... it was too... pretty... to throw away....

{I wish I could show ya... : ) }

{look on fb }

I found some... little Holy Water Bottles.... from way back, in the day...

one, sits inside a metal sleeve... with Christ, on the front... it's gnarly... worn... and...

wonderful...

I also...spied... an Autograph Album... I collect these... but...

I have Never... seen one... like this....

They were popular... from the 1870's.... through the 1920's...

I like the earlier ones... up to 1900...

however...

This One... is in the shape... of an old... Teddy Bear...

Given to a little girl, named Alice....

from her Aunt Louise... : )

oh... my.... Gosh...

the cover... is almost like mohair... on the bear...

and has worn velvet... on the back...

wow....

I decided... the other day.... how I was going to theme... the Heart of Country Booth...

it will be...

'The Rabbit Hole... Straight to The Heart'...

Over the years... I, and my Show Partners...

have come up with a Theme....

an...'Iowa Farmhouse'

'Alice in Wonderland'

'Early Iowa'....

'Heart and Soulful'....

{I could go...on...and on....}

This Year...

I'm taking The Rabbit Hole... to Heart.

I've always... had... a flavor...of it there... but... if, you have never been down the rabbit hole...

well... there is...only one...

and will be mighty hard... to duplicate.... in a couple of days...

I'm going to do my best... recreation...

After...looking at the gatherings.... just a thimbleful.... of what is woven... through the little shop....

I realize... it's this.... these... worn, and so...loved... pieces... that bring such... comfort, to me....

Maybe... others will find, that... too....

we all need... that... warmth... to embrace... and envelope us....these days...

{at least... I know, I do... and I find myself... running there... often... : ) }

Peg...had her first treatment, today... and sounds...Great!!!

4 more days... then she comes home...

Please... keep her, and all.... who suffer... in Your Prayers... My Little Angels....

Love... to ya...

Barb C.

Think...Think...Think!!!! {and...blogger wins this round... : ( }

Still...

No images...

grrrrrrr....

{see simply iowa on facebook...}

Had a Busy Day....today.... : )

I'll be loading the FUSO, with Smalls...

this week...

and have some fun... tables... and misc. but...

I need a Cupboard... or two....

what I had planned to take... took a walk... today...

{may have to pull from the house... hate that.... }

Peg, is back at The Mayo...

she starts pinpoint radiation... in the Morn....

and will receive it all week...

I hope... you will....

Keep those Beautiful Wings Flappin'....Little Angels....

for our Peg... and... All... who suffer... today....

{as Peg, reminds me... ours... are nothing but Singed...Pin Feathers!!! That's why...God...Sent You...to Us!!!  }

: )

there are so many...hurting... it seems...

but... I know...some Wonderful Angels...

and...have seen... what they can do.....

They are Up...for the Challenge!

{ Peg and I will do Our Very Best!!! With What We Got!!!!}

I'm excited about the Anamosa Show... it's always so much Fun....

Great Dealers... {Friends}... it kicks off... the Antiquing Year...

I'm still working on The Event Calendar.....

It's getting a bit... tricky....

: )

but... it will come together...

always does...

Ready...or Not!

I've decided on the Theme... for the Heart of Country

Booth...

and...I'll share that with ya... tomorrow...: )

I've got to find a warm spot... in the house...

I was outside... diggin' snow... and loading... stuff...

in my slippers....

my feet are...Cold... and Wet!

{my slippers...are toasty warm... until I get snow inside 'em... and they get wet...

 Not... a Good...Thing! }

I have to post Aretha... tonight....

I was on my High Horse... this Morn...

when I awoke to the news... of the Chemical... leak... in West Virginia....

I posted 'Think'... on fb... because... I think... if Mother Nature, could sing a song... these days, to us....

it would be this....

{I realized, later, the name of the company that 'spilled'... is called 'Freedom'...

 THEN... I Knew... it was The Right Song!

{listen... you'll see....}

I was so.... disillusioned....

and....deeply saddened... for the People... Critters... Fish...and...

 The Earth....

all I could do... was shake my head....

I found my way, to the rabbit hole...

closed the door...

and the world... behind it....
{made me... think... about one of my Favorite...
'Peg Quotes'....
"Humans are the only species... that shit's in it's own Nest"...
{there goes another pin feather.... : ) }

My friend, Dave...stopped by...

we had such a nice visit....

It was a Good....afternoon...

then...

I picked up...one, of two...Big... Beautiful... Dormers... from The Smokehouse Antique Mall... in Amana....

that will be headed to Nashville... in, less than a Month!

Oh Dear!!!

{Thanks... Joe... Sheree and Cindy... for the Help...Diggin' and Liftin'!!!

{seems.. Angels... are always just in the right place... at the right... time...

I Am Blessed! }

Love to ya...

Barb C.

 

.



Let There Be...Images!!! : )

oh my gosh....

I got 'er....to post...

: /

{I have tried to post images... several times, the last few days...

and...Nothing!

Reported it... several times, as well....

Then... I got Mad.... and kept clicking on the image....

{Pounding.... : ) {frustrated... : ) }

and...

Wooooo Hoooo!}

{funny.... it would work... when I picked... this image to experiment with! : ) }

 

I'm going to try another...

{Woooo Hooooo!

I have to get a little ruff... with it... but... it's not much of a fighter... : ) }

Miss Scarlett....and Liz, Graced me with there Presence today...

I had picked up...a Little Lamb Hat... and Mittens... for the Dolly... : )

Then... continued working in John's Shop...

So Much...to get done...!!!

I Hope... to have images... tomorrow... : )

Made it through the day... with the diet...

The scale... was friendly...this morn...

and I'd Dropped a Little...

Already!

{I think... The Shock.... and Panic.... when I first got on the scale...

worked off... a Solid Pound... alone...

oh my! }

Woooo Hoooo!

Love to ya...

Barb C.

Well.... Blogger images are still down....

It's not just me... it seems that many are effected...

I'll be posting images on Facebook...

{ Simply Iowa }

Youtube, will download...

maybe I'll start posting videos, instead of images?

we'll see...

I worked in John's Shop... this afternoon...

and am pulling a Very... Sweet Load together, for the Anamosa Show, on the 19th!

I scrubbed and waxed, several Fun...Old Farmhouse Cupboards... along with some Great Dibby Dabbies!

Exciting!!!!

I ran into town, today... to grab some groceries...

I also... invested in a scale...

I...Don't.. Ever... get on a scale...

When I used to go to the Junk Yard... and Feed Store... I'd Walk... Completely... around them...

{didn't want anyone standing inside... to know... how much I weighed...}

oh my...

I climbed on it... this afternoon...

and just about...

DIED!!!

My Diet... Has Started!!!!

I told John.... I wouldn't be eating... any meals...with him...

{he can eat Anything... and Everything... and always...stay the same...}

I HAVE to get some of this off... before Nashville...

It's a Hard Show... to set up at...

{of course... any show I do... is difficult... You are on your feet... on concrete... for at least... 14 hours... a day... not to mention... Lugging... and Toting...and I take... BIG STUFF!!! It would be like carrying a fifty pound bag of corn...and a 25 pound bag of dog food... over my shoulder... then... lift... a 200 pound... Cupboard...or piece of Concrete Statuary... I Gotta Lighten...the Load! {and...I won't stop buying... Big Stuff... so... I better Get On It! }

I told John... I need to lose 30 pounds... this month....

minimum....

It's going to be... tuff...

but... I have to... or my body... won't stand the strain...

High Protein... Low Fat.... and Lots of Exercise...

Water... No Night Caps...

I don't know... why... I don't pay better attention...

Now...I need to lose... 75 pounds...

I know... when I get stressed... I eat...
{when...I'm Happy... I Eat!... oh my... }

I Love...Food...

All Food...

Veggies... Yep!

Junk... Yep!

I stopped at a Store, that had Smoked Tuna in the pouch...

for .50 each...

: )

Guess what I'll be eating... for the next year... : )

{I'll also... be weighing... daily... and... bringing in...a full length mirror... oh....my....}

I'll keep ya posted...

I've done it before...

I can always take it off...

it's... keeping it off...

I have a Very... Hard...Time... With....

Pray for Me!

Love to ya!!!

Barb C.

{I won't say...at this time... how much I weigh....

but... if your a Farmer... you'll understand this...

at my weight...

if...I were a Pig...

and you were selling me...

You'd get Docked...

oh... dear!

I ran into a Friend... at the store... and was rattling on... about my diet... as I was filling the cart...with Smoked Tuna...

{I talked him...into some... too! It was a Great Deal! }

He said... "I don't know what you are worried about... You look Great, to me..."
I Threw My Arms Around Him!!!

and...
 KISSED HIM!!! }
The above song... seemed...
Perfect... : )
Love It!