Thoughtfulness....

Had a Wonderful surprise... Cathy and Brandy from The Bank, here in Fairfax, brought this Lovely Arrangement, to the shop... It brought tears to my eyes... I talk occasionally about Fairfax Bank... It's like a big Family, there.... I always take a 'Santa' chair to them, for the Christmas Season... and... it was so kind, and Thoughtful, to bring these to my door...{Polly thought so, too...} This Bank, has been such a Blessing to this Community, in so many ways... When my friends have had issues with the banks, they are with...I tell them, they really need to bank, here...and...they do! and...They Love this Bank, as much as I do.....they truly go above and beyond...they take the time, to listen, and talk...... It all goes back, to neighbors...friends...small business...and helping one another...These Folks, not only call me by name, when I drive through... they know my account number, by heart...{I check it often...and am usually wincing, before they share the balance....oh dear...{see, they love ya, even if you don't have a big balance!} I think, we have some misguided thought, that Huge, is better... well... I gotta tell ya... when the market dropped, a couple of years ago... and the Huge Banks, were trembling...I called my Bank...and said, 'Thank You'... Thank you, for not lending, to just be lending...and actually looking at everything, and saving folks, a lot of heartache... They are truly, sound, financial councilors.... Good Folks, that choose to do the right thing, not just the most popular...Wise Folks...with  Kind and Caring Hearts...

Barb C.

o.k...I had a GREAT TIME!

O.K...... We had a Great Time...

I dragged my feet... Steph said she heard it in my voice... I really...really... wanted to stay home... but... I knew... if we re-scheduled...it would never happen... Once the first of the year hits...we are both, hitting the road running...and...running ....incredibly... Hard...

She has deadlines... for her Fabric Lines...and Quilt Shows... I have Antique Shows... and whatever else I need to do, to make ends meet.... it will be Fast, and Furious, after the New Year...

I have got to tell ya... I truly, had a Wonderful Time....

Steph is an Artist... and, I guess, in many ways... I am, too.... we really travel to the beat of a different drum... We are, I guess, in a way...Free Spirits... Gypsies... {Speaking of 'Gypsies'.... we ran into Anita! Iowa Junk Gypsies! Who would have thought! What a Great Surprise! She works, at my Iowa 'Happy Place!' The Light House Supper Club!!! I want her Job!!!! It was a joy, shooting the breeze with her!

Me...and Steph... What a Fun Time.... I'm so glad we went..... 

Steph's Great Hubby, Mark, gave this Wonderful Jewelry Box, to me, for Christmas... I LOVE IT!!! It's a Mad Hatter Thing! Amazing!

Mark also, put a candy thing, inside the box... hmmm.... Steph and I, couldn't quite figure it out....{it's a Reindeer!}

We had a little wine... and a Martini, or two... just me... Steph was being very good....{Me...well... I am kind of 'bad', every now, and then...}

Steph, and Anita... Oh Dear... The Fun Never Ends!

Ahhhh.... Eddie... He is quite the Jazz Man... He came, and sat with us... and we had a wonderful visit...He's a very Cool Cat.... He's playing Chicago, next month... oh my...

After such a sad, sad day... I'm so glad, I made myself get going....we had a Wonderful time! The Light House, is a very nice, little Vacation....Steph said, we should go there, every Season... Can't wait 'til Spring Break!!! We Love the Music... It just takes you back, to another place, and time....
Barb C.
{Thanks Jan, for prodding me... you were right... Steph and I, both needed a little, 3 hour Vacation....}

Where the Mind Leads....

I wrote a friend, today, I feel like I'm in a Cocoon... Totally out of the loop... Shut in...and...frankly...like it here...but, feel guilty, that I do...

The last several weeks...my mind has been taking me back... to places I haven't been, for... well...45 years... since I was around 2....Sad places...it's like climbing a ladder, that is constructed of a lifetime of memories... sad, sad memories...where do those thoughts come from? My age? Stress?...Holidays?....I don't know... but, they can surely bring a person down....
I try, and sound, normal, while conversing with people......but... when I do...I know I'm an octave off...{I can sense, the ones that really know me, know, I'm off....oh dear...} I'm second guessing everything I do...everything I say...analyzing every move...{ the cocoon is a much safer place...}
The Tree isn't done... the house is a mess...and...I'm staying wrapped up...in my Cocoon...
I'm going to dinner tonight, with Pal, Steph...We have planned this outing, since early fall...we made a pact... when our lives where whirling around us, like a Massive Tornado..... fending off 'derbis', as it was being flung right at our heads.... we couldn't wait, to have a night out, and unwind.... Sad thing...I don't want to go... {I've got a quarter, that says, she doesn't either...} but, we probably will....{ we're both pretty good, at 'rising to the occasion'...}
I have little shopping done... I don't know what to get anyone...Christmas...a week away.... I don't even have my cards out, yet... I have been getting some, and they make me smile... at least the ones I have opened... I like to read them, as I'm sending them out...then, put them on the Tree...the 'finished' Tree...
I need to get moving...
Hope Everyone has a Very... Productive Day...{including..me...}
Barb C.

Winter Lawn Chairs....

These Old Metal Chairs are Fun, for Every Season! The Gnarly ones, are just Cool, sitting under a tree...waiting for Spring, with a Wreath on it... Winter...Spring...Summer, or...Fall...an Old Metal Lawn Chair, always speaks to me... with an open invitation, to just, come on over, and... sit a spell....

{when Peg and I are working in the Shop, this is where we sit,{in warmer weather...} and eat our lunch... we each grab an old chair, pull it back, a bit... under the shade tree, eat our lunch...fix the World...

and watch the cars go by...

Life doesn't get better than that....}

Barb C.

O.K....The 'Hag', isn't exactly a Holiday Greeting....I'll change it...tomorrow...

Well... I just wanted to put Merle Haggard on, for a dear...dear... friend... The Holidays...well... can be a bit 'brighter'...with a little Wine...ahhh... 'Red, Red Wine'... to be exact... Totally.... understood... This is my little glass... and...things are already, a bit brighter...so...Cheers to Ya'll!
Happy Holidays!
{the time stamp says 3:30 something... it's 2 hours off... I wouldn't dream of popping a cork, 'til after five... it's Jimmy Buffett's rule....}
{Oh my....say what you will about country songs... listen to these lyrics...really? If that isn't 'life'...well, I don't know what is... Bonnie, Merle's former wife is singing 'back-up', she, I believe is still with his band... amazing...I have listened to Country Music, well... forever... no wonder, I'm 47, going on a hundred and forty seven... Country Music, is the real deal...}

Barb C.

Location, Location...Location....

A Gentleman called, with an inquiry on the Hardware Bin.... It's from Montezuma, Iowa.... I lost the return number, so, here's the Old Hardware Bin's Original...Location....
Montezuma, Iowa, is on highway 63, just South of Interstate 80. between, Cedar Rapids, and

Des Moines....
{I rotated the image, this is what it looks like...sort of...minus the truck bed rail... on it's feet! I'll have better images when it's done....}

The Land of the Misfit Toys....

Had lunch with a dear friend, yesterday....She said her daughter asked her why we are all like Misfit Toys.... I had to laugh.... I've always felt like a 'Misfit Toy'...but... I wouldn't trade this 'Misfit Land', for anywhere else... I had visited with her daughter, earlier, yesterday.... we are about 6 years apart....I am older... we, are much alike... she and I...we run too hard... see good in everything, and everyone...{until they show us different..then...we still love 'em....}.creative, imaginative, always dancing on a razor blade...spinning...spinning...trying to stay alive, and help others keep their heads up, as well...always putting out 'fires', while standing on a tip toe....oh dear... I told her, yesterday, keep watching my life... she's heading my direction, just a few years behind...{maybe that's why the question about 'Misfit Toys', was asked, a little later...}
I'm still working on the Tree... it's funny...my friend told me she was doing a 'Misfit' Tree....Me Too!.... I have been digging through the boxes of ornaments, and put the scruffiest ones, front and center... let 'em Shine!....Then, I did something, I never do...I took the most precious ones to me, that are always kept in the safest places, in the cupboards...and put them on the Tree... they need to Shine, too...
There have been many interruptions, over the last couple of weeks... but...that's o.k. I get to work on the Tree, in little doses... and...that's a good thing....
Hope Everyone has a Great Wednesday...
Barb C.

This is White Ironstone...piled in 'Paul Bunion'... he's a most Amazing Misfit Cupboard.... He's 10 feet tall...and the first time I saw him, I fell hopelessly in Love... I was at my friend Charlie's, in Southern Iowa.... He had rescued it, from his Great Aunt's home, just a few miles from where he lives...The house was going down...and, Paul Bunion, was built in.... all squared nailed... mid 1800's... old, old dry white paint.... He is one piece....but... built for a Giant... the base is nearly chin high...then, a step back, pie cooling shelf... then, above that, the top doors.... I am 5'8, and can only easily reach the first shelf...It appears it was made for someone, like Paul Bunion....built to scale, for a giant... The doors are all long gone...but, I Love him, anyway.... He is so big, the first time I saw him, Charlie had him strapped to the hayloft, while he was standing on the main barn floor.... he seemed to hit the barn roof!!!! I talked Charlie out of him, and he's accompanied me to many shows... and always stands proudly...and stirs many conversations! I even took him to Nashville, Heart of Country! He was Mighty Proud to be There! {folks from HGTV, even got a picture!} He's been a wonderful display cupboard...and a very dear old soul....
a beloved 'Misfit'....

The Blessing of The House is Contentment

The Blessing of The House is Contentment...Amen....

I bought this hand done wall hanging a while back...I've never seen this motto... but... really love it...Nothing could be more true... Ahhh.... Contentment....always reaching for it...but, rarely grasp it....and, nearly impossible to hold on to...as, someone is always trying to take it away from you, as soon as you get a hold of it....

Barb C.

What to do...When it's -4 outside??? Buy Massive Cupboards, and Junk...

Friend Ray, from Chicago, brought this AMAZING Cupboard, this morning...Oh Dear...It's so much fun, Playing outside, when it's Below Zero....

These Terra Cotta Corinthian Tops, are Massive! 2 Feet Square! WOW!!!!

Let There be Peace on Earth....

I've had folks e-mail, and ask who is singing this lead song....It's the Amazing, Vince Gill....{If you scroll down, to the bottom of the page, you will find the 50 plus songs, on my list! some of them...well, a little crazy....}
I'll be posting later!
Barb C.