Is This Heaven?... no...It's Iowa... I call it...'Home'...

When I reach the Pearly gates... this is what I hope to see...  An old Farm House... with smoke...gently wafting...from the chimney... knowing...a Warm Welcome...awaits me...just beyond the squeaky, old Screen Door....  A good, sound Barn....for the Critters...ah, yes...Home...

This...is what I call...'Heaven'...

Have a Most Wonderful Day...

Love, to ya...

Barb C.

{I found this old image...floating around...down... The Rabbit Hole...I can be in such a mood... then, my eyes will land, on an image...such as this....and it takes me away...far...far away... to a happy...happy place...

God....I Love this Old Stuff...Thank You...for letting me be surrounded by it... It truly can be... a Life Jacket...at times....}

{I put 'Almost Home', on for lead song...cause... I know this dream...all too well... I lived it, too...}

Vintage....Mortar & Pestle... it's a big one...

Picked this up... Tuesday... at Ken and Brenda's Store, {Kalona Antique Company, in Kalona, Iowa} Peg and I had a great time, visiting with them... and...shopping in the old Church...of course....! Lot's of cool stuff...and seems...I never leave there empty handed! This time... I struggled to get out the door...with this BIG DADDY!  It must weigh...close to 50 pounds...whew! Ran into Carol and Bob...{and Harley...their four legged buddy!} Seemed we were all travelling the same path! They were at Sisters' Garden, too! { http://www.sistersgardeniowa.blogspot.com/ } Good seeing them...and meeting their Family...

I so enjoyed...spending a little time, with Peg... She and Clohe were just up, for the day... but still... was great for my soul...We enjoyed lunch...here at the Rabbit Hole....

Yes...The Mad Hatter...and The March Hare...

Sitting..in the Shade..on Old Rusty Lawn Chairs...

Trying to Figure out...Life....

We Really are...

Mad...

{all the best people are...}

Love to Ya...

Barb C.

A FARM STYLE FALL OPEN HOUSE!!! SISTERS' GARDEN!

Peg and I popped in...at Sisters' Garden, yesterday...{Sisters' Garden Hi way 1, Kalona, Iowa} Oh My....The Girls are preparing for a Major Threshing Reunion! Wow! They are going to have food and drinks...and everything you could possibly want...to Fall Festify...Your Home!!! They have GORGEOUS MASSIVE MUMS...for 10.00 each! {while they last!!!! I bought 6!} Awesome Pumpkins...The Best Fall Scented Candles...oh my....They will have everything out...Friday...I'll be there! With Bells On!

http://www.sistersgardeniowa.blogspot.com/

Old Dudes ROCK!!!! {respectfully....saying...}

Gus and Ed...stopped by this morn...bright and early....on their way to the Scrap Yard... oh my... we unloaded a pile of Rotary Hoe Blades... then...I spied a pair of the Gnarliest...Old..Old...Hand Forged, Pig Tail Hooks... bolted to a Horse Drawn Harrow... {also, going to the scrap yard...yeeeeash!} I made Gus...an offer he could not refuse...to climb up, in the truck....and cut 'em off.... He fired up the torch...and within a few moments.... they were rescued...from the scrap heap....These babies...are soooo cool... I'll pop the bolts out....they can mount flush, on a door....or wall....and hang some gnarly thing!

I Love these Boys... They are in their 80's....and work harder than most men I know, half their age....Every Single Day! Hot...Cold...no matter... They are Scrappers....Junkers... Iron Men.... They knew, and worked around my Dad.... Stood toe to toe, with him, at auctions...buying this old Scrap....{and me, when I was a little girl...}

I Love listening to them talk...about those days... I Love...just standing next to them... I soak all the old times... into my soul...

A Great way...to Start the Day!!!

{I'm gathering...and gathering...for the Fast approaching, Fall Harvest Sale...it's gonna be a BIG One!}

{It was Great seeing Polly...{Pollyanns, Mt.Vernon, Iowa} and Tommie {FUEL Art and Espresso, Mt.Vernon, Iowa} My Sweet Pals, Vi, and Bob...It was a very.....good day.... }

Hope you...have a Great Day...

Love to Ya...

Barb C.

Antique Sale...

SIMPLY IOWA!

FALL HARVEST SALE

SEPTEMBER 29th, 30th OCTOBER 1st, and 2nd

8 a.m. 'Til  Dusk

Daily!

The Lawn and Buildings will be Brimming!

Friends and Neighbors Have Gathered

Tons of Antique Treasures!

Always...at Affordible Prices!

Something for Everyone!

New Items Added Daily!

Wear Your Grubbies!

and

BRING A TRUCK!!!!

{located on hiway 151, Fairfax, Iowa}

319-241-1348

www.simplyiowa@yahoo.com

{I was pondering...what to use...for the 'Invite'...Image...for

The Fall Harvest Sale...

and was walking around the yard...

It all came to me...in an instant...

ahhhh....yes....

The Soulfulness...in Worn...and Well Loved Things...

They always Speak with a Very Loud Whisper...

Come meet The Old Darling Chest of Drawers...

She will be the

Belle of The Ball}

As I set last years....forgotton....dried...Warty Pumpkin...on the 'Farmer's Compote'...atop...the Grundgy...Old....Old...Chest of Drawers....with 50 years accumulation of dust.....and Cob Webs...still in tact....

I thought....how perfect....

The Forgotton Past...

From the Pumpkin....left to rot... but instead... withstood, a brutal Winter...

and...provided nourishment....and shelter.... to a Field Mouse...or two...

and still...held it's lovely form.... for eyes..to enjoy...once again...

The Farmer's Compote...John put together...from pieces headed to the Scrap Yard...yes...from a Forgotten Era....

The Soulful Old Chest of Drawers...

I can see...She was a Beauty...in her day... With Fancy hand carved Pillars...at her sides....

the applied raised trim...on her drawers....now a bit fractured...but...she still...holds on....to much of it...

Her 1870's surface... tho...so worn... sings perect harmony...with the Gnarly Dried Pumpkin...

They are the Color...of dried Corn Stalks... Wheat...ready to Harvest...

Yes...The Beautiful....Golden Color of  Fall....

I gathered up...the lovely clusters...of Oak Leaves...the Old Oak...kindly contributed...

He's only letting a few go... and...I was Thankful for those....

Then...I thought....

The Old 'Antique Sale' Sign...would be perfect...

It was my very first sign...John and I painted...20 years...or so...ago....

I think...about all the Water...that has went under the bridge...since that sign was created...

oh my....

What an Incredible....Journey....

The Land of the Free....and the Home...of the Brave

As I watch the  10 year Memorial, this morning... it seems as tho, it was only yesterday...these horrific acts... took place....I sat and watched three days...as this story unfolded... stunned...back in 2001....I cried again...this morning... as they Opened the Old Flag... with my hand...over my heart...as the Star Spangled Banner was so Beautifully Sung...

I remember... so much....the people....Americans...Visitors.... to Our Country...

Our World...was torn apart...but... surprisingly....it also...Pulled Us Together....

I so Hope...That....is what we will remember...and keep reaching for....

I took this image, this morning....of one of our Flags.... I gave this to John...for Christmas...many years ago...The history with it, states, "This is a 45 star flag that Flew over Governors Island in New York Harbor in 1904"....

It Stands Proudly...in our Home...

I want to Thank...All of Those...Who Have Sacrificed...for Our Freedom... and Those...Who are Sacrificing...Every Day...and Will Always...

God Bless You...

God Bless Us...

God Bless....

The United States of America

Simple Woman....

Love...this song...{Simple Man...}
Perfect...for 9/11...
I think...about all the Fire Fighters...{and Law Enforcement...and Common Folk....AMERICANS!}that ran into a building..as Folks were running out.... Those folks...Running in...They were Americans...
As were...the folks running out...
All I can say...we all are Americans...
Lets get together... work...together...
John Kennedy said...."Ask not.....what our Country can do, for us...Ask....what can we do...for our Country...."
I'm tired...hearing... what is in it for us....get out there....make it happen...
Ask Not... Just...Make It Happen...
Love...Love...Love.....To..AMERICA!!!!!!
and...Love...To You....
Barb C.
{It's not about the Judges...and Politicians...it's about...how we vote...and who makes the policies....ahhhh yes...think about it.... they all have to follow the rule... wake up.... watch...who makes the rule...then...look for the dollar signs... all I can say...we need to simply....look up... and go to work... be kind....to ourselves...and others...Be AMERICANS!!!!!} 
As Charlie....would say...."Watch where you're goin'....Remember... where you've been...That's the way I see it... I'm a Simple Man....{Woman}....."

An Old Work Horse....

This Old Counter...is sooo cool...A Great Work Horse!

Had a busy...busy day yesterday... seemed everyone wanted my attention...at the same time... like dancing on hot coals... by mid afternoon...I retreated to the Lazy Boy... with a Huge Snickers Ice Cream bar.... and fell asleep... I'm just exhausted....and totally drained... it felt good...to veg out with Polly...she always enjoys my company....

Made a dash to Amana, Bud and Renate's Shop...{Renate's, Amana, Iowa {'F' Street} He had called me on a couple of things....and I bought a load of old Tin stuff....perfect for Spring...and Fall...I was just getting ready to run through his shop...{he's been re-doing....and I'm excited to see the changes!} when my phone rang... the load of furniture, that wasn't supposed to be at my door, for another hour.... was waiting... at the shop.... oh dear... Bud and I quick tied everything down... and I headed North... I bought the load.. and was making arrangements on where to go with it... when a friend pulled up...to load...something she had spoken for...the other day... It's hard to be in two places...at the same time...Then... I had to dig through the FUSO...to get to some Huge Wooden Bowls...that, another gal, has been waiting to see....{literally...was here...waiting....I was supposed to have them out.... she was a bit early...I should have had them out...last week...oh dear...} John and I got'em out....and my friend, was thrilled...with the one, John had done a wire repair on... very...very...cool...

I have never seen such a massive cutting board...and, then...have it swing out...toooo...cool!

I'm going to be here....working on the yard...today....and maybe... cleaning up stuff... like this piece... it is soo cool.... I have never seen anything like it...with a swing cutting board.... Barb H. sold me some Caldrea Soap, she carries at Sisters' Garden...It is Amazing...on cleaning this stuff...and it's good for the Environment.... I'm about out.... I'll pick some up....when I go to her Open House, next weekend....

Hope everyone has a Lovely Saturday...

Love to ya...

Barb C. 

oh my....

It was an Amazing Day...today... {I drafted this...last night....and posted it...this morn...}
Rick and Karen popped in...we did a little Trading...and we had Spirituality...Surrounding us...Down The Rabbit Hole.... It was Lovely Seeing Them...{and the Amazing Home Made Cookies...I Scarfed Down!}
Got shopping done...took some stuff...to Liz...and played with Miss Scarlett.... I had a friend from Chicago, bringing me some cool stuff... so couldn't get too far from home...
I took Miss Sally when I went to town...The top down... radio blaring...School was just getting out.... A group of High School Boys... gave me a Big Thumbs Up... and Whooped...how much they Loved Sally! I liked that....it was just yesterday...I think...I was their age... driving a Sweet 64 and a half...California Special...Mustang... with a high performance 289.... Pony Interior...3 speed...on the floor...
Ahhh... but...I wouldn't trade Miss Sally for it... {but sure wish I still had it...}
Then...I had some sweet gals, at the shop...when I pulled in... A Mom...and Daughter...We had a long visit... Debbie...the Mom....had just lost her Mother...in July...they were very close...Debbie took care of her...til the end...of this journey... I never push religion...on folks....I just know...There is God... I don't belong to any organized religion....but...know He, or His Angels...are always right there... The questions...why do people die.... why do bad things happen to good people... well....if all we had...was what we experience here...I could understand the anger... but...I have seen too many God Winks... to believe...this is all we have...this is such a 'blink'...there is no doubt in my mind.... We'll all be together again...someday... and the Folks...that are closest to me... that happen to be non believers... {I LAUGH to myself...when they say that!!!} They are the Biggest Angels...I know!!!! Some day...they will know it...too....}
It's all about the Journey...Our misfortunes...may not be, for our benefit... they may be for someone...we don't even know...we are examples... and.... like Rick said...today...we are all Ministers... Living Examples...
Maybe...that's why I write... I Stumble...and Fall... get Angry...Love... Cry...have Clouds of Profanity...looming...at times...but...as my friend, Janet S. kindly said...on my facebook... knew...I would take the High Road... Yes...Janet... I will make my best attempt, to take the high road....it is a steep climb... and a treturous one....and...many times...not the most, well travelled one... but...I learned a long time ago...following...someone...on the low road....spells disaster...not a good place to travel....
You see...I believe...God Loves us... no matter...and...by the way...Each and Every Single One of Us....are Sinners.... oh yes... there ain't a Perfect One of Us... Anywhere... so... That also means... no one...is better...than anyone else.... and...we need to get over...ourselves... be kind...to ourselves...and others...
Love to You...
Barb C.

This was my favorite treasure, Ray brought from Chicago....yesterday...it's a radiator cover... cast iron....and Beautiful....It's always great seeing Ray.... he makes me laugh....and...it feels soo good... to laugh....

I had a melt down...after I wrote this....I can't understand... I have to stay...completely away...from all of this... just as I think....I have come to terms with it...I get hit again.... I am not going to write about it...talk about it... think about it....care about it.... I'm Done...Done....Done...

Gatherings of the Day!