I'm Setting Sail... With Captain Morgan....

I wrote a Scathing Blog...about Mom's and My Journey...today....
But...Thought it over... as Broken...as I was today..witnessing it.... I am Thankful...to Live in The United States of America... Tho....things are far from perfect...Mom...got her needs met... {A Blistering Trial...} none the less... her surgery went well.... and everyone was kind...and I am...So Thankful...
Just got Mom's Supper...for her... and...she downed it all... A Huge Blessing....
I am home....and...Setting Sail....with Captain Morgan...and Egg Nog... my food...for the day...
It's been grueling... today.... I am concerned, about our health care.... and...we all should be...we will all be, in the place of our elderly...sooner than we think.... Those who think we don't need a health care program....visit a nursing home...or hospital.... it's a real.... eye opener...
I can't afford health insurance... if I have, what Mom...or Peg has...I don't want to know... I say...just shoot me...and bury me, with my Beloved Thoroughbred, Admiral...out in the field....
It's scary times...folks...
God Bless Us...
Everyone....
Barb C.
( ahhhh...I'm sleeping in...in the Morn...so...if I don't answer... leave a message... with the Captain... Love...to ya... : )    I'll be back to Christmas...Music... in a day....or so...for tonight...Johnny...and Garth...pretty much catch it....}  : )

One of Santa's Little Elves....Stopped By The Rabbit Hole....a Sweet Surprise!

Had a Lovely Surprise...today... One of my Sweetest Friends, stopped by.... with Treasures, in tow... {Santa's Elf...I am sure...} She left all sorts of Gifts...{a Book for Scarlett...Christmas Ornaments... little Figurines..} after she left...I started going through them.... oh my.....the little Bisque, Rabbit Match Safe... nearly dropped me....it reminded me, of the Rabbit Hole, and... The Mad March Hare...Pegadoo... {she was taken to the hospital, last night.... spiked a fever... they are keeping her, until tomorrow...at least...she'll be fine...}

The Little Elf, handed me a Gift Bag...and said..."Merry Christmas!"... inside...was this Amazing Pudding Mould... with, what looks like a Poinsettia... embossed.... oh my....

Then...to make things...even More...Amazing... she harvested this OVER THE TOP!!!!! Early 1900's Fringed...and Beaded!!!! Lamp Shade.... at an Auction for me....{to sell} I have the base.... but... I gotta tell ya...the Shade..is already in the house.... {oh my...I'm running on fumes... financially....have no business keeping anything...{I will be selling things, from the house...in the next week, or so...} but...this shade... well... I'll be like Steve Martin in 'The Jerk'.... as they throw me to the curb...} "all I need is this chair...that's all I need.... and this lamp...{shade} that's all I need... this chair...and this lamp...{shade}"  oh my...

My Little Elf, friend.... is really..an Angel...and...like with my Peg.... I feel so inadequate... how, does one....ever repay such kindness.... This isn't the first time, this Angel....has come my way.... I truly feel Blessed... I Truly..do.....

I take Mom, in for her surgery, tomorrow... it will be a Long Day...but...a Good Day...

Love to You...and Yours...

Barb C.

The Shop is Open Today...12 - 4!

Chimney Cupboard...Old, Old...Pearl Buttons... Vintage Sewing Objects.. and... a Mid 1800's Hanging Cupboard...filled...with Vintage Livestock... Happy Holidays...from Victoria's Secrect....{oh my....what one may find....down...The Rabbit Hole...}

I found this Large Moulded Plastic Piece, that is embellished with Angels.....a while back...I am almost positive, it is an old Victoria's Secret Display piece....I think there was a reflecting mirror on it, originally..{I Love 'Victoria's Secret'!} what ever was there, is gone, so I painted it with chalkboard paint....and it has been Great....down The Rabbit Hole! it's for sale...but until it leaves...I'll enjoy it!



Old..Old...Old.... Shell Buttons....I have a huge amount of them...in the Shop... very...cool!



The Sewing Niche'... Vintage Thread...buttons...scissors...lace...Pin Cushions...{my personal weakness...}



1880's, or so, Chimney Cupboard... a 'Real'...Chimney Cupboard.... Thick Sides...to support the weight.... It's a real Sweet Heart...



The Livestock...in the Old Hanging Cupboard... This is a super set, of  Cardboard Animals...very old...in great condition...



Open Today! 11 - 4 and Bringing in Armloads!

I'm Dreaming....of a White...Christmas....

Think...as I am working in the shop...I'll be concentrating, on all that's 'White'...I have gathered some interesting Concrete, Furniture and Ironstone.... as well as Architectural Fragments... it should be fun, to Play With!

Have a Wonderful Day...

Barb C.

Santa's Chair...

Got Santa's Chair delivered to the Bank....safe, and sound...for Old St. Nick! Our Bank...is So Amazing....What Great Folks... What a Great....Community...

{It was Wonderful seeing Peg...and Michael... we had lunch, and a lovely visit... she looks so Good...Thanks...to all who are sending kind, healing thoughts, and prayers.... I Hope...you all know...how very Much they are Appreciated....}

Love, to You....

and Prayers, to all...who are suffering...

Barb C.

It 'Looked' Like Christmas....?

While Liz, Miss Scarlett and I, were shopping, the other day... I spied this Old Oil Painting...{1870's or 80's} it was way up high...on a cupboard...I love Old Floral Paintings....this one had a 'Christmas' feel to it....so...I asked the nice Lady, in charge, if she could get it down, so I could get a better look...I asked the Lady, if she knew what flower it was....she didn't...
It's in Great condition... but the flowers..had me puzzled....Liz was taking the treasures, to the van...and, when she returned, I had decided to pass....on the old painting... but...I had her take a peek at it.... and I asked her, what she thought of it.... she said, "hmmm....I don't know... it's a Cactus....and I'm not crazy about Cactus...."
When she said that... I about fell over... The Lady and I had concentrated, on the flower, itself...and didn't see the rest of it.... OF COURSE... IT'S A CACTUS! OF COURSE... IT 'LOOKED LIKE CHRISTMAS'.... IT'S A CHRISTMAS CACTUS!!!!!!!
Oh my.... I see it so plainly, now...and especially, in this image...
Well....I had to have it...then...I have never seen a Christmas Cactus...in an Oil Painting...whoever did it...must have loved Christmas, as much as I do...
It's for sale... has to be... but... for today...it smiles, in our house.... It measures 29 1/2 by 20 1/2 inches... and it's...Lovely... I'll take it to the shop...this weekend...along with other little gatherings...
Have a Lovely Day...
I'm headed to the Bank, to take Santa's Chair in... Oh Boy! Santa!
Love to Ya...

Barb C.
( as I reread this...it dawned on me...what a lesson this Old Painting has taught me... I tend to focus, on the flower....and not see the thorns... a Sweet Friend, just said the same thing to me.... only, in other words... I do tend to wear 'Rose Colored Glasses'.... thanks...to Liz....for helping me, take them off.... and the Good Lord... for showing me... in such, a lovely way....
Pegadoo, is coming today...just home from Mayo...she wants me to see her 'Moon Face'... oh dear...steroids..... they can be a life saver...but they can be a Mess! I can't wait to see her....and pick on Michael!}
Keep Smiling!

Miss Scarlett...and her Plume!
A Great Day Second Hand Shopping!

Second Hand Shopping....

more flannel! and...a great pair of mittens!



more bottle brush trees! and....a sweet ornament...for Miss Scarlett!



Liz and Miss Scarlett, came and picked me up, yesterday...they took me bill paying....then, we went Second Hand Shopping....Money is tight, for us, now...{well...is most always...} We rarely buy our clothes, 'retail'... Since Flannel Shirts, have become popular...they have gotten expensive.... { around the 20.00 range...yeeesh!} and, as fast as Miss Scarlett is growing...there is no way Liz and Nick, can be buying new.... and, honestly...none of us would, anyway.... {if we were wealthy folk} Mom, and sister, Chery, were the Best Second Hand Shoppers! {Peg is a 'Quarter Day' Girl! Liz, is up and coming... wow...!} Mom and Chery, would dress, beautifully.... they looked like they spent a million bucks, on their wardrobe! and, you can...if you are a together, and stylish person....{Friend, Jo B., really can put a wardrobe together, at Second Hand Shops! Whew!} me...ahhh...not so much.... {I picked a man up, the other day, to look at a house full of stuff.... he took one look at me and said..."Good...your wearing your 'Work Clothes'....ready to Work!".... ahhh....my reply...... "these are my, good... everyday...clothes...." oh my...}

We had a lovely day.... When I told Peg, we had went shopping....she asked what I got.....I told her... Flannel Shirts! {then...under my breath...I also said I got the very last thing I needed....} "MORE CHRISTMAS!!!!?" She yelled through the phone.......

Hey....what can I say...I am a sick person...and...I didn't have any...like Most of them!

Have a Lovely...Day...

Barb C.

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....}