Rain, rain go away!

Rain, rain go away! Oh wait a minute, it is March and the temps have been hovering 60. What was I thinking? It could be snow! But, that is in the forecast towards the end of the week. Go figure. We are going to our grandson's house in northwest Iowa. Yes, I realize that this region is the first to get snow and the last to have snow! As a grandparent, little blizzard won't stop us. And...I can still detect burn piles through the snow. As I have stated before, burn piles should be outlawed until inspected by a junker!
We have a new addition to the barn. Two precious, furry, purring kittens. They are about 4 months old. Been raised in the garage with about 30 other strays. Barney and Junky have taken to us very well, of course we are the ones that have food! I always crack my husband up when I say, "but, honey, they are free!" And unfortunately I also have to hear him say "there's no such thing as FREE!" (speaking only of animals of course!) And, naturally, Barney is a typical male and wants to stay in the elite club of males always being right! Yep, second day, a little matter appears in his left eye. No problem, wipe it out right? Third day, little more GREEN yuck and eye is swollen. GREAT! Next day, still some green stuff and the eye is completely closed. Did I mention that I had to crawl, climb and do the worm dance to reach him? I made the treacherous venture of the mounds of my JUNK to get to him and he just layed there. Now I know that he is sick if he is not running away. Bad sign. It is now Friday at 5:45 pm. Vet closes at 5:30. My daughter is standing next to me and we are ready to start our ugly cry. Pulled out my Feline First Aid Kit, consisting of what the hell am I going to do list of questions and answers. Did I mention that Mary Ann was standing next to me, expecting a great potus to appear or to hug the booboo away? The heat was on and I was sweating profusely! Warm paper towel packs and LOTS of attention and I think we may be on the right track. He is peppier and has his purr machine up and running. Hopefully I can delay the opportunity of hearing "there's no such thing as free", unless it is junk! I will go check them in just a few minutes. I am hoping that the next chapter will be how they are playing with the customers and helping them load lots of goodies into their trucks!
Back to the rain situation. It has forced the inside tasks to be tackled. I got a bunch of lovely pint milk jars, some of them with the Borden logo printed on both sides. And more Ball jars. In my world there is never enough Ball jars. I use them for everything. I have also randomly gathered quite a few enamel bowls and pans. Red and black trim. Some more garden surprises too! I think I will leave you with those items to ponder and will go out and dig a bit in the garage.
I have been told that it has been difficult to leave messages. I think I have figured it all out. HOPEFULLY! I love hearing from everyone, so sorry this has been an inconvienance.

GIVE ME A "S"! GIVE ME A "P"! GIVE ME A "R"! GIVE ME AN "I"! GIVE ME A "N"! AND GIVE ME A "G"! WHAT'S IT SPELL? SPRING!!! Wish I had pom-poms, it would have made it more convincing. You get the point. We have been blessed with some normal spring days and could'nt be more happy. I journeyed out to the barn and opened up the doors to let the sunshine in. I was so excited that I started to move a few things around and get a path that only I could weave through in the dark. The males in my family have not been forthcoming with any permanent electricity so it really is a task to work out there. I would have thought since I melted the outlet on the house and ruined a drop cord or three that SOMEONE would realize I need a little help in this area. So, today, I will be dragging another cord out there and plugging in a few lights. How was I to know that since there were still places to plug in extension cords, it was unsafe? One of our family friends home is sitting empty and I was drawn by a mysterical force to the back shed. Hey, the house is going up on the block, sitting empty for months, and it was my godparents. So, why would I disappoint them, by ignoring this force. I casually walked over there. And, then, reality took over and I was on a junk hunt! There were a few items left out in the yard so I made a little pile by the garage. I mosied (is mosy a word?) back to the old work shop, opened the door and inside waiting for me was HEAVEN! Once again, I was peering in the dark as it too has no electricity, but what I saw was great. To list a few of the treasures, solid brick pavers that have raised lettering, a cement bird bath (never knew they were THAT heavy), old rakes and brooms, an animal trap, old bottles ranging in sizes of 4 oz to one gallonand a white wooden trellis (with the paint chipped off). Turned around and there it was. A wooden storage cupboard, showing the many colors it had been painted through the years.(I have since found out it had been part of the kitchen of the house that was torn down at least 50 years ago). Naturally it was attached to the walls, so this was going to take a little more effort! I started lookng for a way to get the cupboard down. Found an old shovel and started to pry it off the wall. At this point in time, there was a little (it seemed big at the time)gray mouse. Our eyes were about the same size as we both scattered. I couldn't get out of the shed fast enough! I went one way and I have no idea which way he went. Once I got over the heart palpitations, I peered inside. No sign of him. Back to work with the shovel to pry the cupboard off the wall. Two more forces of my mighty strength (yeah, right, it was still adrenaline) and the cupboard was off and it was good to go. I am really excited with the piece. I think I will leave it chippy and in it's beautiful state. After one more life changing encounter with the little gray guy, I brought my treasures home and got on line for some good mousers! I am picking up a couple of outside kitties this afternoon. It was a GREAT day and I am so thankful it is finally SPRING! Hope you put us on the map for your junkin days and stop by to play with the new kitties.

We had been enjoying some fabulous spring weather. Record temps here in Iowa and we WERE loving it. Just in time for our Let's Pretend it's Spring Sale, the winds changed, the rain moved in, the mud came with it, the temps plummetted, BUT, it was Spring inside! The tables were filled with springy grasses, tulips, eggs, spring caramels and LOTS of funky junk. And of course we had junky fun! We sold skads (Is scads a word?) of skeleton keys,dog tags, windows, vases, kitchen (vintage of course) utensils, garden statues, depression glass, chenille bedspreads, antique chicken feeders and some architectural items. WhEw! It was a great sale and what was even more fun was meeting lots of different people! I think about 90% of the sales were to people that had never been here before. Sheri and I got to meet JoJo and her darling baby girl. She and her husband have Old Crow Farm. JoJo has a great personality and we are looking forward to go to their old barn. Their first sale of the year is May 16-17th. We sent and received customers from JBKnacker in Gilbert. Brenda has been so supportive in working events together. Women love to jump from shop to shop!
We are very excited to get out into the barn and start cleaning and putting up new displays and vignettes! We have some antique floor lamps to start the new season off with. Alongside, vintage aprons, a great little childrens area with world globes, folding chairs, books, high chair, solid wood cradle, baby stroller, vintage games and additional game pcs., green depression glass and so many more items. You know I can't list them all because it would spoil the fun on opening weekend. But, you can bet there will be something for everyone. AND...I am meeting with a new designer. Her specialty is glass etching. Keep an eye out as they will be appearing in the yard as teasers! She is a crazy lady that is going to add so much to the garden areas. We are looking to open mid to late April, depending on Mother Nature. I unloaded lots of stuff yesterday and my hands were almost numb because of the cold and dampness. Where is Spring?
Gotta go! I guess since I am up I should enjoy every minute of this Friday the 13th!

Friday the 13th

It is 4:30am. My 82 y/o dad was not feeling well, so he called at 2:30. We scrambled for a phone, knocked it off the table and it fell into God only knows what under our bed. I announced the time and exclaimed, "oh no, this means something dead, or they are gonna be!" Got up and grabbed the phone and it was dad. He lives alone, one block away from us. He was upset and thought he was having a heart issue. He had a heart attack and double bypass surgery on Friday the 13th, 21 years ago. He had a pacemaker put in last summer. Being the good (some would argue) daughter, I grabbed my medical bag and headed down there. I think he was in a little pain (although not heart related). After sitting with him for a bit, took his blood pressure, checked his pulse, felt his head, got him some meds (that's a whole nother post or six), got him into bed, with the heating pad and he settled down. I came home, tried to go back to sleep and here I am sitting at the computer!
Today would have been my moms 80th birthday. She was born on a Friday the 13th and married on a Friday the 13th. I have always had good luck on her day. She has been gone for 21 years. I miss her still and especially today. We lost her to a heart ailment when she was 58. She always told us that "there's alot of things worse than death." I do understand this theory. In honoring moms birthday, I have always tried to do something that she would have thought sweet. I have bought carnations and given them all to her friends with a card. The card was plain on the inside and I wrote a note about some funny thing they had done together or how she loved them. One year I took some of them for lunch. This year is different. There are very few of her friends alive now. They are in nursing homes or in bad health. I saw her brother (my Uncle Roger) the other day. He is younger than she. He did not know I was there. He has become even shorter than he was and staggered with pain as he walked. I am not sure how mom would have looked on her 80th birthday and I wish she were here. Hell, I wish she were here everyday! But, I would never wish her any more pain. And to this day I will honor her in a special way.

Let's Pretend it's Spring! Sale!

I can't believe the many items I already have displayed for the sale. And...I am going to be bringing more on Monday. We generally have the sales outside,but we have opted for warmth and coziness. There are vintage aprons, primitive oil lamps, globes and we haven't even packed up the china hutch, basement or attic. The path that my husband has strongly urged to remain clear has diminished in size. We have even made overnite reservations at our dear neighbor Pearl's house!
Barntiques is always happy to meet new friends. But our old (not the age of the owners)friends at JB Knacker in Gilbert are also throwing out the welcome mat for all of your shopping pleasures. You need to check out her great website and blog, jbknacker.blogspot.com. If you have ever been there and for you that have not visited, the shop is actually a two story house. They have a fabulous array of items. She often offers classes. The jewelry soldering class has been my favorite. It is great to have the opportunity to get together and throw some ideas around the round table! Brenda is a great person to work with and I really admire her knowlege and experience. She has mentioned forming a Guild and I think that sounds very inticing! I am sure we will have to don our vintage hats and broaches while sipping tea out of beautiful china tea cups. We will have sale fliers here at our house and at JB Knacker!
There are some old camping chairs calling my name. No, not to sit in, but to get priced and displayed! Yes, the old windows and garden decors is hollering from the yard, so here's to a great Saturday to you all. I will keep you posted with updates. Thanx for stopping by. Please let me know you were here, as a new blogger, it really is exciting to see who all has been by. For now, Let's Pretend it's Spring!

Let's pretend that it is SPRING!

Living here in the middle of Iowa, with forecasts of MORE snow makes one a bit crazy. We need to see and hear the birds. I have not even seen a robin yet. There are still piles of snow, smaller than two weeks ago when we had a tease of 60 degrees. I really want to see the grass greening up, the daffodils and hyacinth peeking up through the ground. SO, I have decided that I am going to pretend that it is SPRING! I know that we many of us are visual people, and I promise to get photos up and going this weekend. That is my goal! I have decided to have a PRETEND IT IS SPRING sale. I have been gathering and I can't wait to see people go through bins of vintage aprons, linens, 1947 Pioneer corn seed sacks. I am sure excited about the vingtage (what am I talking about-they are the games I played!) board games, antique wooden cradle, brass baby doll bed,marble top tables, lots of windows, large screens from a house built in the late 1900's, lots of ephemera, loads of old kitchen tools and a whole lot of junky fun. The actual sale is Saturday, March 7th from 9-5 at my acreage. Too cold in the barn, so we will be inside the house. I have evicted the child day care for two weeks so I don't have the helpers rearanging my displays. And in mentioning all of the items and more, I may have to move out too! My acreage is at 2000 5th street, Nevada, Iowa. I PROMISE to keep you updated on items and fun! Stop by and see our funky junk and junky fun! I hope you will take time and let me know you stopped by the blog! I would ask that you include your email address or blog. I don't know how to contact some of you by just leaving a post. Thanx alot for checking us out! What! OOOPS! I think I hear a bird chirping in the tree!

I tried, but I just couldn't let my LEAST favorite day of the year go by without venting! I can hardly type the occassion without letting out a deep groan and a mean scowl across my forehead. I have always felt that this is the one occassion that is sooo over rated! I worked in the floral industry for many years and we even owned a popular shop in our hometown. Most customers think that the event was conjured up by some bored card making, flower poking, chocolatiers, that needed to rack up some sales between Christmas and Mothers Day! And if I would have been able to cancel it, I would have! It was the costliest, least profitable event. The prices of roses were at a premium, staffing the design room a sheer headache, scheduling the delivery trucks, and this was in the days before credit cards, so then the billing and the blah, blah, blah. Wow! That felt good to release all of that negative energy! Anyway, now I get to make fun stuff out of old junk, have little overhead, make people smile and no one has to pay an arm or a leg. (Maybe a table leg!) Little did I know then, that there are alot of people lovin the rusty junk as much as I did! That is really the point I have been trying to get to. We have all heard that the economy has had the bottom ripped out, chewed up and spit out. But, through it all, finding ways to say or show that you love someone or appreciate friends and family does not have to have a dollar amount. In fact, some of the best gifts that we get, are giving our own love to others. Forget the 110 million red roses that will be sold in a three day period, the 1330 different selections of greeting cards, or the eight BILLION conversation hearts sold between January 15th thru the 14th of February. Even at a very young age I always knew that I was loved. And, I also knew that some people were loved but weren't told or shown. Call it peer pressure, but I did not know how many people bought and sent themselves roses. All in the name of St. Valentine. The important thing to do is let others know that they are loved. And if you happen to show it with a little rusty, chippy, shabby or junky treasure, it will make your own heart glow! Lastly, I want to express the appreciation I have for all of you fellow bloggers, readers or stumblers. You are all loved.