Weathered and Worn

Like a busy little bee...

I've been buzzing around the farm, diligently tending the garden, and, ever so

gradually, clearing out the barns and outbuildings.

I start each day—in the wee hours of the morn—

with a good bit of energy and high hopes that I will finally eliminate the

clutter I've lived with...

 way too long.

But..

before the day is done, something begins to happen.

By midday, my energy begins to wane, and the hope that had prodded me toward

the task at hand, now seems but a distant friend.

I feel quite sure the intense heat—that is almost suffocating the South—

is, to a great degree, the master of my misery.

By the end of each day, the energy supply that I'd begun the day with is all but

drained completely.

And like this old vintage tool caddy...

I'm left feeling rather weathered and worn!

Thankfully...

I realize that tomorrow is a new day and with a good night's sleep and

the Lord's blessing...

I will awaken to beautiful blue skies, cheerful chirping songbirds...

and a totally renewed perspective!   ; )

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to

an end; they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

Joining SJ's Creative Bloggers' Party, Carrie's Amaze Me Monday,

Kristin's Tuesday's Treasures, Rebekah's Anything Related,

Mary's Share the Love Wednesday, Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday,

 LaurieAnna's Farmhouse Friday, Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday,

Cindy's Show and Tell Friday, Meg's Everything But the Kitchen Sink,

and Bev's Pink Saturday.

An Open and Shut Case

I thought you might be interested in seeing some more of the stuff pulled out

of the barns and outbuildings—to be "dealt" with, during the

BIG purge.



I had quite a stash of vintage trunks, suitcases, and assorted

storage bins to sift through. 

And you would think that by now, I would

automatically grab the camera for before and after pics.

Unfortunately, I was so caught up in just "getting it done," I forgot to

take a before photo of the rather large stack of
stashed storage containers.

So far, I've eliminated an antique humpback trunk, several vintage suitcases,

a vintage skate case, two antique shoe-salesman cases,

and several old crates.

WHEW!!!

The four pieces you see, in the second image above, are the four I've decided

to keep.  Well, actually, there's a fifth one that sweet son has

expressed an interest in, so I'm not counting it.

I found the pumpkin-colored suitcase at a thrift store, years ago, for a mere $2.00. 

It's a piece of Maxonite Maximillion luggage

 from the very early sixties. 

This vintage piece is from the Samson line—the predecessor to

the very familiar Samsonite luggage line.  I only paid $2.00 for it, as well—

at yet another thrift store.

I really like how the patina has darkened

in certain places, over the years, to a rich blackish-brown. 

This vintage file box—record album sorter—is one of my favorite pieces

of all time.  Both the exterior and interior of it are covered in,

what appears to be, some type of oilcloth.

Its time-weathered patina was perfect when I found it,

but...

the incredible vintage details of this piece were what sold me on it.

I've had this old beauty for so long, I can't even remember exactly how long I've owned it. 

But, I do remember that I found it at one of my favorite

flea markets and only paid $3.00 for it—marked down from $5.00. 

This is the inside of the old trunk you see in the second image above.  It was a more

 recent purchase than the other three—picked up just a few years ago.

The Yankee and I were out one Saturday morning and drove past

a local barn sale.

 

I convinced him to turn around so we could check it out,

and was so glad he consented to do so.

This charming relic of antiquity was tucked under a table,

 fairly obscured by all sorts of junk—and not the good kind either.  

The Yankee retrieved it from

its hiding place and inquired as to my thoughts about it. 

I was more than a little surprised that he even had to ask.

Of course, I wanted it!

And for a whopping $1.00, it was mine.   ; )

Now that I've rediscovered it, I'm considering the various possibilities

of what can be stored in it.

It's loaded with neat little cubbies on both sides—which make it perfect

for storing bits and pieces and tiny treasures.

But now I need to figure out the best things to store in it!  Decisions, decisions!!!

How would you use it?

Well, at least I've whittled down one collection

 and can call this one an open and shut case...

I think!   ; )

Joining SJ's Creative Bloggers' Party, Cielo's Show Off Your Cottage Monday,

Carrie's Amaze Me Monday, Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday,

Diane's 2nd Time Around, Rebekah's Anything Related, Kristin's Tuesday's Treasures, 

Tammy's Anything Goes, Susan's Outdoor Wednesdays, Kim's Wow Us Wednesdays,

Mary's Share the Love Wednesday, Leigh's Thrifty Thursdays,

Suzanne's Vintage Thingie Thursday, LaurieAnna's Farmhouse Friday,

Debras' Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Playing in the Nursery

BUTTERNUT SQUASH IN A VINTAGE DOLL CRADLE

Currently, my days are pretty evenly divided between sorting through my

numerous collections...and working in

my vegetable garden.

When you garden organically, it's a very time consuming process. 

Even one day missed, can give the bad guys—those noisome weeds

 and pests—the upper hand.

BABY CORN AND CORN HOLDERS

It's almost like having a nursery full of infants to attend to!  But...

truth be known, I enjoy taking care of my

 garden babies.

JUNIOR BUTTERNUT SQUASH IN A VINTAGE PIE TIN

I nuture and care for them, and they provide me with a larder full of

 wholesome, healthly goodness.

INFANT WATERMELON ON A VINTAGE BUTTER PAT

If you've ever gardened, you probably understand the joys of gathering your

fruits and veggies fresh daily.

BABY WATERMELON IN A COFFEE CUP

Not only does fresh, vine- or tree-ripened produce taste far superior to

anything purchased in a grocery store... 

BABY CANTALOUPE ON A VINTAGE DESSERT PLATE

but it's just plain fun to grow and harvest food for yourself.

BABY CANTALOUPE UNDER A MINI CLOCHE

I like knowing that my food is being produced in the healthiest

manner possible...

BABY BELL PEPPER HANGIN' OUT WITH A VINTAGE TEA INFUSER

and that I'm not only providing my family with something that taste good,

but is also good for them.

So...

 the days spent out in the hot sun—digging in the dirt, weeding, and eliminating

 bad bugs—are a small price to pay for all the benefits that are reaped...

especially...

when I also get to have sooo much fun

playing in the nursery!   ; )

Joining LaurieAnna's Farmhouse Friday, Tootsie's Flaunt Your Flowers Friday,

Meg's Everything But the Kitchen Sink, Bev's Pink Saturday,

Eileen's Seasonal Sundays, and Tammy's Anything Goes.

The Glories of Morning

~THE MORNING-GLORY~



Was it worthwhile to paint so fair

Thy every leaf—to vein with faultless art

Each petal, taking the boon light and air

Of summer so to heart?

To bring thy beauty unto perfect flower,

Then, like a passing fragrance or a smile,

Vanish away, beyond recovery's power.

Was it, frail bloom, worthwhile?

Thy silence answers: "Life was mine!

And I, who pass without regret or grief,

Have cared the more to make my moment fine,

Because it was so brief.

In its first radiance I have seen

The sun!  Why tarry then till comes the night?

I go my way, content that I have been

Part of the morning light!"

~Florence Earle Coates~

I love to rise early, to behold the beauty of nature unfolding before my eyes—

to have the sun's first rays greet me with the promise of a new day...

to be enchanted by the melodious chirping of the song birds—awakening

from their night's slumber...

to be captivated by the simple charm of the delicate blooms

of morning glories. 

For a short while, in the early morning hours, there is a tangible peace—one

unparalleled by any other time of day.

Ahhh...the glories of morning.   ; )

Joining Sally's Blue Monday, Julie's Inspire Me Mondays, Carrie's

Amaze Me Monday, Susan's Outdoor Wednesday, SJ's

Creative Bloggers' Party, Mary's Share the Love Wednesdays,

Suzanne's Vintage Thingie Thursday, Tracie's

Cottage Flora Thursdays, Cindy's Show and Tell Friday,

Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday, Beth's Silver Sunday,

and Tammy's Anything Goes.

A Glass Act

I'm still busily sorting through my stashes of stuff and trying to decide what to keep

and what to pass on.

The problem is...

when the time comes to put something in the "this must go" bin,

I hedge.  Afterall, I bought the stuff because I liked it!

Case in point...

my little brass and glass display boxes.

I've had many of them for a very long time, and though they had the most wonderful

timeworn patina when I purchased them, it has become even

richer, warmer, and more fabulous over the years.

See what I mean!

Because each of these little dandies is at a different stage of the aging process, the

varied hues of the brass makes them all the more interesting, when grouped

 together in decorative vignettes.

Currently, four of them house a delightful assortment of found objects

from around the farm—like the bird's nest, egg, moss, lichen, snail shells, butterfly and

 twigs, in the three cases above.

One of the things I love about them is how they seem to elevate the most common

object—like this wasp nest—to a more

regal status.

What is it about putting something under glass that makes it appear more special?

I could take the exact same lovely elements from nature and set them on

this table without the brass and glass display pieces, and

they would instantly lose their appeal.

Perhaps that's why we love cloches so much.  They make the ordinary seem

extraordinary!

Unfortunately, it's this very line of reasoning that keeps me in a constant quandry!

How can I part with something that makes something else

I own look so good?   ; )

So what do you think?

Should they stay or should they go?

Joining Mary's Share the Love Wednesday, Cindy's Show and Tell Friday,

Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday, Meg's Everything But the Kitchen Sink,

and Tammy's Anything Goes.

Parlez-vous français?

Perhaps it is because I love to read that I'm so drawn to books.  And if they're of a

vintage nature, all the more so.  Needless to say, when I discovered these

French beauties at a flea market some time ago,

I was more than a tad thrilled.

They were buried beneath a mound of completely unrelated items, in a tattered

old box—one of several, I was determined to rummage through. 

Being the treasure hunter that I am,

searching through boxes of disorganized clutter—gone unnoticed

by many—is a challenge I heartily welcome.

The pretty lilac-hued covers of these little readers—softened by the most wonderful

timeworn patina—was the first thing to catch my eye.  But the detail

of the vintage graphics was an even bigger draw.

Though every word, from cover to cover, was in French, many of the titles and

 authors were quite familiar to me.

Beauty is beauty, no matter the country of origin, so without hesitation, I decided

these tiny teasures were destined to come home with me.

When it came time to pay the vendor, he informed me that there were more

"little French books" somewhere in his booth. 

Fabulous!!!  That would mean more treasure hunting.   ; )

I was able to locate a total of thirty of the CLASSIQUES LAROUSSE, thirteen of an

entirely different series, and three other miscellaneous French booklets—

all for a song.

Many of these dainty little gems date back to the early 1930s and span

almost thirty years—to the early 60s.

As is true of everything vintage that I own, I've oftened wondered as to their origins. 
What might the person have been like, who collected these jewels
for thirty years? 

Was she someone who thoroughly enjoyed the written word, as I myself do? 
Did she experience the pull of their beauty, even before she read the first word—
as I did? 

Was she fluent in French? 

These are but a few of the many questions I've pondered, as I've carefully perused their

delicate pages. 

The intrigue of their mysterious history has made my decision to part

with these sweet treasures all the more difficult.  But the Yankee and I have committed

to paring down our collections this year,

and so part with them I must.

Why part with these particular lovelies, you might ask?  The answer is quite simple. 

Je ne parle pas français!

Linking to Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays, Mary's Share the Love Wednesday,
Suzanne's Vintage Thingie Thursday, Leigh's Thrifty Thursdays,
Cindy's Show and Tell Friday, Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday, 
Meg's Everything But the Kitchen Sink and SJ's Creative Bloggers' Party,
Tammy's Anything Goes.