Come Flea With Me

If the thought of spending the day sorting through mounds of treasure–both old and new–sets your heart aflutter, have I got the perfect place for you!

The Raleigh Flea Market at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds is just such a place.  Being part community yard sale, part flea market, and part antiques and collectibles show ensures that there is something for everyone.

When visiting this particular flea market, I head straight for the yard sale section–at the very back of the complex.

 Seldom am I disappointed with the goods offered there, and I seem to always find a treasure or two–usually at give-away prices.

Not only do you find the typical yard sale fare–books, videos, clothing, and household goods–but often you'll find fabulous vintage and antique items stashed among them.

Once I have thoroughly scoured that section, I make my way to the flea market area.

Once again, think typical flea market–fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, etc.  Then throw in beautiful jewelry, linens, and scads of vintage items to complete the picture.

When I am convinced that I have left no stone unturned in these two areas, I then venture over to the area always overflowing with wonderful antiques and collectibles.

The treasures here abound!  So why save this section to visit last?  While bargains can be had here, they are not as readily available–as is true in the other two areas.

If you are a scanner–as is my Yankee–you are apt to miss some of the most delightful goodies.

For example, a quick glance at this booth–while walking by–would not have uncovered the true treasures hidden within.

While the old storage chests were cool enough, they were not for sale.

Going in for a closer look revealed that the real goods were tucked inside.

Being the button junkie that I am, I could have spent an entire day just rummaging through these wonderful chests of glistening vintage and antique buttons.

Though it is one of my traits that drives the Yankee crazy, I think it pays to be a "detail" person.

After all, beauty is in the detail, right?!

Let's see if the Coloradolady's guests will enjoy these vintage thingies as much as you and I.

And we'll also visit Tales from Bloggeritaville while we're at it for

In Praise of Mom

One of my goals—during my first year of blogging—is to introduce you to those whom I hold most dear to my heart. 

Thus far, you have been given a brief introduction to my incredibly talented Yankee husband, several glimpses of my precious granddaughter, Lana, and an in-depth intro to my lovely daughter, Asheley.

Since this is the time of year when everyone in the blogosphere seems to show off their moms, I thought I would join in on the celebration. 

And yes, I am aware that Mother's Day was yesterday.  But my mom's birthday is today, May 10th, so I decided to postpone my tribute by a day and combine the post for Mother's Day and Mom's birthday.

I am the eldest of five children—all girls. 

When my mom got pregnant with me, she was in Germany—thousands of miles from home and family,

for the very first time in her life.

I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for her to be in a foreign country, where she could not speak the language, where she knew few people, other than my dad—who was often gone on military maneuvers—and where she had to experience all the ups and downs of pregnancy without support from loved ones.

Yet, she made the best of her circumstances for my sake, as well as my dad's.

Throughout the years, as I have spent countless hours pouring over family photos and videos, I have gazed into the same sweet, loving face of a woman totally devoted to her husband and children.

I have learned so much from my mom about what it means to be self-sacrificing, totally giving of oneself to meet the needs of others—especially loved ones.

She has the most caring nature and generous spirit of anyone I have every known. 

And, the love she has for her family has been a beacon of light that has been a constant throughout the good times and the bad.

Though each of her children—myself included—have given her much cause for work and worry in raising us, she has always fulfilled her role of mother with patience, kindness, and an understanding heart. 

She has been the most wonderful role model of a loving, devoted wife and mother that I have ever witnessed. 

And her example has molded and shaped who I am as a wife and mother more than she will ever know.

My prayer for you Mom, this Mother's Day and birthday, is for...

health, happiness, and a long, long life...

and to be blessed beyond measure, as you have blessed me.

I LOVE YOU MOM, WITH ALL MY HEART!!!

"Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.'"  Proverbs 31:28,29