It’s been a week of watching over extra dogs – one week ago this morning Jackson Shaffer arrived. For a big black lab, he sure didn’t make any noise or distraction – he’d lay in the kennel quietly or beside my chair quietly or in front of my door quietly. My very best boarder!
Sassy and Biscuit arrived Saturday morning and Biscuit has lots of energy – she wants to run, run, run and really doesn’t like to be in the kennel yard if I’m outside. The two of them are the very best of friends and like to sleep touching each other.
Everybody is gone now and I’m catching up on the lawn, the barn, the housework, etc. Got my little “antique” store rack in the driveway. Many of these little items are not qualified to be called antiques which should be at least 100 years old but they are things I remember from my childhood which is over 60 years old so they seem very familiar to me. Maybe I should just call them collectibles or vintage junk or? What do you think? I don’t want anyone to be misled by the title of “antiques”.
The yard and flowers are looking very nice – that rain really made everything green and lush. The lilies are starting to bloom – I planted more new ones this year because after our drought last summer I was not sure the existing ones would appear this season.
Next week is July 4th and we will be closing the shop on July 5 so our staff can extend their holiday with their families. Then comes the Big Event – please note that we will close the shop at 3 pm on July 10 to prepare for our evening festivities and reopen at 5 pm with a 20% off sale and wine and snacks. No written invitations will be sent so feel free to join us on Thursday evening until 8 pm. Another announcement concerns the hundred bolt sale – we will not be putting 100 bolts on this sale July 1 – 14 because of the Big Event. It is so confusing to check customers out when we have to separate sale stuff from full priced stuff with the overall discount. On July 15 you will find 100 NEW bolts on the sale.
I am working on several new projects but the yard and the animals seem to get in my way. Evenings seem short because I’m outside until after 8 pm. Last night I enjoyed a delicious meal of grilled pork chops, grilled asparagus, fresh snap peas, potato salad and watermelon – topped off with cold beer – with Bentley and his parents, Stan and Michelle. On a sad/happy note, we were celebrating Gladys’ arrival in Heaven – something she has been wanting for many months. She died yesterday afternoon in my mom’s room at the care center. She has many family members and friends who greeted her and I hope she tells Mom “hi” from me.
That’s my week, folks – nothing very exciting but lovely weather and sitting in the screened porch reading a good book are the highlights. More next week.
Mary
Just for a Laugh…
Heard at an AARP rally:
Leader, with megaphone: “What do we want!”
Crowd, fists raised: “Better memory!”
Leader: “When do we want it!”
Crowd: “Want what?”
Thanks for always sending so many photos. They are always wonderful. Your property is so green and everything so beautiful. You don’t have to look forward to heaven – you’re there!
Love your cheerleader cactus! The arms are perfectly poised and seem to be drumming up enthusiasm for “the big event.” And, your yard and gardens look so lush and green … didn’t the snow melt just a few weeks ago?
It is bone dry here in AZ. Supposedly the monsoons have started (per date on the calendar) but there’s no humidity and just a lot more wind than I’ve ever known, and of course the dust that comes with it.
Your treasures ~ How about collectibles? And I thought it was anything over 40 was an antique…I’m over 60 and often feel like an antique!
Got to the cactus and I too thought it was poised, raising it’s cheerleader pom-poms and cheering the rest of the plants to grow and bloom.
Wish I were a dog ~ I’d love to stay at your house!!
Love to see your green pastoral pictures, the wonderful colorful blooms and of course the cute little goats! 25 more years and I’ll be qualified as an antique! Mary, it’s better than the alternative. I’ve just finished e-mailing with a friend I’ve known since junior high. Neither of us reside in our hometown state, but our high school grad class is having a 47th reunion in a couple months. She mentioned a fiesta that took place in Tucson last night with a rain dance to bring on the monsoons. There was a little rain in CA this morning, but none right around here. Just the wind blowing and the sun hiding a while…..which brought our predicted temperature high to 85 degrees for later.
Why are most of your pictures sideways? It hurts my neck & makes it hard to really see them.
enjoy the news and pictures, my pictures are sideways too. your supper sounds real good, we didn’t have very much asparagus this year, think we need to plant more. i have a pretty orange lily blooming now, more later, i;m sure. i hope to get over there for your “big event”, always like going over there (a real quaint place.) a true antique is suppose to be 100 yrs old, at least that’s what i’ve heard. your stuff??? vintage junk?? got back from the farm sat. after my brother’s church service, he will be missed but think he’s in a better place now.
I so wish I were closer!!! I love reading all the news. I think you should call your treasures “vintage” without the word junk. One girl’s junk is another girl’s treasure:). And goodbye to dear Gladys, hope she is dancing in heaven.
Hello Mary,
Here in Holland we call such collectibles ‘Brocante’ which is originally a French word, but is widely used throughout Europe and the UK. It basically means second hand goods that aren’t old enough to be antiques but are too nice to be called junk! Many shops sell antiques and brocante, some sell brocante and hand crafts. Maybe you could have the first Brocante stall in Iowa!