Since I was at the grocery store today I stopped at the thrift store that I haven’t frequented in a long time. They purchase new items now so it looks like Hobby Lobby and the rest of the stuff is expensive. But….i just happened to look at the mens shirts. When I first started buying them they cost $2. Now they’re $10-12!
Here’s what I found:
Here is a shirt about eagles.
I also found these:
And I saved the best for last. Here is Farmer Tim who recently was fishing at Lake of the Woods. Guess who’s getting the fish quilt!
When I first moved here in 1979 a young man, Tim, knocked at the door selling FFA fruit – Tim Tusha was missing a hand and forearm which stuck in my mind. Later I met Tim’s mom, Darlene. Oh, we did have such fun together! I taught her to quilt and she attacked quilting like she did anything new – with everything she had! I learned that Tim lost his hand and arm in an auger as a young boy. Tim was the oldest of three boys – Tim, Tom and Ted. I’d pull in the yard and hear Darlene yelling T…T…TTT – couldn’t spit out which T name she meant to yell at. Ha!
Tim got married to Cathlyn and they had a baby boy named Jonathon. On the way home from a bridal shower for Tom, Darlene, Cathlyn and Jonathon were all killed in an auto accident when a dunk driver ran a stop sign. Tim lost his mom, his wife and his son.
Several years passed and Tim married Ellen. They have three girls: Liz, Maddie and Grace who all have little kids. Ellen has a fresh flower business called Farmhouse Flowers and Tim farms with a son in law and is the local Farm Bureau agent.
Tim and I have struck a bargain – fresh walleye in exchange for the fish quilt that will travel to their place at Lake of the Woods. Here’s last year’s Christmas card – a set of twin boys and two little girls (I think) have joined the cousins crew since this picture was taken.
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Reader photos
Thanks for all your chatting and comments – I’ll be reading and chatting with you tomorrow morning as I sit in my porch with my morning coffee.
I’m so glad that Tim found such happiness after such a tragic accident that took his first family. His wife is lovely and the group picture is precious. I, too, love the fish quilt and it’s great that Tim will get it. Your thrift shop haul was awesome. My local shop is getting pricier too. I heard about a new one a few miles away that I’m going to try soon. Do you have a Salvation Army in your area? We do and they usually have pretty good prices on mens shirts. Not sure that they’re as nice as the ones you’ve found though. Going to be hot here the next few days but our weather has been really nice lately. Those goats are so cute! Jan in MA
When and where did Farmer Tim’s family have the accident? We never know what hardships people have endured.
A couple days ago I was picking up stuff that had blown into the yard. Under a tree I found 2 eggs. One was broken and you could see the little body inside. The other was whole. A girl walked by with a boy, about 5 years old. He was very interested, but shy, about the egg in my hand. When they were walking away, I noticed the boy didn’t have a right hand. Oh, my heart went out to him. We just never know.
We have so much to be thankful for. Guess we have to be reminded of that every so often.
Take care. Betty in Rapid City
Farmer Tim’s life story would make a heartwarming movie! He overcame not one but two tragic life-changing events. You also lost a friend, Darlene in a sudden, sad, and unexpected way. The fish quilt is perfect for Farmer Tim, he’s an inspiration to all. Geese- dirty & loud, but pretty. Monarchs arrived early last week here in PA. I found two very fat (ready to pupate!) caterpillars last Wednesday & three smaller caterpillars on Sunday. Goats! When my daughter & family moved back to PA, the girls were only 3 & 21 months. We often packed a picnic lunch and went to Historical Springton Manor Farm in Chester Co., a working farm that is open to the public. There were sheep, pigs, cows, a blind horse that had a seeing-eye-donkey, and goats. The goats stood on huge boulders in a field. The three year old loved them and called them “my goat friends”. Fast forward twenty years- my son recently took his family to Springton Manor Farm and his 7 yr. old also fell in love with the goats, and referred to them as “my goat friends”. (It must be in our DNA! lol) That Sampler is wonderful- so glad someone rescued it. Linda: What a wonderful surprise that Betty is back! Your blog about “nothing” certainly has a lot of sweet nothings. xxoo
Ann – thank you for your story about the goats and your family connection – Ha! Sweet! Goats are so personable and I have had many happy moments with many thru the years. It’s sweet of you to comment on all the recent stories – who knew we’d have so many on the blog about nothing! Haha!
It’s great that Tim is getting the fish quilt! Thank you for sharing his story. Great job in finding those shirts. My husband would have loved the cars and trucks. He was a car man and could spot a classic car half a mile away. I love baby goats too. They use herds of goats in our town to take down the dry weeds along creeks and hillsides to prevent wildfires.
Great fishing quilt. Farmer Tim is a worthy recipient. Great swap.
You sure got a great haul at the thrift store. Great finds for those interesting shirts. Fun to find great pictures, too.
The goats are too cute. They jump around so cute when they are young.
I went out to lunch with a friend. We like to do this once a month and get caught up. Low humidity today for a change. Lovely day.
Have really enjoyed the blog but have been so busy, haven’t commented much. Harvest is over, guests are back home and have been busy cleaning coolers, the house, etc. and getting binding on two quilts that will be entered in the fair.
Tim’s life story is movie worthy. To go through all that he has been through and rise above it is a story of incredible courage and faith. Thank you for sharing it.
I can’t believe how expensive thrift store shirts are-whoa! They are around $7 at the thrift stores in nearby larger towns here but are $1 each at our local thrift store. I haven’t bought any lately as I have quite a few of them for now. I really liked your log cabin shirt quilt you posted recently-you just keep inspiring me…and adding to my never ending bucket list. 😄
Cindy – $1 shirts? Wow, that’s a bargain! How’s Hank? Is he glad to be home after harvest? Yes, I had asked Tim and Ellen awhile ago if I could tell his story and they graciously said yes. I just hadn’t found the right opportunity until the fish quilt entered the conversation. And yes, it could be a movie.
Hank is growing like a weed and enjoying his pool. He drys up fairly fast with the unbearable heat. Which is a good thing because he doesn’t like to be dried off-tries to grab the towel and play tug of war. Steve left yesterday to get the last grain trailer home from Texas so Hanks been following me everywhere I go.
The shirts I buy aren’t near as graphic as the ones you found-they’re pretty much all plaids and stripes.
Cindy – oh, you play towel, too? Hazel plays towel after every bath! Plaids and stripes used together are very pleasing.
Tim is the perfect recipient of your fish quilt! Thanks for sharing his story.
Thanks for sharing all the pictures. I get such a kick out of all of them.
Farmer Tim is someone so many people could look up to and what he has overcome. I’m glad he found his way forward. Geese are something else. I went to a college that had thousands of geese there (okay, to an 18-year-old it seemed like thousands). You had to watch where you walked on the paths across campus. But beware when it rained…. gelatinous poop everywhere!!! You really didn’t want to slip and fall on that stuff. The poor kid who did got laughed at but secretly we were thinking I HOPE THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN TO ME!! Luckily, I didn’t become one of those statistics. Great score on the shirts, too.
My cousin, now n her mid-80’s, has a small acreage just outside Denison, IA and still raises a “crop” of baby goats every year! Just can’t give it up!! I know she was still milking a couple ears ago, not sure about now.We live quilt a distance apart and she hasn’t mentioned milking lately. Shhhh, don’t tell, I’m making a quilted tablerunner for her. I just couldn’t resist when I spotted some sweet goats in fields fabric!
Marlene – she sounds like a real livestock farmer. ME? I couldn’t part with them at that cute age and that’s when people want them. So I had to give up having baby goats.
I can’t quite decide who got the better deal, you or Tim! The fish quilt is wonderful–love the straight line quilting–but fresh walleye??? Oh, how I miss that! We have one restaurant in Fort Collins who serves walleye. I usually have it whenever I happen to go there!
What a story of loss and resilience! Losing one family member is devastating, but three at once? I am so glad Tim has found happiness again.
You had another good day at the thrift store! I know it can take many trips to find the good deals. I love to wander the flea markets and antique shops in town when I have a free afternoon. Sometimes I come home with something, sometimes not!
Such a great story about your neighbor, Tim.
A difficult start to life, but a happy outcome.
Such great shirts from the thrift store. I wonder what you will make with them?
The cross stitch is a treasure. Sad that the maker did not sign it.
Those geese have a mind of their own. I bet your animals are enjoying the cooler weather.
I’ve been looking at pictures of farmer Tim’s corn for a long time never knowing the back story of his life. A lot of people would have let the tragedies that have befallen him to make them bitter and unhappy for the rest of their lives. I’m so glad that didn’t happen to Tim. This tragedy must have really shaken your community to its roots. I love a story of someone triumphing over tragedy to live and full and happy life. The fish quilt will have a great home.
Those geese must be so maddening. I know what a smelly mess they leave behind. I remember you posting a picture of 2 dead geese in the dead of winter, frozen to death. I can’t imagine why they won’t go in the barn when it’s so cold outside!
This was a wonderful and thought provoking post. Thanks so much.
Pat Smith – after I wrote the blog I got out the newspaper articles again. It was in the papers many times and it could not have been any more shocking every time I read it. Even today.
Tim’s story is heartbreaking and then heart warming. I keep checking the milkweed plants along our walking trails for eggs and caterpillars but have yet to see any. I seldom see any butterflies so no surprise. We do stop and watch the pairs of sand hill cranes saunter by. I stopped for a dozen geese crossing the road last week and they stopped, looked at my car, and then turned around and went back the way they had come. If I were one of your geese, I would have moved into the nice clean barn too.
Donna – I had to laugh when you said you don’t blame the geese for moving in but their mess has also brought in the flies and the wet bedding. They’ve got gorgeous grass to sit on and they can make their mess out there. I have so many fly traps in the barn! This was the year I was going to win the fly war – ugh. I do appreciate your comment however!😊
Oh what a sad story. Farmer Tim has my sympathy still. Such a tragedy.
Those are quite the fish! Wow!
It’s suppose to get terrible hot here today. 🥵
Love the blog this morning. Learning about farmer Tim was interesting, such difficulties but yet he is a dedicated farmer which is not an easy life at all. I am glad you are blessing him with the beautiful quilt – enjoy the walleye! I find it interesting that walleye are in Iowa. There is a huge walleye contest here every year. I thought they were a great lakes fish!
For all of you animal lovers, my beautiful black Betty came home last night at midnight! I swore she had been eaten by some varmint because she has always been hesitant to even go out a door. She looks fine, was very thirsty, not so terribly hungry last night but ate good this morning. She’s not skinny after being gone for a week and a day but not as heavy, solid as before. So I am not going to worry about my extra pounds in case I get lost for a week, I now know I won’t starve to death since I’m a little heavy too! I am so happy she is home, I have been on the verge of tears all week.
The goats are adorable. I always wanted goats but you can’t keep them from climbing on everything so the husband said no.
Everyone have a glorious day! Blessings!!
Linda – best news to hear Betty came back home. Poor baby. You rest and cuddle her with lots of love.
So happy to hear your Betty is home ! I’ve been looking for updates and yours gave me a smile as I have my coffee this morning.
Linda – BETTY IS BACK!!!!! I am thrilled and now you can rest easy knowing she’s alive and still in good health. This is an answer to prayer, isn’t it? I wonder how many times I’ve thought of Betty recently – my nephew has a new young cat named Betty and Connie’s dog is named Betty, too. Oh, I’m so happy for you!
LInda,
What a great way to look at Betty’s return. We certainly all need to keep a few extra pounds on us just in case we get lost for a week. LOL
Linda – yes, there are walleye in Iowa but if you’ll notice I said he was fishing at Lake of the Woods. I don’t think walleye get that big here in Iowa. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
The story about Tim overcoming adversity in his life is remarkable. I just love the picture of his family & that picture of the walleye makes my mouth water. My uncle was a great walleye fisherman & he always shared his catch. The fish quilt has his name written all over it. Our thrift stores have also gotten very expensive. Sometime I find a piece of Walmart clothing with a thrift store price higher than the original Walmart price. Love those shirts that you found & I can’t wait to see the quilts that you create. We just returned from a camping trip to New England & a visit with my daughter. Lots of yard & garden stuff to catch up on.
I have been thinking about your baby geese. You said that geese aren’t good parents and the goslings probably wouldn’t survive. I don’t see them in the picture. Are they still surviving?
Mary I think you got the better end of the walleye deal! Is there anything better to put in your mouth than walleye?
Hi Mary, what type of fish is a walleye? Salmon or trout maybe, it looks like good eating, l love fish! Wonderful how Farmer Tim has overcome such adversity and living a great life! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Our thrift stores are also expensive, so I always try to buy the largest shirt size.
Thank you for Tim’s story–so much tragedy, so much positive in his life ,and such a beautiful family
You are number 1 in my book—–the blog about nothing—-yah sure, you’re right LOL
Bless Tim for being able to triumph over tragedy and come out on top. That is what good upbringing will do. The goats remind me of Zack and how precious he was. Love the shirts and what neat patterns. I just returned from a needle felting class at Wooly Wagon in Ohio learning to felt a dog. Megan is a FANTASTIC teacher and if you have wanted to learn take her class from 8:30 to 5 ish with lunch brought in. Five days of labor of love but you not only learn your sample but technique you can apply. She is in Marion Ohio. Like we need another craft.
It is Woolen Wagon. It is 2:30 am. No sleep. Please forgive me
Angie
The laugh is on me. When I saw the photo of the three goats, I thought the one on the right was one of those plastic yard decorations. The goat has her head cocked kind of sideways. Then I read the caption. Haha on me! Those are some huge fish that farmer Tim has. Thanks for his back story. It’s a blessing that he has a beautiful family after such a tragedy. $10-$12 for men’s shirts is ridiculous. I won’t even pay $6 for one. You did get some pretty neat ones though. It will be interesting to see what they morph into. I understand your frustration with the geese. Our city parks with water have a huge geese problem….and hence dodo problem. I stopped at one recently and it was a mine field of droppings. Enjoy your coffee on the porch.
Hi Mary, I need your address please. I want to order the Amaryllis pattern Thanks, Rose
Rose, scroll down on this page, past the comment box and past Mar’s photo you wll see her address.
Spell check changed so many of my words… sorry…
A great blog….love the shirts..,.and caterpillars..The Little goats are precious….
Like the others I hope Tom has no more tragedy on his life…how do you even get up and keep going…it was awful for you to lose three friends like that
I finally have a dog…a little cocked named Zoe Rose….aka. little imp…
Thanks for the story about Tim. What a lot he has overcome in his life and still gets out there and enjoys his fishing and his family. He must have a very positive attitude. I love the picture of he and his grands….so cute.
I did one of the exact embroidery sampler in 1982. It still hangs in the bedroom I use when I visit my daughter in Minnesota. I thought it was a good thing I added my initials and the year to it before framing as several people have asked when it was done – and I never remember the year! I love the fishing quilt for Tim. Enjoy the walleyes.
Deb, thank you for commenting. The sampler I found was probably done about the same time as yours. The lady that did it passed about 5 or 6 years ago. She did not put her initials in it or the year that I can see. She learned to cross stitch before me. She put real knots at the beginning and end of every change in thread. I learned in the early 80’s and then the instructors were saying not to use knots, but rather to form your stitches over the thread tail/end for 5 or 6 stitches and that would hold the thread tight and safe. This was the first piece I ever saw that had actual knots. I love the verse, and plan on framing it.
I so delight in reading your blog everyday and the photos have been awesome. I even laughed out loud at the basement joke and the doctor/lawyer joke. You live in a great part of the country. I was born in Des Moines looong time ago and have never had the opportunity to travel back there.
Love your quilting and the fish quilt is really cool.
Thanks for sharing. Lorraine
Great post!
Those are some huge caterpillars – I have 36, from egg to caterpillar so far, three that will be in chrysalis probably by Wednesday. I have an assistant this year, my 10 yo grandson Joey comes over every morning to help with the feeding and cleaning and finding. He was very excited when I texted the daycare across the street and told her to stop on their walk to see the caterpillars – he did a great job of explaining to the littles what we do to take care of them.
Joey’s 8 yo brother Ben has been coming over to work on the quilt he is making. It is an original – he designed a group of pictures and is drawing and coloring on fabric. He informed me that he is ready to iron the pictures and then sew! He did the math (even the fractions) the design, and it was fun to watch his eyes light up in understanding when I explained about seam allowances, sashing or not and borders. This is the same kid who is quick to say ‘I’m bored’, so one of the rules at grandma’s house – he can’t say he’s bored because then we are done but he’s so excited – so far lol.
Sherry from Kasson
Wonderful that your grandsons are interested in butterflies and quilting! Now Ben can tell all the other kids why they need to learn math! Haha.
Oh I forgot another funny – Last summer Joey wanted to sew something so we made a bucket hat, so of course Ben thought he wanted to sew. We sat down to sew something and he completely freaked out and was scared of the sewing machine. So – when he said he wanted to make a quilt, I reminded him that he was scared of the sewing machine, so it would be hard to make a quilt. He gave me a ‘look’ and said ‘Grandma. I am eight. That was last year when I was 7.’ Kids say the darndest things…..
Sherry from Kasson
Kids can be so funny—glad he’s not afraid of the sewing machine anymore—lol.
I love your blog tonight! On my last birthday I turned 74 and I always wanted to swim with the Dolphins. I did it for my birthday. I live near Panama City Beach Florida. It was amazing and I had such a great time! Hugs,
Wow—what a great birthday gift to give yourself!
Sandi – that is fabulous for your birthday!!!
Thank you for information about Tim. I love that he is getting the quilt. I love your posts and look forward to them every day.
Sarah C/Yakima, WA
So glad Tim got your quilt. And what a life he has had! I hope for no more tragedies for him.
Interesting sentiment on the sampler. Do you know what quilt pattern(s) you will use for the thrifted shirts?
Mary, what a great blog tonight. I love them all and look forward to them every day. The one tonight hit me just right. Those shirts were a great find as well as the picture. It looked like a Warren Kimball. I could have hugged the baby goats. It was nice to read about Farmer Tim and his history. Through your blog we feel like we know him, now even better. I love seeing the pictures of his corn.
So thank you again for the blog. It is a bright spot in the day.
Sheila from MA
Mary, what a wonderful post.
I just love this blog.
Thanks for sharing the history about Tim. What a tragedy he’s been through! And yet he’s such a great man. I love that he gets your fishing quilt. I’m sure he’ll cherish it. It’s such a cool quilt, and very fitting for him to be the recipient. Love the pictures of everything today.