onward...

Bidding farewell to 2013...

certainly a year I learned a thing or two about resiliency, compassion & courage.

Wishing you moments of reflection as you close out this year

and welcome the next.

May that blue bird of happiness fly your way!

Kari

winter wishes

Winter is here...with plenty of snow for boots & shovels.

All the kittens & goats are tucked into their barn each night.

By day, they play on paths Ian & I shoveled thru their pasture,

winding back & forth & over the bridges.

A box fort waits inside for the kittens, as well as a heater.

We take our role as caretakers of this little farm quite seriously.

We provide our animals with warmth & play...

keeping them content through these cold months.

I count the days to spring based upon our winter supply of hay, 

which is still piled high in the barn.  We will get thru the cold days 

one bale at a time.

from our house to yours

Merry Christmas!

pieces of the past...

Years ago, we lived in Sun Prairie next to Mrs. Reed.

She was a most wonderful neighbor...

we even built a special gate in our fenced yard just for her.

She would come over & sit & be "neighborly".

When she passed away in her 90s, 

the family asked what we might like as a memory keepsake.

We requested the blue spatterware bucket she would plant a geranium in, 

set near her gate each year.

We planted in it one more summer in her honor.

Now that bucket resides in my kitchen, filled with memories.

We also picked this one antique ornament, hers, now ours.

What I love most about pieces of the past is that they form a scrapbook.

Some are our own memories, some belong to others.

We cherish & honor them.

Christmas sale!

Stop by the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall

for a special 20% off sale in my booth & case (dealer SPY).

Thanks for your patronage in 2013!

All the details about Hixton....to the right under "Chapters"...

some mornings

As I walked out to the barn this morning,

this is what greeted me.

Some mornings take your breath away!

full

As I left my office last night, later than I had hoped....

I thought about how much we try to accomplish at

this time of year.  We decorate, bake, wrap.....filling

each hour to the max.  And all of that on top of our

already busy lives.  We can lose something in the

sheer busy-ness of it all.  Perhaps that is why I so 

adore the quietude of the barn or the early morning 

hours--it is solace from the running.  It is just my time

to reflect, to unfill my mind & my overflowing schedule.  

I suppose that this is part of this time of year, to fill us up to this 

place where we have to overflow, where we have 

to stop & evaluate.  It is no wonder we end the year

with resolutions for the next.

Rather than wait, I resolve right now to be kind to myself. 

It is neither selfish or wrong....it is creating our own solace

when we need it.  It is saying "no" when we must, and "yes"

when we can.  It is choosing how full we can be.  

little surprises

sitting oh so sweetly on a hanging spice cupboard in

our kitchen is an enamelware teapot & cup from a child's tea set.

My newest collection, as I now have 3 little teapots...

would guess that they traveled to Wisconsin long 

ago from Germany.

tucked in is some vintage millinary...

I have attempted to keep the holidays fairly demure

this year, little something tucked here & there.  I like

the sweetness of it all.

the holidays arrive

Stopped for gas in Fall Creek this morning.

And there to my right was a truck full of trees.

Off they go to a holiday near you.

If anyone follows the Wisconsin author, Michael Perry,

Fall Creek plays a predominate role in his book, Truck.

Hixton Antique Mall

Dave & I worked behind the counter Saturday

at the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall

in Hixton, Wisconsin...biggest sale day of the month!

It was my first working day back there since September, felt good.

I redid the front display, below...love red, turquoise & jade green!

Added a Christmas display in my case & a bit more to my booth.

For details about Hixton....head to the right under "Chapters".

Hixton also has a new Facebook page!

giving thanks

before the next days get busy...

    with travel

    with fixings

    with family & friends

wanted to be sure to let you know how thankful I am for you.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

in the valley

Down in this snow covered valley,

at the top edge of this picture is our farm.  

In Thompson Valley.

In the Township of Otter Creek.

In the City of Augusta.  

In Eau Claire County.

In Wisconsin.  

In snow in November.

Under the sun....

my house, my home

As I sat in my study....I looked over to this stack of books, one caught my eye. Nestled down five from the top was the book, Your House, Your Home.  It made me think about my own decorating style...which is never ever based upon resale or rules.  I know some folks think the resale & even the decorating rules way, and good for them - but not me. I think of my house as just for me & my family, not really for others.  It is my home.  So if I love green, then green it is.  If I want to add layers of vintage goodness, then I will. It is my house, but more importantly, it is my home.

A day does not go by that Dave or I do not share how much we love everything about our home - everything.  A day does not go by that something in my home catches my eye and makes me smile.  That, to me, is what makes a house a home.  It reflects who you are.  If anyone walks through my home, they will know what I love, what makes me smile, what is special to me.  

I love that we each have the ability to make our house our home.  It is our individual nest, just ours.

gobble, gobble, gobble

November without turkeys, is like December without snow.

                  vintage German turkey

             vintage Gurley turkey candles

done

I met with my Oncolgist, Dr. C. this morning...

After reviewing my full history & recovery from breast cancer,

he said that he would walk me out of the Mayo Cancer Center ~~

and wish me a healthy life.  I am done!

No treatments needed, no radiation, no hormone therapy....done.

And for the first time my bravado fell to the side, and I cried.

window to my heart

One of the favorite features of our home are the floor to ceiling windows.
They are surrounded in charming white woodwork.  With ledges deep & wide.

Our indoor cats love them too.

August Rose in the window.

McCoy in the morning sun.

Living in the country affords us the luxury of windows that do not need to provide privacy.

They provide views...lovely views of fields and the hills that surround us.

It is said that our home was named "Meadowview Farm" because the original owners could view a meadow from every window.  We are greatful to continue that name.

rest & recovery

This is my little August Rose.

If you have followed her story, she was hit by a car last spring, 

suffering a broken pelvic bone.

She has fully healed, and now resides in our home.

Rosie has taught me a lesson or two.

After two weeks of rest, I am beginning to feel ready to dip my toes back into life.

Dave & I will attempt a little antique outing today.

Next week I will begin to wander back into the work world.

It will be slow, one step at a time, but I am beginning to feel ready.

Boo to you!

Living on a farm has ended the days of trick or treaters....

(I know the advantage of all the potential treats on a city street).

However, I still enjoy decorating our house all boo-tiful!

           Happy Halloween!

a bowl full of autumn

With a mere walk through my living room,

I found five bowls filled with Fall.

I adore little collections all fancied up in an ironstone bowl or compote.

With a sweet calling card tucked in for good measure!

The golden walnut is an antique sewing kit.

Love the two transferware bird salt dishes on top.

Excuse me, vintage dominoes just call out to Autumn decorating!

Ironstone saucer filled with cards.....sweet black cat card from Judy!

Compote with a clock, vintage lace and sweet rolls of thread.

I just relish making these mini-alters to this exquisite season!

How about you, having fun with Autumn decorating?

today I write thank you notes

How touched can I be by such kindness?

Of course, Dave just loves this gift!

From my sweet Jani, Nan & Sarah (aka The Barn Cats)...

Box filled to the rim with thoughtful goodness.  

Little girl from Sarah at my office...such joy.

Handmade pun-kin guy from Marie, (aka Old Lady Morgan).

Gorgeous hand crocheted lap blanket in Autumn colors left at my 

Office by a teacher I work with.....Deb, it is beautiful!

A sweet bluebird salt gifted to me at the Barn Sale by Judy.

A charming kaleidoscope left on my porch by sweet Jeannine from Chicago.

An orchid from my kind friends at Satellite in Madison.

A pink rose left at the hospital by my college roommate, Darlene.

Just a bouquet of all the most recent thoughtful gifts.

And that doesn't include all the emails and cards or gifts received earlier in this journey.

I cannot say enough times that although illness brings such worry & change....

it also brings forth such rich blessings.  What I have learned from my friends, from past & present coworkers, from neighbors near & far, from my Kindergarten friends to my college roommate, from my first co-teacher,  to my sisters....both in blood & spirit, is that I am so lucky, so lucky.

Each day I feel better.  Each day I feel stronger.  You lift me up.

And today I write thank you notes.

All my love,  Kari

going pink

If you have followed along with my story, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July.  I have had three surgeries: two unsuccessful lumpectomies this summer and a successful mastectomy this past Thursday.  My pathology report Friday night finally came back cancer-free, my lymph nodes are clear.

I can now focus on recovery.

Through this unexpected journey, I have actually found so many blessings.  I have met such brave women who are living through & with breast cancer...so brave.  The statistics are significant, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.  The earlier the diagnosis, the better.  I can say that I listened to my body...although I did not find a lump, I had been experiencing general fatigue and a bloody discharge.  The medical team that stepped in after I called the warning signal, were nothing less than stoic & strong.  When my doctor finally called with the positive news Friday night, I could hear the relief in his voice too.  I am now, officially, a breast cancer survivor.

Our local Eau Claire, Wisconsin, paper came out in pink yesterday as this month is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  I understand my surgery was actually on Breast Cancer Awareness Day.  My message on a personal note is the same:  Early Detection Matters!

Finally I need to share the true blessings that have filled my life during these past months...it is the generosity and kindness of family & friends.  Some that I have known for years, some that I may only have recently met.  I have felt such love & care, such love & care.....and that has been the silver lining in all of this.  

Going pink ~~~ I will now wear that color with pride.  It represents courage.  It also represents compassion beyond measure.  I will be forever thankful.

home...

all went well....arrived home from the hospital at noon today.

Will be laying low for the next few weeks.

Thanks for all the positive thoughts, prayers & wishes!

Kari

Autumn Blessings ~ indeed

My heartfelt thanks............

To each of you that ventured out this weekend for our Barn Sale.

To each of you that provided words & gifts of support & care.

To each of you that drove miles & miles to be here.

To each of you that waited to get in & then get out Saturday morning.

To each of you that never cease to surprise me with your generosity and love.

You lift me up on Autumn wings!

And I thank you.

 

 

 

Do check out Lisa's great blog, MaryJanes and Galoshes, for a wrap up & pictures from our Barn Sale....and get the dates for her upcoming vintage sale(s) in Dalton, Wisconsin -- first one is on November 9!    MaryJanes and Galoshes

sales galore

Not only will this beautiful upcoming weekend, October 12 & 13, 2013

be the Meadowview Farm Barn Sale......but it will also be a weekend of 

Sales Galore!

Here are a few "sale seeds" to plant in your mind!

1.  Barn Sale...find your super secret password to 10% off from 9-2 on Saturday in a post below.

2.  Or arrive after 2:00 on Saturday, Oct. 12, for 20% off!

3.  Or how about 30% off from 12-5 Sunday, Oct. 13?

4.  Of course every little detail is to the right under "Chapters"- Barn Sale!

5.  And, please find me at the Barn Sale (I will be wearing a green apron) for a special "Friend of Meadowview Farm" membership card that will always entitle you to 20% savings on any item(s) from my "SPY" booth and/or case at the Hixton Antique Mall.  These can only be given to you by me.......my special gift to you as a thank you for your support!  

6.  If this was all not enough sales, I have kicked off a "clean out the Hixton Antique Mall Booth" -- Dealer "SPY" major megaroonie sale........50% off!

7.  And to grease the wheel---Hixton will have their flea market this coming weekend too........for more about Hixton---head over to the right under "Chapters".

8.  Finally, if you should see a piece of furniture in my booth or at the Barn Sale with a price over $100 or noted as "Display" and you are interested in it.......I will consider a reasonable offer.  The mall has my number.

9.  All proceeds from this year's sales will go toward my medical expenses.

10.  Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!  

                    Kari from Meadowview Farm

Autumn Barn Sale 2013

tick tock, tick tock, tick tock...

The count down begins to October 12 & 13!

All you need to know in prior posts, or to the right!

to live unbruised

"Hey mom I'm thinking about getting a tattoo."

To which I replied, "You're 25...you certainly can do what you want."

"I figure if I alter my body, I should talk to you & dad first"  

     *Cannot remember his exact words, but his reply did include "alter my body" in it.

My first thought, how did I ever get a good guy like my Ian.  My next thoughts were aloud in this amazing dialogue that followed.....first by phone, then walking to the lakefront from his new apartment in Milwaukee.  He was thinking about a tattoo along his forearm of the words "live unbruised" (from a favorite Mumford & Sons song).  We talked about that, I suggested that I actually thought it was better to live bruised...because then you at least lived (I also was thinking about all the bruises that currently resided on my arms & legs from goat pushes, kitten jumps, and just good hard work).  His reply was that to live unbruised was philosophical, that of course we would live through tough stuff, but the goal was to let it go, to not let it damage us.

I have pondered his words, and have thought about my new normal.  

So here is where I am at.  I will have a mastectomy on October 17...my hope is to be done with this breast cancer....but I am not certain what they will find in surgery.  I will have my very own tattoo over my heart that will live with me for my remaining years, but I will not let it damage me.....I will let it make me better, stronger, healthier.  My conclusion is that I have no choice but to live unbruised.  Doesn't mean that any of this is easy, it is not.  I am more tired then I thought possible, and tears come every now and again in my private moments.  Each day when I greet the sun until darkness arrives, I put on my brave face and go about my business....my goal, to show that cancer will not get the better of me.  And it will not.

And as I debated putting out such big thoughts just weeks before my big Barn Sale....felt I should.  I will count on those days the weekend before surgery & a lengthy recovery to bolster me.  So if you attend the sale, there will be no gloom & doom....it is forbidden.  I want laughter & smiles & good will to fill my heart until it bruises with the weight of it all.  

                                                                                                        A thanks for all the kind notes.