clock watching

Mid-April will arrive and off we will travel.
Jani, Nan & Sarah traveling north to the farm....
Then "norther" we will travel together.
A first flea market of the year in our sights.
And a first Spring Junk Bonanza.
Maybe a stop at IKEA.
Certainly many laughs.

I am clock watching, calendar marking....
counting the moments until our Adventure begins!

we like it!

Shawnee & McCoy approve of our bathroom redo......

spring, where are you?

On or about 25 inches of snow......since March 1!
Come on spring, we are beyond patient.

Hiking through the wind blown drifts to the barn tonight made me feel especially sad for the goats, barn cats and farm bunnies. They are indeed cooped up. Had to take out apple treats and play string before trudging back up to the house.

I take solace with indoor signs of spring....
trying to not look out the windows at the winter reality.

Come on spring, we are so so ready to greet you with open arms & a jelly bean or two!

I was away

And now I am home.
And I awake in the early morning hours to the sounds of my farm.
The sound of kitten purrs, the furnace kicking in, a late traveler on the road outside & quiet.

Work took me away to the inside of a city, a sad hotel room, tables & chairs and meetings.

And now I am home. If I could purr, I would.

My little shelf I like to call

"Ode to my farm"...an alter of sorts.

bathtime redo ~ the details

I do believe that a home should make you smile at every turn ~ and I mean every turn!

Adding details is what I love to do. And "adorabling up" our recent bathroom redo is no exception. From the "s" on the towel hook for our last name to the little seasonal bunny & egg cup(with vintage waxed Easter grass). From a sparkly off the rack light fixture to antique prisms in the window that function as a "valance". From an old lace tablecloth folded in half over an extension rod for a curtain to a fresh shower curtain found at my local T.J. Maxx. From a compote brimming with vintage beads to a little Ironstone pitcher up high to floral hat boxes that hold extra supplies. From Dave's grandmother's mirror over the sink to a hooked rug below it. And don't even get me going on how adorable the inside of the blue 8 foot chimney cupboard in the bathroom is....let me just say that a vintage bluebird dish holds my favorite earrings!

It is indeed all about the details, and for those that visit here, you know I am only preaching to the choir!

cows on my mind

As I arrived home after dark last night I recognized a "maaaaaa" from our goats, greeting me as they often do ----- followed by a rather loud "moo" from our neighbor's herd. This morning as I walked about the house, I noticed this newly evolving collection of cows....yes a moo moo here and a moo moo there. Seems I have a little case of cows on my mind.

two down...

Officially done...two projects to start our year, two projects complete. Our bathroom was second in line, in need of more than just cosmetic surgery since we moved in. From electrical to plumbing, from walls to ceiling....this was a do over. Once the carpentry work ended, Dave got busy painting. Once the paint was dry, Kari got busy adding some sweetness.

Simple was the plan...from the adorable antique dresser that we rebuilt into a sink to little bits of color here & there. A breath of fresh charm was the mission. Two down!

one done

Our little upstairs landing is finally a checked off project, moved to the complete row on our "Mighty Big Ambitions" list. We have scratched our head for some time now trying to address the pealing paint on walls and ceiling due to milk paint used in the late 1800's...new paint will not adhere! We have consulted, googled, brought in a professional painter...all with the same result, more head scratching. Add to that the fact that this area has several access points well beyond the safe scope of even our extension ladder.

After considerable contemplation, we made a plan. We would sand the walls as best we could, laying a patchwork of wallpaper squares on the two hardest to access walls (easier to put up a square of wallpaper while balancing precariously on a ladder than a sheet 10 foot in length). We would wallpaper the opposite two walls  ~ ~ And we would paste the crap out of what we put up!  We also called in our wonderful carpenter, Charlie, to put up a new ceiling.

I knew we could add some drama to this area as it really is a pass through to rooms on our upper floor.....so I pulled out one purchased wallpaper pattern and grabbed two other patterns I had purchased at thrift sales. Our end result.....we love. We have officially titled this space the "Lilac Tree Inn" after our favorite place to stay on Mackinac Island. It is fresh, vibrant and quite charming. And there's my McCoy...our upstairs cat adding his approval.

I'm not messing around here, it is officially bunny time!

Cannot wait a single moment longer, no, not one more minute.
The bunnies are out!

First to arrive, antique German candy containers (they open to hold candy).
Mixed with green pottery pitchers on a framed piece of velvet wallpaper.
My homage to St. Patrick's Day, Easter & Spring - with an upper case "S".

I watch the bunny that waits for warmer days under the Bridal Wreath bushes outside our window. "To you sweet rabbit, to you!" Let the spring gala begin!

sometimes I wonder, sometimes I just know

If I were to pick my mantra, my motto - this would be my choice.

It has taken me a fair number of years, people & places to have these words find me, but sure as the crow calls, they have. It is that ying & yang of being ~~ moments when you step forward because you let your heart lead, moments when you dig your heels in because you must. To wonder is letting go, to know is holding firm....and both can be who you are.  Wonder & Wisdom, cornerstones for certain.

Sometimes I wonder, sometimes I just know.

next

And green it is!
Green of the shamrock, vintage waxed Easter grass...reminders of this home stretch before spring. This time of year when we wish only to shrug off heavy coats and step outside - even if it means mud boots on. Spring is still in the distance, but nearer now then yesterday. "Next" we seem to collectively whisper to the wind....."next".

sweet wishes

for a wonderfully happy Heart Day!

that's all.....

some explaining

Just recently I was asked, "So, you're not going to have a barn sale this spring?"
The answer is, No.
Our one & only Barn Sale will be in October this year
~~ October 12 & 13, 2013 to be exact.


Now no one has asked why, but I thought I would do just a bit of explaining.

When we bought our farm and first climbed the interior steps to see the hayloft in our 100+ year old Danish barn, once we looked beyond the bales & bales of old straw & hay, we saw the promise of an antique sale right up there. I soon added that thought to my bucket list. I pictured this little old sale, I would have such fun setting up "rooms" in the hayloft, we would then open the doors and we would sit gingerly by and enjoy selling a few goodies. Never ever did I picture hundreds of folks arriving with the need for help on the first morning of the sale (thank you to my sweet friends Jani, Nan & Sarah for the gift of happy help). Never ever did I imagine that it would take almost every free moment leading up to the sale to gather & set up. Never ever did I imagine that this little idea would become a bit of an event. The sales have exceeded every expectation I could have imagined. I have loved every minute of it all!

So, truly the success of the Barn Sales are why I am scaling back to once a year, there are just not enough hours in the day (smile)! With our full time jobs and our work & sales at the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall.....it has been tricky to find enough time for everything. Add to that the fact that we are back to tackling projects on our home & farm........and we are finally building a bit of a cabin on our property in northern Wisconsin - so it is really difficult to find extra time.

So, this spring I know I will miss opening our barn door and seeing many of you -- but I hope to see you in October. As for Dave & I, you might find us on the road looking for vintage treasures, behind the counter at Hixton, with hammer or paintbrush in hand at the farm, or maybe even in a hammock with a book or on the lake up north.

hard hat zone...kind of

Just a little peak at our project progress:

Bathroom is almost ready for a coat of "Daisy White".  Soon, soon, please soon!

Upstairs hallway....had some fun with wallpaper & some kitty help (my McCoy).

The reveal......soon!

in the wee hours...

In those early hours between dusk & dawn, I often evaluate, reflect & plan. Going over the past day's events or the next often helps me organize my thoughts while lulling me back to sleep. These lists are my sheep....I count them until my eyes again close.

Last night I realized that we had accomplished well beyond our share during this new year. My work life seemed in better order, with an office clean-up to end the month. At home, we had organized closets, given & replaced clothing and come well beyond the half way mark in two large projects: our upstairs hallway & bathroom. We enter February with the goal in sight. Soon the final dust will settle. Soon we will walk through rooms without concern of bumping into displaced furniture. Soon I will add all my sweet details, embellishing these rooms with their own personality - again. Then on we will march to the next on our list....

In the wee hours, all is right in my little world, so I indeed savor the stillness. In my mind I cross off items & smile to add a few more.