Put your feet up, relax - home tour continues...

When we first climbed the stairs of our house,

walked through our floral sewing room...

and came to what is now our bedroom,

I thought I was in a dance hall --

yes, it is a big room.

Here's a view in:

3 walls are "forget-me-not" blue

-- the wall behind the bed is green.

There are three fabulous windows...

It is just such a sweet sweet room.

It required floral...just did.

To get to this room, you have to go through

the study or the sewing room--

so it feels kind of like a secret.

It needed a special color palette:

with a bit of dark wood to

anchor it...

and a bunny or lilac or two to boot.

It came all together with a quilt over the king size bed.

And here is a "walk around the room"...

door leads to study

big oval rug, yellow painted floor...

door to our sewing room is to the

left of the yellow dresser...

Since there are no closets (because in 1857 those were taxed too)...

we use wardrobes & dressers & trunks for storage.

Now, let's add some "sweet" & "adorable"

Even an original Tracy Porter Collage!

And a "Kari Original Collage" too...framed

foam core covered in vintage lace.

Added all my favorite paper scraps, pins, millinery.

**Hint -- if you ever cross paths with a 3-tier table,

nab it.  This table is perfect for so many uses --

 here holding a sweet array of goodies

-- have also used it on the dining room table.

There it is -- our sweet bedroom....

purely simple & quite precious,

if I might say so myself.

you never know...

I would imagine that when you walk thru my home,

you might wonder...

-for example-

What is that little stumpy guy doing on the kitchen shelf?

Or, why ever is there a goat on the dining room table?

At every turn, in many nooks -- there may be

a question just waiting for an answer.

The truth be told

to me it is all about

W O N D E R

That wonderful feeling of smiling just a bit, in that somewhat

curious way, when something that doesn't quite make sense

kind of makes all the sense in the world.

Shouldn't life really be all about not really knowing

what awaits around that next corner?

Thank goodness my home has many corners.

lots of
"you never know"

spaces.

To leave in wonder always feels

like the best kind of departure.

Consider yourself invited...

Every now & again I feel the need to reboot & refresh my booth at the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall in Hixton, Wisconsin.  Now, this is not when I bring a basket or so to add -- this is an all out, down & dirty, move it all about, shake, rattle & roll -- shift the room redo.  So -- that was me Friday night -- I arrived at 5:15 as the mall closed with "I mean business" on my mind -- within 20 minutes, the first furniture was getting pushed and shoved about my booth....at 10:00 I called it a day -- arriving back the next morning a bit after 7:00 to finish it up before the mall's doors opened.  And -- I did it without breaking a single item (my usual number of casualties is 3).  So -- if you haven't been over in a bit --- stop on by.  Meadowview Farm (dealer "SPY") has two car fulls and a full trailer of vintage goodies added!

The mall is located on Elder Street in Hixton --

and is open10-5 every day. 

It is right off I94 between Black River Falls & Eau Claire.

I might guess it to be perhaps the second largest multi-dealer mall in Wisconsin -

with 90 vendors.

There are 3 other antique stores in Hixton -- so it is a day trip!

Now -- if I could only get inspired to clean my house today...

hmmm - couch looks mighty inviting.

so long little friends...

I do so dislike the farewells of this time of year.

When the decision is made to not cover the plants -

to let the frost come.

good byes are said in the first morning light

when their passing is mixed with magic

with sparkle

with frosty glitter

Farewell all my little friends.

I will miss you so...

Do you cry too?

The Halloween tree...

I imagine that the folks seeing me dig in the "free" bin at the thrift sale this summer, and then loading a big old white Christmas tree in our trailer felt a bit sad for the old girl (me - not the tree).  They wondered what anyone might want with that white eyesore (tree - not me).  Well -- I had a thought, an idea, an inspiration.  That tree would become something quite special in a corner of the hayloft for the Autumn Barn Sale -- it would become -- The Halloween Tree.

I gathered my goodies:

• orange twinkle lights
• BINGO cards
• vintage pictures of old souls
• old playing cards -- black spades & clubs only
• worn clothespins for attaching
• crows & a spider web
• small pumpkins
• sunflowers - to lighten it just a bit
• tart tins filled with dominoes to tuck in the branches
• black shoelaces to dangle
• an old film reel for a garland

Put it all together with a fabulous old black bedspread for a tree skirt. 
And, S P O O K Y it is!

Oh, I do so adore this time of year -- (insert cackle, cackle, cackle here).  With black & white & orange & a pop of apple green & a tad of yellow ---such twisty funky colors -- and the spooky theme, irrisistable!

Do you get into Halloween decorating? 
Did you happen to see the Halloween Tree at the sale?
Do tell....

It's Halloween, it's Halloween - the moon is big & bright...

oh my...

  I do so love this celebration & this time of year.

Adding a dab of orange here & there,

or a pumpkin or a squirrel or a sweet scary guy brings fall & Halloween to our home.



The greens, yellows & browns of our living room, dining room & den were inspired by this time of year! 

And...to add to the festivity, Dave & I are celebrating 30 years of marriage today.

 A pumpkin in the pearls -- of course!

Kind of an analogy of life.

Enjoy today!

Sensational!

So, I tried to think of a word that best described the

2011 Autumn Barn Sale

and it was, hands down,

"Sensational!"

Now, I don't often use that word - but it works here for me.

Weather...Sensational!
Friends...Sensational!


And, those of you that took the time to attend...
What can I say?
Sensational!



Sensational!!

Special thanks to Dave & Ian - my guys
and
Sarah & Nan (aka "the Barn Cats") --- you guys ----- SENSATIONAL!!!

My thanks to everyone...

Opening the door & Welcome - Autumn Barn Sale 2011

Hmmm...I wonder what is waiting up in the hayloft

for the Meadowview Farm Autumn Barn Sale?

What:  Antiques & Vintage Finds

Sale offered in our 100 year old barn's hayloft twice a year!

When:  October 8 & 9

Saturday 9-5

Sunday 12-5

**Sorry, no early sales**

Where:  S13181 County Road R 

Augusta, Wisconsin

Discounts:

Saturday 2-5    20% off

Sunday 12-5   30% off all day

And, just say "carving pumpkins"

to get 10 % off from 9-2 on Saturday.

Psst...over here...

here's a little peak, right when you open the door -

one little part of the huge hayloft...

Opening the door at last!

Here we go - again...

I must must must start this post with the fact that

the Barn Sale is right around the corner....

October 8 & 9!

And, all the information you need to know about it

is in the following post -- or under "Barn Sales" to the right.

It is indeed a bright spot on our horizon,

and we look forward to meeting all that attend.

However, part of the here we go again has to do with

the call I got on Thursday afternoon at my office from Dave.

It began with "You had better sit down."

Seems the north winds that were reaching gusts of 40-60 mph on Thursday

took down our gigantic cottonwood tree along our driveway.

Our neighbor, Rodney, saw it literally "blow up" at the midpoint,

scattering enormous limbs everywhere.

County Road R was closed down for several hours as they dealt with debris

and a downed power line.

We will be cleaning up for some time...
those of you that attend the sale will be able to see first hand the
volume and magnitude of this tree--
it was the eagle tree, likely over 100 years old -
one of the tallest vantage points in the area.

Our immediate thanks goes to:
Neighbor Rodney for clearing our driveway before we got home.
Dale, our electrician, who worked from the call he received at 4:45 until 9:45
to restore our power (the tree tore the electrical box right off the house).
My Ian, for hopping in his car & driving home 2.5 hours to help in the aftermath.
Ian's friend, Brad, for working after dark to begin to clear the area around the house.
And the crew from the electrical company who came out against company orders at
9:30 p.m. to restring the power line from the road to the house saying that
 "no farm will be without power overnight."

Yes, here we go - again...

Please do not worry, if you attend the Barn Sale, we will not make you cut wood -
although you are welcome to take a souvenir branch home with you.
(insert tired smile here)

The clock it is a ticking...

Counting the days until the Autumn Barn Sale 2011

and wanting to invite you!

October 8 & 9

Saturday:  9-5

Sunday:  12-5

(sorry -- no early sales)

Featuring Antiques & Vintage Finds

Special Discounts: 

20% off from 2-5 on Saturday

30% off on Sunday

And if you say "Carving Pumpkins" you will get 10% off from 9-2 on Saturday!

Join us at Meadowview Farm in Augusta, Wisconsin.

S13181 County Road R

Other events in the area that weekend:

Hixton Antique Mall will be holding their last Flea Market of the Year that weekend

(20 minutes south of farm)

The Foster Cheese Haus will be hosting Beer-Tasting & Live Music from 2-4 on Saturday

(10 minutes north of farm)

Find out about Foster Cheese Haus HERE

Marmie & me

At the end of many days I could be found sitting on the stoop of the barn door,

an orange kitty in my lap - purring, ever purring.

I would say to him, "no one in the world knows we are here except Marmie & me."

And we would sit.

All my woes would be gone.

The day's concerns would evaporate in that moment.

It would be just Marmalade and me.

Two old souls, connected.

A would be farmer and a barn cat.

Tonight I sit alone,

my Marmie buried behind the barn...

ever near the barn he loved so much,

the family he cared so deeply for,

the stoop we came to know.

I will miss those moments when it was

just Marmie & me...

for he was not just a barn cat, he was my barn cat.

May his memory be for a blessing.

Junk Bonanza

If I might put all my memories in little compartments...

like the tins I saw

at the show on Friday, they might include:

• Meeting & chatting with Ki - the show's founder,  she truly makes you feel like the one & only (in a crowd of thousands).
• Sharing hugs with many of the folks on my "Places I like to Visit" blog list. - wow, these are my mentors, inspiration points, gurus! 
• Seeing friends, out on "the hunt" too.
• Finding treasures - some to keep, some to share.

Here's a little peak inside Friday at Junk Bonanza in Shakopee, Minnesota.

To find out about the Junk Bonanza click here

I must add one final little note...

This past week I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease -

seems I had a tussle with a teeny tiny deer tick, and it won.

I have been so very exhausted lately, and now know why.

So -- I awoke on Friday, had the day to go to Junk Bonanza,

but couldn't quite imagine the 4 hour round trip drive.

So, my Dave, ever my junk partner - offered to get me there & home.

Now, mind you, men are the minority at Junk Bonanza --

so I was a bit concerned about what he might do for the time I was there.

Well, we got there, Dave loved it! -- even found several

fishing items that were keepers.

At one point I am quite certain he even may have "ditched" me.

smile, smile, smile

fun day

Did you get to Junk Bonanza?

apples

17% up this year -- that is what they say about apple production.  And, one look at our little orchard confirms this.  Several of our trees have branches so laden with apples, we have to prop them with "I mean business" pieces of wood.  Mowing the orchard under heavy branches becomes a riding mower version of doing the Limbo.  And just keeping up with the tree fall apples takes care of any need for toe touches or squats. 
All of our tree fall apples are taken in wheelbarrows to the edge of our driveway - they become our community donation.  Given to an Elk Reserve, a chicken farmer, a pie maker, or for the deer.  It is with a mix of joy & pride that we watch a car or truck stop at the end of our farm drive to take apples in the boxes, bags or truck bed that awaits.  They wave with a "thanks"...for our apples.

Do you look forward to orchard fresh apples

 at this time of the year?

peace

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his next again,

I shall not live in vain.

Emily Dickinson

Big Red Barn

By the big red barn in the great green field...

How often had I read Big Red Barn by

Margaret Wise Brown as a nursery school teacher & a parent...

never quite imagining that I would open my back door

one day so many years later to this view.

Never quite imagining that I would live the lessons of the Big Red Barn...

those icons that still dot our countryside, but are also aging & leaving us.

The lessons taught in a barn about life & loss,

about stoic strength,

about something so pure & genuine it can make your heart hurt.

I never quite imagined that I would come to know so well:

•  the feel of a barn door, as you pull it along the track
• the majesty of the hand built construction
• and the genuine, sincere warmth that awaits within

Just last week Dave shared with me that his favorite walk

 was from our house to the barn.

To our Big Red Barn -- the heart of the farm.

A sanctuary - our sanctuary.