Saturday's Finds

Since I bought a new washing machine I just had to go into town and purchase this container. You know like when you buy a new dress you need shoes to match, or a new purse and you need a wallet to match it, you get the idea. Well I felt I needed a new container for my homemade laundry soap. lol  But, guess what? I met the owners of the Antique shop where this was, who just happened to answer a listing I had selling my old dining hutch. They came out and purchased it and spotted some old barbwire I had on the barn and he asked if I'd mind if he took some as he collects it. So I said sure, go ahead and he took a foot of it and was gonna look up what year it was made for his display. He was very happy and felt he needed to do something for me so they both said to come by the store and they would give me a deal on anything I might be interested in. So of course I had to tell her of this item I have been eyeballing for a month. So you see I am now a proud owner of this great piece. Looks like I may need to make some more laundry soap to fill it up.

While I was in town I thought I'd go on into the Home Depot to pick up some paint for an old bread box I've been wanting to paint. This is what I saw parked in the lot when I came back out of the store that I just had to share with you all as it made me giggle to see that something like this is not just in movies but here in this good ol' town where I live. Wonder what the owner looked like........

This here is a real cowboy. Wonder if he wrestled the bull he took these horns off of. Reminds me of the show the Dukes of Hazzard or was it Dirty Harry? You know, I bet the guy wears a ten gallon hat too.

I Need to Breathe

Oh boy have I been having fun. After doing five loads of laundry yesterday, I am standing in front of the washer ready to load another load of wash and discover the floor is really wet. You don't see the wet until you step in it (indoor outdoor carpet). It had probably been leaking from the first load. So I call hubby and he comes home early from work and takes the front off the washer, I put in another load and we cannot see where the water is coming from except over the top of the tub. So now he calls everyone he knows and asks them what they think it could be. I think it is time for a new washer and forget about fixing this one as it is about 15 years old.  But today I am calling around to find prices on bearings and seals for hubby to fix. Can't wait to see this one.

On top of that I had to pull all the rugs from the bathroom to wash because the dog pees on her pad but it leaks all over the floor anyway. So had to mop that all up. Then around 2 am this morning, I am awakened by the pet water bowl making a god awful noise because the water level was too low. So filled it up, went back to bed, and at  6 am this morning hubby yells that it has overflowed all over the kitchen floor. Thank you honey..... I am getting really good at cleaning up liquid spills.

Then I'm off to vaccum up wood chips from the carpet that the dog has very finely chewed up, along with picking up her many toys she has scattered throughout the house, then it's vaccuming up all the dead ants that have invaded our home for the last three weeks. I swear they are dropping out of the ceiling in certain spots throught out the house (no kidding). Exterminators said I needed to wait for warmer weather before they would do any good and they were booked almost a month out. So I keep spraying the cracks with ant killer around the house hoping for this to end. No luck so far except I am seeing more dead ones than alive.

Then I go out to let out the chickens and clean up their wet straw and fill their water bowl. Then up to feed the dogs who live in our corral and they had dumped over their dog food can. So they did not get any breakfast this morning as they had been munching all night long, so I rolled the can into the barn where they can no longer get into it. Filled the cat bowl and cleaned up after them. Looked into my trap and see that  I caught a cat, just not the stray that has been hanging around for months and peeing on everything. So I let this poor kitty out to find its way back home.

Back down to the house I take the rugs off the line to finish drying in front of the woodstove as it looks like it will pour rain all day today so I then went to get a load of wood to stack closer to the house so I won't have as far to go to bring it inside. I get my fire going and hang up my rugs and decided I better visit my blog before I get really busy.

Now if I can go and have another cup of tea, sit awhile and ponder what the rest of my day will be like. It is only 10:30 and I have things I need to do. Us farmgirls never have a dull moment to spare.

Well hope you all have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by.

My Mini Vacation

I took the train up to Silverton, Or and Cheryl was able to ride with me on her way to Washington to visit her mother. We had a very nice lunch on the train before I had to get off at my stop. I was picked up by my granddaughter, Kylie, and spent Valentine's Day shopping around. We spent my time there going into many thrift and antique shops. Of course I managed to find something in most all of them. I had to keep it small to fit in my suitcase coming home and that was the only bummer. I saw many large pieces I would have loved to bring home but I knew someone else would have to enjoy them.

On Monday morning I went to beauty school with Kylie, where she did a weave in my hair for credit. It turned out really nice and I might have even come out a little younger looking. lol

We went to lunch at the Wild Pear cafe in Salem and had a delicious quiche and bowl of creamy leek soup that had a tang of citrus and was to die for. But we did'nt stop there (I'm  on vacation), so we ordered a pumpkin cheesecake and a triple chocolate cake slice. We finished the cheesecake but had to bring the chocolate cake home. Needless to say we had chocolate cake while laying in bed giggling and chatting about our day. We could'nt let it go to waster. This is why we did a lot of walking around town looking through different shops and enjoying each other and the various sites about town.

Look at these vines growing in an alleyway and this brick building which houses an antique shop and looks like a mini castle. There were so many beautiful homes and buildings with such great architecture in Salem and Silverton. Beautiful landscapes and old barns, lots of rivers. I will have to go back in Spring to see the waterfalls they have nearby. I had such a good time visiting and shopping that I could have stayed longer but I do love being home as well.

Now that I'm home I am trying to get back in some kind of routine and so here I am doing loads of laundry, cleaning house and paying the bills. Guess I'll just have to look forward to my next mini vacation and enjoy my pics from this one.

Happy Valentine's Day

Wishing everyone a very nice Valentine Day. Hope you get to spend it with someone you love. This Valentine Day I will be going up to Silverton to stay with my granddaugher and her other grandparents. She will be coloring my hair on Monday for a grade at Beauty School. So I guess I will be spending the day with someone I love. My dear hubby will be home alone but I did bake him some nice goodies while I'm away.

Our local chapter is all baking cookies or cupcakes to be delivered on Saturday to the Women's shelter in town. We hope to bring a little cheer and good sweets to them for the holiday. This has kept me busy most all morning, but it's also helping keep my house warm. It is really cold outside. I'm just glad it isn't snowing any more.

I'm hoping to find some new goodies at the thrift and antique stores up in Silverton and nearby. I've seen everything here at home many times over. Ready for some new sites. Will only be gone a few days, but plan on taking plenty of pics.

Here is a pic of my cupcakes. Some are white cake and some are velvet. Which is your favorite?

Change of scenery

They were letting me know it was time to get out and look for what grass they could find along with any bugs that might be out there. It's snowing outside but as you can see a lot of the snow has melted over the past few days.

The weather just can't make up its mind on either winter or should we start spring. I am so ready for spring and to get started on my garden. This year I will be trying raised beds with hope to have better crop production.

So far today my hens have given me 5 eggs. Usually have been getting between 6 to 8 a day. Thank goodness for the guys at my dh work who buy a dozen or two each week. They say they like how the eggs taste. Can't blame them, so do we. Don't you all just love fresh eggs?

Now if I could just learn how to make an omelet or a quiche, that would be really nice. I'll just have to keep watching my friend, Cheryl's, new cooking blog in case she makes one some day. hint.....hint..........

Some great thrift store finds

Today I have been doing a bit of sewing and hanging up some of my thrift store finds. I wasn't sure about the rooster holder but I think it works great for my plant cuttings, don't you think? The towel rack is one that will
hold three towels. I'm looking for one of the fan type for the laundry room next.

I also found this cute little chalk board so took down a clock I never really used and placed this in its spot. This will be great for leaving messages in plain site. I really like that it has a rooster on it also. I think since joining the Charming Chicks, I'm really getting into the chicken and rooster stuff. I just have to be careful what I find since I live in a really small house.

I also found this great spinning tool jar at the thrift store for $6 with the stuff inside. I was in heaven. Love this thing. Reminds me of one my father use to use when I was a kid. I'll leave the nails and things in it for now, but who knows what I may replace in the jars. Buttons, beads, thimbles, lots of things. Plus I put it up on hooks so I could take it down to whereever I may need it at the time.

Last but not least, I found these linen table runners that I have other plans for. They are in pretty good condition so will be nice to work with. I have a couple of other ones that are pretty stained so need to find a way to get the stains out. Read somewhere on MaryJane's forum to use borax and something, but can't remember what and of course cannot find it on the site again. So anyone out there who knows how to take out stains on old lines, I would love your advice.

Goal Board

I've been reading on the Maryjane site that some of the ladies have done a board with their goals for the year on it. So I took down all my things that was on the old bulletin board and decided to brighten it up with a pretty pink paint and fabric.
I still have some things to put on it but at least it will draw my attention to keep reaching out for the goals I have set for myself throughout the year. I know this is not an easy thing for me to do, setting goals that is, but I would really like to see what I might accomplish none the less.
I always can dream about doing better and being a better person to myself and to others. I only hope I can keep reaching for these things I want to do and learn and even to teach others.

So it's off to find some more pics and sayings to place on my pretty board. I hope everyone has a goal they want to achieve this year. Even if its a really little one, it is always nice to find something new.

Great Find

I set out looking for a sewing table last week and went into the Goodwill store and found an actual sewing machine cabinet with a very old machine inside. They were asking $45 plus another $17 just for the stool that went with the cabinet. I figured they're out of their minds, plus I would never use the old machine that was inside it. So after leaving there I went on over to hospice and my daughter found this desk sitting by the front of the store and I snatched it up real quick.

Heck, for only $8 it was a steal. I sanded it down a little and painted it. Thought a nice clean color with a little frill would do the trick. I think this will make a very nice place to sit and sew . I usually have my sewing machine on the kitchen table. When I do, no one can sit and eat at it as I always have material and such spread over the whole thing. This should help me to keep it organized and always up ready for me to sew. I can't wait until the paint finally dries to place in my bedroom and start sewing.