A good day

I went to town just shy of noon. First to the feed store.Next stop, Salvation Army to drop off things from the cleaned out closet. It was then on to BK Bakery. I had heard their cinnamon rolls were to die for. My friend Kathy was right. Yummo! They feature Kaldi's Coffee, a Missouri Coffee company. The coffee was excellent!



My next stop was a downtown shoe store. It's an old establishment, not much to look at. I walked in and told the elderly Jewish man what I was looking for. He took one look at my shoes and said , oh you have a long narrow foot. (Long, now that's a nicer word than big!) He gave me a pair to try on to see for size, even though they were 2 sizes smaller than I normally wear. They felt wonderful. Just what I was looking for. All leather, waterproof, not steel toes, lace up and the price was right. (So was the 2 sizes smaller)

I loved them so much I wore them out of the store! Now I'm ready for some sh_ _ kickin'.

On to see my Mother at her assisted living apartment. She's was a shoe inspector in her younger days. I knew she would love sticking her hands in to feel the toe lining, the insoles and the smooth leather outside. They met her approval!


It was then a quick stop at Joann's Fabric. I am looking for a certain template to make a dresden plate quilt block. No such luck on that. However I did find fabric for Elizabeth's baby doll quilt. I want to make one for her Christmas present.

On my way home I remembered this couple that had a baby doll cradle at a rummage sale last year. I stopped to see if he was still making them. Luckily he had an oak one all made up. The $45 price tag was a deal! He was happy about no longer having to store it, and I was happy that I am a step closer to completing my Christmas shopping!

9:00 PM 63 degrees

The filled wardrobe

I have to do this entry early . . . before I'm really awake. Or else it wouldn't happen. You see I can't stand a messy house. (I can't believe I am sharing this picture) I always want everything in it's place. That's probably why I never taught my two kids to clean house, I wanted it done my way and now.

So yesterday it was time to fill the wardrobe BT had refinished for me. This meant getting all the quilt boxes out of our closet. This is one big closet, it's about 24 feet wide and 8 feet deep. So I pulled everything out! Here's proof.




It took me most of the day to sort through what I wanted to keep, take off for donations or burn. Trust me, no quilts were involved in the disposal. When I finished I had 26 quilts in the wardrobe. The drawer on the bottom has various unfinished quilts and quilt blocks in it.

Time to run now . . . I have quilts to make, there are unfilled spaces!!

To Ohio and back

I hope the ghost that posted those last three blog entries didn't scare you. You see, I was actually gone. Gone! Yes, I was road tripping to Ohio with BT. We attended the Southern Ohio Blacksmith annual conference (SOFA) in Troy, Ohio. We left Thursday afternoon and drove about 450 miles.

Thursday night we drove in rain on a recently resurfaced blacktop highway without striping on the side. Get the picture? It was very hard on the eyes and the nerves. So we stopped just short of our destination. We checked in for the night at a beautiful new Best Western in Richmond, Indiana. (Great sheets too!)

It was just a short drive Friday morning to the conference. The SOFA conference is the mother lode of blacksmith tailgating. We walked those isles many, many times. The 3 days I was there, I spent a total of $3.00, two for some raffle tickets and one for Honey Crisp apples at 50 cents each. (Rita, they were wonderful!). Not much for a quilter to buy there.


On Saturday I attended the spouse's program. Here is a photo of the necklace I made. Heather Lynn (the teacher) had prepared bags of beads complete with line, hooks, and needles. Since my wardrobe is primarily brown and black I found a bag with colors to match. The price was right too. It was free for registered spouses!



Meeting up with BT after the class, we shared our sausage, cheese and crackers with our friend Bob Alexander for lunch. Bob was selling wares and we took turns watching his stuff so he could wander a bit.

Saturday afternoon, I went on a solo road trip (well actually with Gabby Garmin, my GPS). I went to find the barn quilts. There are 60 barn quilts in Miami County. Had the weather been nicer I would have gone further. Rain cut my drive short.

This Pinwheel #4 is on the RT Industries building located in town.

A short drive away I found the Right Hand of Friendship block on the Miami county board of MRDD also located in Troy.

Here is what I thought was the best one of the day. It's called Mariner's Compass and is on the barn that belongs to the Malarkey family.

It is located right in town in a beautiful old neighborhood, that used to be part of the country side.

This Laced Star block was actually on the site of the Miami County Fairgrounds where the blacksmith conference was being held.

Another gorgeous winner of the day was this Crocus Wreath block. It is on the Miami County Commissioners Barn.

Finally, I came upon this Cactus Quilt. It is on the El Sombrero Restaurant. Mexican food! I went back to the conference, found BT and fellow blacksmith Jerry, and off we went for Margaritas and dinner. After all it IS Saturday night and that's my favorite dinner on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, I had come across this beautiful covered bridge. No one was around. There it was in the falling rain all by itself. I got out, snapped a few pictures, walked inside and thought what the heck, I'm driving through it. The sound of boards under the wheels of my car is unnerving. The beams on the inside were unique. I just sat there and took the moment in. Beautiful!

After dinner, we returned to the fairgrounds and toured the gallery. The blacksmiths put their forged art on display. I also found this quilt on display. Even the quilting was blacksmith related.

To see more Blacksmith related items from the conference visit

Osagebluffblacksmith.

Barn quilts

I wish I had an old wooden barn.

What would I do with it?

I'd paint one of these on it.

Look who came after dinner

This is what the son brought in with him tonight!

He saw it crossing the road in his neighborhood so he stopped and picked it up in a 2 gallon plastic jar.

It sat on my cabinet. It's a Missouri tarantula. The picture doesn't really show you the size, but I wasn't going to let it out to really capture the measurements.

I have downloaded a video from the Missouri Conservation site. They will tell you all about it.

By the way, I made sure it went home with him too!

64 degrees 9:30 PM
Be sure to check out my other blog.

More Iowa Company!

Remember this couple from last week? Well apparently while we were either at church or eating dinner at LaBamba, (oh and also having a Margarita) their 3 sons came for a visit. This note was on our door step when we arrived home.

Sorry we missed you guys! Also sorry we didn't have some of that brand for you.

Now it's time to get back to my fastnachtskuchen's.

PS: We got 4 inches of rain last night. Of course, that is after we watered both the front and back lawn all afternoon.

The last Wardrobe

At least that's my word for now.

Here is what we bought yesterday. Not much work is needed on it. BT is going to give it a coat or two of polyurethane on the inside to seal the wood. He will also freshen up the outside. It is mine, all mine for my quilts. I can hardly wait!

Friday's finds

My Friday included stripping the bed, washing the sheets, ironing the pillow cases (yes I still iron them), dust mopping, scouring sinks, vacuuming, mowing grass and answering emails.

So I thought I deserved a much needed break. I drove about 9 miles to a rummage sale.

There I found what I first thought was a Joe and Alice Dudenhoeffer hand made split oak basket. I quickly grabbed it up. With only a $9.00 price tag, I couldn't go wrong. I also found an old cake decorator/cookie press for just $3.00. For another $1.00 I found two books and an adorable fall pin.

Late afternoon I was emailing someone who had an oak wardrobe on cragislist. During dinner he returned my emails with the pictures that I had requested of the inside. BT and I decided to road trip the 35 miles to look at it. After a quick phone call for directions, we hooked up the trailer and took off.

We found the office where the wardrobe was located in Columbia MO. There BT and I assessed the thing inside and out. We talked a bit and decided to make an offer. ACCEPTED! I will try to get you all a picture tomorrow. 4 wardrobes and counting . . .

Back at home we started looking at the basket I had bought. After comparing to others that we have of Dudenhoeffer's, we decided the branding on the inside matches our oak backpack made by Roger & Betty Curry of Salem Missouri.

Have a great weekend!

Christmas shopping in September???

I am so glad Elizabeth who is almost 6 months old can't use the internet yet. Because if she could she would see what Grandma bought her today for her first Christmas present. It looks just like Lizzie with the blue eyes, no hair, and a headband.

I am excited to make her, her first baby doll quilt. After that I can make baby doll clothes. I still have the original doll clothes pattern my Mother used to make the ones for my doll.

This was my first Christmas present I've purchased this year. Many more to go . . .

The rest of my shopping didn't go well today. I was wanting two shirts to matches work pants. Either I wasn't in the mood or I was too picky. Oh well as my friend Kathy says, bad shopping day equals money saved!

But the good news is I did finally manage a hair cut!

Grandparent day!

Doesn't this make it all worth while! Beautiful eyes! And Grandpa's aren't bad either.

We even got to eat donuts together.

What kindergartner doesn't love his grandparents to come and visit him at school?

It's a giveaway

Go check out Missouri Quilt company. They are having a give away.

Saturday's road trip

Now is this a beautiful scene in the country or what? BT and I headed out before 5:30 am for what would be a 400+ mile trip. We went to Matthew Burnett's home place for the BAM (Missouri Blacksmiths Association) meeting.










Some of this material would turn into . . .












. . . this, a finished wooden wagon wheel with an iron rim.

To read more about the meeting you can click here, Osagebluffblacksmith.


It looked like Matthew and his dad are raising a few turkeys, possibly for a thanksgiving table somewhere. We were lucky enough to have Matthew's dad make lunch for all the smith's there and even some wives. He made the best chili using roast beef. It was steaming hot and seasoned just right. Our dessert was German Chocolate cake. We enjoyed the wonderful meal while sitting under the huge shade trees overlooking the hills.




On the way home we gave PW a call. He told us to stop by. An hour and a half later we were in the driveway of Flat Creek Farm. While we toured Tammy's flower garden she gathered white coneflower seeds and some red gaillardias. I just hope I can make them grow.


After a cold refreshing glass of tea, we got a tour of their new shouse (shed/house). They are putting in shiney new tin ceiling in their kitchen. It is awesome, as is the bead board in the bathroom. These are two things that I have always envied. I got to meet Gracie and Ruby, her two miniature donkeys. There were just adorable. The two were relaxing, listening to some tunes on the radio.


Our visit was way too brief, but we were anxious to get home since we had started out very early.


Once home we ate our carry out pizza. Just as we were about to relax, the grandsons came to stay all night. Seven of the past eight nights we have had house guests. It's going to be awfully lonely here this week!


Don't forget now, surf on over to read more about the BAM meeting at Osagebluffblacksmith.

Busy week!

We've had company! It was this couple ------->





It's one of my anonymous readers. Actually he is BT's cousin. Jim and Nancy from Iowa. They stayed with us 3 nights. In the day time they were visiting Jim's brother Tom, who is ill.





While they were visiting with us, we pulled out old pictures. Since I didn't have an opportunity to take a current photo, I decided to use these. I even found a picture of their wedding cake. It really impressed me on their wedding day in 1976 and it still impresses me 33 years later.














The tour of Missouri bike race came through here again this year.



Last year we had visiting cousins with the same last name as Jim and Nancy and they watched it with us. This time I was stopped just a mile from home. However BT went the back way and made it to our drive way to watch it with this year cousins!





This tire change happened right in front of me. I was amazed that I got the picture, since they changed this tire in like 10 seconds and because of the cars whizzing by.











Fried green tomatoes? That has nothing on Nancy, this was our breakfast Friday morning. After the bacon and eggs were fried, she dropped sliced of red tomatoes and flash fried them. Try it you'll like it.





Sadly they had to leave for home on Friday. We are praying for Tom and his family in this difficult time.

Labor Day weekend

A three day weekend!

On Saturday the mailman delivered mail to our door. (Usually it's about a 1/4 mile from the house to our postal box) There was a package from the Iowa cousins. You see BT fixed his Harley Davidson in the blacksmith shop a couple of weeks ago. Dan was very impressed and sent him this Harley T-shirt. The hat is from another cousin a year or so ago. It's a Harley Davidson hat from Sturgis! Cousins are good to BT.



Sarah and Rusty were here for 4 days. This is what you do when the electricity goes off for almost 2 hours. There is no charging cell phones, no surfin' the internet, no showers or hair curling, thus the faceless photo.





The vines I asked about the other day? Still unidentified, but look really good draped over one of the wardrobes.

Just received an email from Tim, a friend who works for Missouri conservation, he tells me they are Bristly Greenbrier.
For more information see his report. Thanks TIM!!!





So Sunday we went to the cabin fishing.









But first Sarah goes for a swing.













Rusty caught the first fish.







Sarah then caught one, and another one and more.












I even got into the fishing thing. BT was busy baiting and repairing the girls lines. This was the stringer full when we quit. They were all bluegills. Good eating after BT filets them.






BUT WAIT . . .nothing compared to Jeremy's 3 day fishing trip.





This scale is holding the biggest fish. No you can't see the fish, it wouldn't fit into the picture. It weighed 77 pounds!









I can't think of a comment to leave on this picture.





Day 1 of the Mississippi River/Meramac River trip.







Day 2









Day 3


Hope everyone had a great Labor Day!

Practicing retirement

It's been a different week, BT is off 'practicin'. This means no set routine, get up when we want, eat when we want, go to bed when we want. Man this is the life! This is great considering we are doing this while still on the payroll.



One thing he wanted to get done this week was to built a grape arbor. There are beautiful concord grapes on his home place and for years we have talked about getting starts of them.



Today would be the day as BT had some help, and I say some lightly. Alex had been dealing with strep and couldn't go to school until he was 24 hours fever free. Today he was on the mend and wanted to go outside with Grandpa. He was pretty good at helping to clean out the holes.





Well for awhile, even airplanes would side track him!

BT finished the job of putting the posts in.






Here's the finished arbor. Today I called the master gardener on the local radio show. She said we could transplant them now, due to the wonderful weather we are having.





Can anyone tell us what this vine is? It has very dark round berries hanging on it.

Since I was home most of the week, I had things I wanted to finished too. One was repainting the the kitchen bar stools.

I got Maryjane's quilt bound.

Finally, remember this little camp stool I bought last week at the antique store. BT sealed the wood and help me staple a new seat on it. It will work great to use by the sewing machine and set my scrap box on.


Now the weeekend is here, rain and all. Company is coming in for 4 days! Sarah and Rusty are coming!!!!!!!

Have a happy and safe Labor day.