My poor Bentley

Yesterday we had 70+ temperature!  The blacksmith and Bentley went walking behind the house in the woods.  Lizzie and I were in the yard when Bentley came home first. He was acting strange.  He kept pushing against me and eventually went into the garage and walked in  circles.  That's when I saw it. 

Hanging down was a huge piece of raw skin.  I yelled for the blacksmith.  Immediately he said he needed to be seen by the Vet. 

I went in the house to call, and was told to bring him up right away.  The Vet's office is only 5 miles away.

The blacksmith left with Bentley and was back home in no time. It seemed Bentley would have to stay over night.  They would have to put him out to clean and stitch the wound.

The night was long without my dog. And then a storm hit at 3 AM.  Bentley hates storms, was he scared too?  We had two different rounds of hail.  The weather radio went off at least 7 times.  It was at that point the blacksmith told me if I didn't unplug it he was flushing it down the toilet. 

When I left for work at 7:30 there were still hail remains from 3 hours earlier. It was 47 degrees. 

When I returned home, this is what greeted me.  His hip is completely shaved.  He is now sporting a collar and lots of stitches.  They also gave him several shots for infections.

For 10-14 long days he must wear this collar, until the stitches are removed by the vet.

How he hurt himself we don't know.  It was a short walk that they took and as usual Bentley was off exploring not far away. 

It's going to be a long 10 days!

Happy Birthday Bentley

Someone had a birthday on Monday.

In fact it was Bentley's 5th birthday.

He has gone from this . . .

to this. . .

What a lucky dog he is to have us!

Right Sarah?

Saturday

We left the house before 10 AM. Stopping at the mail box made the morning even sweeter. I won a give away from Blind pig and the acorn. It came with a handmade card from Tipper. She sells them at her Etsy site. Included in the adorable card was a Wal-Mart gift card. You too can win by signing up for her newsletter. She has a give away quite often. If you leave a comment on her blog, she has a monthly give away too.

Tipper and I became friends over a year ago. She lives near John C Campbell folk school. The next time BT and I go back there for classes you can bet we are sitting a spell with them for a good little visit.



We arrived in the neat little town of Fulton. It's an adorable town with brick paved streets. It has a section of the Berlin Wall you can walk through or visit the Christopher Wren 16th Century church, which was brought over from London, England.

We visited Cornerstone Antiques. Here I found many things that made me think of my fellow bloggers. But first let me show you this wash tub of buttons! I was so in awe at seeing that many buttons, I didn't even look to see how she was selling them. Becky look there is a wire quilt rack in the picture too.



But I also thought of you Becky and took a picture of this quilt rack. It had a price tag of $19.50 minus 20% off.








Then there was this wash tub (I see a theme going here) full of printed feed sacks. This room was full of vintage linens. Of course I couldn't look through everything with the hubby with me. He doesn't have the same patience as I do, unless it features rusty iron.





And for blogger friend Sarah I found this cute ornament tree. The tree by itself is for sale for $19.95. It holds tons of vintage ornaments.












This cabinet just screams Oodles and oodles. However a trip from NY to MO would probably be too far for her to travel.


While we were in Cornerstone Antiques, the owner asked what we were look for. I told her we were wanting an oak sideboard. Oh, she said I am getting one in, it's actually from an estate sale where I bought the entire house. Let me show you a door I have from it. After much discussion, I asked if she did email? Yes, she could send me a picture. I gave her my card and she looked at it, read it, paused a minute and said I used to work with a Tappel. I said tell me where and I could probably tell you who it was. She said Interco. BT piped up and said that was "me", I thought you looked familiar.

They figured out it was 41 years ago that they worked together. Then they remembered seeing each other at an auction about 20 years ago. Small world.

Before we left, her husband took us 3 doors down to a historic building they are restoring. They have several antique oak glass front cabinets they are trying to sell. They are about 4 ft tall. The door opens, then slides inside of it. A closet rod slides out of the top of it. We let them pass. However when we got home we called back and she will send us measurements. They are pretty deep and would take a big space to use. But it's almost too cool to pass on.



Now let me introduce you to the piece we were actually going to Fulton to pick up . . . a gentleman's dresser. It is in great shape with the exception of a shiny brass lock on the closet door. BT will replace that for sure. The beveled mirror is in great shape. I can see it now with quilts stacked on the left, fabric organized by colors in the drawers and vintage linens draped inside the drop front desk.




Back at home, Jeremy had just finished putting his trailer back together. He wouldn't like me describing it this way, but it's just "sweet".








While I prepared beef tamales in the kitchen, BT and Bentley just hung out together.



Time to get the grandsons in bed now, their Mom and Daddy are out celebrating 10 years of marriage. Congratulations Jeremy and Lori!

Friday finds and Show us your life - Wedding dress

You will get a kick out of this. Kelly is hosting "show us your life- wedding dress day.


So I dug deep and even found the receipt for the cost of my dress. Remember we got married in the dark ages. The total cost of my dress* was $36.16. I didn't charge myself for making it, so labor was free.


What I didn't show you is the 4 bridesmaid dresses. I
bought their fabric. Oh and I also made those 4 dresses.

Total spent was $43.19. Did I mention I was still in high school at the time?


I did graduate before we got married. By two days too!

I did borrow my veil. Does it look familiar Nentwig girls?

Wasn't my Dad a doll? We use to tell him he looked like String bean from Hee Haw.



Now on to my Friday finds!

I found this neat little pottery piece at an antique store today. They labeled it a toothpick holder. That I doubt.

We have a new Tuesday Morning's store in town. I stocked up on Halloween Ty beanies for the grand kids. Not bad at $2.99 a piece.



In a couple of weeks I am invited to an afternoon tea party. Dress up is required. I found this Moo Moo for my Mother. She always made them for my sister and I and herself back in the day. Of course we all three had matching ones too.

This one says authentic Hawaiian, or so the tag says. What do you think Cousin Mindy in Hawaii? Look real to you?


To dressMom up I still need a hat and lots of gaudy jewerly .

For a $1.00 I found this cobalt blue piece at Salvation army. I just can't decide is it old or repo, candle holder or vase. Anybody know?











At the antique mall I found this neat little crochet vase cover. Of course what it is really covering is an old Akla seltzer bottle. The proof is on the bottle bottom "AS".








Bentley dog even got a treat today. A giant kong. You put peanut butter inside and it keeps him entertained for minutes, licking it out. Wish it was hours.





*Now that I look at the receipt for the wedding fabric, I noticed it's dated December 11, 1969. WOW that was before I even had my engagement ring, or had told my parents we were getting married. YIKES!!! Oh to be young again.

8:25pm 88 degrees.

The Weekend

It was a busy day on Saturday, BT opened his shop early and invited some of the Missouri blacksmiths over. Terry and Joe along with BT forged all morning.


Joe's wife Phyllis, and I visited the morning away until it was time to put lunch on the table.


We ate on the deck. The weather was just beautiful with a nice breeze blowing. I served watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes for dessert. That really made it feel like a picnic.


Shortly after lunch Tammy and Mr W from Flat Creek Forge stopped by. There was a lot of metal being hammered in the shop.

After Joe and Phyllis left, Tammy and I went shopping at TJ Maxx of course. I found a gift for the daughter and her boyfriend.Tammy found a blouse. It was just fun to look and girly shop. We found lots of 5 and 6 inch spike heels but we passed on those. Tammy liked that I knew where all the mark down isles were.

When we arrived home we stopped by the shop. There we saw the items they had been working on. A Frederich cross, a bottle opener, a steak turner, 4 hoof picks, a hot cut chisel, a wizard door knocker, and a frog gig . . . and several beers had been consumed. We said our goodbyes to Tammy and Mr W along with Terry.


BT and I made BLT's for dinner and hit the recliners.



Sunday morning, it sprinkled off and on. After breakfast BT headed back to the shop to repair the lawnmower he broke. It's usually me who tears the mower up. Like the time I drove the wheel off of it, or the two times I mowed the blade off. This time it looked more serious than it really was. One belt was totally shot, so at the same time he will replace all three of them.


It was a lazy day for Bentley as BT worked in the shop. After BT played mechanic, he went back to forging. He made 3 new hot punches to use when making the wizards. Yesterday Mr W brought him some car springs to use when making gigs.




So for you Mr W here is the first one. BT was really pleased the way it turned out. Thanks for the steel!





I retreated to my sewing machine. I finished the quilt for Maryjane. With the fabric being on sale, it cost $33.50 for the fabric. I can't wait to see it quilted. However, I don't think she even has her name on the list yet.




I found this Fat Ladies Fruit panel when I was at a quilt shop in Sedalia a month or so ago. I thought the old ladies at Mom's assisted living center would get a kick out of it. I have more blocks left to make myself one.

It really quilted cute by going around the strawberry, avocado or bananas butts!



We finished off the evening by grilling some pork tenderloins. Gosh were they good, or I was just really hungry.

How was your weekend?


9:30 PM 81 degrees

Our walk this evening

This is rusty iron that has been laying in the woods since we moved here 16 years ago.

Of course Bentley goes
walking with us.

And then there is the scenery . . .

The O'possum that Mr Bentley had to check out.











And this is the end of the road.







Have a great weekend. We are going to what I hope will be an awesome sale tomorrow. I will try to get some pictures.


8:00 PM 73 degrees

Eating off the land.....Sunday anyway

First I must share one of Elizabeth's first studio pictures. She is just adorable. BT and I got to cuddle with her a little bit Saturday evening.

She is doing great. Mother is a little under the weather. Daddy made a quick trip to town today for a prescription that should take care of the problem in a day or two.




So today to give Mom a break, the two grandsons came over for the afternoon. BT and I took them to the woods where we dug dirt from several rotten logs to use as potting soil.

Two five gallon buckets took care of that. We then went to the lake behind the house, down through the ravine and dug wild ferns.

Now if I can just keep them alive. They need some trimming but I thought one shock for the day was enough.





Saturday BT worked in the forge. This is an all metal pinwheel he made. It is amazing how the metal can spin in the wind.





Forty mile per hour winds on Saturday proved that it could spin too.









After forging for a couple of hours, (he made more than one pinwheel) he came up for a beer and deer sausage and crackers. Bentley wanted in on the food. Of course Bentley gave his puppy face look until BT gave in.





Saturday night after church the neighbors joined us at LaBamba for dinner.

Here is little Colten enjoying his ketchup at LaBamba!

You can tell you've been going to the same restaurant, the same waiter when after BT orders, the waiter said to me... and you want the same too? Which is usually true. But this time I changed my mind and ordered something different. We all had a good laugh out of that one.







And Sara a.k.a. Annie Oakley, this next part of the story is for you. The son a.k.a. Starvin Pilgrim, came over after his medicine run to town. With him he brought fresh wild mushrooms!





Along with those mushrooms, he brought Deer Steaks, and fresh ground beef. So he grilled the meat, while I fried the mushrooms.


Thus living off the land title!

Oh and the deer was taken by our 7 year old grandson.




Right now it's 37 degrees. As you saw in the above picture we were outside without coats yesterday and eating on the deck. The dreaded 4 letter word of SNOW is in the forecast. Low of 28 tomorrow night. There goes all the fruit trees, the redbuds and dogwood blooms. Sarah I will let you know when the snow hits here. It should be at your house a couple of hours later.

PS Monday is my blogger friend Betsy's birthday. Would you stop by there and leave her birthday wishes!

Yesterday and today

First of all I have to apologize to the blacksmith. I forgot to post one of my favorite things he has made for me, a boot scraper! It is right by the mud room door, just as it should be.







The oak wardrobe is almost finished. Today he steel wooled it. It will need one more coat of polyurethane.









This is what the son and his friend did yesterday. What a pile of wood! It was two trees that Jeremy needed to cut out of his yard. They will make a few extra bucks by selling the pile.








Here they are resting








And someone has a birthday today! Yes it's Bentley. He is 4 today. So for breakfast I made him an egg cake, candle and all!
After all if Sara's coon dog gets home cooked meals everyday, surely Bentley can have one for his birthday.