Bitter sweet

I've written before about Hope, Missouri.  The  post are here: October 19, #1  and post #2. Today we made what will be our last trip to Hope, at least to the Wilkinson farm.

We lost both Phyllis and her husband Joe recently, just weeks apart. 

The family chose to offer Joe's blacksmithing equipment for sale to fellow members of the Blacksmith Association of Missouri.  We arrived shortly before 9 AM and many familiar faces greeted us.  It was to be a tag sale, or best offer sale.  We didn't take a truck, or a trailer, as we only wanted some small memories of two great people.

I took no pictures there today.  I chose to remember the house and shop as it was in happier times. I met daughter Jane and son Phillip right away.  I have only visited with them via email, but remember their parents talking about them.  Phyllis would always tell us how much Phillip enjoyed his job at the VA hospital. The teasing he gave and took from the nurses always made an interesting story.  Jane's daughter Becky (who I wrote about in the previous post) was at a wedding.  I had hoped to visit with her.  I know we would have cried together, but no fear Becky, your Mother and I did it for you.  I also met their son, the chef. His mother talked about all his cooking adventures.  He tells me that now he has his own BBQ sauce and is marketing it.  I only wish I had gotten the name of it. 

Maybe this is another reason we didn't take a bigger vehicle.  The more room you have, the more you buy.  In this small space was a forge, tongs, fruit jars, some great bluegrass CD's, 3 shovels, a club aluminum cook pot, blacksmith books, and a Coleman cook stove. 

The jars sitting on the ledge are those that we bought today.  They will be great for more storage. 

Here's the unique little stove. You can use the top and the bottom as cook pots. 






I believe the neighbor has dibs on this. One shovel went to him too. 






My heart goes out to the Wilkinson family as they close up their parents place.  I've been there and done that. 


I'm sure Joe and Phyllis were happy today, looking down from heaven watching all the blacksmiths gathering at their former home purchasing various mementos to remember them by.

Mom always told me . . .

. . .it was better to give than to receive.

Today we took a little trip to Hope Missouri.

Our friend Joe is a little under the weather.

The blacksmith cut some wood yesterday. Today we got up early and he and I split it. We borrowed the son's pickup and loaded it up. Off we went to Joe and Phyllis's house. You see they were in need of wood for their outdoor furnace.

They were so tickled that we thought about them.

It gave us a warm fuzzy feeling to know that we made their day.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35

Hope Missouri

Today we went to Hope, Missouri to help out fellow blacksmith, Joe.

Just south of Joe's drive way is this big majestic house. Cut limestone, something that makes my heart melt. This looks like it has been partially restored. So beautiful, why I'd almost trade my timber frame home for it. Since this posting, I have been told this was known as the Hope Mill.







Inside Joe's shop, drawn on his forge hood are chalk drawings from Joe's grand daughter Becky. Something her grandfather treasures.











Here is BT striking hot metal.











Here he shows off an almost completed hinge.





Here is another thing that I found interesting in Joe's shop. On his very organized shelf is a container of moon rocks. Moon rocks? Where did they come from, the moon or Hope?





To check out more of BT forging in Hope click here: Osagebluffblacksmith.