"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Big Lips


Isn't it fascinating how trends and fashions change?  I needed a picture and googled enhanced lips as I didn't know what else to call them.  

Well, I call them a fat lip which I got this week at the farm.  I was loading my truck with citrus trees and sewing them with burlap (it took hours BTW) and adding a few other things to bring back to the city. A cast iron weenie bank tumbled off a box and hit me right in the mouth and nearly knocked out my front tooth.  It hurt like hell and is swollen and bruised and I dare not wiggle my tooth to loosen it.  I have a thing about teeth. 

I'm closing my antique booth at the end of this month.  Antiques in the US are hard to sell at the moment.  Millennials do not want them.  They want new things and seem to only want things as far back as the 80's and 90's.  I am done with it too and am having a 50% off sale.  Oh how I hope I don't have to pack up much.  It is too hard to move heavy stuff and I'll probably give away quite a lot of it because I don't want to store it. I still love antiques, but after 30 years, I am done.

Anywho, back at the farm, I realize I miss the quiet and solitude.  I miss seeing the Milky Way and bright stars at night.  I miss the fields and blue hills in the distance.  I miss all the animals.

When I got back to the city yesterday, there was a hatch of new mallard babies on the lake, my flowers were blooming and I realized I was smiling when I walked in the door of my city home.




40 comments:

A Brit in Tennessee said...

I hit myself in the mouth with an exercise band last year, it stayed swollen for days, and that's my excuse to steer clear of any further activity :)
I understand the love of antiques, and enjoy being surrounded by them, but most of today's kids wouldn't thank you for a piece of silver if it involves cleaning it ....
Different strokes for different folks I s'pect.
Sweet little babies on the lake, enjoy.
~Jo

donna baker said...

Good reason Jo. Mine is swollen and bruised and has purple along the gum line. I am crossing my fingers. Antiques will come back, but I don't know if this antique will still be around to see the day. I need to go count the babies this morning. There were nine yesterday. They are so sweet and my back porch is a chorus of chirps coming from the birdhouses. Did your robin ever return to your wreath?

Joanne Noragon said...

From my friends, so many disparaging remarks about "millennials," who actually are their children and grandchildren. Me, too. I needed to find a home for my grandmother's cedar chest. My own kids and adult grandkids had no interest. I gave it to the maintenance man who probably will sell it at a flea market. No matter; it probably will be used. I have reduced my antiques and keepsakes to a few on a shelf.
All my best wishes for your sale. Will it be at the shop, or some special place? I know you'll give away a lot; that's the way of the world now. Don't begrudge it; you will help someone.

Bea said...

I don't know where I read it, but it seems that younger folk aren't interested even in family hand-me-downs. I suppose not a lot of people have dinner parties anymore, and that ties in with adult children not wanting the family china or the family silverware. I happen to have both, but, honestly, I rarely use them.

I hope the sale goes well and you don't have a lot to schlepp away afterward. x

La Table De Nana said...

I don't even want to think about what will happen to my mom's things and even mine one day:(The girls laugh at me..because once in a blue moon I will say..:"See this?" Please don't sell it on Varage Sale.
I have even sent them on 2 occasions prices of things lol.
I can just see them..dwnsizing my family's things..I'll be gone..so..but it's so nice to hold something that was my grandparents..things that are 150 yrs old..Oh well..
Dentists..

La Table De Nana said...

PS..take care of yourself..
Yes.. people have juicy lips now..
and wrinkle free faces..and hair extensions..and perky breasts;)
Wasn't like that in my mom's day.
You just aged ..in a lovely way.

ellen abbott said...

yeah, antiques are a hard sell. the antique store here is now only open 3 days a week and the one she has in the next big town over, they aren't selling either. people want painted furniture. I'm fortunate my daughter wants my antiques and I hope the grandgirls will eventually keep the ones that belonged to my grandmother.

donna baker said...

It's at the booth Joanne. I do enjoy giving things to others that appreciate them.

donna baker said...

Me too Bea. Yes, my own children don't want most of my stuff and frankly, they don't have room. My husband had two old trucks of his grandfathers restored and where are they? Still at the farm. Seems no one has room to park them in the garage.

donna baker said...

Same here Monique. I've thought of putting the prices on stuff so they don't send a $700. piece of sculpture to Goodwill. Maybe the littles will want things so tell that to the girls. I'm watching my front tooth closely.

donna baker said...

I don't know how you'd start, then keep doing procedures as my sister has done. Myself, oh how I'd like my turkey neck tightened, but I'm afraid that would start the dominos falling. And, I'm too cheap.

donna baker said...

I do too Ellen. I just love that they aren't mass produced and with quality workmanship. They'll come back one day.

oldgreymareprimitives said...

There are many young folks who still appreciate vintage and antiques they just don't want their entire home to be "overdone" Let's face it those of us who began homesteading in the 80's followed country living magazine's idea of more is more. When I see the old magazines I am appalled that most of us had our homes looking like stores. My sale is coming up the 28th and I am pricing low to get rid of it. My kids have taken a few fun primitive pieces and mixed it in with their mid century and IKEA and their homes are charming. Just like I could never tolerate Victorian, the times they change. AND we all would benefit from less impact on the world. Less stuff, smaller homes- but you'd never know it by VEGAS. We were hit the hardest so when we started to rebuild? well of course mini mc-mansions. And there's a Home Goods and Marshalls and Tj maxx on every corner.

So sorry about your kisser. Hope you are icing to keep swelling at a minimum. popsicle?

Elephant's Child said...

I am sorry about your poor sore mouth. And equally sorry about the antiques. I hope that you don't have to pack up much - or give away much either.

Ry @ Sotto Il Monte Vineyards said...

Ouch! Good luck with the sale. I went to the Antique show at Round Top a few weeks ago and didn’t up a thing! I think I am starting to feel overwhelmed by my possessions! That and the fact that we have lived in more places than I care to count in the last 14 years! I was out at our house in the country yesterday. I love it there, but we realize that as we get older, it is just too much to keep up. The house in Austin is much easier but too much hustle and bustle, so we have purchased land 20 minutes away and will build a new house there in a few years.

Ry @ Sotto Il Monte Vineyards said...

That was supposed to be “didn’t buy a thing”!

Out on the prairie said...

Yikes, not very funny. Glad you survived

angryparsnip said...

Worried about your tooth. Hope it will be OK. Think of all the money you saved not getting any lip filler.
I did a slid/fall and smashed my mouth also. Everything seemed OK till I looked at my knee the next day. The bruise is so massive and such a pretty color purple. Who Knew ?

cheers, parsnip

donna baker said...

I didn't even think of it and I never remember to take aspirin or ibuprofen. It's better today. It is a conundrum - support the economy or stop buying stuff. I still have too much but have gotten rid of a lot of it over the past few years.

donna baker said...

Aww, just don't want to have to store it. For instance, there is a beautiful old French trumeau mirror in cream with an old print of chickens in a barn at the top. I don't want to give it away, but don't know where to put it. A few other things like that. A few one of a kind pieces I'll keep. Other than that, anything smaller than a bread box I want gone.

Mary said...

So sorry you have been hurt and hope you heal quickly Donna!

I'm with you regarding buying/selling antiques and vintage. Loved 'the hunt' for quite a few years - as did many friends - but now we are all downsizing and our kids/grandkids aren't interest in old stuff no matter their provenance. I've sold some, gifted some, and taken a load of things to the thrift store. . . . . . and this will continue this spring as I try to clean out and organize.

donna baker said...

Oh Ry, I love Austin. Coolest city in Texas which I love too. I used to sell at Round Top and what I have left at the booth is what's left from those days. I couldn't have not bought anything there. I want everything I see except most is too expensive for me. It is too much to keep up with two houses. I can barely keep up with the city house and hubby isn't doing a good enough job at the farm.

donna baker said...

I still haven't wiggled it, brush very carefully and eat carefully too.

donna baker said...

I've always had teeth nightmares and as a toddler knocked out my two front teeth on a windowsill. I've always had a thing with my teeth. I have all of them and am the poster child for taking care of teeth. I'd be upset if it were a back tooth, but a front tooth. It makes me swoon thinking about it.

donna baker said...

Me too Mary. It's a new day. My tooth is better by the way. I don't even think I'll have to go to the dentist.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I know the feeling Donna - losing my farmer, moving into our little town from the farm deep in the countryside - how I missed the farm at first. Now I am realistic and know that at my age it is much more sensible for me to live where I do and I am beginning to really like it a lot.

donna baker said...

So glad Pat and I can't wait to see that beautiful garden this summer.

Sandra Cox said...

OMG! How terrible. I'm sure that did hurt!
Both of your homes sound like chunks of heaven.
I trust you get all your antiques sold. You've had a good long run.
Wishing you sunshine, sparkle and delight.

Kirsten Steen said...

Ooooh soo sorry to hear about your lip! Am injured myself so... hope you're feeling better. I kept so many dishes and things from my grandparents and my guy can't understand keeping any of it. But it's so very special to me. I still regret some of the stuff I let go. I've watched so many antique shops close around here where we used to have quite a few. Finally getting some great spring weather (supposed to be 80 degrees here Wed) and I'm stuck in bed. Well, at least I got a blog post done! Take good care and do let us know how the tooth is! Xoxo

Cobalt Violet said...

OUCH!!! Ugh. I hope it's feeling better!

I'm of the Gen X generation but I remember always going antiquing in my home town of Ventura which had so many little antique stores people would drive up from LA to shop. My mom loved antiquing. My favorite store was owned by an older couple (maybe not that old but I was young!) and I can still see their shelves of antique lace and beautiful glass cases of old jewelry. I loved it. Their furniture was beautiful as well. In the 70s people were doing weird paint "antiquing" to their beautiful furniture and I remember my mom stripping things in the garage and refinishing them. She was (like my grandma) a big bargain hunter. I have several old pieces in my place. Two are from my childhood. One is a "cinderella" dresser with a mirror attached ... not that practical as far as storage but it has an oval mirror attached and I can keep scarves, jewelry and underclothes in it. I love it. My favorite though is a little desk/cabinet. The little secretary is on the right side and on the left is a glass cabinet of shelves, though I wonder if it always had glass. Something strange has happened over the years. Maybe you can help. I think I used some weird eco friendly stuff on it that became just slightly sticky over time. now if any thing is set on it, when you lift it, it lifts the old stain! So now I'm getting these light spots. I'm so bummed. I'm afraid it will have to be stripped but I can't deal. In the mean time I'm trying to figure out what to do get that layer of "cleaner" off of it so that I can set something on it. Not sure if that was clear! Anyway, suggestions would be helpful!
Sorry that was long!

Hope you are feeling better. Good luck with all the treasures. Hope they find wonderful homes!

Cobalt Violet said...

(yikes. longest comment ever!)

Debbie Nolan said...

First Donna I am so sorry to hear about your accident. Like you I am trying to keep my teeth - although there are a couple that must go next week - sure hope I don't miss them :)!!
As for antiques I get you friend. The generation that is coming on certainly doesn't appreciate the old treasures. Our world is changing and probably like most seniors we are saddened by those changes. Seems like each generation comes to this point. The things we hold dear matter so very little to the younger ones. Who knows in fifty years from now when we are dead and gone those antiques may be in vogue again. Take care and have a blessed day. Hugs!

donna baker said...

That's such a sweet thing to say Sandra. How fast the day is approaching.

donna baker said...

Lip is still sore Kirsten, but tooth seems fine so I'm happy. Hope you are better too. Glad for spring weather. After babysitting my grand babies this morning, I'll be planting seeds in the garden.

donna baker said...

Oh Lucinda, glad you still like antiques. I love them too, but I think someday they'll come back. Go to the paint store or Lowe's paint department. Tell them what the problem is and they can give you some choices of things to use. I don't think you'll have to strip it, but it does need something to get that layer of varnish off. Probably just have to use a steel wool pad with the product. I used to strip furniture and finally got to the point I'd say never again until I'd find something that needed stripping. It is the worst. Let me know if they gave you something that worked. Usually, it will have the finish et al in one bottle. Tooth is great. Loved your travels in Scotland.

donna baker said...

I love hearing from you Lucinda.

donna baker said...

Oh Deb, I hope all is well with the dentist's work. I love the work that went into antiques as opposed to todays workmanship. I have given away quite a lot of things that some people wanted and knew they appreciated them. Will give away much more this weekend. A friend has offered to take much of it to Women's Family Services which help homeless families. They make money off of it. Believe it or not, I was home at the farm, taking my farm cat, Boo to the vet to have a broken off canine front tooth removed when this happened. I thought well it's true. No good deed goes unpunished. Take care.

Share my Garden said...

Ouch! I hope the tooth stays firm. There's something about teeth that can make you feel very vulnerable. I fail to see the attraction of 'bee sting' lips and hope that your swelling is going down. I've got my dental check-up this week and have my fingers crossed that all will be well. (I've got a typical British mouth full of crooked, crammed together teeth. Our daughters had teeth removed and braces fitted so their teeth are now beautifully spaced and healthy. No such treatment was available in my childhood.)
I feel for your emotions at the farm as I am terrible at letting go, but so glad that you returned to the city with a smile - and ducklings.

donna baker said...

Rosemary, the tooth is fine though the lip is still smarting. I wondered if this fad of lip plumping was an American fad or not. I guess everyone is wealthy now as I have never heard of so many procedures to make one look young. I've nothing against it, just too cheap to pay for them. And, I don't even like to wear makeup.

Cobalt Violet said...

Ah! Thanks so much for the info! I will definitely let you know! Glad your lip is better! I asked my dentist and he was concerned about you going into the dentist but sounds like all is well!! :) yay!