Passing

Such a loss today from the world of architecture.  Zaha Hadid died unexpectedly in Miami, FL from a sudden cardiac arrest.  

Her work was incredible.  Her designs were so beautiful - she designed buildings that others said couldn't be done.  She did them and it will be a long time before we see a talent like hers again.

There are so many works of hers, I just chose a few.  She even designed a building in Oklahoma.  

Sad and gone too soon.

Easter Past

Easter came and went and was a low key affair.  For the first time, I didn't make everything.  In the past, I have even made my own butter, shaped in an old chick chocolate mold, with homemade rolls and everything else.  Though I do draw the line at paper plates, this was an easier day as evidenced by this cake.

A Chantilly Cream Cake from Whole Foods.  I couldn't have made a better one - it was delicious.  I simply added more berries and voila.  

I made the grands hide the eggs outside as I've found too many old eggs under cushions in the past.  I did not think (until too late) that they'd be stomping on all the perennials and new growth, but what else can be expected of kids?  

I planted tulips across the bed at the edge of the patio.  I've watched them popping up for weeks.  Came back to the farm yesterday and thought I wasn't going to get to see them bloom.  

Alas, a couple of parrot tulips did open before I left.  I was so happy to at least get to see these.

Perhaps next year.

Easter Surprises

Back in the city and having a terrible time identifying plants and perennials from weeds.  The weenies started barking and I saw a little female mallard fly out of an azalea bush and the bad little weenies had their noses in the bush and tails wagging.  Uh oh.  She did not - she did.  After being gone a week, a little wild duck came up to the top tier of the yard and started laying.  I can only hope that they hatch while we are at the farm.  The grandkids are going to be very excited over this find this weekend.

The former owner has many different clematis vines around the house.  I can identify those, but I've never seen this one.  They open a lime green then turn white.  About the size of a tangerine, they are smaller than ones I've grown and the petals have rounded edges.  I just hope I don't pull up perennials  and annuals as the house was a jewel box of plants and flowers when I bought it.  

Have a wonderful time with your loved ones this weekend.

Going

This is an old document box from the 1700's.  They were used by families for all their important worldly possessions and carried cross country in covered wagons.

Most of the buttery soft deer hide is gone and I still have the handmade brass brads in a container inside.  This one has the initials DB on top -  same as mine.  Yet, it just sits under the gothic stained glass window.

The hardware, nails and brads are all handmade.

The wallpaper covering the inside is very thick and heavy and just gorgeous.

Don't have the key.  Definitely not museum quality, but I don't see them anymore.  Because of the condition, I didn't price it too high.  This is going to the booth today.  We'll see.  If no one snaps it up, I'll put a higher price on it.  I did that with an old Lifesavers store display last week and it sold.

Stay Or Go

Terrible picture but you get the picture.  This is one example of the dilemma I'm having over keeping or selling.  None of the items are of great worth nor do they have sentimental attachments.

This window is very large and though you can't tell from the photo, the primitive bench it sits upon is the same color. I had two of the windows at one time, but sold one.  I can't find a place for it in the city house.  Just an example of editing and downsizing and trying to figure out what stays or goes.

Told You

Birds, birds and more birds. This decor won't appear in the latest issues of House and Garden or Architectural Digest, but it's my bedroom and I can do what I want.  I had the old bird prints at the farm and brought them to the city.  Then, I found these sheer curtains at Pier 1.  

I won't be decorating with anymore bird designs, well, maybe wallpaper in the powder room, okay, no I probably won't, but I just love it in my bedroom.  It is beautiful to me and makes me happy.

I'm still deciding what stays or goes.  Most decisions aren't that hard, but some pieces are irreplaceable and I'm having a hard time deciding.  They are ones I probably won't find again at a price I can afford (or will pay for) and/or just don't fit anymore.  I don't want to have to keep my booth open for too long.  We'll see.

The First Time

Could this have really been my first post?  I remember I could barely figure out how to turn my computer on, much less post.  It was a steep learning curve and rife with the strains of trying to do things I knew nothing about.  That was in 2008.

  I remember that I'd read of a mother with four youngsters writing about it in a blog and making $4000. per month doing it.  I wanted to do that too.  One of the first lessons.  I now find those ads popping up in blogs irritating (sorry if your blog has them as I mean no disrespect.)

I also wanted to connect on some level.  Friends asked me what is the purpose of blogging and I really couldn't explain it.  They were all into Facebook and still are.

I still can't do many things on my blog and am amazed at those that can.  I have moved on from the shabby chic and rusty stuff blogs to others that I find interest me; a natural progression. We do change.  For instance, I see that I posted many more cooking and recipe posts early on (can't imagine what this old format was as it has changed so often as in the text alignment and other little mistakes.) I have received much from blogland: I am so thankful I landed here.

Well, here it is in its entirety.  My first post.

In Robert Herrick's poem, he instructs us to "gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Whether simply about the coming winter or one's journey through life, we must take time to gather now and then.  

I spend much of my time alone; occasionally alone is good. But, alone can also become lonely, which is not good. Nevertheless, together and sharing are gifts we give ourselves. So, let's get started, share recipes, stories and tips - celebrate the fact that we've made it - a time to gather at the farm.

We Need A Little Luck

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here is an Irish proverb that is relevant today. 

"In our togetherness, castles are built."

BTW ~ Are there snakes in Ireland? 

 I just had my first taste of Irish soda bread and it was sweet.  Is it always so? 

 I named my first child Erin. 

 My friend kissed the Blarney Stone and said Ireland was gorgeous.  I hope to see it one day. 

 In 1847, during the Great Irish Potato Famine, the Choctaw Nation collected and sent $170. to the Irish government in aid - in remembrance of their survival of the horrific Trail Of Tears where many died of starvation. The Choctaw Nation and Ireland still celebrate this occasion to this day. There is a monument in Ireland somewhere in honor of the Choctaw's kindness.  Maybe the luck of the Irish rubbed off, because the Choctaw Nation (and most other tribes) went from extreme poverty (as recently as the 1980's) to great wealth today and still, they help their surrounding communities and country with building infrastructure and other businesses.  

My husband and children are proud members of the Choctaw Nation.

It is greening up nicely here and can't wait to start sowing and digging in the garden, even looking for a few four leaf clovers.

Found a picture of the Choctaw Memorial in Ireland to honor the kindness of the Choctaw Nation during the famine.  It is fitting and beautiful I think.

Weenie Patrol

This is a picture of the 'poor man's stained glass' at the front of the barn.  I have always loved the way the morning light shines through the bottles and knew I'd have to replicate it somehow at the city house.

So, morning, though a tad foggy, brought my bottle tree out. The geese and ducks and even the sparrows on top of their house looked at the new bottle tree.

Unfortunately, the ducks did more than look and decided to have a look around the yard.

Except, the weenies weren't having it.  They quickly ran the ducks back to where they came from.

Sister made sure they were gone, until a certain goose that has taken a liking to me opted for a facedown. 

Such a beautiful day even the fish were swimming about, thick as thieves and waiting for a morsel. Sister is just daring that goose to come ashore.  The goose would win in the water, but Sister could take her on land.  But, in Oklahoma, don't blink as the weather will change in a heartbeat. 

A storm passed through and dumped quite a lot of hail. Some boys were fishing at the other end of the lake.  I hope they didn't have far to run. The lightning made us jump so we quickly went indoors. The geese and ducks looked upward; their heads raised to the skies.  Guess they knew what they were doing but I would have ducked my head.

Where The Wind Comes Sweeping Down The Plains

Very soon we will go from cold early spring to warmer spring days.  We don't have much in between.  While our last freeze date is mid-April, this year spring has come early.  It will be interesting to see how the spring weather will play out.  It has been a fairly mild winter.  When a cold front meets up against a warm front - well, this is what happens where I live.

Tornado season is nigh.  Though this one is only a Force one or two, it can still wreak havoc if one is in its path.  A Force 5, or stovepipe tornado, literally takes up the grass and pavement along with everything else; it can be more than a mile wide and may stay on the ground for hundreds of miles. Nothing will be left standing.  

The Choctaw Nation installed a free underground tornado shelter for us last year.  I doubt it will get used, at least by me.  Usually I am out scanning the skies, looking for them.  If a Force 5 is coming though, I'll be down in the fraidy hole.  I do have a little sense.

A Favorite Movie

Once in a blue moon, a movie comes along that lingers and lingers.  Everything Is Illuminated is such a movie.  It is one of my favorites.  Funny, profound, heartbreaking, gorgeous vistas, great acting - this movie has it all.  Directed by Liev Schreiber, I will just let you decide for yourself.  

I got the book EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED by Jonathan Safran Foer this weekend.  It is worth your time to watch/read while waiting for spring to sprung.

Peek

I know this is bizarre.  About fifty years ago, in Japan, they made these little taxidermy chicks and ducks.  I have no idea why but I have a few of them that I bought at flea markets.  This little one is peeping out of my new display table and a duckling sits in the back.

I added a few more 'treasures' to my display table.  The two carved objects just up from the old wallet, are arrow shapers.  Native American indians each had them and the shape and markings were carved into the pottery.  It was how they told which ones were their own.  The shapers had a hole through the center and the indians would put them over a stick and go back and forth, sanding and shaping their arrows.  From where I got them, I think they are from the Muscogee Creek Nation.

The little hand made soft leather doll just above is in an indian style dress.  The thunderbird inlay necklace to the left was made by a SW indian tribe, but I can't remember which one right now.  They made them for the tourist trade and used old 78 records to cut up for a firm base and template then used coral and turquoise and other stones for decoration.

The tiny basket to the left of it is Cherokee.  The black basket just above it is made from horsehair and has a lid on it.  Can't remember that tribe at the moment.  Two little arrowheads sit just to the left of the baskets, but the thing above is a medicine bag.  I opened it once and it was full of different plant materials.

I had a friend once and her step-father, a full blood Choctaw indian, used to have these little bags tucked under cushions and beds; all over the house.  She said he would take hair from their hairbrushes and wrap it around bones and things to make good medicine and keep bad medicine away from them.