Long (Good) Day at the Auction!

As soon as I walked in, I saw it. Even with this older gentleman parked in it the whole day, I still really wanted to take it home. If I had to take the older gentleman in the deal, then so be it. It's not like I haven't cared for an elder gentlemen before. When Hubby gave me the okay to bid up to a certain amount, I was ready. Even if we had to wait FIVE hours whilst the auctioneer had to auction off an INORDINATE amount of knives of ALL kinds! I kept checking with hubby, making sure he still wanted to stay and he affirmed that he was just dandy. We were both bereft that we did not own a large truck and a large storage unit. The wonderful furniture at this sale, went for sinfully low, low prices. If I thought I'd see the day, Child of Oak Furniture Regime, that a 48 inch solid oak table from the 30's would sell for 25.00, I would have called you crazy. That's what it was like all day...Hubby and I staring at each other in disbelief at the quality of furniture going, literally, out the door.
But this little sweetie came home with me...(sans the nice gentleman!)




One drawback to the trade off of our Cash for Clunkers...
Sharky, the Hyundai was a little put out having to go to auction. We finally convinced her that she looked buff carrying around furniture. One good umph and my new wicker acquisition was in the back seat! Did I mention that it has springs? And that there has only been one paint job in many, many years? And that it has CRYSTAL CLAW FEET? Never in all my Wicker Collecting, have I seen claw feet on an item! Tomorrow, I will show you where it got located....


(P.S. This lovely woman had the nerve to sit in front of me and taunt me with her beautiful hair! Quite a bit of coveting going on today....! Had to take a photo of it and put in my Things I Must Do Before I Get Put In The Casket. Grow amazingly long red hair?? Good luck Deb.....:D!)

Report from the Sewing Room

Baby Girl saw my vintage towels/placemats and "ordered" (demanded? requested strongly?) a set of placemats for her newlywedded apartment. I found a favorite flannel blankie that BG and I had used for nappy time during our homeschooling time whilst going through garage sale things a few weeks ago. Knew it was destined to become something memorable. Ta Da! Baby Girl's Memorable Nappy Placemats!!
An order for five bags has me day dreaming of varied designs. Pictured is a more traditional bag. You like?
And what is this mess? This, my friend, is what happens when the Eldest/admin/organizer Daughter is absent for too long!!! It is the hub of my creativity but sadly out of control. Organizational day is needed...But four more bags are calling.....
Nothing worse than getting 'a look' from my 'loyal' sewing companion. Even she seems put out that 'her' domain is slightly off kilter....Okay, okay; I'm working on it....!
And off I go....

Parade Protocol

First of all, you should probably get a bit of a nap in after lunch and before the parade at 2:00pm. If you can get one on the porch swing with Mr. Pat, then you're golden.
Make sure you find a grand spot for you, mama, Gracie and Nana. Make it under a tree for shade and by the curb so you don't miss the horses.
Keep your eyes peeled for characters; you just might see the one that you are dressing up like for Halloween this year!!
Some of your friends will be in the parade as well, so look sharp and wave vigorously.
Make sure you pace yourself. That nap can only be good for so much waving and giggling. Have a seat on the blankie that your own daddy had when he was a little boy. Sit facing the street so you don't miss the marching bands. If you sit with folded hands, people are really impressed.
Make sure you ask mama and nana later how those great big men get into those teeny, teeny tiny cars. Wish that you had one like it but settle for your two seater stroller for your trip back to Nana's.
Festival over for another year!

It's Time

The Autumnal Shift has occurred.
It comes late here in Southern Indiana but when it does it's unmistakeable.
I find myself shuffling leaves when out walking Dixie.
The song of the locust is waning and the bird's songs are less frequent.

And I start making soup......

In my later years, I must have accumulated enough recipes that coming up with new ones, seems to be no problem. Have I possibly lived long enough to have mixed everything up together that I now know instinctively what works and what doesn't?

Recently, Eldest Son and Lovely Wife joined us for supper and I wanted it to be special.
The dinner won considerable kudos especially from me! Only I know how really surprised we all should have been that it all came out as well as it did!
And I want to share my new favorite recipes.....

(This first recipe, the soup course, was not my own invention...Wish it was...it was awesome!:D It is courtesy of a Dannon Yogurt ad in a Sunday supplement...)

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
1 3/4 cup Dannon all natural plain yogurt
2 TBSP. canola oil
1 large sweet onion, sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (ED NOTE: I parboiled the potatoes to make prep work easier; just slip off jackets and cube as required without all the hard work!)
1 1/2 Qt. chicken broth
2 TBSP chopped parsley or cilantro
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

1. In a soup pot heat oil. Add onions and cumin and saute 3-4 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup 20-25 minutes.
2. Puree soup with 1 1/2 cups of yogurt and parsley or cilantro. Serve each portion of soup with a dollop of remaining yogurt and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Makes 12 servings

Mustard Crusted Pork Loin

3 lb pork loin
4 cloves of garlic (peeled)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 Dijon mustard
2 cups seasoned salad croutons
Canola spray
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Use a roasting pan with a rack. Spray the rack with the canola spray. Place the pork on the rack and make four deep slits with a sharp paring knife, evenly spaced. Place the peeled garlic in the deep slits.
2. Sprinkle the pork with the salt and pepper and pour the oil and vinegar over it all.3. Place pork, uncovered, in the oven for 15 minutes
4. Remove the pork and reduce oven temp to 350
5. Spread the mustard over the pork evenly, covering it well...
6. Crush the croutons (place them in a bag and roll over with a rolling pin) and sprinkle over the pork evenly
7. Place in the 350 degree oven for 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees. do not overcook....

Mixed Baked Squash

Mix a variety of squash (I used patty pan, summer, zucchini, some unknown reddish orange squash I bought from the Amish at the Farmer's Market)

Cut open the squash that need it and remove seeds.

Place the sliced/cubed/quartered squash in a pyrex casserole.

Place butter pats on random squash pieces.
Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar.
Chop 1/2 cup of pecans and sprinkle. Can also add raisins or other dried fruit. Live dangerously.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 30 min or until squash is tender...

Burn some vanilla candles and decorate with gourds that grew in your garden because you threw some out last year and the seeds just planted themselves.

Enjoy the new season, okay?

Off to the sewing room....

Friday Festival Finale

PETA should probably look away right now.
A small boy with a goldfish won in a game too late at night.
A small boy with a deep seated need to 'pet' the goldfish in his temporary home.
I informed the dad that my bets were on making it to the highway.
Knowing his son better than me, he bet on making it to their parking space.
The Friday Night Frenzy after having one night pretty much canceled.
Huge crowds. Lots of cars and the obligatory mud everywhere. Wow.
I would like to tell you that the photo below is someone from the festival.
However, this is Eldest Son's way of entertaining himself while we do the dishes after a wonderful supper of Mustard Crusted Pork Loin, Mixed Squash Bake, Spinach Salad and brownies. We always chocolate when Lovely Wife is coming for dinner. It's just what we do......We are pleased to say that Eldest Son's earring is Lovely Wife's bracelet even though we did think it quite fetching on ES's ear......Carnival games. Lovely Wife would not let any us touch anything.
Probably wise.....

Sewing today involved finishing a beret, making place mats for aforementioned dinner tonight out of vintage towels that are too fragile for towel use but are spending retirement as place mats and cutting out a patchworky type of tote bag for an order of five that I have......

Cooking, baking, sewing, little rain, Eldest Son and Lovely Wife for supper AND Persimmon Ice Cream at the Festival after....

What a good day it was....

Miserable.

Rainy all day.
Not Festival Weather.
Poor little ol kiddos.
No rides for the third night of their three night ride bracelets. Perhaps tomorrow night, when the weather is cloudless, (she says with cheerful optimism) they will be able to use their now useless bracelets.
I made one attempt to go to the Commercial Tent this evening seeing that I won a drawing! I believe I should be the owner of stainless steel scrubbies from Stanley Products. That is, if the Stanley Lady would have been at her booth tonight. I trudged down, in the rain, pants rolled up against the deep, deep puddles and fought my sturdy royal blue hooky umbrella against the winds, only to find the dear lady had closed up shop and stayed in her comfy dry home. All the other vendors were there. The only dark spot was the Stanley Home Products booth. Will I now have to actually purchase the Wonder Scrubbers, that have over 50 yes 50 uses?......I'll let you know... Second Son accompanied me to The Methodist for a hearty lunch of pork tenderloin (sorry Baby Girl), dressing, gravy, cole slaw, dinner roll, green beans and the most sinful Chocolate Fudge Walnut Cake. I should have taken a photo. Way beautiful and scrumptious. However, Second Son and I made fast work of it even after the bounty we had just consumed. And we do have to mention, seeing most of Mitchell there. Lots of good company....Writer Friend Joyce, Neighbor Michele and Her Friend Jean and their delightful children. Poet Georgia was there as well. She will be 90 in November. A sharper more humorous woman would be hard to find. And on and on the names go....A perfect Methodist Lunch with Second Son and company.
We took the time to look at all their crafts for sale. After all, where were we going in the downpour? To buy Barbie cupcakes for Second Son's birthday friend, but that's beside the point.
See the bread pictured above? Just a sampling of their lovely baked goods.....

And quilters and seamstresses as well....I could tell their stock was a bit diminished from Tuesday when I visited with Crazy Dee Friend

And here is the Special photographed for those that cannot read..Sorry for the blurriness; I had just consumed my weight in Chocolate Walnut Fudge Cake.....Makes one fuzzy....

So I came home and attacked this Rainy Day with a useful vengeance. I finished Faithful Friend's new bag! She received a Birdie Sling last month but found a need to own another Mama's Collection Bag...What a good friend! I'd make her one every week if she wanted me to; she's just that good of a friend.....

The fabric was yummy, the lining silky, the handle comfy and the embellishment, strong.....Good, good purse....

Enjoy Faithful Friend!!

Dance Challenge.

Little known fact. (except my family; they know)
I have been known to dance all over my house when given the right music....Not right dancing, mind you, but real cardio, dance all over the living room, into the kitchen, around the library (mine, not Mitchells:D) and then around again.
Not sure if any neighbors have witnessed this, or passers by.
Don't really care.
Just lovin the dance...

Click on the second video bar to the right...


Let me know if it got you up outta your chair.....

Queen Contest Night...

....and I didn't go.

Did go to lunch at The Baptist with Lovely Wife's Mama...We particularly like to go to The Baptists for their Turkey luncheon with the Cranberry Jello. LWM LOVES cranberries and made a pitiful attempt to hi jack mine; you must get up pretty early to snatch food away from this ol' lady......Seen it all... Also at The Baptists is the Craft Show, showcasing all the entries to the famed Persimmon Festival Craft Contest. The winner for us this year was a skein of yarn made of cat fur. Who knew? With one long haired cat and another one dying, I could have made a killing in cat yarn. Bald cats, but a new market......I did graciously offer to make a cat scarf for Sweet Sharon, a dear friend who happens to have a rather strong 'dislike' of the feline varieties...She did not find that humorous.....LWM and I enjoyed the turkey AND the cat fur this year.....
Pictured above is a secret. Faithful Friend has ordered a new bag. She gave me ideas and requirements but left the rest to me.....This fabric, from Danville Indiana, is SOOOOO soft and luxurious....Amazing upholstery fabric....If I had a sofa made of this I would become an avowed Couch Potato....It is such a joy to sew for friends; you just want it to be the best so it stretches creativity and skill....Spent a joyful afternoon playing with the design and 'reading' Alan Alda's book, 'Never Stuff Your Dog'.......A surprise visit from the 2G's and their Mama and my afternoon was made, even if My Dear Grant had to find out that Nana has a Time Out Chair and a timer....Ah, reality.....

So after my full day, I transmogrified Mondays tacos into Wednesday's chili. A quick supper for hubby and I before we head north to Wednesday night church. We are on Part Two of a twelve part series, so the Queen of the Persimmon Festival had to be crowned without us.....

When I got home, I took Dixie on a walk and saw a forlorn miss walking the muddy streets of Mitchell, trying desperately not to get her fancy frock wet and trying to cope without a crown on her head.....I really wanted a photo but just could not do it to the poor girl....

Ah, reality.....

It's Just Too Fun...

Yah-HOO!!!!!
It's what I kept thinking every time every time I finished an aspect of this special order Western Theme bag!
Absolutely a hoot to make. I found this all wool table runner in the bottom of one of Pauline's craft boxes at the auction this month. It looked like it had never been used. I laundered it carefully and was about to put it into the garage sale last Saturday, when I remembered my special order Western Theme purse! Too perfect! I had the embellishment for years; it was part of my button collection forever ago. It had no fastener, so it never got used, just admired...Then I found an odd Napoleon type medallion in my heavy metal collection of embellishments for the weighted flaps I put on my purses. It fit perfectly inside the western embellishment, got hot glued in and sewed on with the medallion's hooky thing!
Don't you love it when things fall into place like that??
I had found this wonderful horsey fabric at my local Ben Franklin and just kinda fell in love with it. Have no idea why and even hubby looked at me strangely when I bought it. Perfect lining for a western theme purse, right? Did I mention that I had bought this before I had the order? Spooky, but cool!!

And I got it all done so that Hubby and I could check out the Festival on the first night of bracelets..(special 3 day prices for unlimited riding)...We checked out the commercial tent and signed up for all they had, especially the $500 gas card.....! Just felt like taking it all in! Checked out Manny the Greek's menu for future reference....Gyro's and baklava....! Yay!

And then the walk home....Admiring the thin sliver of moon in the overcast sky.....

*sigh*

We Interrupt The Festival With A Sewing Update...

Thanks to my crafting blogging 'friends', I learned how to make cloth labels for my bags!
I read a blog from two years ago about buying the iron on paper for the computer and then ironing the images/words onto twill tape.
Two years pass and now they make paper backed twill fabric! You simply (it better be!) make a Word document or whatever image program you have and put the paper/fabric in the printer! A few other little steps and you are ready to put a custom label in your sewing project!
I got absolutely giddy making these yesterday so I thought it was worthy of interrupting the Festival coverage...... And because of the label success, I decided to use up the rest of a rainy Sunday evening to make the top that goes to my yoga pants pattern! I believe that older women should only wear 3/4 length sleeves and tops that keep you modest with the cleavage. No one wants to see it after a certain age. Well, few anyway. Anyhoo, the thought of being able to sew my own 'uniform' top and to keep from the frustration of looking high and low for fuller knit, 3/4 length sleeve top with a reasonable length that is somewhat flattering, took me a sewing thrill that was very pleasing.....
Good to have sewing success.....

And now back to the festival.......

As you can see, the Methodist ladies (and gentlemen I'll have you know) are hosting their Puddin Pan Bazaar again this year. Good, good, homemade food (their noodles and pork tenderloin are re known) and little homemade items to sell, make for a yummy lunch or early dinner....

And there is the Art Show at the library. Lawrence County has an inordinate number of artists. I love seeing the entries each year and voting on my faves. There is a Photo Contest as well. It appears that I will be chairing it next year....More to come on that as the year progresses.....!

Yes. It was raining while the carnival workers set up early Sunday.

But do not fear! The skies cleared up midday today and the official start of the festivities went off under sunny (albeit humid) skies promptly at 5:00pm.

I know because it was 5:05 when I heard, from my sewing room, the first squeals of mock terror from the Zipper Ride......
Fun Stuff....

Tick, Tick, Tick....

Saturday night, Dixie and I took in the sights downtown..
This is the Commercial Tent. Full of businesses eager to share with consumers just what they do. And hand out lots of things. Sacks worth. Saturday night, it was just a huge tent in the middle of 7th street, approximately 200 steps from my home... Here's the tent that will host suppers from churches to a few non profits. Lasagna, ham and beans, fish all specials that will have to taken advantage of this week. My particular favorite is Ham and Bean Night. Corn bread and persimmon pudding. With gospel music on stage. Don't particularly like any of it normally, but for some bizarre reason, I love it the week of Persimmon Festival...I told you it is fascinatingly weird.....

The Main Stage. Right on Main Street. All week.

It will host a Lip Sync contest, Queen contest, Gospel singers, a flash from the past band. And I can hear all of it from my front porch. Did I mention I can also hear all the squeals of delight and false fear from the rides? Funny.

And this is one early bird. Right next to Bren and Jerry's, a carport that had some plywood added, an air conditioner, several doors and called a 'Trading Post'. Jerry's handmade signs are a hoot. There is one currently that says, 'Save a business; buy more here'. Other slogans have been photographed by me as well. I must add that I have purchased several things from Bren and Jerry's and have not been disappointed. Maybe I'll help him stay in business....

Tomorrow it starts in full swing.....

Off to rest up for the week!!!!!

And It Begins...

It starts on Friday night...
Signs start to proliferate throughout the town and you believe that you might see a record number of sales for the Community Garage Sale Weekend. Traditionally, the weekend before the Festival begins...
Don't panic! You're planning for Lily's first overnight so the weekend will go on without your involvement....
And yet..... Okay Lily! What should we do for the Yard Sale that you can be a part of? Hows about making Apple Cinnamon muffins for those eager first comers that surely must have zoomed out of the house before eating breakfast...And cookies! We should have lots of cookies! Should we actually cook the dough?
Waiting for the rush.....
All that wheeling and dealing has left us hungry! Good thing the 2G's Papa is here to help and makes us a yummy lunch...Lily was to go home earlier, but we all were having just too much fun....Gracie loves Lily (and lunch) so she gets to use her two new teeth!!
So much to sell yet so much sold!! Yippee!!
Is it dangerous to not put a limit to a sale...? I do believe we may keep it going on the whole week! Good time to visit, meet new people and enjoy the great Persimmony weather!

Mitchell Indiana, the third week in September....

Gotta love it!!

Calm Before the Storm....

So. Things look quietly calm.
For now.
Starting Sunday, this little town of 5000 becomes a carnival.
Literally.
It boasts the second largest parade in the state.
For a solid week, contests, rides, fair food infiltrate this tiny town on a really big scale.
And school is still in session. For years, the statewide ISTEP evaluation tests, were done the same week. Imagine the scores of children over done by late nights at the carnival and overdosing of overprocessed, sugary treats. Craziness.
And I've been a part of this insanity for most of the years that I've lived here, in one way or another. Guilty as charged.

For the following week, I doubt if I get in my sewing room much, but you betcha I will be documenting all the little nuances and interesting sights and sounds. Every year I am amazed that all this goes on just a little over a block away from my home. Oddly curious and magnetically drawn to it, I still am trying to figure out my love of it. Craziness.

Persimmon Festival.
persimmonfestival.org
Persimmon Capital of the World (really?)
My new hometown.....

Sshwanky

Here is some serious flamboyancy.
Again, the fabric was pretty darn arrogant.
Being brocade and all.
Not a bit durable, just flashy.
It asked for beads much against my better judgement.
And the handles are padded well for the diva that needs comfort with her bling.

Honestly, could it be more over the top?
I like it.

Papa's Collection

Yes, you have reached the right blog....
I have not turned militant or developed a penchant for killing deer.
I have just returned a well earned favor for my hubby...
For all the times he carted endless truckloads of 'stuff' for me...
For all the times he did not question why we were spending long hours at auctions...
For all the times he covered my expenses when my till was empty..
This was for him....

I mentioned sweetly Sunday night, that there was to be an auction that we might want to go to on Wednesday, his day off.
Immediately, he grumbled around, seeking a long lost to do list that would HAVE to be accomplished on Wednesday. He stumbled around for ANY reason to not have to accompany me to another auction.
I let him ramble on, smiling sweetly waiting for the punch line.

'They have GUNS'.

Bingo.

I had him.

Wednesday was a date for the auction.
So we sat there for three hours, watching an endless (to me!) parade of artillery: rifles, shotguns, handguns(some bought by some pretty shady characters; eek), watching Hubby grit his teeth, balance the budget in his brain, and weighing the worth of these obviously important guns. Actually, it was kinda fun being on the Other Side of Bliss. Watching him where I usually am, was insightful and fun. A tool of Empathy 101.
He bought one shotgun to add to his collection. A collection which had not been added to for over 30 years. Long overdue, huh?

Lest you think I am completely noble and self sacrificing, (quit giggling!), check out my score. $2.00: mid century lighting extravaganza of a Pole Lamp.....

A 22 caliber day....:D

A Proper Bag

Remember how I told you that the fabrics 'speak' to me? They let me know how they want to be put together into the right bag.

This one was real obstinate.
Different fabric than I'm used to working with. Semi Formal upholstery from Jan up north. Took awhile to work with it.
I nearly had it completed last night when it got mouthy.
Could not be happy with it.
So I let it lie.

Came back to it this afternoon with a determination to follow the fabric's lead and put mine aside.
And it worked.

Nearly took the whole thing apart and totally retooled. Even changed my thread color. The fabric cooperated and the bag is a proper, semi formal purse and I am happy with it....

(As you can see by the La-ti-dah buttons, that it's pretty smug about itself as well......)

Sunny Bag!

Another Birdie Sling from Amy Butler.....!
(I should be able to do these in my sleep soon!)

It's really impossible to be in a bad mood sewing on this fabric!

It's really possible that I could use an inordinate amount of exclamation points just talking about this bag whose owner is Baby Girl! Should it be named Baby Girl's Sunshiny Bag?!

Sewing on this grand material made me even pull out The Rick Rack! It just needed a little complementary blue to really offset it's yellow yumminess.....!

It has been delivered to Baby Girl and pronounced 'Fab- u - Lussssssss'.......