Monday, May 31, 2010

Wonderful Weekend




I hope everyone has had a safe and wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. It's hard to believe that it is almost over and tomorrow morning I'll be back in the office wondering where the time went and looking forward to the next weekend.  

The picture above didn't turn out very well and I promise I will post more pictures of this
 fantastic project later. This isn't my project, this is a large primitive dining table in the (still a work in progress) keeping room. Kirby crafted this table for me; we were looking at a house in the country a while back and they had torn down an old barn and were planning to burn all of the wood. These boards are 14 inches wide and  he loaded them up and brought them home. He's done a fantastic job on the table but needless to say this is barn wood that he's working with. We are in love with every knot and wormhole and you can see the marks from the huge saw that cut this magnificent tree; we know that we are going to have to do some scrubbing and possibly some sanding but I guess the question is;  what is the best way to preserve the natural beauty and integrity of this wood and at the same time make it a cleanable surface for dining?  
We would greatly appreciate any suggestions. He's put so much love and work into this beauty and I can hardly wait to start using it. AND NOW that I know how talented he is I'm wondering what his next project might be!           

                                                                                                                                                     
Did I say I love this table? Now I need a larger room, maybe in an old country house.



I also want to say Happy Birthday to our dear not so little now Sugar Bee. She's been with us almost a year now and see how tiny she was. I figured her to be maybe 4-5 weeks old when she came to us and what a joy she has been. I'll have to get another picture of her to post soon so you can see how she has grown;  and I should tell you she is still quite this mischief.


With that being said I'd like to introduce you to River, well at least that is what we are calling him today. Last week a neighbor child asked us if we could take his kitten. I immediately said no but I was a little concerned because he said a lady around the corner had found it and he couldn't keep it. Well there had been a mama kittie and three babies in a yard the day before and we wondered if it might be a baby separated from it's mom. Well Kirby went over to the neighbors house and sure enough it looked just like one of the babies in that litter and he brought it home to see if we could reunite it with it's family. Well the mama and her babies were no where to be found. I later talked with the little boy's mom and she said they had the kitty for two weeks and didn't want it because their landlord did not allow them to have pets. Well what to do?? This little guy was so scared, he doesn't bite and he isn't wild but for three days he has growled at me, Kirby and the other kitties, he growls at his food, he growls at his toys and he growls at his water. Every waking moment he has spent growling. He has a grand appetite and we have already gotten him wormed, flea treated and his first shot. He loves to play and loves to snuggle and to be petted but growls constantly. This morning I woke up with him crawling around my neck and so sweetly purring and today he hasn't growled so much. I guess his little young life has been tough and it is so good to see him feeling loved.  


It was really hard to get the pictures, he's only still when he's sleeping but at least I know that he's healthy and happy. Now if he had only brought his own house keeper with him.....
Have a great week 
Blessings, Sallie  


Sunday, May 23, 2010

A Curoius Little Cauldron and Memories







                                                                             I guess this post is about memories and dreams for the future. Do you ever wonder just where you are headed?  The house pictured above was my old home that I bought many years ago. There is a long story to this house; I first saw her when my children were quite young. We were on the way to Historic Halifax to tour the old houses there and detoured through another small town in Halifax county to look at the homes there. This house sat on a corner and my kids begged me to stop. They loved this place and we played pretend all the way back home. We talked about how many
 rooms might be there and where their rooms would be. Now being a single Mom it wasn't likely that any of those dreams would come true BUT many years later when I was looking for an old house to buy I contacted several realtor's in different small towns and asked about their listings. They very next day one of them sent me a package with the description of a house that had just come on the market. There was no picture but I remembered the town and the pretend day with my kids and I knew it was the same house and the price was to the dime the amount that I had to purchase a house with. Needless to say I made an offer the next day.      
                                                                  




I did so love this place and enjoyed many years there. I found out that the oldest part of the house dated to the early 1800's with a later addition in the 1860's. It was full of spirits that actually spoke to me often and many friends and relatives experienced this during the years I was there. Eventually I had to sell it. I just couldn't keep up with the constant repairs needed but I had many years of pure bliss painting and decorating and I miss her with my soul. 

Now I find myself thinking about the future. I was much younger when I bought that home but I'm heading somewhere; I can feel it. I just don't know if I'm brave or strong enough to follow my instincts. I hope I am.

I've been working on getting an Etsy shop opened and trying to get myself back to me. Back to my crafting and the joy of home and hearth. It seems that my day job has drained a lot from me but I'm determined to get back to my old self.



I found this little 3 legged cauldron a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was a newer pot until I saw all of the pitting inside. I'm thinking it hung by 3 chains over a fire. I love the way it feels in my hand. That's the way I shop; I can feel the sweetness and the sorrows of the things that I touch and they in turn touch my heart.

  

I'll be working on the shaker box this week. It is a reproduction but when I finish it can pretend that it has had life for many years.



I also have a plan for these old quilt blocks. I'll share this with you when I finish it.



And this is CC a 9 year old I rescued 2  years ago; I'll share her story with you another day.



And My dear Orpheus, she's been with my many years. She remembers the old house and  both of these babies bring so much light into my life. Thank you all for listening to my ramblings and for sharing your wonderful blogs with me. You give me hope!

Blessings Sallie
                                                                                         

Sunday, May 9, 2010

My Mom Hillary Constance Pittman Creech


First of all I want to wish a happy Mother's Day to everyone.
I'd also like to share a bit about my own Mom.
I lost my mother some years back; she had lived with me after her own home flooded during hurricane Floyd in 1999 and if life growing up with my mom wasn't an adventure on it's own, having her live with me for six years was the makings for a mini series.

In truth she had seemed more like a sister, she was young when I was born and after she and my father separated when I was still an infant we went to live with her sister.

Mom remarried when I was eight years old I stayed on in the country with my aunt and uncle and mom and my step Father visited on Sunday and on a few occasions I would visit them.

I remember the years when mom and my stepfather dated. I always thought Mom was so beautiful. She was a petite woman with a sense of humor that could bring any one to their knees laughing and she barred no words. I wish I could share some of her humor but it's best kept between family and friends that knew her!

I still have the lacy crinoline petticoat that she wore under her full skirts, and she knew exactly how to step so lady like that everyone was sure that the brief showing of this lacy unmentionable was certainly by accident.


My aunt saw to hand washing and lightly starching this garment and ironing it so that every tiny stitch of embroidery and lace came to life in a billowing cloud like confection.

When I was 10 my only sibling was born. I was the happiest child in the world. I would watch him through the nursery window in the hospital. I couldn't wait to hold him. On the day they left the hospital I was there and finally got to see him without a window between us. Mom was in a wheel chair wearing a blue lace gown and jacket.  It was short and with the flaring A line that was the style then ( very Jackie O ). She was holding brother in her arms in a white lace trimmed dress and bonnet wrapped in a shear white lace shawl.    

It took my breath away, They looked like angels. I'm sure they were angels.

 

When her home flooded all of her things were pulled to the curb, smelling awful and covered in layers of slime and muck to be hauled away. I saw a glimpse of a brown muddy mess that might of been anything but my child's eye awoke instantly and I was digging through the muck. It took many hours of soaking and to be sure,  the pretty pale blue still has some stains and the petticoat will not shimmer again but they are safe and when I see them it is with my child's eye, and they are perfect and heavenly. I love you mom.

Bright Blessings to everyone.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Needfuls

                                                        Hello and Happy Weekend Everyone!




                                                   I often spend the day thinking about the country. As most most of you know I am a city dweller these days but you never know; I've been looking and thinking and wanting a peaceful place outside the city for some time now. We'll see what the future holds but for now I'll just daydream. I've been working on my keeping room for some time now as time allows. I love the things that I collect and enjoy the sweetness of thinking how these things, in times past would have been necessary items in the country home. I enjoy candle light and love the aroma of the gently scented breezes they create in my home. 

                                                                            

I've posted one of my favorite collectibles above. I certainly can't have a curly white sheep if my own in the city or maybe I can pretend and dream.



Oh yes, tranquility at last. Sheep grazing on a green hillside with a crystal brook for their drinking.
Yes these are needful.



A pitcher for bringing water from the spring. There is nothing like cold, pure water from a natural spring. It quenches the thirst and fills the soul. Yes this is needful.



And this would be a very necessary needful,  I guess there are some things from the country life that I'd as soon not have to use but lets remember that this little pot must have seemed a great blessing in it's day. I'm not sure how pottie training went in a privy but I can see where this little needful would have been a treasure indeed.   Now I'm off to think again on how wonderful life is, how preserving the past makes us thankful for the comforts we have today  and how very lovely it would be to gaze from my window into the hillside while sipping a cool glass of crystal spring water.

Blessed Soltice

As we welcome the coming of new light let us spend time reflecting on the days and loved ones past. Remember that we are a part of what life...