Antiques, Traditions & Friends

The Holidays.       Those two words invoke so many memories.  Like cherished antiques often hold memories too.  The extra dining table leafs that are only placed when family gathers around the table for the holiday meal.  And isn't unwrapping the delicate ornaments from days long past such a special a memory maker - the handmade grade-school ones; those that survived the move across country.  The special occasion ones. YES, these are antiques too.

Often in the restoring of antique furniture we can remind ourselves that the piece we are reviving will be placed in a home or office and it will most likely display something or be used for a special purpose. With this in mind, I look around our own home and rekindle the memories of furniture pieces and the collectibles we display.

This year our Christmas wish for you our antiquing friends and associates is that you will also take a moment amid the hurried holiday happenings and think about the history and tradition all around you in your own home.  And so....................., a wonderful early surprise Christmas present arrived this year from a dear friend, and it has stirred quite the lively conversation that naturally brings forth the re-telling of  a German Christmas tradition  - some of you may know of it                                         
 

THE LEGEND of the CHRISTMAS PICKLE.

Long ago in Germany the pickle legend began. The where's and why's are unknown  - perhaps it represented the three Wisemen's search for the baby Jesus -  for now, it is a tradition passed down generation to generation and enjoyed by the entire family. The last ornament placed on the tree is a small green pickle ornament and is done after the children are tucked in bed. It is hung with care and is hidden amongst the other ornaments tucked within the tree.  The search begins on Christmas morning as anxious eyes search through all ornaments gazing again on ones handmade, as gifts given, those marking anniversaries or travels and the ones lovingly handed down by parents and grandparents in the search for the lone pickle.

 The lucky person to find the pickle ornament can get a special treat. Perhaps they can be first to open a present or get the place of honor at the Christmas table.

- thank you Suzan, Merry Christmas

So what was this gift that sparked such lively conversation (?) 
An antique Pickle Castor from a dear, dear friend.


And as noted earlier - among our prized and cherished gifts ; memories, traditions, family and friends. And as with all Christmas's past, the most precious gift -  a selfless act of LOVE from ABOVE.

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you !

November's Disappearance

Daylight savings time is now the first Sunday in November - should be no big deal since it only advanced one week from when it used to be the last Sunday in October. But it seemed that overnight the morning was still in darkness, and I was taking the dogs out using my flashlight. It also seemed that the evenings were growing shorter - in just a day's time - and thus it was then that the Barn winterization began a little earlier, and the projects that lay waiting the "next step" began to get stored up for the cold that was encroaching on the horizon.  And  then the c-c-c-o-o-l-d descended upon us.

In one brisk gust of wind, Halloween night blew in with temperatures dropping into the 20's; hammering rains, and impending SNOW.  Yes, snow for Halloween !  

So you ask, I assume, what does this all have to do with November !   Well, my apologies to you dear faithful antiquated reader - because for the first time in several years, we were unprepared for the rapid change of weather. The Barn was in a disarray for what seemed like the whole month of November.  We scurried to move the paint and varnishes to warmer locations. Soiled rags were sent to the bonfire because they had frozen stiff and were beyond cleaning.  The whole scene looked like a morgue of dismembered wooden legs (table legs that is) and droplets of cherry stain could have easily been mistaken for a  late October  All Hallows Eve Vampiric visit.

Thus, November disappeared between two turns of the calendar page - October and December.  Thank goodness the harvest decorations that adorned the walkway leading up to the Barn sufficed through the month, that is, until the deer started nibbling on our pumpkins - yep - right up to the Barn doors they came, apparently also caught off guard by the rapid temperature drops and approaching hunting season.

As I write this post, the antiques are all covered. Disassembled pieces have been numbered and stored. Tools have been oiled and shuttered. Supplies shelved and wood shavings swept into the burn bin. All is quiet and still.

And yet, I still wonder - where did November disappear to?  Perhaps it knew before we did to hunker down and ready itself for a long winters nap.

Ready.., set.., It's Autumn Auction Time

OCTOBER is one of our busiest months.
We lay aside the paint brushes and sand paper, and head over hill and dale; sometimes over the river and through the woods to the annual fall festivals. And  - "yes" - we have our favorites, we're not shy to say.  Not only are there great antique finds, the creative side of life springs into action as crafters showcase their works and sell their very best creations.  The ideas are boundless. And if along the trail you peruse the caramel kettle corn, apple dumplings; beans and cornbread and smoked brisket what's a few calories - we figure we'll walk it off.

A couple favorite's;  Old Thyme Herb Festival and auction on Tater Ridge; Bob Evans Farm Festival; Route 23 Flea Market; Sorghum Festival. 

Want to venture a guess which piece we drove home with - here's a few to help you narrow it down



Since we're off to upper Michigan for more fall finds - you'll just have to check back with us in a few weeks for the answer and surely a few more possibilities -  Yes, fellow Buckeyes, we're headed to the THAT state with the TEAM up north -  but we'll be wearing our scarlet and gray !  GO BUCKS !

  

Heavenly Harvests

A happy harvester received an early holiday surprise.  Remember the old church pew from July " A Wing and a Prayer"  - well it was delivered to it's new home this weekend to the delight of the owners.  Autumn hues of crimson, gold, and bittersweet orange dot the landscape on the journey, as the newly finished mahogany stained church pew traveled the country roads to it's home.A farmhouse amid fields of corn and sorghum, being harvested and sold at local stands.

When we arrived, the owner had already staked out the perfect spot - adjacent the fireplace, slightly offset to the comfy overstuffed chairs. The room filled with autumn décor and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee - a Market Street Cafe' specialty; hazelnut toffee awaited our arrival.  We'd stopped at  the local Scent from Heaven Bakery picking up the house specialty - glazed croissants.             

Perfect for a cool autumn morning.

Take a look at the finished product. The pillow added a nice touch don't you think.

 

Happy Fall Ya' All !

 

Fait Accompli'

   Ever hear the old adage " the Cobblers children go unshod" - or in a more modern version " the Plumbers wife always has a leaky faucet" - BASICALLY -  we tend to accomplish things for others more often than we do for ourselves; CASE IN POINT:  April 2012 the blog entry titled  "Ladies in Waiting ". 
     We purchased these lovely side tables. My original thoughts were to restore them, keep one for ourselves and auction or consign the other.  They both made it to the disassembly and stripping stage; one made it to the sanding and finish sanding stage. The other lay in parts nicely arranged on the work table. Throughout the year other projects scootched them farther and farther toward the back tables in the Barn.

Then one lovely summer day that proved to be "relatively"
(no pun intended)  humidity free  (and for the summer of 2013 - that was saying something) and while other projects were in holding stages waiting for one thing or another - a' moitie' fini'. The first stain was applied, then the second, and by evenings approach - "fini".  Take a look and dust off the memory - or for convenience sake - just flip back through the blogs.                         
                                                                              But isn't she just lovely !