My Mother and I - 1964
Oh, how I loved their card parties!
**********************************************
Darkness soothes
as I sit
by her side
In silence
I celebrate
Today
This is the date
she gave me
Life
She softly
smiles -
unaware
I, alone,
recognize
the irony
This is the
Day
I was born
This is the
Day
She slips further
I contemplate -
Good or bad
If she passes today?
Maybe
it would be
An Honor
The lucky 13 eh?
After you check out my shot be sure to head over to Hey Harriet to see her Shot for the week and the ever-growing number of links to other great Shooters!
For this week, I found a great pic of the house I grew up in!
My Parents moved to Davenport, Iowa from Centerville, Iowa in the late 50's. After working his way up to Manager of the local Super Valu Supermarket, my Dad knew it was time for greater things than renting and they had this house built in 1962 - I was 1! Perfect lil ranch home with three bedrooms.
I have so many great photos of growing up in this home and so many memories of more family times than I could ever begin to count! After my brother, two sisters and myself had all gotten married and started having kids, we STILL all gathered for EVERY Easter, Mother's Day, Fathers Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas AND New Year's Eve as well as numerous birthdays throughout the year! It grew from my Mom, Dad and the four of us kids coming together each holiday and birthday to Mom, Dad, the four of us kids, the spouses we've had over the years (haha), 11 Grandkids and 11 Great Grandkids! My Dad always talked of building on a family room out through the dining room windows! haha When he passed on in 2006, my brother moved in so that it wasn't vacant and so that we could work on updating a few things.
We have it up for sale now - Wow how sad that is for me to even type it. It's not even the style I love. It's not circa 1890. It's not "antique". It's definitely not white or chippy! But it's "home".
Am I the only one who still believes that the "family" home should STAY in the family, ever-changing, continually evolving, passed down through the generations????
Still Smiling...through the tears...
Lorie
This "Sunday" project has opened my eyes to such a new way of Seeing
Embracing things once overlooked
Look at the grace this tree creates
casting it's mammoth shadow
upon the driveway
A soft lace blanket
slowly protecting
covering
suddenly stopping
Mr. Tree does it's best
covers the drive for
Approaching night
Leaving me wishing
Can I go back in time
and sit at the drive's end
watching the beauty
as Ms. Shadow
slowly crawls
engulfing the garage as well
until the sun has set
for it's nighttime rest
Sleep tight until the new day dawns....
My inventory doesn't normally consist of children's items. Sure, from time to time I'll acquire a little stuffed bear or an old dress that I simply can't walk by without picking up! In the past, I've painted lil desks pink at the request of a client or given lil chairs a facelift with my white can o'paint! Although I would rather stick to the vintage items, this lil children's table and chairs was too cute (and too cheap) to pass up! I think it turned out well...what'd YOU think??
This would be the before pic...
This would be after!!
And the final shot after they are all displayed in my booth!
After a few months of having three booths located at the very back of the smaller building at the Antique Mall, I was offered the FRONT SPACE! WOOHOO! You see, when you enter the smaller building the check out is on the left...and on the RIGHT....is a great lil space that is actually like a little room! You have a lil step up onto old plank floor! I was THRILLED beyond expression!!! It even includes the huge front windows which you SEE as you walk towards the building! Needless to say, I grabbed one of my son's and we started hauling....from the back of the building...to the front. Man I love my kids!
Well, here's the new look - minus one chest of drawers that sold, one tri-fold vanity that sold, one hutch top - sold, one heart shelf cabinet - sold, a pink cabinet - sold, as well as about six small tables, a couple of bookshelves and a few shabby chairs! I honestly can say that I am utterly in shock at how well the booths have been doing! Now I don't know how all you other booth renters do...and I recognize that in different areas people make different money...but dealers here are lucky some months to clear $500. I haven't been able to attend the booth nor add many new items and I have had three straight months selling nearly $1,000 each month! I HAVE kept my prices way down in order to reduce my inventory that is in storage sheds but I'm ok with this!! Better than having the stuff sit in the shed while I'm taking care of momma..right??
Enjoy the pics,
Lorie
It's Shadow Shot Sunday !!!!
I've had SO much fun visiting Hey, Harriet to check out not only what great shadow she has discovered but also to click through the ever-growing link list and see many talented artists share their terrific shots!
As I am unable to really get out and about to search for the perfect shadow for the week, I decided to search through my old photos determined to find out that I was a Shadow Shot Girl without even knowing it!! First box of photos in and omgosh I found one! Allowing ya'll to see a side of me that I had wanted to keep quiet but willing to give it up because I absolutely LOVE the shadows that jump out in this photo of all the Nascar freaks like me cheering as the cars blew past us at Talladega! Isn't it weird how I never noticed that before as I was, obviously, looking at the cars! hehehe
Smiling,
Lorie
So...I got a lil package in the mail...FROM CHIPPYS!!!! I can't tell you how excited and emotionally overwhelmed I was!!!
You see, when Sharon and I opened the shop in Muscatine, I went on a scavenger hunt and found tons of lil gems to start my own line of jewelry to sell in the shop - Rescued, Repurposed, Redesigned! I've ALWAYS wanted to do this and thought "here's yer chance!" Well, if you've followed the blog you know we closed the shop and here I've sat with literally box upon box of lil gems - sitting there - waiting for me to play! I just can't find the motivation to start.
When I saw Lauri and LuLu's beautiful junk necklaces I was amazed to see that people actually DO get an idea in their head and CREATE IT!!! hahaha Well I whined to Lauri about how I just couldn't make myself do anything with my piles...how much I loved their necklaces....and how much I dreamed of my very own junk necklace with a heart...and my own KEY to it....that I wouldn't GIVE to a man anymore...hahaha...and next thing I know, THIS IS WHAT I GET IN THE MAIL!!!!!!!!
I IMMEDIATELY RAN IN AND FOUND IT A PERFECT LIL HOME - WAITING FOR ME TO ACTUALLY GO OUT SOMEWHERE AND PROUDLY WEAR IT - IT'S ADDING A LIL BLING TO MY TEDDY BEAR THAT I'VE HAD SINCE I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL WHEN I WAS SEVEN...
I'm so grateful to Lauri for making me smile and giving me my heart - and the key to it! Chippy's packages truly ARE the best!
Big Smiles,
Lorie
I couldn't stand it any longer - I wanted to join the fun with Hey Harriet and all who have been looking through new eyes into the shadows!
This is, I believe, her 11th Shadow Shot Sunday post and the list of participants is evergrowing! I've been anxiously awaiting Sundays to see what great photos have been added capturing the mysterious allure of The Shadow. I have searched through my zillions of photos on my computer wondering if I had any great shadows that I wasn't aware of so that I could join the posting! Nada!
So, today I was determined to wander outside the minute I got Momma all settled for a nap....of course that's when my kids started showing up! hehe My daughter came down because we were going to make taco salad...then my son and daughter-in-law brought me presents...MY MUNCHKINS! Now as much as I was so looking forward to wandering around my Mother's yard in search of the perfect Shadow, spending time with my Grandkids squashed that desire in a second! hehe The puzzles and hotwheels quickly won out and we played!
By the time all was quiet and everyone was on their way home, I was so afraid I wouldn't find a thing to photograph for this shot as the sun was setting quickly! After all, the yard is tiny and this neighborhood leaves much to be desired when one thinks of finding something good enough to put online...I mean check out previous Sunday Shots! There are some very talented people out there! I don't mind saying I have been intimidated when trying to think of WHAT to shoot to put up along with all the great photos!
Then, I wandered.
Camera in hand
Eyes seeking spectacular
Growing more disheartened
Looking up
Finally spotting it
An artwork of Shadow
On the dilapidated garage nextdoor
The neighborhood "eyesore"
Realizing
Buildings may be abandoned
But Mother Nature sees
And with a swoop of her magic
Adorns the forgotten
-- I hope my 1st was up to par! It was exciting to find the shot! Like a lil treasure hunt...I hope to be able to contribute every Sunday! --
Smiling,
Lorie