Day Trip

So this morning my neighbor came over with his two great danes plus the other next door neighbors dane. He had them all in the van looking out the window. There is a painting in here somewhere.
Then we went up to Kansas City to do some antique shopping. We came across this end table and the chair below. We needed a chair by the door to put on shoes, plus it was black so it goes with the studio furniture. The end table will fit in nicely with what we are calling Bohemian eclectic.

We found these things in a town called Clinton, Missouri. Most small towns in Missouri are nothing to write home about but this one is amazing. The whole town square is alive with antique stores and shops. The town keeps itself looking clean and nice. A few run down houses but for the most part historic homes that are nice. They also have Truman Lake and the Katy Trail, which is 200 and some odd miles of biking trail, which we are going back for right away.

Baker Creek Visit

Today we drove two hours east to Baker Creek Seeds. It is where we purchase our seeds for the garden. They have a village set up where a big festival happens every year. We didn't get to be there for that but basically had the run of the town to ourselves.We first went to eat at the restaurant. Food like my wife makes. It was awesome. Everything was right from the garden they have growing there which is huge to say the least.
Then we toured the town. Going into the open stores with no one in them. If you want to buy something you just bring it to the main seed store.
The seed store was great with hundreds of varieties, maybe more seed packets to purchase. We didn't buy everything but maybe twenty or so packs that we need to plant for the Fall Garden.
The apothecary store was fragrant as you might imagine. All those Mason jars lined up on the walls reminded me of our kitchen.
Then the main house we noticed the propane tank was painted like a melon. You just know we are doing this when we get back to the country.
Afterwards we went to go see The Laura Ingalls Wilder home. The last house she lived in until 1957 I think. Apparently the ground was just like our ground, rock and clay. They were gluttons for punishment too. It was nice to get out and see some local sights. We left at 10 am and were home by 5pm so it made for a great day trip.

New Old dresser

It was our Anniversary last weekend so we went up to Kansas City as we heard they have some of the country's best antique stores. We were looking for a real wood dresser and we found this one for a very good price. It was made April 14th, 1950 in Nashville, TN. It is solid Appalachian Beech and is patterned after the French Provincial-Circa 1750. The reason we know that is it had the original brochure that came with the furniture explaining the Louis XV design, care of the wood and construction method. It is our first real piece of furniture we have ever bought together. I imagine some war vet and his bride purchased this shortly after they were married. After a life time the kids probably said sell everything in grandma's house, so it wound up at this store we found it. If God gives us 50 years more then maybe it will be found at another antique store by some recently married couple who just finished remodeling a house on a long summer vacation who will begin purchasing furniture for the house. In turn they will blog or whatever they do then about this 110 year old dresser they found the other day in Paris, France that was made in Nashville, TN. Wait you maybe thinking why would the dresser be found in Paris, France? Are they moving to another country after the summer vacation in Missouri? No, I just was writing that to get your goat. lol

War Eagle Mill

This past weekend we went to Arkansas to vist War Eagle Mill. We purchase our organic flours from them on line and we wanted to see the old mill where they actually grind everything.
You can check the place out at http://www.wareaglemill.com/
I think if you buy $70 of stuff you get free shipping. The nice thing is, it's all organic and no GMO.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Last year we purchased some of our seeds from this company right here in Missouri. They have a bunch of rare seeds that you can't find in the regular catalogs. You should check them out.

http://rareseeds.com/

Free Grass (not that kind of grass)

While mowing the yard I have come up against the fact that I need more grass for the compost pile as well as laying down mulch between the rows. So I mow the neighbors yard with my eco mower, making sure everyone knows I really do have a screw loose. (It's only two and a half neighbors and it makes me feel like Forrest Gump.) One such neighbor thought it was so nice of me, that she went to the big city to visit her family. While there her son in law mowed his perfectly grromed, chemically treated lawn and bagged the clippings for curb side pick up. A light bulb went off in my neighbors head and she snapped those grass clippings up for me as a thank you for mowing her yard. She stuck them inside her car and there they sat for a few days. The temp. outside was a nice & warm 75 degrees. We she left her family she drove two hours home with the windows down as it was little smelly in the car. She did bring me those clippings as she set out to do. The only problem in an organic garden, is chemically treated lawn clippings do not work out so well. I put them in the corner of the yard where they proceeded to stink up the neighborhood. Everyone thought my compost pile was bad. I was afraid someone would call the city on me and I wouldn't be allowed to make compost anymore. So I dug them into the ground to stop the stench. My neighbors car still stinks however. While at the Farmers Market on Friday, it became apparent that we have everything in our own backyard. Well except for a bunch of people for Boo Boo to meet and greet.

Right from the garden. Yum Yum.

Franklin TN

Last night we returned from a visit to Franklin, TN. Pictured here is my wife and her awesome children, granddaughter, Boo Boo and me. It was a nice break in our Summer Vacation in Missouri to get to see everyone.