Ready for the 4th?

We're about ready for the 4th of July weekend. We'll be heading to Lake Pawtuckaway in New Hampshire for a quiet weekend of camping in our little Casita. While DH was tying the canoe to the top of his truck, I packed the important things: gravity chair, bag of books I can't wait to read , map of antique shops in the area, wine, and new bathing suit. See what I mean...the important things!

Today I was at Kohl's for some last minute items and found these cute towels for the camper bathroom. Saw them last week for $7.99 each and decided that was more than I wanted to pay but today they were discounted as 4th of July merchandise so I snapped them up. With my 20% off coupon and the 60% discount, I got them for about $2.00 each. Think they fit right in with the "Cowgirl" theme I've got going in the Casita.

We also decorated the front of our old brick farmhouse for the 4th.

The house itself is my vintage item for this post...it was built in 1830 so I think it qualifies! Here is a photo of our house as it looked on a summer day in 1900. No buntings on it then but I love the ivy growing up the front...sadly, that is gone now.

Our home, Winn Farm, was named for Ira Winn who lived in our house until his death in 1916 at the age of 99. In addition to farming, Ira Winn had a machine shop on the property in which he built lanterns for many of the lighthouses along the Maine coast.

I love these large tea-stained buntings...they seem perfect to display on the old house. My sister, Nancy, and I found them on our last summer road trip. It was August so they were 50% off in a little primitive shop in New Hampshire...they were the last three and I grabbed them. So glad I did.

Now that both our new camper and old farmhouse are ready for the 4th, it's time to relax and enjoy the holiday weekend. Happy 4th of July to each of you. See you back in blogland on Tuesday!

This post is linked to:
Time Travel Thursday at Brambleberry Cottage
Vintage Thingy Thursday at The Colorado Lady
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show & Share Day at Just A Girl
Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Would you buy this?

I saw this apothecary jar at a junk shop recently and debated whether or not to buy it.  I loved the wavy glass, vintage label, original cork, and little piece of string around the neck. The price was right...only a  dollar, but...

 not being a chemist, I wasn't sure what that scary looking white stuff was inside.

Calcium Chloride? Anhydrous? for drying tubes? What kind of tubes? test tubes? ear tubes? fallopian tubes? vacuum cleaner tubes? I think I should have paid more attention in Chemistry 101.

 I had visions of myself in a hazmat suit and rubber gas mask pushing the breakfast dishes aside to spoon the mysterious white powder down the disposal.  And wondering what my husband would say when I told him I blew up the kitchen.

So...as much as I loved the bottle, I walked away but, have been wondering since...

Should I have bought it?

What would you have done?

This post is linked to:

Would You Buy It Wednesday at Junker Newbie
Vintage Thingy Thursday at The Colorado Lady

Vintage Aprons

It's laundry day...sunny and breezy...a perfect time to hang out some of my vintage aprons to dry in the sun.

I can't resist vintage aprons...they are so colorful and bring back memories of days with my mother and grandmothers when I was a girl.

In the 1950's, our mothers assigned different days of the week for different household chores...Monday was washing day, Tuesday was ironing day, and so on. I'm so glad that our roles are not so predetermined anymore and that I can decide when I feel like doing household chores (and when I don't).

This apron looks like a workhorse, doesn't it? My grandmother would have worn one like this. With as much wear as this apron took, it still looks cute with its green rick rack and heart-shaped pockets.

I found this apron for 50 cents at a yard sale recently...love all the layers of fabrics in it.

More rick-rack...the iconoclastic vintage sewing trim.

Here is a vintage "cocktail apron" with pockets for tips (?), complaints, suggestions and compliments.
Note: If one of my guests placed a complaint or suggestion in my apron pocket after I'd cleaned and cooked all day, I'd have a humble suggestion for them:  How about finding someplace else to eat?

Don't the colors in this apron just scream "vintage"? My mother had appliances this color in her kitchen in Connecticut in the early 60's.

I bought this little child's apron on our trip to Pennsylvania...just the right size for my grandaughter to wear when she gets old enough to bake with me.

Beautiful day...aprons drying in the sun...Life is Good!

I hope you'll visit these creative blogs to which this post is linked:
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
2nd Time Around Tuesday at A Picture Is Worth 1000 Words
Tuesday's Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
Twice Owned Tuesday at House of Grace
Sister Sunday at Sisters of the Wild West

A Smaller House?

I've been following Brenda's blog entries at Cozy Little House and enjoying all of the comments about the pros and cons of living in a small house. Like many of you, we are "Boomers" who occasionally think about downsizing and living more simply now that our children are grown. The other day, we rode by this little bungalow for sale in a historic cottage community with its own private beach...

The little place was adorable and I started wondering...

 Could I really simplify my life enough to live in 1100 square feet instead of 3500? I sure wouldn't mind having less house to clean and lower heating bills in the winter. The money and time saved could be put toward something more fun than cleaning and maintaining a large home and three acres of land.

But would I regret the decision later?

Could I trade three garages for one? It would mean scraping snow and ice off the car in the winter and less space to work on messy projects...

 But this little cottage garage is so cute with its trellised garden to the side.

 If I didn't have my third floor for a craft room...

would I end up storing my fabric like this? Or could I just keep the pieces I love and forget about the old adage that "she who dies with the most fabric wins"?

Would I have to say "Good-bye" to my favorite junk stores and find new hobbies that don't take lot of space? Could beading or embrodery entertain me as much as bringing a dented old chair back to life?

Maybe I could take up tennis? This court, and a sandy beach, are right down the street from the yellow bungalow. Tennis might be healthier than junking, and my WW leader wold surely approve, but would it be as much fun?

I wonder if I could do without my formal dining room...I think I could.

Most of my guests seem to end up in the kitchen anyway. Maybe I could learn to part with everything I don't really need. I think I could live without a pasta machine, silver serving trays and chafing dishes. But would this little cottage kitchen eventually feel too small?

 Would I miss peeking into my daughter's old room?

Would our grandsons miss their cowboy bunkhouse when they come to stay?

or could this little cottage guest room work just as well?

At this point in my life, I think I could I trade having a living room and a family room...

for a cozy little cottage living room like this...

with an old screened porch right outside the door.

The dreamer in me would love to live simply in an old bungalow by the sea...the practical me keeps wondering if it would work in real life. Back and forth, back and forth I go...one day the dreamer, the next day the pragmatist...

But this little place is awfully cute!

Have you ever thought about simplifying your life and downsizing? Have you actually made the change? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

This post is linked happily to:
Show Off Your Cottage Monday at House In the Roses
Cozy Little House
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On the Porch

Relay for Life 2011

I wanted to share some photos from last night's Relay for Life. Our little event raised over $54,000 for the American Cancer Society in its third year so we're tired, but happy. The rain held off, many miles were walked and many memories shared. Our team's inspiration was Nancy's favorite movie, "The Wizard of Oz".

 "There's no place like home HOPE."   ~Dorothy

Scarecrow: I don’t know… But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking… don’t they?
Dorothy: Yes, I guess you’re right."

"Someplace where there isn't any trouble...do you suppose there is such a place, Toto? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or train. It's far, far away... behind the moon... beyond the rain."

~Dorothy

 "As for you, my fine friend, you're a victim of disorganized thinking. You are under the unfortunate delusion that simply because you run away from danger, you have no courage. You're confusing courage with wisdom."  ~Wizard of Oz

 "Just follow the yellow brick road."  ~Glinda

"A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others."

~Wizard of Oz

the morning after...not exactly Emerald City!

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Skies are blue,

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far

Behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me."

 In Memory of Nancy ~ 1952-2010

"Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable."

-The Wizard of Oz

Click here to read the full text of the Tribute to Nancy which was read at the Opening Ceremony of the 2011 Relay for Life.