A NEW OBSESSION . . .

The groundhog’s prediction is old news, but Mike and Kathy saw their shadows on Saturday and have crawled back into the town house for another three or four weeks while things dry out at the farm. Meanwhile, the house sits there waiting for us. Ina (my farmhouse persona based on my grandmother) is disappointed.

A couple of weeks ago, you might recall, I came upon a pair of mugs at my P.E.O. chapter’s rummage sale and discovered them to be of Pfaltzgraff’s “Pistoulet” line. The designs of these colorful stoneware dishes are based on the illustrations of a book, The Secrets of Pistoulet, by Jana Kolpen. Pistoulet is an imaginary farmhouse in the south of France, kind of a retreat, I think. I like it better and better the more I know about it.

Well, our own farmhouse has been redecorated, inviting a brighter palette of colors. The apple-themed grocery store dishes have to go, and I’m considering replacing with “Pistoulet.”

Bess naps while I write

When we attempted to reach the farmhouse on Saturday (see previous post), I was carrying along one of the mugs to see how the colors would look in the dining room – you know, instead of just buying a full set of dishes and risking that I might not like them. But alas! I didn’t make it to the house. Mike walked the mug there and now it’s waiting for me.

Oh well. Never mind. I’ve already started inching along toward collecting these dishes. First, I bought the book. Published in 1996, plenty of used copies are available at an affordable price. My copy came the other day – just a simple little story that can be read in an hour but filled with delightful images.

Then I began researching the dishes. I don’t think the line is discontinued, but some pieces have been and are available in good used condition from various sellers. And buying that way is just fine with me. I found a teapot on sale with free shipping. I had to have it! It came today. Isn’t it cute? KW

MORE ADVENTURE THAN I CAN STAND . . .

The beauty of early spring -- also treacherous as snow becomes soft and melts

With warmer weather, Mike sees weeds popping out everywhere on the town property. He wants to spray them, but in order to do that, he needed the sprayer from the farm. The thing is, we didn’t know the state of the road – how much snow, how much mud, etc. Looking at the weather forecast, we decided to make a Saturday afternoon road trip to the farm. “At least we’ll have a nice outing,” we agreed. Hmmmm.

Pete and Mike survey the situation

Coming onto the road

The presence of snow increased as we climbed Gilbert Grade, but the road was just muddy and maybe a little slick. That last mile into the farm had been cleared but not by the County. We stopped at the top of Plank’s Pitch and Mike scouted on foot. He saw we could make it to the lane, and so we did, but on the other side of the gate we were stopped by soft snow and softer ground. Water was running freely on both sides of the road.

Out -- but not over yet

Stuck again

We had no choice but to back out, and here’s where we made the fatal error. I should have gotten out to guide the driver, but neither one of us thought of it. Once we were out of the snow, the road was muddy and slick. Nearing the charred pine tree on the west side where the road meets our lane, we got too close. The canopy on the Dakota scraped the tree and over we went. At that point, Mike gunned it, which was the right thing to do in a wrong situation. The pick-up didn’t roll, and we traveled parallel to the road for some feet until we really were stuck – mired in mud and water.

Worse yet -- scary!

Mike got out and opened the back of the Dakota. Oblivious to our plight, Bess said, “What a great place to park, Mike,” and jumped out to explore and hunt rodents. While Mike and I were stressed, she had a truly good day!

We knew we needed help. I said we should call Neighbor Pete, but Mike called our insurance for roadside assistance. Calling insurance companies is never a simple matter, but it’s even more difficult when you have to climb to a high point for phone service. Two hours later, we were informed that no one would come to our rescue. As this process unfolded, Mike walked up the lane to the house and got the sprayer. Mission accomplished!

It wasn't cold -- shirtsleeve weather mid-day. And I knew even if we couldn't find help, we could be safe and warm at the house -- perhaps even find food. I also knew that a call to son Clint would get us home even if we had to leave the Dakota for a while. I wasn't panicked.

Finally able to back out

Okay – but we just had to turn to the neighbors, much as we hated to confess our plight and / or bother them. Long story short, Neighbor Pete came with his powerful old tractor – whatever he calls that machine – and was our hero once again. The photos show the progression. [Blogger doesn’t like to post a lot of photos – six is about max.]

I think we arrived in the gully about 1:30. It was 5:30 when we left Gilbert, relieved that our ordeal was over. No one was hurt, and the Dakota wasn’t damaged. KW

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Spring is on its way. The snow is rapidly melting in temps that daily reach 50 or more. The first crocus bloom. Spirits are lifted, and people are cheerful. But – don’t plant the garden yet. All danger of frost is not past.

Saturday (March 16) my P.E.O. Chapter held its annual rummage sale. The date was early, but shoppers came out in droves and stood in long lines to buy their used goods, just glad for the opportunity to get out of the house and go “yard saling.” It proved to be great timing. We netted more than $2300.

Our sisters bring wonderful things to the sale, and this year, I donated a few treasured keepsakes myself – those things that are carefully wrapped in tissue paper, stored in boxes, and will never see the light of day again. The way I look at it, for the price of my things and an additional monetary donation, I can cart away other things. As I explained this to one of the husband helpers, he suggested we forget the sale and just make the monetary donation. Yes, we’re a group of mostly seniors and working the sale is harder every year.

Anyway, here are some things I brought home:

·    Two mugs in Pfaltzgraff’s “Pistoulet” pattern, which I happen to be considering for the farmhouse. This is surely a sign and will give us a chance to assess the colors before making a decision.

·      Two salad bowls in a Gibson pattern – pretty but maybe not keepers.

·      Doll – a very well loved “My First Huggums” by Madame Alexander, 1977. This doll is another repair challenge. I just can’t pass up these orphans – or a Madame Alexander face.

·      Three books for Mike, including Grisham’s The Reckoning, which he has been waiting to read.

·      A copper pot – perhaps for small wood near the fireplace.

·      A bag of sewing trims and scraps – not great but left at the end of the sale.

·      A Corning “Cornflower” 6-cup casserole with lid

·      . . . and other odds and ends

An item overlooked for the listing is the ancient Mickey Mouse cookie cutter. At least, I think it's a cookie cutter. What else could it be?

 

And Mike’s personal find was an “Old Hickory” knife out of a box of kitchen utensils. The individual who donated it said it was the first knife her husband had given her after they were married. Mike wasted no time refurbishing both the handle and the blade, and it’s now at home in my knife block.

Casserole pieces in Corning’s “Cornflower” pattern disappear with the first wave of shoppers, but the “Spice of Life” pattern does not. Isn’t that interesting? A 6-cup casserole in “Spice of Life” was left at the end of the sale, so I brought it home, but again, perhaps not to keep.

In the end, clean-up seemed easier than usual. I don’t think we had as much stuff this year, especially in bedding and clothing, but a lot of stuff went out the door with the shoppers. I have yet to determine exactly what folks want, but perhaps our adopted slogan just fits: “Something for everyone.” KW