HIGH BUTTON SHOE

HIGH BUTTON SHOE

High Button Shoe

the farm update &

the tilda collection

April 4, 2007

...the calendar says spring, but Mother Nature says a different story. Today could only be described as 'blustery'. It is cold and the wind is absolute horizontal blowing snow. Not unlike spring in northern Michigan often is. Falsely leading me to believe the days and weeks of yard work is worth all the muscle pain and aches, probably all those flowers and herbs that were several inches tall after I took the winter leaves off them, will now freeze. I worked in the farm house for a few hours today and made my way there walking braced against the wind. Still, getting the mail from the mailbox, with the wind catching it as it slid out, I made a mad dash all the way across the yard, catching up to it where it finally caught in tall grasses, only to find it was a Blue Cross premium bill. WHICH was to inform me that they are raising the monthly premiums another $120 a month! After I pay the premiums each month I can barely afford to get a sliver and go to the doctor! Still, I guess I would prefer not to lose that. Thankfully it toppled over and over across the yard and not down the road or I might still be following it!

I gave some thought to having the snow tires taken off the truck, but may give that a couple weeks yet. I HAD however, put my arctic packs away, and had to go dig them out this morning, as I perceived that my mules probably would not keep my feet warm in the snow. I thought this morning of Miss Elspeth (www.pineberrylane.com) & www.rantingraven.com/Exhibit165.php of Wisconsin. Her last newsletter told of her garden and the thriving soon to be herbs. As most of our weather comes directly from the west, I can only assume she got this yesterday or the day before, and wondered how her plants were fairing? She reports a bumper crop of tansy this year. I probably would have the same, by the looks of what was already coming. However, in the spot it is growing right off the walk of the farmhouse (and last year was somewhat out of control), the resident farmer (the other half of this farm) has told me to either transplant some of it, or it will fall heir to some RoundUp. With a frown and knowing he will do it, Beu and me will dig it up and plant it elsewhere. Sometimes I push him a little too far in my plants that tend to be wild and invasive and spread but his frown is far more fierce than mine! Often it is good simply to admit to defeat and do what he wants! Beu is dragging home (to this house) several of the old yard junk pieces I had, so they are merely making a yard change. We are predicted to have snow for the next several days. Oh joy! as goodest friend RhettaMae often tells me when the prospects of somethings are less than favorable. Oh JOY, indeed.

We are making good progress with the farmhouse. I know you want more pictures, but it is difficult to take a mesmerizing great picture when there is still so much 'stuff' sitting around. Today I cleaned the old checkout counter off and out, and all around it. What a great old piece. I will be offering it on eBay soon. There will be pictures of it on the website at the same time but not the pricing. It will be offered with a 'pickup only' shipping feature. The marble 6' top alone is barely moveable let alone the counter. If indeed you are interested in an old, peely paint sage green counter (it has the brass piece on the front telling where it came from) , with great detail on the front and the back is all shelves, with a one inch thick piece of old marble covering the entire top, AND you would come to pick it up, contact me for pricing. It would make either a great checkout counter as I used it for OR an incredible island for a kitchen or gathering room. But please don't tell me you are going to strip the paint OR worse yet, cut one end off!!!! I tend to have breathing problems when I am told these things! These pieces are far too difficult to find anymore!!

We got the new kitchen sink and faucets in yesterday. Oh MY! Better than I had even hoped for. I absolutely love it!

Worth every cent of that faucet price! I have yet to paint the upper cupboards, as painting has been replaced for a moment by cleaning and clearing. I will begin taking some pictures of items for sale that are there, from the farmhouse. Things I have collected for many years and things that I had in the shop. Several things were used for display pieces and while I still love them, I cannot keep it all. That request/order comes from the farmer, but I know he's right. So it will be a pick and choose.

Beulah updated the website last night. We have added some Mothers Day samplers and a card. There are new samplers in the sampler icon in the gallery. I will be showing more of these in the next few weeks. We added to the tilda collections, www.highbuttonshoe.net/tilda6.htm

and added a few more to some of the other pages. Check www.highbuttonshoe.net/farmupdate.htm and see the newest dates and you will know where the new stuff is.

I have 4 new dolls that will be uploaded probably tonight in the dolls icon in the gallery. And I sent Beu a few more pictures today to be uploaded. So more new things will show in the next day or so. I believe she will be adding some more pictures to the farmhouse too. They are seen in the gallery under 'farm'.

I am tired today. This fresh air of spring( along with gale force winds and a wind chill of the North Pole) about kills me. And I have given up chocolate (stuffed in the glove box, my coat pockets, under the truck seat, under the couch, behind the laundry basket), red licorice and CoffeeMate in my beloved coffee. As my coffee always has to be a right color with coffeemate added, I suspect I was partaking far too much of that good stuff, so now without it and drinking coffee black...I am not liking my coffee too swell. Used to more, the less.. cuts back on my energy too. I suppose eventually I will get used to it, but for the time I drink it only to save myself from the 3 day headache of withdrawal of caffeine, not for the pure enjoyment of sitting with a great cup of coffee. The healthier choice of 64 ounces of water simply does NOT bring the same enjoyment!

Ranting Raven was released on the 1st, as always. We can be found at www.rantingraven.com/Exhibit95.php While there be sure to check out PineBerryLane.

Ok, I brought home some old paper work from a box in the farmhouse that dates back decades ago, some to the 1800's, so I will fix myself a cup of black coffee (yuk) and mosey around in them for awhile. I am framing old documents to put up in the old farmhouse.

Please check out the new stuff on the website. Thank you for your requests to see more pictures of the farmhouse progress. Each day brings us one day closer to the move. I am thinking maybe mid May. But it is not a date set in stone, so we are flexible. Of course, you know me and deadlines. It appears I NEED deadlines to keep me on an even course. Otherwise I tend to un-focus.

Thanks for asking to be a part of our farm! The journey we are now taking is an huge challenge and a most rewarding one.

If you prefer not to receive newsletters, reply with remove and I will oblige you.

in fond regard, Tilda,

no fingernails, no red licorice,

a thriving rosemary,

and still waiting for spring.