HIGH BUTTON SHOE

HIGH BUTTON SHOE

High Button Shoe

the farm update

& the Tilda Collections

...Ranting Raven is up and I barely am. I am at least getting this to you on the right day. I am functioning on the last remaining brain cell and it is fading fast. The move to the farmhouse is almost done. Done being a word, usually that denotes complete. Done in this case rather than complete means, our furniture is in the farmhouse. The collections are either in the farmhouse or stacked DEEP in one garage stall of the pole barn. Starting out weeks and months ago packing uncharacteristically of my usual methods, I labeled each box with what was IN the box and secured the list TO the box, therefore being able to easily recognize at a glance what was in the box. Then made a copy of that list and put it in a file. That worked for a while. In the end, you just throw it in the box, don't make a list, don't mark the box, don't care what is in the box, just so the box isn't sitting in the middle of the living room anymore. It is now sitting in that pile big enough to hold the truck and snowplow. I realize I will pay for this practice later. But at the time, it seemed rational. And I don't think I can remember where I put the file that has the lists in it.

We have slept in the farmhouse since last Saturday. The only furniture left here in this house, where the computer remains on a makeshift table, is the stove and frig, the big antique TV armoire which is now pushed to the sliding doors to go onto the deck to be moved this evening. Ron's new chair, and the couch, the washer and dryer, AND the dust. You may recall my experience with my vacuum cleaner last summer and my trip to the vacuum repair and buy a new vacuum place. Not wanting to create the same scene again, when the owner obviously doesn't understand duct tape and rubber bands to hold my wand together, and probably remembers me well, thus being the reason I was there in the FIRST place...to buy a new wand..... I have somehow, one of the reasons contributing to my fading remaining brain cell, have LOST the vacuum cleaner wand. While admitting to piles of clothes that have to be gone thru yet, the years old stacks of things that lurked forgotten under the beds and hidden from sight by the bed skirts, but now are left in their piles, exactly the size of the bed frames, and full of probably 20 years of dust, ( WHAT was the purpose of those dust skirts if they didn't keep out the dust??? they obviously don't work!), I have searched under every pile, in every logical, every illogical place and the vacuum wand is GONE! So as pathetic as the wand was when I took it in last year, now I can't even take it in and say I need a new one. I must find that stupid duct taped wand. No pile will be left unturned. I need this like another hole in the head.

..so anyway, I planned to show some new things for ranting raven this time, only to be faced with the fact that "what was I thinking?". I don't have time to make anything, don't know where my material is, or my patterns, or my logic for that matter, as just when was I going to do this? So, instead, I am showing you new pictures of the farmhouse. Beu just changed some a couple days ago, but I just sent her the newest ones last night. (Like she has nothing to do but upload new pictures... but hopefully she will.) In the meantime the new photographs of the farmhouse can be found on raven at http://www.rantingraven.com/Exhibit95.php

Also be sure to check out the offerings of Miss Elspeth (Wendy) of PineBerryLane while there. Always a favorite artist of mine, I only have 4 pieces of folk art up yet in the farm and 2 of the pieces are hers. Yes, the rest are all packed away in boxes. But, I do know where I put those things. Wendy is at http://www.rantingraven.com/Exhibit165.php

Our kids (son and wife) have started their house west of our barn on the farm land in the middle of one hay field that is swaying in the wind now with spring growth soon to be cut and baled. I walk down a couple times each day to check progress and to visit with their only child, the golden retriever Abby. Cheryl continues to work downstate and is here as much as she can be, Steve is staying here on the farm and is part of the work crew, along with Ronnie. So things are hectic here to say the least. Beulah and family will be starting their move to this house, as soon as I do something with those 'piles' of things that litter the floors of every room. It will be a busy summer, with changes each day. Generally one who rejects and is mortified by change, I find myself embracing this move and the life changes we are making. We continue to have no place to put the broom, dust pan, iron and ironing board, our shoes, any coats. I have an old coat rack that I am considering nailing to the floor to hold a jacket in temporary. Used to closets that hold these things, I am finding it difficult that the house has only one closet! But I knew that going in. Just didn't realize how fully the impact of NO closets was.

We have taken down the Tilda Collections for a while off the website. It will be replaced soon, with new items. (Some out of that pile in the polebarn!) We will be taking down the Byers house tour, as there is nothing left here but piles, dust AND a missing vacuum wand. Oddly, I have found myself for weeks, "disconnecting" from this house, a feeling I never thought I would be able to achieve. Of course, with Beu living here I can visit as often as I want, so it is not like it is gone to me forever, as most of your houses you have left is. We built this house when we were just kids and know every inch of it, except of course, where the wand is. But I am so thoroughly in love with the farmhouse, I could not be happier. My life has taken some turns too, as some of you know, and for that I am very grateful.

Update on the rosemary. It lives still! It has grown to large size, in its place by the french doors. I still marvel that I have not killed it off. But this was said only in the least audible of whispers, as I still have time.

Update on turkeys. No babies yet. I scan the yards for them, but none yet.

Ok, back to work. Our power was off for an hour this morning, due to 'fixing' something, and I had to make a trip into UBC to pick up a trencher. Sometimes it takes little to throw me off kilter. Often it takes little. Today I am off kilter.

So check out our farm pictures, please, on ranting raven, and check out new ones as they come up on our website. www.highbuttonshoe.net check under the farm update or the icon the farm. Be sure to check the gallery too. We still have things there for sale, IF I can find them.... I will let you know when we get some new collections up. In the meantime, thanks for writing me wondering why you haven't gotten a letter and hoping I am ok. I am fine. Just tired.

In fond regard,

Tilda, no fingernails

no hairdo

no vacuum wand (mumble,mumble)

happy with my old farmhouse