@HIGH BUTTON SHOE
2nd Part of March
Good morning! It is a beautiful one here in northern Michigan. Cool enough that I have a fire in the wood stove, warming me up, along with the second pot of coffee perking away. I only get one cup of the first pot, as Ronnie takes it all with him to work. So about this time of the morning, I need something more to get my day going along. The sunshine surely helps! Oddly, I don't find myself so affected by the time change to daylight savings time as I usually am each year. I drag around for months with that, and finally about the time I get myself acclimated to it, it changes back! I did get the 13 clocks in the house changed ahead. The one in the shop that you would see, apparently is stuck at 9:15, so I need to dig out a big ladder and get up there to put another battery in. That is a major undertaking, so I haven't done that yet. But the real major clock change is the one in my truck. I hate changing that one, and usually wait until Ron can't stand it any longer and he does it. Works every time! That one is 3 minutes fast and one hour off the other way. So I just mentally adjust.
The VCR one is 1 minute fast and one hour off. Again, adjust! Come to think of it, most of my clocks in the house aren't right. The one on the microwave is right on. So I go by that one, if I have to be right on. Oh, and Beulah told me last night, my computer time is one hour ahead of what it should be. Good grief! She explained me to how to change that.... un-huh. I know you can see my computer NOT brain wheels grinding along in ssslllllloooooowwww motion, trying to absorb what she told me to do. So, you will have to adjust to my time, also. What ever happened to just plain clocks?The shop reopened for the 2004 season a couple weeks ago. So I am juggling my time between working and making items for retail, wholesale, crow soup, ranting raven, and yard work. And fit in there somewhere that Ron expects clean underwear and a couple meals a day. Today the agenda is planned around getting the front porch of the shop from looking like a left over winter storm to a perfect spring setting. And washing some windows. Depending on which radio/TV station you listen to, we are supposed to have a week of rain/sunshine/warm/cool.?..but didn't mention snow! So I will take my chances and wash some windows.The turkeys are slowly coming back. We didn't have them here all winter. Last year, a neighbor got a new lab puppy when the old beloved' Cosby' died. Jasper quickly grew as labs do, and comes to see us when his masters leave. Old Cosby never chased the turkeys, but Jasper does. After about 4 times of this, the turkeys found another home about a mile away. I can "visit" them, on my way into town. It is so good to see the ones I recognize. Trust me. You can tell who is who in some of the groups. There are in smaller groups now with breeding and nesting. But the ones who are used to being here still come running when you call them, to be fed. One must be one of the babies of my beloved "mama turkey", who died 2 years ago. She acts exactly as her mother did, and talks the entire time she is eating. She brings back such lovely memories of her mother. I spend way too much time with these turkeys!You might also be interested to know that the pussywillows are coming out! Mindful of the mud fiasco of last spring, I am waiting a tad longer to go in search of them. The swamps are full of the frogs singing their songs of praise of spring (or more likely the other frogs!), but I haven't ventured back to the swamps yet. May have to schedule that for later today. I told you before the best things come from swamps!! pussywillows, dead Christmas trees, frog songs....it just makes your heart smile!I have been making dolls again. They won't be ready for crow soup this month, but will be on our website within the next two weeks. Check them out.www.crowsoup.com comes out tomorrow on April 15th as it does on the 15th of each month. We are at http://www.crowsoup.com/Market586.phpClick on that and it will take you into us, with NEW items available tomorrow morning. However, as you are on my mailing list, you can see them NOW on our website with this advance notification. www.highbuttonshoe.net Click on the ranting raven icon and it will show now what we are showing for crow soup. The makedo's are $32.00, the egg carton (only 1) is $19.95Buelah took new pictures of the shop and they are available on the tour of the shop icon. Also we have some new items featured in the new items icon.The trends, which I never particularly follow myself, preferring to rely on my own taste and instinct (remember mini skirts and cat eyeglasses and Neru suits???, rather than being told how to decorate.... are telling us that blacks and mustards are strong this year. Bold colors of reds, along with the sage green and still popular grungy whites (aka shabby chic) still remain strong. Decorate the way YOU like. I, of course, love primitives! Didn't know that, did ya? Pears, crows, strawberries, makedo's, are all big. You can find all of these on our website. See if these will work for you! We also are carrying the original paint old roof tin stars, featured on HGTV, from Pennsylvania. These are original materials, NOT reproduction. See these on the dining room section of the shop tour. Sizes 22" and 29" available in sage green, off white, and old red.BrunieMae (www.saltboxfarm.com) has been busy this spring. They are expanding their shop and will include Old Village Paint, Historical Stencils, Country Manor furniture, and a new line of fabric with this added room. Hum. Fabric? I'm in trouble! We are busy together getting great new spring lines in for you. I am salivating with the thoughts of the glass cloches that are coming!And we have a trip planned back to Indiana to pick up some great junk stuff!!Remember to mark your calendars (area people) for her June 19th event at the shop. Also I will tell you again later about this, but remember our Garage Sale. The date isn't definite yet. Probably Memorial Weekend. GREAT sale of our regular items!! When I know for definite the dates, I will post them on the calendar of events on the website and the answering machine will also tell of it.I have found a new friend, whose talents for makedo's is outstanding! Her way with words, even better! I have Miss Hortense makedo from her, and Miss Eustis is in route as we speak. Her Miss Judy sits on my red cupboard in the dining room. While we have established her new name as Miss Elspeth (our crazy name thing we are doing) , her given name is Wendy Stys-Van Eimeren. She sells off www.rantingraven.com . And her website is www.PineBerryLane.com If that doesn't work click on her on the raven. We find we love the same things. Mostly toads, pussywillows, herbs, spring, including mud! , red winged blackbirds, crows, pears and the list is endless.....I am finding great inspiration from her. Thanks Miss Elspeth.Okay, I certainly have given you enough to look at! And I suppose as today is a work day, I probably better change my paint shirt, coral my hair, and get cleaned up to open the shop.Thanks for asking to be a part of our farm. I wish you could all visit in person! Coffee on my front porch, watching the every changing herb beds and flowers is most calming. As I am still facing JURY duty, I may find myself there several times today. Drats! I really HATE doing this!! As I mentioned before, I think I would have to be dead to get excused. If you don't hear from me for a while, I may be in contempt....in fond regard,Miss Clotilda