HIGH BUTTON SHOE

November 2, 2006

 

There are months that are better left as a vague memory. October fits that description. With the last day of October only bringing us closer to the months of the dreaded snow (said only in the least audible whisper possible, as you know I hate snow), October was not a great month. When I last penned you a letter, we had already had snow on October 12 and 13th, dealt with power outages, lawns covered with masses of downed leaves, and weather not conducive to outside work. Nothing has changed. With only a trace of sunshine, we have had unseasonable cold, lots of rain, and at this moment it is snowing a blizzard outside the kitchen window. Never overly fond of the fall season, as it is short, and only the prelude to the dreaded snow season, which often lasts 6 months here.... this year we just didn't get fall. The leaves weren't pretty, and with little sunshine on what color there was, it was drab, dark and gloomy. Having said all that, I got the newsletter last night from Miss Elspeth of www.pineberrylane.com and who shows along with me on Ranting Raven and she wrote the most eloquent synopsis of seasons spent on her porch that it almost...... almost made fall seem for a moment pleasant.

 

"I think I love my front porch most at this time of the year.  Liberally decked with dried cornstalks, broom corn, grapevines, and wonderfully unusual pumpkins and squash from our farmer friend, it is a pleasant place to sit on a sunny autumn afternoon.  There are certain sounds I associate with each season.  In winter (aside from the joyous sound of Christmas carols) it is the sound of a dog barking on a clear, cold night when the smell of wood smoke graces the air.  In spring it is the much anticipated song of the red winged blackbirds returning – at first just a faint trilling far off in the distance and soon a cacophony as they make their way north by the hundreds. In summer it is the delightful sound of crickets chirring on a warm night while fireflies float on the air.  And in the autumn it is the soft rustle of the cornstalks on the porch.  A quiet, comforting sound that makes me feel introspective and thankful for the many blessings in my life."    (from Miss Elspeth)

Miss Elspeth can be found at www.rantingraven.com/Exhibit165.php  and we can be found at www.rantingraven.com/Exhibit95.php with our new offerings for the November month. We are showing once again our dried corn in the husks, (a drying feat that takes me weeks of corn stashed everywhere in the drying process, made difficult this year with the endless rain and sunless days..), our natural linen flax, perfect in an old wooden butter bowl or a basket.  Also 2 dolls I just finished. Thelberta and Omaline Piggott. I LOVE those names.  And they are from a family about 25 miles from here.  I do believe I shall have to start a continuing family usage of the Piggott name. They are rag stuf'd and have no faces, very simple dolls, wearing vintage handsewn dresses. The pictures are somewhat dark. Along with dark October weather, computer problems, and a temporary licorice suspension (oh no!), not only one, but BOTH of my digital cameras are on the fritz.  Probably a more accurate description would be I, am on the fritz.  Contemplating  having to digest the entire manual in a rare day of manual clarity, I diagnosed one camera as my media chip was probably old and simply bought a new one. That diagnoses was incorrect and the new chip doesn't work either.  So it has to be the camera settings aren't right. The other camera, the old one, that took the doll pictures and the new corn picture is showing them dark. With a flash it is so washed out you can barely see the item to photo.  My next plan of attack is to don my pathetic look and take both cameras up to Radio Shack where the grey haired man with a pony tail down his back AND knows cameras has helped me in the past. Perhaps he won't recall the pathetic woman of about 8 months ago who came in, didn't buy anything and wondered if he could help her with her camera.  I also have to remind myself to refrain from pitching them against the wall, as that probably would render any of his expertise in fixing them rather pointless. It has, however, crossed my mind.

Speaking of mind boggling efforts, I (myself, I DID THIS.. with only the slightest help from Beulah ) have changed my email address and will be phasing out the old one.  Our new address is      byersp@triton.net   The others you have on file will still be in effect for a while.  Paypal is the triton address.

I want to remind you of the SimpleGoods  primitive show coming up THIS SATURDAY, November 4 in Mt Vernon Ohio.  All info available on their website  www.simplegoods.net .  Also of The 16th Annual Homespun Holidays show in Breckenridge Michigan (near Saginaw), another great primitive show.  http://mysite.verizon.net/woolnsocks  on November 11  from 10-3.  And also Saturday Nov 4 is the Pig in the Poke primitive show at Nashville Michigan, from 10-4 I believe.

Many of you have written to request pairs of the red mittens knitted by my 80 year old friend Mrs Seeley. They are shown on our website and on our crow soup exhibit.  www.crowsoup.com/Market586.php  I visited with her this past week and she is busy knitting more pairs for me to keep up with the demand. We will continue to have these mittens for you to hang on your fireplace, lay in a bowl, or on a table..thru the holiday season.

Also for those of you who have subscribed to Mercantile Gatherings magazine, I have some back issues that I bought to sell in my shop available. It is my understanding that most of the back issues are no longer available.  We have the fall October 2004 and the summer edition 2005.  They are $8.00 each with shipping included. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

Also while cleaning out the magazines, which took most of one day.... as I had to leaf through each one of the WAY too many I had saved in baskets, drawers, cupboards and all the places we save those magazines...I found 5 issues of Early American Life that I almost thru away. June'92, 35th anniversary issue Feb 2005, Dec 2004, April 2005, and August 2004.  Price?  5 magazines for $8 with $4.00 shipping.  I still have an alcove of horded magazines to go thru, but will let that wait until my brain has forgotten the turmoil of this last disposing of my prized magazines

Lastly, I have experienced computer problems a lot in October, probably due to the miserable weather, (certainly could NOT be my computer skills!) and have not always been able to send out mail.  When I try to respond to an email you sent me, it comes back saying undeliverable...so IF you don't hear from me in a reasonable time, try again. Also wanted to mention that my mother fell last Saturday in her garage and broke her hip. She just had a hip replacement 6 weeks ago while I was off wallowing in the mud in Tennessee, and was recovering nicely from that when she broke the other hip.  So she just had surgery for that and will be in  the nursing home for rehab following the hospital stay. So my days are full of doctors appointments and hospital visits, and an overwhelming at times, sadness for a shrinking, aging mother who I sometimes barely recognize anymore.

Also, I just sent several pictures and descriptions to Beulah to upload to the website..of antique smalls and a few new folk art pieces. As she finds time, they will be showing on the website. These are GREAT primitive antiques.  Please continue to check out the website for new things to be added. We also will be showing the Gundrum Mercantile Collection Christmas card in the next couple weeks. If you want a truly wonderful card to send out for the holidays THIS one is it!

Thank you for asking to be a part of our farm.  Should you decide not to, please send me a remove with your name and I will oblige your request. 

in fond regard,  Tilda

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