Alice In Wonderland - Tea Party Clip (HQ)

The Mad Hatter's Daughter. Junk Jubilee Prep.

The Mad Hatter's Daughter.
: )
Liz is making 'Mad Hatter' Hats... for Junk Jubilee.
oh my.
: ) : ) : )

Pal, Dave J. called today... and asked if I had any interest in some Vintage Concrete Statuary.
: )
oh my.
I picked up several pieces...from him, this Eve. <3
LOVE The Bunny.
I thought of Peg, {The Mad March Hare } the Moment... I saw it.
She... would have LOVED... Him! : )
He's a 'keeper'... and will live, down the rabbit hole. <3
The other... Pieces are for sale.
There is a Darling Pair, of  'Little Fishmongers'....
{Old...Grungy... and Gnarly.... <3 }
<3
Below, is the Little Girl. : ) The Boy is as Sweet. <3

Liz and me... unloaded the Truck, yesterday.
Getting ready for Junk Jubilee, April 29th, 30th and May 1st.
{At The Fairgrounds, in Des Moines!}
I had nearly sold out of our Room Sized Vintage Rugs, we use in our booths, last Fall.
Thankfully...
Several More, have found their way, here. : )
They, are getting fewer... and farther... in between.
They Wear... like Iron.
and, clean up... Beautifully.
Most, are Wool... from the early 1900's.
Love 'em!
They make our Booths, feel 'cozy'. : )
Most 'Shows' don't require 'Floor Coverings'...
but, I've Always... used them.
Heart of Country, in Nashville... 'required' them.
: )
They make such... a difference. : )

I started cleaning some of the things, from the 1870's House...
I can't get back there, to clean out the contents of the Root Cellar, until the Weather Holds.
{Rain... the next few days. }

Daughter, Liz... found these Sweet Little Chairs.... on her  'Travels' the other day.
They are going to Junk Jubilee...too. : )
Our Booth... is going to be Very... Fun.
: )
Lot's of Vintage... Upholstered Pieces. : )
It's gonna be...
'Gypsy'...
'Bohemian'...
'Farm'...
'Garden'...
in a Nut Shell...
'The Rabbit Hole'.
'Mad'....
: )

Thanks, so Much... to Everyone who Popped in, Sunday.
<3
It was a Busy Day.
I Need...LOTS of Busy Days.
oh my.
: )
Love, to ya...
Barb C.

Steve Miller Band - ROCK 'N ME

Junk...Magnet. oh my.

Holy... Smokes!
So Much...
has been finding it's way.... down the rabbit hole.
oh  my.
I've come, to realize....
I'm a 'Junk'... Magnet.
: )
I'll be Open.... after 1:00 Saturday and Sunday.
Come...
Dig.
: )
Love, to ya...
Barb C.
{The First... many hours... of this day, were C R A P.
Literally.}
If...
It...
Could Go Wrong.
It
Did.
Jethro, tho... Humiliated....
and me, had a Great Time, in a few hours...
at the end, of this day. }
: )
Blessings. <3

Love..... <3

I Dragged....
Pushed...
Pulled...
sometimes...
an Inch....at a Time...
through dirt, the Iron Steps.... were buried in.
'Monster'.
Wild Raspberries... were growing up.... through them.... oh my.
{Thorns...Lot's of Thorns.... }
I couldn't quit.
{almost did... This Bad Boy.... almost... 'licked me'.}
but...
I knew... if I left 'em....
Someone... with a Cutting Torch... would make them more....
'Manageable'.
: ( : ( : (
They must...weigh.... 300 pounds.
{or better. }
but... It Is... The Coolest....Gnarliest... Moss Covered...
Monster...
oh my.
and...
They are Home.
 : )
{We used a Chain Hoist.... to get the Grinding Stones... from the Loft. : ) }
That... was day before... yesterday.
oh my.
Loads....and....Loads. 

I just keep adding.... to That Gnarly... Galvanized....Pile. : ) 

Took Jethro...
{Mustang}
out....to Stretch His Legs... today.
After a Long....Winter's Nap.
: )
Gave him a Bath...
then...
I found a Bunch...of Junk... to buy. : )
I Filled Him Up... Inside...and, in the Trunk. : )
{He... was Humiliated! <3 }
Not His...Style.
He can't Take me Anywhere!!!
{I'm a 'Junk Magnet!'... }
I WILL...have him Cleaned Out.... Early...in the Morn!!!!
John Would Have a Fit!
{Trust me... this isn't the First time...
 I've treated our 'Good' Cars... like a 'Truck'....: ) }
I always had 'em Cleaned Out... and Sparklin'... before John Knew. : )
{Somehow... I think... he 'Knew'... : ) }
<3 <3 <3
{ bought an 1870's Fruit/ Root Cellar's.... Contents....tonight, with Jethro. : )
Containing...
Two Pie Safes....
{ROUGH...but...So....Cool!!! }
and TONS....of Old...Old... Jars.
 and...
'Miscellaneous'
oh dear.
I...Love...
'Miscellaneous'....
: )
The Fun Never Ends.
: )
I'll take The Ford.... on that...Run...to Pick Up. : ) }

A Load... of Galvanized.... and Rusty...Toys... found it's way... to the Rabbit Hole's... door, today. More coming...tomorrow!

Friends... are cleaning out their Mom's Estate.... and brought a Big Load....

of Great... Plantable.... Containers... 

Just in Time....

for 'Spring'. : )

They also brought... several...little...Old...Rusty...Trikes, for 'The Garden'....

and... a Very... Cool... Chain Driven.... Pedal Tractor!

Fun...Stuff!!!

More, coming... tomorrow!

I plan to be Open... this weekend.

Still... have many mountains... to climb....and much sorting and cleaning.

Love...to ya.

Barb C.

Found Loads... of Vintage Flower Frogs.... as I was cleaning the shop... the other day.
oh my.
I piled 'em on the Old Snail. : )
He didn't seem to mind.
: )
Much... 'Garden'... is popping up.... all Over. : ) 

Feist - Sea Lion Woman

A Songbird... Sings.

Peg.... slipped into Heaven... this morning.

I... came home... yesterday, afternoon.

Peg's Granddaughter, Delaney... had to come back to Cedar Rapids....

and... needed a ride.

It was time for me... to come home... too.

I...felt... Peg, was on her 'Journey'... night before...last.

Peg was surrounded... every Moment... by her Loving Family. 

She...was Blessed.

as... is... her Family. 

When I spoke with Mike, Peg's Beloved.... this morn....

I told him... to watch.... for 'Winks'. : )

Dad sends 'em.... John...sends 'em... I Know... Peg... will too.

<3

I asked him... to be sure... and pay attention. 

Many times... we look past them.

He began to cry.....and said... "There was a Songbird.... right outside...the window, where Peg was resting.... that came... and Sang... to Peg.... at 6:30..this morning...." : )

Mike thinks... it was Peg's Mama.... calling Peg... Home. : )

I...think so too. 

Peg and her Mom... were Sooooo Close. : ) 

She and I... felt so Blessed... 

Peg... by her Mama....

me...

by my Dad. : )

We talked Often... about them.... over the years. <3

Peg's Daughters.... Sarah and Melissa... {Mel <3}... haven't left Peg's side.... for weeks.

All of the Granddaughters... and Great Granddaughters.... were with Peg... until... yesterday.

Chelsea... Peg's Granddaughter, who now lives in Texas... was asking Peg... what her Favorite Bird....is.

: )

Peg said.... "All of Them....: ) "

yes.... Peg.... Loved.... Birds. Nature.... in Every Way.

Peg, with Granddaughter.... Chelsea. <3

Peg's little Charlie.... stayed near her.... or in her bed... much of the time.

: )

After Chloe passed away... last year... Peg was Lost. Thankfully, Daughter, Sarah...located another little Soul.... who needed Love.... 

Charlie.... has been Quite a Gift.... to Peg. <3

Peg and Charlie... <3
{Mike and Granddaughter, Alex.... sitting.. }

When Michael... called, last Friday.... I knew.... things were bad.

Peg had been taking a new medication, that she stressed.... works for some... but...for others.... like, herself... makes cancer grow... faster.

In no time... the cancer had spread to her breast.

The Mayo Clinic... radiated her breast... for comfort.

there was no stopping it.

We all thought... she'd have many months.

Last week... she was getting cramps... in her abdomen.

Seems... her intestines... had perforations.

Peg decided...to have the surgery... at that time....to repair them.

When they took a ct scan.... they found her pelvis... also... had masses of cancer.

{that hadn't been there....a few months ago. }

Peg has only...one...good lung. They felt... seeing the cancer... in her pelvic area.... it would all be...too risky... and... maybe... she wouldn't make it through the surgery....at all. 

When I walked in the door... 

{at her Home... Peg... was so Blessed...to have her Family... taking Care... of her...at Home... <3 }

I knelt down... beside her.... and she began to cry.

"Barbara...Barbara.... Barbara... my.... Barbara."....

: ) : ) : ) 

"My... 'Sister'... I never...had. "

: ) : ) : ) 

Peg... rarely cried.... except.... when I was with her.

She was So Strong.... 

She... Worried....So... about her Family... and didn't want them...to worry about her.

: (

but... with me....

she knew.....

'We Understood'... 

each other.

: )

We had many.... little laughs..... : ) over the days.... as I shared.... 'My Life... with Peg'.... 

with her Family and Friends... who came to visit. : )

{per, Peg's request... : ) } 

She was... The Mad March Hare. : )

I...am... The Mad Hatter.

Peg Loved.... coming to the rabbit hole.... and... for The Life of Me.... 

I Never...could Understand...

'WHY'????

: )

I've asked her that... So Many Times....over the years.

"Why.... Do You Keep Coming Back???? We Work So Hard.... "

She'd look at me... Every Single Time....

her eyes.... would well up.... and tears.... would fall.

she'd say... "You... don't understand.... : ) What a Gift.... This Is... for me."....

no.... I couldn't.

{I told her... years ago... when she knocks at Heaven's Gates.... just tell the Lord.... you've served your 'Purgatory' down the rabbit hole!!! and He'd Better have a Cushy Place... in Heaven... for You!!! }

I Truly.... couldn't...understand.... until now.

Peg...was an Amazing.... Artist.

Peg.... Shined.... when she was Busy...'Creating'. 

and...

through all of the Hellish... Work....

Peg.. Created Beauty...

Wondrous....

Beauty.

and...: ) 

there was... 

'Laughter'.

: ) : ) : ) 

We Laughed....and Laughed....and Laughed....

until...

we cried.

: )

oh my. 

We both shared... so Much.... of ourselves.... with each other.

Things... our Beloveds... will never hear. 

Things... we wouldn't want our Families to worry about. 

We could confide... in each other. 

Priceless....

Priceless....

<3

Yesterday afternoon.... as the Granddaughters.... were leaving, and... I was preparing...to take Delaney... home...

it was the first time.... I noticed.... Peg and I... were alone.

I knelt... by her side.... whispered in her ear...

"Hey.... Little Girl...: ) I'm taking Delaney... home. 

The Angels...are All Around You... : ) I can 'Feel' 'em... : ) 

and... remember...

'That Place'... between 'Sleep' and 'Awake'... : ) 

 That's where I'll be waiting for you.  : ) : ) : )  

'Peter Pan'... : ) : ) : )

I'll be seeing you. : ) 

I Love You.... I Always... Will..."

She opened her Beautiful.... Blue eyes... they... 'smiled'...: ) 

I felt Peg.... crossing over... on her 'Journey'...night before last.

I couldn't have left her.... otherwise.

but.... somehow.... 

I knew... Mike, Sarah....and Mel.... needed this time, alone... with Peg.

I also... knew... there was Nothing... else.... I could do for her. 

Peg... was in The Arms.... of The Angels.

She felt little, or no pain.... throughout. 

It was a Gift.... to have Delaney... ride with me...Home.

She's 19...and...we barely spoke....to one another... the days we spent at Peg's.

but...

we Talked and Laughed.... all the way. 

{and... cried a few times. }

I shared 3 Hours.... of 'Mad March Hare'...Stories.... with her.

: )

Delaney had No Idea.... : ) What her 'Grandma'...was like... down the rabbit hole. : )

she said... she wished... she could have been with us.... on our Excursions....

I told her.... I wished.... she would've been...too. : ) : ) : ) 

We all.... are Multifaceted....

I...didn't know Peg... as a 'Mom'... 'Grandma'.... or...'Wife'....

but...

I Sure 'Knew' her..... 

as 'The Mad March Hare'.... : )

as...my....

'Best Friend'...

and...

as...

my...

'Beloved... 'Soulmate'... 

: )

<3 <3 <3 

Peg's Family.... wants me to Be SURE.... and THANK YOU.... for All of Your Prayers.

Nearly 5 years ago.... The Mayo Clinic.... said... they thought.... she 'might'... have a year.

In the last... nearly 5 years.... 

She has seen two... Beautiful.... Great Granddaughters.... be Born....

and Enjoy... them.

: )

See... two... of her Granddaughters.... be Married.... and Enjoy... their Wonderful Husbands...

{One... came.... {Spencer }this last week.... and gave Peg...Many....Foot Rubs!!! }

yes....

Peg... was Blessed.

We...

All were Blessed...

by Peg.

Please, continue to Pray.... for Michael... Mel....and Sarah.

They, as you would expect.... are Broken. 

I Thank You...So Much.... for Loving Peg... and Keeping her... in your Prayers. 

Love, to You...All.

Barb C.

{I met Peg... through her Mother in Law.... Geri.

Geri... didn't drive....so, her friends... would drive her here. : )

One day.... Peg, was 'the Chauffeur'  : ) : ) : ) 

We became... The Best... of Friends.... nearly 20 years ago. : )

That little Rabbit Hole..... has Sure.... Blessed.... Us All. 

It's been my Sanctuary.... from the beginning....

Peg's.... too. <3 <3 <3 }


{The Angel... on the top image..... was sitting in the drive.... when I pulled in, from Peg's.... yesterday.
It's my Favorite.... 'Angel'.... figure.... of all time.
My Friend, Gayle N. called last week, and asked... if I'd like her. : ) She said... she wasn't 'perfect'... but, knew... I never cared...about... 'perfection'. : )
I'd forgotten... our conversation.
but...
I burst.... in to tears... when I saw it.
<3
What a Beautiful.... Beautiful... Angel.
at...
the Most.. Perfect....'time'. <3 }


The Feist Tune...above... was Peg's....Favorite....'Rabbit Hole'...tune.
: )
Oh My...
No Matter... how Exhausted...we were.... Peg.... Flew.... when this Tune....came on the 'player'... <3
That Girl... Could Move Mountains......
and...
Sprinkle...Fairy Dust...All Over 'em.... no matter.... how...Weary.... she was.
: )
<3 <3 <3

Mary Hopkin - Those were the days

The Open House... Saturday and Sunday... is Cancelled.

Just... received the call...

from Michael...

 Peg's... Adoring... Husband.

Peg... is in trouble.

the kind....of trouble... we can't fix.. here, on Earth.

I'm headed to Missouri.

My Polly.... is...also... in trouble.

I don't think... she's going to make it... through the weekend.

{we slept... most of the night, last night....on the kitchen floor...

 She seems...a bit... better, today. I hope... I can be with her... too.... when she goes 'Home'.

Liz... is coming, to stay...with her. <3

Please... Keep 'Our Peg'... <3...Michael....and Their Beautiful... Beautiful...

Family... 

in Your Prayers... <3

and.. 

 my Polly...too. <3

{She and Peg... have kept me alive... these last.... couple of years.
They... are Angels... <3
I've Truly... been Blessed...
 having Them... in my life. <3 <3 <3  }

Thank You All... from Peg...Michael... me....

and...

Polly...

for 

Your Continued...

Prayers.

<3 <3 <3