Finding myself...

A beautiful day for a stroll through the park.

Jacket weather, light wind blowing on the prairie.

A little extra time to go the the second-hand store.

Feeling pretty comfortable in who I am, what I like.

I like these small teapots that come in the tea for one sets but don't like to have to commit to the heavy cups that come with them so this was a perfect buy.

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I like bunnies...

But then, all of a sudden...

out of the blue...

I spot this

I stand there staring at it and thinking, now what in the world would I do with that? Ya, I am not a farm gal. I have seen a chicken at the fair before (and of course plucked and pre-packaged in the store) but would I ever reach for an egg? I think not.

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and yet...

my hand reached out and took the fowl by the handles, I purchased the bird, and out we went to the car.

Most definitely a day for self-reflection. Just when you think you are really getting to know yourself you end up buying a wire fowl and asking yourself,

por que

(Spanish for but why)

and yet,

WHY NOT!!!

My diner look...

I worked in the 24-hour restaurant business as a waitress for about 8 years. Terms that might come to mind are slinging hash, greasy spoon, etc, but hey the hours were right, the money okay, and I didn't have to serve alcohol (didn't mind serving it too much, did not want to have to push it, or "suggestive sell it," personal decision). I met a lot of interesting characters during those years working third shift and first shift. So, after searching high and low in the thrift shops, this is what I have come up with. Cute little vintage tablecloth, salt and pepper shakers, sugar shaker, little vase, fake flowers, and cute little basket that works as a sugar packet container. Now all we need are some pancakes, eggs, and bacon to go on our Homer Laughlin plates! (We're gonna have to find a cook though, I just served the food, I didn't cook it!

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I also need to say happy birthday to my little companion..

That's our pocket pooch with her, Flynn. They love to play outside. Happy birthday Anabelle!

Here a chick...

Isn't it fun how some things just make you smile all the way through!

To the Scandinavians in Minot, North Dakota

A good portion of the people in Minot, North Dakota come from Scandinavia. Now it may have slipped your mind what countries make up Scandinavia...

The five countries that make up Scandinavia are: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.

Here in Minot they have the Scandinavian Heritage Park, we visited there last fall. They have a ginormous Dala horse there and other really cool things.

The Dala horse is a Swedish toy for children.

The name comes from its home province, Dalarna, in central Sweden. In central Sweden, wood scraps from the local furniture-making trade, paint-pigment from nearby copper mines, and long winter evenings bred the development of the Dala Horse. (Ya, ya, I copied this last statement and am not going to site my source kids...whatever).

So in honor of the people in Minot, who came from Scandinavia, I have put together a little something...

Tea for one.

My little Swedish Tablecloth, my little Dala horse, and my blue Delft.

Okay, okay, now for those of you who know their Delft, you are going to know that Delft pottery is named after the city Delft which in all actuality is in....Holland, which is a bit further south and a bit further west but hey these pieces just look so very cute on the little table.

Now Delft is also fun in that a piece may have a crown and may very well say Delft Blue, handpainted, but that does not necessarily mean that it is from Holland or really anywhere close.

"This is because the Netherlands doesn't have strict laws about "Country of Origin" labeling as we do here in the States. We are used to seeing products marked "Made In China", and we accept it for the low prices they bring, but in Holland, the stuff made in China is often sitting on the shelf right next to the pieces that are the true blue delftware, with no distinction whatsoever." (Yet another copied un-sited statement, HA!)

So, here's to the transplanted people of Scandinavia now living in Minot, North Dakota, to their love of beauty, to their love of nature, to their strength and stamina to endure bitterly cold, seemingly endless winters.

I raise my cup of tea!

(Pitter patter, pitter patter. That's me off to get the tea, cinnamon breadsticks, and oops, some silverware. Didn't want the tea to get cold while I finished this up!)

Happy Easter

Was actually able to get quite a bit done yesterday with the new software program and then enjoy a little cinnamon orange spice tea in one of my Homer Laughlin Eggshell cups with my old Brown Betty teapot. I am not sure of the pattern for this cup but do know it is from 1942. Very cozy!

Hope everyone is enjoying Easter!

Out and about

Time to take the train somewhere.

Here are my two companions getting ready to board their train for a fun filled fabulous weekend get away to...... Whitefish, Montana. You may ask why Whitefish, Montana and of course the answer would be WHY NOT WHITEFISH, MONTANA!!!!

As you can see by the clock in the background we had to be there at the crack of early.

Luckily they had a little light reading in the train station, evidently the town grew up around this train station way back in the late 1800's.

Hard to believe I am really in Minot, North Dakota, but the signs keep telling me I am. Snow has started to melt pretty good in the last week or so.

Train's a-coming, whooooo, whoooo

Everyone's loaded up

And they are off on their 12 hour train trip across North Dakota clear to Whitefish, Montana. Now honestly, how many people can ever say they've done that?

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Me? I get to stay here and go over a new computer program I will be using in the near future as we move to voice recognition software at work. Also need to do some work in the garage if it's warm enough, bathe the dog... Oh ya, why would I want to go to Whitefish Montana when there is all this fun to be had here! Ha

Dessert and coffee

My little companion working with her napkins. She had wanted to do bows but found with the smaller napkins she had to go with something else.

All done

Vintage linens, Cunningham & Pickett Norway Rose dishes, a couple of little Dreamsicles in the center.

Good job Anabelle!

(I didn't get a picture of the cake she decorated, it was a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and sprinkles. It looked just as it should have with all the hard work she put into it showing! It was great.)

Definite appreciation

As you may know, I have been able to view life from a little different perspective the past few months. My daddy is in Colorado, my sons hither and yon, so I have been able to experience life you might say from the ground up. Things that were taken care of magically (daddy), or delegated to (sons), now end up on the desk of the person who bears the sign "the buck stops here."

With that in mind, I must tell you of something that happens twice a week here. Every Sunday night and every Wednesday night I drag the trash can out to the alley, occasionally I pile boxes by the can, and the next morning, like clockwork, it disappears.

Now I realize I pay for this service but they do it soooooo well. It is like a mini Christmas twice a week. Junk out, junk gone. Rain, snow, ice, blizzard... gone. They even tip the can upside down so it doesn't fill with snow or rain. So, I just want to say bravo to my trash guys in Minot, North Dakota for a job well done, you are appreciated!!!!
Valerie