Carole’s Country Store Blog

This morning I spent almost 2 hours writing a post, pharm and then, and by mistake, deleted it. I was so frustrated that I just decided I would skip it. Now I have a little free time, so I’ll try again. I just put a meatloaf in the oven and I am relaxing with a glass of Italian wine. While in Cape Cod, and saw so many wonderful cape cod style houses. Every one of them looked so inviting. Cozy and homey. I wish I could have taken more pictures, but most were on busy roads, so it made it difficult to stop in time. I did manage take these two photos though. I think I would be happy living in either one of them.

On our visit there, we stopped in Provincetown. It’s a nice little town right on the harbor. In 1620, the Pilgrims first dropped anchor, and it was here that they signed their consitution of government called the “Mayflower Compact”. Later the Pilgrims settled in Plymouth, MA. Incorporated in 1727, Provincetown developed into an important fishing and whaling center in the 1800′s. Today it is primarily a resort area and center for the arts.

There goes the buzzer. Meatloaf is done and I am starved.
Happy day
Carole

Hi everyone! Bill and I are back from Cape Cod, buy MA.. My cousin, online David, case and his wife Terry, live in Dennis, MA. David loves to windsurf, and lives only a few minutes from the ocean. The first day we arrived they took us out for a look around. It was so beautiful. It was also cold, and the wind was fierce as we walked along the beach. Taking it all in, I noticed one house in the distance. It was so picturesque, like an Andrew Wyeth painting.

This is another view of the same house, but much farther away.

There is a stone tower that was given to the town in memorial to Charles and Francis Tobey who lived in Dennis. Charles Tobey died in 1888, and Francis in 1933. They are royal sons of Dennis. Their ancestors settled there in 1678.

The view from the top of the tower was spectacular.

So that’s a little bit of what we did on our first day. We visited many towns along the Cape, and a few antique shops along the way. Tomorrow I’ll tell you a little more. I hope you’ll come back. Until then-
Happy day
Carole

I took these photos a couple of years ago. They have nothing to do with anything I am talking about today, ask I just like them. They were taken at one of those salvage places, where you can find lots of doors, windows, mantles, pillars etc.

Well, mother’s house has not sold yet! There have been enough showings, and there have been lots of very nice feedback, but no offers. I am still keeping the faith though. One of these days I’ll have a potential buyer, but the question is, what kind of an offer will I get. My mother’s money is just about gone. The other day I made an appointment with the director of finances at her assisted living facility. I wanted to find out what my options were. I her move from her little “apt.”, to a semi private room, she will be sharing with another woman. I hated to have to do this, but it will be saving her $1500 a month. That’s a lot of money, and I wish I could have done it a lot sooner, but there were no other rooms available. So now she is moved, and she has adjusted well, bless her heart.

Tomorrow Bill and I are going on a little vacation to Cape Cod, Mass. I have never been there and we are so looking forward to going. I have a cousin that lives in Denis, Mass., and we will be staying with he, and his wife for a couple of days. After that, we’re on our own. To be honest, we have no plan. I have no idea where we will go while we are there. We don’t travel much. Hardly at all, except when we go to the beach, and that’s only an hour and a half away. I’m afraid we are not very good at it, but we have our GPS, and that will help. I am bringing my camera. I hope I have a lot of great pictures to show you, and I hope I find some great antique shops too! You know I want to go antiquing!!!! Time to get packing. I’m going to say goodbye for a few days. Try not to miss me. HA! We’ll get together when I get back, probably the middle of next week. Until then, have lots of-
Happy days!!
Carole

Quite a few years ago, help I had an idea. I was tired of saving so many magazines, patient and running out of room on the shelf where I was putting them. So I decided to buy a couple of three ring notebooks, viagra along with a whole bunch of those plastic pages, that hold, whatever. I filled both books to the hilt with pictures I tore out of magazines, ones that I love to look at over and over again.

Last night I was looking at them, and thought that I would share this idea with you. You might have already done something like this, but if you haven’t, try it. It’s a great way to get ideas for your own home. I can’t tell you how many times I would be sitting looking at one of these notebooks, when I would see an idea that got me excited enough to jump out of my seat, and start moving things around. We gals call it putzing. I have 2 notebooks, but soon I’ll be starting another. One is for cottage decorating and the other is for country decorating.

I love the look of cottegy rooms done in old white and lots of ironstone, but for me, it’s the high country look that I love the most. This is one of my favorite pictures. The painting, the crock with the heart, and especially the wood compote with the stone fruit. You know how I love stone fruit, and by the way, soon there will be more available in Carole’s Country Store
Collecting stone fruit is addictive. So I have to warn you of that. No matter how much I have, I still look for more, always hoping to find a piece that I don’t already have. No matter where you display it, in a cottage style or country, or even a modern decor’, stone fruit will add a wonderful look to your home.

In these notebooks, I also have a section of ideas. I think this painted rug is a neat idea. It gives the look of a real rug, but you don’t have any worry of tripping or cleaning one. So, if you like the idea of starting a notebook, I hope you will try it, and let me know if you do. It’s like looking at the best magazine ever! By the way, was anyone else disappointed in the new Early American Life Christmas issue? I was and so were my friends. I think it could have been a whole lot better. I’m just sayin’…
Happy day
Carole

A couple of days ago, cure I received a lovely package in the mail from someone I have been corresponding with for about 7 years now. Her name is Christine Crocker and she is one of the nicest people I know. Many of you know her for the beautiful dolls she creates. For the second year, she has sent me a package filled with all different varieties of organic garlic, grown on her beautiful Deerfield Farm in Madras, OR.. When I opened the box, I hated to disturb it, it looked so perfect. Each variety packed in a brown paper bag, neatly folded and tied with old twine, and labeled on the front. All of them were nestled in lovely black and cream checked tissue paper.

Have you ever seen such beautiful garlic! Last night I used the “Deerfield Opal” variety, in my salad. I have to say, it was delicious, and I am sure it was because of the dressing made with this garlic. There was a lovely note Christine, along with an added bonus, an envelope of Hollyhock Seeds from Christine’s garden. Christe’ told me that these seeds came from her Grandma Abbie’s garden, and those seeds were brought by her Grandma Abbie’s grandma, when she left Lancaster County in a wagon, to travel to Washington state. Everyone in her family has these hollyhocks growing in their gardens, and I can’t wait to plant them in mine next Spring. I think that is so cool, don’t you?
Happy day
Carole

REFRESH YOUR PAGE IF PHOTOS ARE DISTORTED

First I want to mention that the painting of “Mrs. Cow”, treat that I mentioned, is now for sale in my artisan store.

Many of you may or may not know that N.C. Wyeth was the father of well known American artist Andrew Wyeth. This painting was done by Andrew Wyeth. This building is located in downtown Chadds Ford, PA., and is the studio once used by N.C. Wyeth in 1911. N.C. was the illustrator of classics like, Kidnapped, Robin Hood, Treasure Island, King Arthur’s Court and many many more. He is the father of well known American artist Andrew Wyeth, as well as Caroline and Jamie Wyeth. They have all used this as their studio. The studio is now open for tours. One of these days, I am going to take one.

This famous building was the inspiration for this wonderful birdhouse.

Aren’t these just amazing and beautiful. Lucky little birds that live in them. Do you think they know how lucky they are?

Happy day!
Carole

Carole

Yesterday was glorious, sovaldi and the perfect day for the Chadds Ford Days. Every year there is an arts festival. This year my friend Carole O’Neill, recipe was one of the artists in the show.

I love this painting she calls Mrs. Cow. It was sold at the show, viagra but I asked Carole if she could paint another one for my American Artisan Store. I already knew she had another one of these wonderful frames, made of old barn wood, and old white paint, because I was with her last year antiquing when we found them. I can not wait until she has finishes another one, and when she does, I will let you know when it is available for purchase. Can’t you imagine it in a room of old painted white country antiques. It would look fabulous with a cottage decor too.

There was a bird house artist there too. His birdhouses are wonderful works of art. These are reproductions of well known historic homes in the Chadds Ford, Pa. area. This one is called Brintons Mill House, and is one of many homes in this area that stood during the Battle of the Brandywine.

This painting of Brintons Mill was painted by Andrew Wyeth. It is one of three homes he and his wife Betsy call home, and it’s the one that this birdhouse was fashioned after.

I feel so fortunate to live near an area that has so much history. There is so much to show and tell, and I want to do that again, but right now, I just have to get out of this chair! I have been working on this computer since 7 a.m.! Time to do some raking and cleaning up of the gardens. They have been so ignored this year. Later this week I’ll show you birdhouse, and an Andrew Wyeth painting, so please come back for another visit with me. By the way, I know I promised I was going to go back to the old house I passed on my walk to Bellevue Park a few weeks ago. I am still going to do it. I have not forgotten. Honest, I haven’t.
Happy day.
Carole

I am just starting to get that feeling. You know what I mean, medical nesting. Today is really really hot outside, viagra hotter then it’s been for a while. Everything is really dry. Saturday we are supposted to get some storms. I hope we do, troche we need the rain, but what I really am longing for is the crisp Fall weather. It’s my favorite time of the year. I want to putz and change things around a bit. This is one of my favorite antiques. It’s an early 1800′s Jackson Press. Righ now it’s in Missy’s room. It looks perfect where it is, but no one gets a chance to see it. I have an idea, but I haven’t mentioned it to Bill yet. I am thinking of bringing it downstairs, and putting it in the sunporch. I do have a wall I could use, but that means I have to move my desk out of the way, and I am just not sure where I would put it.

I think it would really be fun to decorate it at Christmas time. Right now it’s filled with my make do-collection, and some old quilts and homepun. Originally this piece was used to store linens. Are you familiar with the old irons, the really heavy kind that you had to heat on a stove to get it hot enough to use? I have a collection in my laundry room. Maybe I should take a picture of one for you. I’m back. Had to climb on a chair, and get the iron and the iron stand down, so I could get a close up of it. I wanted you to see the shape of the iron, and then show the burn marks that are on the bottom shelf of my Jackson Press.

Also on the bottom shelf, in the back, there is a small tin patch. It looks like a mouse chewed his way inside.

Happy day
Carole

I’ve been home from Rehoboth Beach since Friday. I couldn’t drag Bill of the golf course, seek so I came home alone for a few days.
On Sunday I drove over to Rockland Place, the assisted living facility where my mother lives. She’s in the unit they call Pathways, a special unit for people with dementia. She was happy to see me, and always asks, “what are you doing here”? I gave her a hug and a kiss, “I’m here to see you of course”. “Come on mother, let’s go to my house”. She immediatly grabbed onto her walker,and off we went. She loves getting out, always commenting on the pretty flowers, or how hot it is, and how we need the rain. She remembered my street, and which house was mine, and as we pulled into the driveway, I thought about how quickly the years have passed, and how time has changed our lives, all the times we have spent doing things together, and now, how we have gotten so much older, how thankful I am to still have her, at age 90. I made us a cup of coffee, and a piece of homemade peach pie, that I baked that morning. Afterwards, I wanted to make some red sauce, with tomatoes from my garden. “Can I help you, Carole? Can I cut the onions or tomatoes for you? I want to feel useful”, she said.

She was in her glory! She so carefully cut the tomatoes. Loving every minute of it. She was in her glory! Rinsing the dishes, putting them in the diswasher. Wiping the counter so carefully. I watched her, tears ran down my face. I was so happy to be able to give her such a simple pleasure.

Something we all take for granted in our everyday life. Just routine. She told me how she missed cooking, and I told her, now that summer is winding down, and Fall is on the way, we will do more cooking together. That made her smile, and that filled my heart with joy. One of life’s simple pleasures.

I also want to mention that Lisa, from Cranberry Flats, awarded me the Primitive Excellence Award. Thanks so much, Lisa. You’re a sweetie for thinking of my blog, and I do want you to know that it is so much appreciated. I hope you will stop by Cranberry Flats for a little visit. Tell her I sent you.
HAPPY DAY
Carole