Carole’s Country Store Blog

I bought this tin cutout a few weeks ago and I am still trying to figure out what it could be. It’s large, sick measuring 19 inches long and 14 inches high. As you can see, recipe a lot of work went into the making of this tin cutout. The first thing I notice about this cutout design, was the scalloping on top of the carriage, an extra detail that must have been important to the maker of this wonderful tin cutout. But what is it supposed to be?

The Amish man driving the carriage is married. Did you know that when Amish men marry they grow beards? Single men are clean shaven. I can’t tell if the male in the carriage has a beard, it’s certainly not long like the driver. Maybe it isn’t a beard at all, maybe it’s his chin. They could be newlyweds in a decorated carriage, but I’m only guessing. Could it be that this is an Amish quilt tin used for the making of a wedding quilt? I’m just guessing. I can’t imagine what else you would use something like this for. It’s too large to display as a window tin. So does anyone have any idea what this large tin cutout could be?

I would love to hear from you if you do.

Stay cool. It’s supposed to be 97 tomorrow and 101 on Friday!! Yikes!!

HAPPY DAY

Carole

Some of you have emailed me and asked me how my mother is doing, viagra so I decided to talk about her today.

She’s doing pretty good, buy viagra and she she seems very happy where she is. The new place is SO MUCH nicer then the other place she lived. The people are caring and wonderful.

This past June she had her 93rd birthday. Imagine being 93 and in great health. She has never been in the hospital for anything, with the exception of 2 cesareans. The only medication she takes is aspirin for her arthritis in her knees. I often think how wonderful it would be if she didn’t have that darn dementia. Bless her heart though, she’s doing pretty good. She hanging in there.

I brought her to my house on her birthday. It’ always amazes me how she rises to the occasion, by that I mean, she becomes more like herself. She loves talking to Bill, and to listen to her you would never know that anything was wrong.

We made her a nice lunch and she enjoyed it so much, but after an hour or so, she was ready to go. On the way home I asked her, ” What does it feel like to be 93″? “Now different”, she said. She’s a pip. Bless her heart.

HAPPY DAY

Carole

Soon I will be offering some lovely pewter wine stoppers on my webiste. I was curious about the one that had an acorn on top, physician so I decided to do a little research, there and to my surprise this is what I found.

One of the most popular uses of the acorn is love magic. Lovers in past times would each put an acorn into a bowl of water. If the acorns came together, the lovers would marry. If the acorns floated apart, the lovers would soon leave each other for someone else!!

Caps that floated together meant some type of relationship either through marriage or business.

Acorns were also placed under a mattress of a lover’s bed to keep him or her faithful.

They were also placed on a windowsill, for they were believed to protect a home from lightening.

I don’t know about you but I learned alot about that little acorn. I’m thinking, this acorn wine cork would make a nice gift for newlyweds, don’t you think? Don’t forget to include a bottle of wine!!

HAPPY DAY

Carole

I love getting up early around 5:30 or 6. Pour myself a cup of coffee and walk out into my garden..I love looking at my cement lamb, doctor he looks so comfortable lying next to the lamb’s ears. Did you know that this is made from an old mould of a early cement lamb, often seen  on 18th century grave sites. The first one I saw them I was in Savannah, Georgia. I took these photos while there on vacation several years ago.

My early looking cement cat loves being in the garden too. The chip you see on his left ear is original to the early one.

When we first moved into this house 30 years ago, we bought these 3 acorns from a catalog called The Front Gate.

I like it when garden art ages, gets dirty and grows moss, like my little cement bench below. My acorns get too much sun for grow moss.

I bought this little bench from Lowe’s several years ago. I didn’t expect it to hold up, but it did. I love it!

My gargoyle was purchased at a local nursery.  He sits under the tree warding off evil spirits.

If you have any pottery that is broken, even a clay flower pot,  don’t throw them out, put them in your garden to add a little interest.

This old jug below is one I purchased at TJ Max about 15 years ago. I think it looks great in the ivy.

Last but not least, this early boy holding a reflecting globe, is one of my favorites. We found him at a little antique shop down the street.

I hope I have inspired you to put some garden art around your property. I think you’ll love looking at it as you walk around your yard on these hot summer evenings.

If you would like to order a lamb or the cat for your garden before the moulds wear out, and they are getting close to it, send me an email at caroleholt@comcast.net., you will love them. You can take a look at them for a description and price in my American Artisan Store. Look for American artist Susan Mackey Tunnicliffe.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today, I hope you’ll come again.

HAPPY DAY

Carole