Something New

Just a little note to let you know that a new post has been added to my sweet, vintage trailer’s blog.  There hasn't been much to share about Daffodil's journey but she is beginning to get a lot more attention now.  You can read a bit about it at her blog, 'Daffodil's Journey', here.  (You can also click on her photo on the right side of this blog – that will take you there, too.) 

Things will begin to happen real soon and I'm anxious to share it all with you. Some things haven't been decided yet but I'm making many more ‘visits’ to her now than ever before.  I've even given some little ‘tours’ to family and close friends.  I appreciate the encouragement you've given me through these 'quiet' months of waiting.  Thank you for your patience when it seemed nothing was going to happen.

Time To Praise

There are only two times to praise -
When you feel like it
and
When you don’t feel like it!

(quote from my dear, little mother)

Linking to Think On These Things

Somewhere In The Center

During our recent travels from home to visit family in Kansas, we took back roads from Nebraska through the northern part of Kansas.  It was the best way to get to the home of my sweetheart’s cousin.  We loved seeing rural America up close. It was a joy to travel through small towns and past farms and have a chance to see life in places we’d never been before.  As I looked at the map to help find our way, I noticed a small spot that said ‘Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States’.  Near that spot we began to see signs that pointed the way to this ‘center’ of our part of the world.  We decided to take a short detour off our route to see this site – we thought it might be our only chance to see this spot.  We drove through Lebanon, Kansas and then followed signs along this route.
It was a quiet spot - not much happening there – but the peaceful setting seemed just right.  It wasn’t a ‘grand’ place.  It was simple.  And right.  To be at the center of our country and find a quiet place was just the way it should be!  No big buildings.  No noisy freeways.  No crowds of people.  No hoopla.  Just quiet.
I stood in front of this sign and looked to the left. . .
And to the right.Across the road, a monument had been placed to mark this place.  The marker supposedly indicates the actual point measured by a survey performed in 1918. The measured center is actually about half a mile away on a private farm. The farm's owner did not want tourists trudging through his fields, so the marker was placed as close as possible. In 1918, the Coast and Geodetic Survey found this location by balancing a cardboard cutout shaped like the U.S. on a point.  Apparently this method was only accurate to within twenty miles.  The Geodetic Survey no longer endorses any location as the center of the U.S. – but the identification of Lebanon, Kansas has not been changed.A sign made of post rock welcomes visitors to the small park.  Soon I’ll share more about post rock – it’s quite an interesting part of this area.
My sweetheart pointed out our location.This little chapel is near the monument.  There are four pews inside.  The chapel is available for weddings and other special celebrations. When Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959, the National Geodetic Survey designated Belle Fourche, a ranch town in western South Dakota, as the geographic center of the USA.  No matter where the center may be, it was nice to take a few minutes away from the noise and the crowds of everyday life in the center of our country.  For a few moments of time - somewhere in America’s Heartland -  we enjoyed a few quiet moments.  Enjoying ‘the sound of silence’ was a good thing.  I treasure the memory of being there with my sweetheart.  I think about it often.  It ‘centers’ me when things get busy and it always brings a smile to my face and a sense of quiet to my heart!

Finds And Treasures

A few years ago I asked for a cordless screwdriver of my own for either Christmas or my birthday.  My sweetheart bought one – a man-sized model – and it was mine!  Well, not so much!  It soon became the handy, convenient tool of choice when he had jobs to do.  I used it once or twice and, since it was too big for my hands, I didn’t use it much.  Over time it wore out.  From use.  Not because I used it - because my sweetheart used it.  Whenever I had a job that required more than my sweet, little pastel screwdrivers could handle I pined away for a cordless model that would be my very own. 

When we began to do a tiny bit of work in my sweet, little vintage trailer my sweetheart showed me how to use his new and improved – and gigantic – cordless drill/screwdriver.  It took both hands to use it and I had to hang on for dear life!  So it was that just recently – while following my sweetheart through Home Depot – I spied exactly what I knew would work for me!  I picked up the display model, held it in my tiny hands and, oh-h-h-h.  This was it!  Just what I needed.  A few slight hints (well, not so slight) to my sweetheart and it was in the basket and soon in the car.  Going home with me. 

It has a cute, little case to store it in.  It should be easy to find when I need it.

It wasn’t long before the battery was on the charger - getting ready to use.My sweetheart also bought me yellow leather work gloves to protect my delicate, little hands!

I’ve used my little tool– and I love it!  No one has tried to ‘borrow’ it.  I think they all know it’s best they don’t even think of it!  Now I have some of the tools I’ll need to restore my dear, little vintage trailer.  Oh, wait – there’s more.  But I’ll save that for another time!Do you think this is really a ‘find and treasure’?  You bet it is!  It will be used for many projects – and I can ‘find’ it now!  And you can be sure I ‘treasure’ that thought!

A Gathering Of Sisters

Last Saturday morning I drove to a state park near my home to join a group of Sisters at a Sisters On The Fly campout.  I was supposed to be camping with them for the whole weekend but I had to cancel my reservation because of my dear, little mother’s health situation.  It just seemed I shouldn’t be gone for the whole weekend – even though the campout was just twelve miles from my home.  I was invited to join the Sisters for breakfast on Saturday morning and spend whatever time I could with them.  It was sheer delight!  More than my heart dreamed possible.  I was treated like a sister – a much loved sister – even though they had never met me before.  The moment I drove up to the campsite where they were all gathered and, when I announced who I was, I was greeted with hugs and open arms and hearts full of sisterly welcome. Breakfast was wonderful and our time together went by too fast.  Several Sisters gave me tours of their little vintage trailers and I came home inspired – and excited – to finally get going on my little trailer.  Here’s just a bit of what I saw on my tours.

This little trailer belongs to the hostess of the campout.  It’s a cute little trailer.The door is on the side of most of the trailers – this one has a door at the back.  This is what you see when you open the door. It’s tiny but the décor inside is just right.Inside another Sister’s trailer.  She has the sweet, little yellow and white stove I saw in pictures when I first started looking at photos of vintage trailers.  I really wanted this stove in my trailer but I’m happy with mine.  Her trailer is a cutie!  The sign on her stove hood says, ‘It’s 5:00 somewhere’!The Sister who owns this cute trailer was heading to town as I started my tour so I didn’t get to go inside.  As she was leaving she told me to be sure and peek in the windows.  Oh, my!  Crystal and pretties of all kinds!  I tried to take a photo or two through the window but it didn’t work.  Next time I’ll be sure and visit her first!You don’t have to have a vintage trailer to be a Sister.  This belonged to one of the gals at the campout.  So cute.  It made me smile when I saw it!This little vintage trailer had been completely restored.  I learned a lot about restoration from this Sister.  She had it decorated so cute!  I loved hearing all about the details and seeing how things work.


Another view inside. I even got to meet her grandkids who had just arrived for a visit from out of state.  That's the original furnace on the wall - it works!The Sister who gave me the tour of this trailer has only owned it for a month.  She told me about the work that needs to be done inside and the plans she has to make it hers.  Would you believe this bench was recovered with duct tape?  She plans to reupholster the seats.

This is one of the first Sister trailers I saw when I drove into the campground.  I knew who it belonged to because I had seen it online and I was excited to see it up close.  Believe me, I wasn’t disappointed!
All of us had nametags.  Here’s mine.  I’ll let you in on a little secret – this cute little ‘clipboard’ was made from a Formica sample, written on with a silver pen and attached with a binder clip you can find in a stationery store!  So cute – and it really helped me start to remember everyone’s names.  I have mine hanging on the lampshade on my desk so I can see it often and remember the fun I had with my Sisters this weekend.Our hostess had a gift for each of us.  She gave us a towel with our name and Sister number embroidered on it, and a razor (the razor was her grandson’s idea – he thought we might need to shave our legs!).

I am so glad I had a chance to spend time with my new Sisters.  I would have loved to camp through the weekend with them but that couldn’t be.  My time with them was just a taste of what is to come – more fun, more time to build friendships that last, more time to learn and expand our horizons together as we venture out along roads that lead to who-knows-where!  I came home so excited to be a Sister – and with my head full of new ideas and inspiration and encouragement to start the process to get Daffodil ready to roll.  It will begin soon and you will be invited to come along for journey!

With a very grateful heart,
Adrienne
Sister #1819
(That’s the way we Sisters sign everything!)

Day Star

Lily of the Valley
Let your sweet aroma fill my life
Rose of Sharon
Show me how to grow in beauty in God's sight
Fairest of Ten Thousand
Make me a reflection of your light
Daystar shine down on me
Let your love shine through me in the night

Lead me Lord, I'll follow
Anywhere you open up the door
Let your word speak to me
Show me what I've never seen before
Lord I want to be your witness
You can take what's wrong and make it right
Daystar shine down on me
Let your love shine through me in the night

Lord I've seen a world that's dying
Wounded by the master of deceit
Groping in the darkness
Haunted by the years of past defeat
But when I see you standing near me
Shining with compassion in your eyes
I pray Jesus shine down on me
Let your love shine through me in the night

Lead me Lord, I'll follow
Anywhere you open up the door
Let your word speak to me
Show me what I've never seen before
Lord I want to be your witness,
You can take what's wrong and make it right
Daystar shine down on me
Let your love shine through me in the night

We heard this voice come from heaven when we were with Christ on the holy mountain.  All this helps us know that what the early preachers said was true. You will do well to listen to what they have said. Their words are as lights that shine in a dark place. Listen until you understand what they have said. Then it will be like the morning light which takes away the darkness. And the Day (Morning) Star [Christ] will rise to shine in your hearts.    II Peter 1:18-19 (NLV)

(If you would like to listen to this song, you can select it on my playlist at the bottom of my blog.)
Song: DaystarWords and Music by Steve Richardson

Linking to Think On These Things             

Finds And Treasures

While we were traveling I found some new treasures to bring home.  They were found in various places, but they’re still treasures.  There were many more I would have loved to bring home but space – and explaining them to my sweetheart in a way that made sense to him  – kept me from doing that.  This warning greeted us when we entered a quaint antique shop in a tiny town in Kansas. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get close enough to get the small print in focus.  The thought is there.  If I ever return, I’ll ask to go behind the counter for a better photo!Seen on a shelf nearby -While ‘browsing’ through an old building on my sweetheart’s grandfather’s farm – now owned and operated by his uncle and cousin – I spied something on a shelf.  When I asked, the response was: ‘Oh, that old thing!  You want it?’  You bet I did!It’s missing its handle, but I wonder who used this old sad iron.  Did my sweetheart’s grandmother spend hours using it when she was a young wife and mother?  Did my sweetheart’s dear mother ever hold it in her hand?  Or, maybe it was used by someone from days long past who homesteaded the farm that came to be part of the family heritage of my sweetheart – and my children.  And their children.Mary, of Mary’s Meanderings, and her hubby took us on a wonderful tour when we visited them in Colorado.  One of the stops we made was at a fun place, advertised as a ‘Junktique Shop’.  I thought the name of the store was such fun! Inside I found a couple of sweet treasures that came home with me.  This little pitcher seemed to call my name.Somewhere in the back of the store I found this – filled with silverware and kitchen utensils of all kinds.  At first I thought it wasn’t for sale – just a container for all the things it held.  On closer inspection I found a little price tag.  One dollar!  It didn’t take me long to empty all of the pieces it held – carefully inspecting each one, of course – and awhile later it was paid for and in the car when we headed on down the road again.  I’m not sure where it will end up, either in my home or in my vintage trailer, but you can guess it won’t take me long to find the perfect spot.The most precious treasure that came home with me brought tears to my eyes when, after a family conference held when I wasn’t present, they decided that a very special heirloom from my sweetheart’s family should be mine.  It’s a treasure!  I will share it and a bit of the story behind it soon.