Most people head to the second hand store looking for items to buy but I also look for “the lookers”.  I enjoy browsing at next to new shops, The Rescue Mission, Goodwill and Salvation Army.    I love to watch people picking through the shelves of the Goodwill Store.  I have kind of categorized the people.  There is the   ”select picker”.  They lean over slightly with their hands on their back or at their side and they only pick up if they are truly interested.  When they pick up they don’t scrutinize the item they just take it.  There are the “lookers” who wander but never touch.  They just tip their head from side to side or elongate their neck to see the upper shelf.  They never seem to find anything to buy or hold.  Then there are the “grazers”.  They pick up, set down and pick up again.  Glance at the item and put it back.   Their cart usually has only one or two items in it.  Then there are the “grazers” who pick up everything they like and put numerous items in the cart and after they walk through the aisles they go back and put half the cart back on the shelf.  The ones I always am amazed at are those who are not intimidated by the search.  They are willing to spend an hour checking out the tubs piled high with items not on the shelf yet  or search piles of clothes to see what is at the bottom.  I call them the “bottom finders”.  Often they find a goodie way down underneath that no one else ever even saw.   And finally   there are the “collecters” who selectively look at items checking the bottom for marks or ringing   the edge looking for nicks.  You see them in there a lot and some days the cart is full and some days they leave empty handed.  The clerks know them and they exchange a hi or a smile.  Next time you head to the Goodwill Store play the treasure hunter game and see how many of the “lookers” you can identify.

It is definitely Fall.  My yard is 3inches deep in leaves so I have had to move my vintage garden containers to the shed for the season.  The tomatoes have been picked, My two cucumbers are waiting in the frig to be eaten.  I had fadja last night with some of my yellow and green pepper cuttings.  I did so love my little garden and will do it again next year.  Are you ready for cold and snow? I wish the gold and orange colors had stayed but our hard frost ellininated the seasonal colors.  I sure miss the Wisconsin  maple bright colors.So here are a few of my vintage garden shots.  

gardening in vintage

Fall is here and it is time to clean up my vintage garden.  Using vintage items in the garden has been so much fun this year.  I actually have had vintage items in my garden for years.  This cream separator has been a member of my yard for years and always finds itself full of flowers each summer.  Obviously my lab finds it a restful area to just relax near. My stove actually came with the house and in pieces.  We put it together and hopefully I never have to move the jigsaw puzzle and put it back together again!  this year I made a vegetable vegetable garden area and had some success gaining a few tomatoes, 2 whole cucmbers and some peppers in red and yellow.  I had a few failures like the peas that did not like their new home location and the squash that lost to the volunteer moss roses but still I think it was a success.  I will do it again next year. It was fun finding the iron pieces to put out in that garden.  Fits right with what I love!

Fall surprises

I love this piece and can see it with one of my favorite casseroles in it or green bean casserole.  I love the cattails swaying on the outter holder and the way the green peaks through.  I keep fighting with myself to take it off and keep it.  So many kitchen items attract my attention.  I can see it on the Sunday dinner table.  A pretty table is so pleasing to me.  A table with fall colors really makes me smile.  Greens, golds, browns and yellows are so calming. 

http://www.rubylane.com/item/357173-692035/Northington-green-dish-w-tigertail

Holdin on to fall

I love fall.  I keep saying that phrase.  Normally I say it with enthusiasm but today hearing the weather report I say it with sadness.  The weather man's report for Montana speaks of snow on Thursday.  Hopefully it is just in the mountains but reality is the temperature will be dropping and so the turning leaves will be falling.  I spoke to a friend yesterday who proudly told me she uses her lawn mower to mulch her yard of leaves.  Not for me! I like to rake.  Strange isn't it. I want to jump in the leaves with my grandchildren, I want to do a heave ho of my youngest granddaughter into that mound of crunch.  I want to decorate my home outside and inside with pumpkins, leaves and glassware with the colors of fall.  I love harvest time.  Canning or freezing the fruits of our labor.  The wonderful sweet flavor of  the grapes from my arbor are so good.  I don't like the fact that the birds drop their seeds from their finds on the roof of my car!  Fresh applesauce and plum jam tempt my palate!  It just ends way too fast!  So I found this wonderful "fairy jar" on the internet.  I wonder if I could save some of fall in a jar for another day?  Oh, I guess not so I will just keep putting out pretty vintage things that show off my love of the season.