Midnight Brought Me a "Present"

This is a bad picture of me, but I thought I would share it.  Midnight is one of our old barn cats.  Over the past 12 years she has always been an excellent mouser.  I could hear her calling...that loud meow that mama cats do when they catch a mouse.  She has been spayed years ago, but still does this when she catches a mouse.  I guess, once a mama always a mama.  

She brought it in to the building I set up for the estate sale.  I guess she wanted to show the customers.  I took both of them out.  The customers liked it.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Linked to:  http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/06/homestead-barn-hop-165.html#sthash.LYvY51mz.dpbs

Marvin and Martha - The Happy Couple

Martha, my independent hen, has found herself a rooster.  They are so cute together!  I named him Marvin.  I never noticed this rooster being so friendly before.  He isn't the top rooster and is often chased away by the others.  Martha picked him out and they are now a couple.   

She is so smart!  She knows I feed them and bring out treats.  She usually comes running when she sees me.  Now she has this rooster, Marvin, doing the same.  He is smart too.  Al was getting a bucket of grain for the steer and dropped a few kernels on the floor of the shed.  Marvin "eye balled" the kernels and jumped in the building and pecked them up and hopped back down.  Al likes him too.  

They eat right out of my hands.  I just love them!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Linked to:  http://www.viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/2014/06/saturdays-critters-30.html

Estate Sale Moved to the Farm

My followers know that I am self-employed and am a "junk dealer."  That title doesn't offend me - I relish in it - I LOVE junk!  

I was fortunate enough to "buy-out" this estate - just when I needed it the most.  Two weddings in 8 months is tight on any budget!  So, I did like any good junk dealer would do - invest some money to make some money.

I was surprised - shocked actually - when I looked up some of these fishing and camping items.  Boy, they are collectible!  My plan is to mark them so I can still make the maximum amount and still have some "deals."  However, did I mention that we have had 2 weddings in 8 months?.... 

I must admit, that I have made a connection with this gentleman through his items.  This is the plight of a hoarder.  He obviously was an avid fisherman.  He took really good care of his items.  He was in the military and has several neat WWII and Korean War era items.  His daughter told me that her parents lived in Nuremberg, Germany.  I had no idea he even had all of these items as he was actually using them on and as his work bench.  I do love the Survival tins - so me!  

So, today at 6 p.m.  I will have an early bird sale here as part of the new thing I'm doing..."It's all a Rave - Vintage PopUp Sales."  The estate sale is actually tomorrow.  I wanted to let the Rave followers "popup" here.  

  I kept those Hex signs out of this estate and put them on my building I love it!

 One good thing, if I don't sell it, the items are quality enough to put on Ebay.  However, I would rather have cash today and who am I kidding, will I do it?!  Or, will it sit in my pile of other "I will put this on Ebay..." items.  (Sue, this is like Dan's 2000 box!  He would have loved the stuff from this estate!)

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Rubbish Tuesday - More from Our Rock Garden

Here is another post for Rubbish Tuesday - more from our rock garden.

This old bench was at Al's Grandpa and Grandma's house.  I remember sitting on it when they lived in Antigo.  No one sits on it now except for an occasional chicken or cat.  

Linked to:  http://rubbishbyroan.blogspot.com/2014/06/rubbish-tuesday-8.html

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Jacky's Craft Camp 2014 - Week 2 - Map Art

Last night was week 2 of Jacky's Craft Camp 2014.  We made map art coasters.  It never ceases to amaze me that the easiest of projects are the biggest hit.  This is the 2nd time in 2 weeks I taught this class.  I was able to do this one at no charge too, as I found most of the tiles at a Savers in Madison for pennies each.  The maps were out of the estate I am working on.  

All you do is Modge Podge the map on the tile - simple.  We also added felt on the back of the tile to complete it.  It was cute listening to the kids decide what portion of the map they wanted to use.   Some were picked based on places they would like to go, where they were born, where Grandpa and Grandma lived - they had some great ideas! 

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Motivation Monday - Feeling Overwhelmed

As I mentioned, I "bought out" an estate.  I decided to have a sale here at the farm.  I use to have a shop here that was open 4 days a month.  I haven't had a sale here since 2005.  Since that time, my shop has hosted many "parties" - we put a t.v. out there, video games, chairs, etc. - the girl's friends loved it.   I hosted 4-H project days, graduation parties and Thanksgiving dinner out there.   Mostly, however these past 2 years it has become over run with stuff.  When I didn't know what to do with something - out there it went.  After a show and I didn't want stuff to go out in the pole building - out there it went.  When I bought out an estate and was working on pricing stuff - out there it went.  When I went to an auction and ran out of room - out there it went.  I think you get the picture.  It was a sty...a pigsty...something you would see on the show "hoarders."  More than one person has said "I'm calling Mike and Frank from American Pickers."  Ya Ya...I know, I will clean it out!

Something - life - seemed to come first.  It was just too overwhelming to even start.  I've posted pictures of my "stash" before - this was my shop as of last Monday.

I originally thought that I would just set up some tents in our yard and have the sale under there.  Because, that would be easier?!?  Well, we have had some strong winds and rain lately.  Al said to me last weekend that he thought it would be better to just clean out my shop and have the sale in there.  Really?  It just seemed like too much work.  I already told people that I was doing it.  I posted things on my business FB page.  I HAD to do it.  

It took me ALL week to do it.  First I had to clean out an area in my pole building to put the stuff in my shop - shuffle, shuffle, shuffle.  However, with the help of my great-nephew, Caleb, we were able to take (don't ask how many...) trailer loads out to make room for the estate.  I woke this morning so pleased with myself that I actually did it!   Now, I don't want it to get that way again!  Maybe I should print off these pictures and tape them to the door to my shop to remind me of this mess.  

This is what it looks like today 

I don't have all the smalls from the estate in there yet, but at least I have a clean slate to work from.  Thank you Al, Caleb and the Lord for helping me get this far in 1 week.  I feel so much better about myself.  

So, this Monday, if you are overwhelmed with something and everyone is, just get started on "fixing" it.  It was unimaginable to me last Monday to be at the point I am this Monday.  What it took, was determination, encouragement and hard work.  The reward of how I feel about myself today was so worth all the hard work.  Feeling good is a motivator in it's self.  Good luck!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

It's a Good Fence

The past few years, the deer have really taken their fair share of my garden.  Last year they took it all - even tomatoes.  So, this year, we put up a deer fence.  The black net type.  We put up permanent corner posts and removable T posts.  The net can be taken down for the winter.  So far, so good.  

Our farrier (I've posted about him before, he is a character) came over and was looking at the fence.  He says "boy, you must have some pretty smart deer out here."  I said yes and started to explain about last year....when he says, "no, I mean they must be able to read...."  It took me a minute....

We used what we had.  This tape is left over from the set up of our flea market - Ringle Harvest Day.  We put it up, because the net is hard to see.  All I could think of was waking up to a deer tangled and kicking in that net.  It also flaps around in the wind, making noises.  I have high hopes for some of my own sweet corn this year!  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Linking up to "Good Fences" :  http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/2014/06/good-fences-13.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRunaroundRanchReport+%28The+Run*A*Round+Ranch+Report%29