Photojourna.list: Ranch Hand

If you don't have a pair of muddy boots (toddler speak: muthdee boos) I can tell you right now you should get some. While you're at it, go ahead and get a set of snug pajamas because that is the only way to really do your chores at the ranch.

Antiquing Treasures

I recently went antique shopping in Hannibal, MO* during our weekend stay up at the ranch. Having been born and raised in a small town in Missouri, I can attest that small town shopping is usually good for a WalMart, gas station convenience stores and antique shops. Being in the mood to look for old world treasures, I am happy to report that Hannibal didn't let me down on the antique front**. The first rule of antique shopping, if there are any rules, is that antique shopping is not only locating a coveted item, but also getting a good deal on said item. As a novice, I am diligently honing my skills, but mistakes will be made and junk will be collected during this whole process. On this particular outing, I feel I demonstrated a decent amount of restraint so as to draw the line between myself and the individuals you see on Hoarders. I present my treasures:


[ 1 ] Pink glass sugar bowl
[ 2 ] Blue glass Ball jar 
[ 3 ] Yellow glass sugar bowl 
[ 4 ] Red glass sugar bowl 
[ 5 ] Metal shelf brackets. (I loved the color and patina on these.)



You might ask yourself, "Ummm...what is the deal with all the sugar bowls?" Well...my big plan is to use them as little vases. I am sure Martha or Pottery Barn probably beat me to the punch, but I don't recall and am quite pleased with my idea nevertheless. Below are some sugar bowls from a previous shopping trip filled with herbs from the backyard (oregano and flowering chives). I am hoping to amass a lot of little sugar bowls and cluster them with flowers/herbs/whatever I fancy for that "Aren't I clever whipping this together?" centerpieces just like you see in the magazines. Nevermind that no one would have 20 sugar bowls at the ready for anything other than just such an occassion.


As for the Ball jar, these little darlings are the pride of homemade mavens and DIY wedding centerpieces alike. Personally, I collect these to put my dry goods on display in the kitchen. Clearly I need a refill on some of my dry goods in this picture, but it does function quite nicely as storage and fills up an otherwise empty wall.


Until next time...happy hunting.

* MO is the state abbreviation for Missouri. People commonly mistake it for MI (Michigan called dibs on that one) or MS (Mississippi lays claim to that one).
**Hannibal also has a nice gallery/art scene as well.

Photojourna.list: Antiquing in Perry, Missouri

After antiquing a few weekends ago in Hannibal, Missouri, I was inspired to post these pictures I took last winter from an antiquing trip in Perry, Missouri.

Antiquing is all about the hunt. I find it exciting to pick through all the odds and ends to find that little something-something you set out to find or the treasure you didn't know you needed. Sometimes window shopping is the order of the day...but rarely.

Clockwise from top: Alyse picks through the goods; antique men's collars on display; books line the upper floor of the antique shop; road in downtown Perry, MO; antique shop overview; salt and pepper shakers (wouldn't they make great flower bud vases?); Post Office in Perry, MO.

Eagle Days Revised - taking out the milquetoast

A few of my loyal readers (ummm, so really just my husband and sister) confided that my last post on Eagle Days was a bit milquetoast. Where were the pictures? Where was text that didn't sound like it was plagiarized from a 3rd-rate travel website? Never one to settle with mediocrity - or at least this time I decided not to settle - I have come to re-write my wrongs. Don't misunderstand: the writing won't magically get any better, but I do have more pictures.

We've got eagles!

Eagles!

Eagles!

...and small towns.

Clockwise from top left: Clarksville V.F.W.; Clarksville looking up one of the main streets; Elsberry - home of Unk's Bait, Tackle and Liquor; Elsberry commercial strip.

And one more thing: in the small burg of Elsberry, this small town girl (Mexico, MO: population 12,000) got made fun of by even smaller town people. Go figure. Daniel stopped in at Unk's Bait, Tackle and Liquor (because what else do you need?) and I decided to snap a few pictures of the immediate surroundings. I look up and see a face staring out at me from inside of Unk's clearly talking to an unseen person behind them. When Daniel came out he gave the full scoop that they were in fact trying to figure out what the hell I was taking pictures of.

Eagle Days

From St. Louis, it is just a relatively short jaunt down a country highway before you find yourself on the Mississippi River amongst bald eagles during the winter months. Watching bald eagles definitely has an allure, though I am not sure if it is the size and soaring grace, the striking contrast of the head against the body feathers or our devotion to our nation's symbol. Ben Franklin's take on the majestic bird: “I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country; he is a bird of bad moral character; like those among men who live by sharking and robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy." Okay, but he wanted a turkey as our nation's representative for crying out loud, so the Father of France doesn't know best.

From St. Louis - you have a few options on eagle watching. Last weekend we set our sites an hour northwest, going west on I-70 and north on 79. Getting there is half the fun as highway 79 is sprinkled with several small towns that you drive through. From south to north, here are the towns we 'visited', with posted populations:

O'Fallon 17, 425
St. Paul 1634
Old Monroe 250
Winfield 723
Foley 178
Elsberry 2047
Annada 48
Clarksville 490



Our destination was the small town of Clarksville and host of Eagle Days - a weekend of eagle watching on the edge of the river sitting just downstream from a lock and dam. The lock and dam is key to the operation as the dam prevents the river from freezing over and the fish shoot out of the dam a little bit stunned and a whole lot easier for the eagles to catch. During Eagle Days you will also find a handful of shops open - ready to sell bent willow furniture, natural bath products, antiques, and hand-blown glass. Be sure to wander by the V.F.W., where the smoker outside was advertising some kick-ass BBQ, or the concession stand to order up your hot dog or funnel cake. After a few hours taking in all we could, we hopped back into our car and headed home - glad to have ridded ourselves of cabin fever for the day.

Photojourna.list: Weekend at the Ranch Fall 2009

For as long as I can remember, going to the Hannibal FolkLife Festival has been a family tradition. Now that my parents live just outside of Hannibal, MO we also made it an overnight trip to the ranch - just in time for the a few of the fall alpaca babies to be born.

Clockwise from top left: A rainbow of alpaca yarn from Starlight Alpaca Ranch; a selection of turnips from a local grower; minutes old alpaca cria (baby) trying to stand up at the alpaca ranch (not at the festival); a jar of honey with a honeycomb; hotrods in the parking lot.

Photojourna.list: Farm fête

A few words, if I may: this was a benefit dinner for Food Outreach hosted by Winslow's Home. The premise: ship us out to the farm owned by Winslow's Home that, coincidentally, provides much of the seasonal food for Winslow's Home for a dinner by chef Cary McDowell. Upon arrival we were wined and dined with a farm-to-table experience that - speaking on behalf of everyone there - was absolutely mesmerizing. From the beautiful surroundings of Missouri's wine country of Augusta, MO (yes, we have a wine country) to the downright magazine spread of the table set up in the barn, the night was magical. We met a great group of people and absolutely had a ball.

Clockwise from top: Dried lavender direct from the field as table decor; looking down the table; in the fields for appetizers; (big pic) an overview of the evening sky with the attendees in the background; slanted view of the table setting; tarts on the table - so delicious; sunflowers in the field