Telling the story .................

As many of you know, I have applied for partnership status with Silos and Smokestacks. Silos and Smokestacks is the National Heritage Area for Agriculture. National Heritage areas are under the guidance of the National Park Service and often, are joint ventures between not-for-profit organizations, public parks and land and private individuals.

We are one of those private individuals.

My goal/mission/purpose is to tell the story of agriculture through the eyes of a woman. My focus is about a thirty year period from 1920's through 1950's.

Some things are easy to see ......... raising chickens,



hanging clothes on the line, ruffled aprons and canning pickled beets. A perfect example is when I give directions to the bathroom...... Walk to the peaches and turn right!

Instantly you see a pantry filled with tomatoes, peaches, cherries and green beans. Ahhh..... this is a woman that doesn't like going to the grocery store.

Somethings you might only catch a glimpse of ............ like me sitting in the lath house spinning yarn. Or sitting on a bench knitting a pair of socks.

Many items have been re-purposed. Pretty ruffly glass light shades are now bird feeders and bird bathes.


A rusty old corn crib from 1946 has a new life as the infamous corn-zebo..... the perfect place to relax and sip some apple mint iced tea.

Rinse tubs hold ice and cold beverages. And galvanized tubs are planted with herbs.

Tea cups dance from the tree .........



and old china plates border flower gardens. Its a reminder of the pretty things that meant so much to our grandmothers. An afternoon tea with friends was an occasion to bring out the special china. The tea cup tree and pretty vintage tablecloths celebrate those rare but special moments.



And somethings hint at the past. Quilt blocks on the barn, coops and fences reflect our grandmother's need to conserve and recycle with beauty and grace.


And now .... the newest idea is coming to the garden.

I can't wait!

Comments

Barb said…
Spinning in the lath house....it sounds so wonderful. I can imagine the fragrance of the Iowa countryside wafting through the lath, the warm breezes, the sound of drowsy flies buzzing lazily by, (did we call them "blue bottle" flies?). As a child we always used the corn crib as our play house. That would have been a good place to spin. But now I am content to spin on my front porch. That is lovely as well.

Oh, the garden loom will be so pretty in your setting.
BlueGate said…
Great stuff all around, Cathy. And the new idea is pure brilliance!

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