Truth

We are working/playing our way through a particular part of Wisconsin. Tree color ranges from a very few beautiful vistas to a bunch of leaf-less miles to mostly dull and merely O.K. It is not a usual Fall Color year. And that's O.K. Nature happens. And this kind of Autumn helps us appreciate the Spectacular ones.

A treat yesterday, thanks to Facebook again, was visiting the home and woods of a friend from college days. The dogs tolerated us. Tom made (for us) a Hobbit style "second breakfast." We got to see some more-than-vintage woodworking tools he still puts to use sculpting downed logs. And we got to walk the perimeter of some of his family's property. Pines, spruce, the dead elm that survived until recently... A field on one side held  another neighbor's potato field. I had many thoughts and emotions as we watched the large tractors, two harvesting machines, and the big trucks working together seamlessly. 
It was a perfect day for potato picking... If any of my family members are reading this - they understand. Warm, a light breeze, sandy loam, the vines dried, and the spuds.... Well, not picked up one by one by one (multiply by thousands, millions?). Scooped up now, rocks and vines removed, and after a few minutes - well, just a whole large truck bed FILLED to heaping with potatoes. I didn't walk out in to the field to see if they were harvesting Whites or Russets. It didn't really matter. Spuds were being harvested. The day was sunny and mild. And something felt oddly perfect.

After saying goodbye to Tom and the doggies it was time to head south. We are hitting as many thrift and antique shops as we can. What treasures have we purchased? NONE. One copy of "Yesterday" newspaper. I snap a few photos of things that catch my eye. Like this - 

Photographed as much for the truth in advertising as the oddly-shaped equine - possibly based on a press design? Rosemaling was peachy. And the price was right. Now, NOW, I almost regret not buying this. But our home has no horizontal space on which it could rest.

But the label! So TRUE. "Painted wooden horse on piece of wood." And now that I really look - the seller didn't even waste any white space on the label! As they say - It is what it is. Spare. Plain. Oddly elegant.

I would strive to be oddly spare and plainly elegant. If I strove to strive.

On to a second tiny cup of motel-eating-area de-caf coffee. Reminder to self: You did NOT eat the lovely old-fashioned chocolate doughnut. YAY! (sigh) You did not make a motel eatery waffle. YAY! (sigh) You ate a banana and a tiny bowl of raisin bran. (I haven't eaten cold cereal in over five years. Reasons.)

Now it is time to make some greeting cards, concentrate on the good jazz streaming from the headphones, and make some greeting cards.

Milwaukee adventures await!

Fare-thee-well!
Sue

www.suerowe.com
Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios