Country Charm

 

Usually, when I stop in at Joanne and Tom's place, nobody's home. 

I stop to drop off some jelly for Tom. It's fun leaving it somewhere that they should certainly see it when they arrive home from work. 

I think a couple of times the jelly may have sat for a day or two before they notice it. 

But when they do, I always hear back from Tom, who really appreciates having it for his workday sandwiches.

Yesterday, while driving by, I actually saw Joanne out in the yard working on a painting project. 

So, I put the Subaru in reverse and drove in to say hi.

Well, "hi" ended up with the news that Joanne had some jelly jars to give me.

So, while she rounded them up, I walked around what I consider the cutest little farm in Kootenai and took pictures. 

I've decided Joanne has the same affinity for funky and quaint that I do, but she's much better at her yard art and flowers. 

The placement, the beautiful clumps of flowers on the ground and in baskets and the arrangement of knickknacks, etc. all go together for a charming and delightful visual experience. 

The couple has had problems recently with trees crashing down during storms, so they're involved in projects to fix up the damage, which included one tree falling on their garage.  

I didn't stay long, but I know there will soon be another visit when Tom meticulously removes corn stalks from his garden and ties them in a bundle to be left beside the driveway. 

I'll get the text, then grab the white pickup and a jar of jelly, and we'll make the annual fall exchange.

While Tom enjoys his jelly, my horses will gather around for several days after coming up from pasture for their corn-stalk hand out. 

The corn stalk project actually initiated the jelly drops a few years back.  Since then, Tom has been so profuse with his appreciation, that we've agreed on a "keep fill" service in the jelly department.

This morning I must be profuse in my appreciation to Joanne for letting me stroll around her farm and take pictures. 

After all, this week of smoke and dirt has diminished the majority of "purty views" I usually see in my afternoon wanderings. 

So, to see a tastfully planned outdoor display of bright colors all in one place yesterday----I was truly the kid in the candy store.  

Such visual sweetness! 

Thanks, Joanne.   

On another level of "country charm," we've

 "GOT INSULATORS."  

Our new next-door neighbor Steve came over on his tractor the night before last.  He had a purpose in mind when he talked to Bill and asked if he'd be interested in any fence insulators.  

Steve has had the insulators, still in their bags, for a while and determined that since he wasn't going to use them, maybe the folks next door might be need some.

Bill told him we could maybe use a few and suggested that my sisters might take some for their fences.

Well, yesterday Steve again came into the driveway in his pickup while Bill was at a meeting in Coeur d'Alene.

After learning Bill wasn't home, he said, "Where do you want the insulators?"

I really hadn't thought about insulators and actually had no answer, so Steve led me to his truck, opened up the canopy and, my oh my, he truly had insulators.  

His covered pickup bed was filled with sizable boxes, all filled with bags of yellow insulators of varying species. 

Some folks may agree that this phenomenon does not often, but, after stifling a gasp, I was speechless, looking in total amazement at all those boxes filled with insulators. 

I also learned, as I stood there trying to fathom where we would use that many insulators, that Steve had already dropped off three boxes to the Taylors across the road and had really enjoyed meeting them for the first time.  

Finally, I said I really didn't know where Bill would want them, telling him about the recent clean-up project in the shop where Annie and Bill had hauled off several loads of "stuff" to the transfer station, including a slightly flawed rocking-roller lawn chair that got claimed by a transfer station patron before it hit the ground. 

To which a rather intuitive Steve asked, "Do you want me to come back later when Bill's home?"

"Yes," I said, "that might be a good idea.  Why don't you come around 6?"

Before leaving, Steve also came up with what he thought was another mighty fine idea.

"You could use them for ornaments," he suggested, looking around the yard.

The image of hundreds of yellow insulators of varying species hanging from tree limbs around the Lovestead yard stretched beyond my usual desire for funkiness.

I told him probably not---that I was kinda weird but not that weird. 

Anyway, when Bill came home, I told him Steve was coming at 6.  And, by golly, when he came, first Bill looked inside the truck bed, said something like "Oh,"  and then directed him to the machine shed at the end of the lane and pointed to a spot where the boxes would go. 

I followed with my camera and told Steve he'd be on the blog today AND that anyone in the neighborhood who reads this blog and who might need fence insulators, we've 

GOT INSULATORS!

So, if you do need 'em, or you know anyone who needs them, send me a note. 

FREE while supplies last! 

True country charm at its best. 

Happy Friday.