Thursday, April 17, 2008

Field Trip - A Breath of Fresh Air

Yesterday was the first nice day we've had in almost six months. It's difficult to keep your spirits up through a long winter. It was a good opportunity to roll down the windows and drive across the northern Illinois landscape.

My errand for the day was to drive out to DeKalb and renew license plates for our daughter. We'll leave the discussion of the rude state employee for another day. The weather was too beautiful to focus on anything so negative as the Devil of the DMV.

There were some barns I wanted to photograph on my way home so I returned on Route 38 and I thought you might like to stop at Josie's Antiques with me. Her heart-shaped sign is out on the highway and you'll see her "open" flag flying in the breeze.

It's one lane and it's quite a distance so if there's another car coming, someone has to pull off at the edge of the cornfield.

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And she's trimmed the pine trees because they used to "tickle" the car when you drove through.

When you get out of your car you'll be greeted by her Collie. I swear, Collie's make the best farm dogs. I sure miss my Bonnie.

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There are several buildings filled with wonderful things. I always like to start in the main building because Josie bakes delicious chocolate cookies every morning and puts them in a glass jar on the counter. She'll offer you one, or you can help yourself.

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If you stop in winter she's got the big stove fired up.

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This is what I'd call the original pottery barn.

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My imagination runs wild when I see things like this long harvest table. I can picture delicious dinners and wonderful friends gathered around. In the past hearty meals would have been served to farmhands who sat together at noontime, bowing heads and saying grace.

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This toy typewriter reminds me of the vintage Underwood I bought the other day. Remind me to show it to you later.

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This Crown range was made in Chicago. I'd love to have one of these in my kitchen. The refurbished vintage stoves are a fortune!

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I'm thinking about going back for these old laundry tubs. I think they'd be great out on the deck this summer, filled with ice and cold bottles of beer and soda.

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If you duck over to my photoblog for a minute you can see inside Josie's historic 1839 barn. Yes....that adds up to 169 years old!

Such a beautiful day needs to be shared and I'm glad you could come along with me.

As I turned out of Josie's I saw something that boggled my mind, and believe me it takes alot to boggle me! More about that tomorrow.

8 comments:

Jan said...

You images do make me homesick! I grew up in central Il and love your photos! I would love to visit the shop you have featured! What fun!

Jan

Vee said...

Ohhhh, that's just what I needed now...a lovely trip down a beautiful lane to an antique shop where I can have a chocolate cookie with a friend. That's one terrific set of buildings with lots of great items for sale. Did you leave empty-handed?

Vee said...

I keep forgetting stuff...my parents raised collies for a while when I was a kid so I always had a collie growing up. Wonderful dogs, loving, gentle, and so smart.

Mary said...

Oh I love that road, and that terrific barn! Lots of goodies inside, too. :)

Thanks for the tour!
xoxo,
Mary

My Castle in Spain said...

Hello there !
This is a lovely antique shop...

and...love your post below about shoes..Please don't be so hard with your feet !
:-)

KatKit13 said...

I caught a glimmer of that stove in your photo blog, and just sighed with longing... and then I spotted a beautiful chair... and drooled some more.

I think I need to take a serious trip north this spring. :D

Suzanne said...

Kat - Oh the stove. I was turning knobs and twisting dials, opening the door to see how much scrubbing would be necessary. The exterior was in really great condition. Oh, and I have pictures of a small Hoosier cabinet she has in the barn, you know with the flour sifter on the left hand side. There's just so much stuff you dont' know where to look.

RoeH said...

I loved these pictures. I want to come there...live there. And...for what it's worth, I think you should buy the stove before I come up and get it. Love it. And everything that is in there.