I so enjoy wandering around our home. It is so full of treasures. There is no sneaking about in our Victorian cottage. A creak here, a squeak there, a moan, a groan… the floors announcing each step…
Our old wooden floors are scarred and pitted, each marking a memory that will remain untold. These old wooden floors, so silent, have witnessed over one hundred ten years of living… witnessing moments of contentment and anguish, happiness and heartbreak, bounding joy and profound sadness, laughter and grief. But they remain strong, patiently waiting to witness the next hundred ten years.
We, in our restoration, hope to retain their glory without erasing a single treasured memory. Those scars and pits carry so much of the energy of this old cottage. With each step I take I feel the history embracing me.
Now back to our latest road trip… after going to D’Alessandro’s Nursery to pick up three Norwegian weeping spruce, we headed to Schenectady for an Estate Sale by Center-State Estate and Household Liquidation Sales. I love Winnie the Pooh! (Background on my relationship with Winnie) I can hardly wait to unpack our household goods from Hawaii. Among our possessions we have a Christopher Robin embroidered picture that had been given to my mother by her grandfather dmother. My mother never embroidered it. She gave it to. me as I love to embroider. So for years Christoper Robin has had a special spot in our home. And, because I love Christopher Robin, it follows that Winnie the Pooh holds a special spot in my heart too.
When I saw the notice for the sale, I noticed a Winnie the Pooh Hundred Acre Forest platter by Lenox, a Winnie the Pooh ceramic watering can, and a Winnie the Pooh canister set. I called to see if they were even in our price range. Then asked if we could assure her we would buy them. Colleen agreed to mark them sold. She knew us and knew we would be there to complete the sale.
We arrived early. It was sprinkling and slightly chilly. So they let us enter the house early.
They had the most amazing things that had not been listed at all. We found a beautiful silver tea set that was lined in ceramic.
They had a set of Spode china, never used, still in its original boxes. It was a beautiful baroque pattern.
Also, we found a beautiful set of Meakem china.
Then, Scott found an adorable set of pottery with gingerbread men. And to top it off he found a gingerbread man cookie jar.
I thought we were out of there. But then Scott turned around and found a snowman spoon holder.
There was a beautiful latch hook rug that have been made by their grandfather. I used to make latch hook rugs so I have great admiration for them. Lovely Colleen gave us the rug. All I could do was thank them profusely and hug them.
We came home with all these treasures, several others and three Norwegian weeping spruce from D’Alessandro’s, and an amazing journey on the back road highways and byways of upstate New York…
