Sunday, October 7, 2012

Went To Wilma's Garage Sale...We Need A Little Party!

Good morning sweet ladies,

I have so wanted to post a post for the last few days , but time has not allowed it. Friday afternoon I received an email from one of my daughter in loves. She said that she had just been to a garage sale in Yoder and had found a big box of homemade soap. She had them set it aside for me, she knows me well. It was closing at 6, so we came home, changed and off to Yoder we went. My Tonya said it was a 93 year old lady's home and that she was moving into a nursing home. When we got there I found some things I just knew would be useful for the farm. I walked around the different trailers. Then the older gentleman said, their is more inside! I was in for that! My girls and I went inside........and then we met Wilma. We became friends in an instant! She was tiny, had her white hair up in little waves on the top of her head, old wire rimmed glasses and absolutely adorable. She spoke with a sweet little voice. We greeted one another and her daughter was also there. The daughter started explaining what was going on. Wilma couldn't drive anymore and so she had resided to move from her home. It made me sad that she had to move......I was ready to move in with her so she could stay in her home.....but that wouldn't be the same for her.  As my girls and I started going through her things picking them up and touching them, I started to feel guilty. So did one of my girls. I said something to Wilma and she said it was okay.....but I still struggled. I had to rationalize that I was helping her with her new move to the nursing home and helping financially.  I continued to find my purchases. 


I started gathering my treasures..........a cream and sugar set, a small little crystal dish..... I will use for our jam at our table this CHRISTmas. I also found 6 sweet dessert plates that I just love! I always like collecting miss matches! I had them all gathered in my hands and looked to see where I could start my pile. Wilma patted her lap and said for me to set them there. I obeyed her. SWEETNESS in the REAL! 


Tressa was in the kitchen and found a beautiful waffle maker....it was a need for the refuge cabin! 


This is an old fashioned turkey roaster. 


Wilma had to tell me how I could use it as a cookie sheet and a roast pan using the bottom. Also she said the bottom could be used for cakes. It was amazingly made and it will be very useful in my kitchen!


This was a roast oven (I think)........it is sturdy just like the turkey roaster. They don't seem to make pans like they used to. It will be great for making stews also. 


Just picked these up, because I am always needed buckets and baskets. 


Found some zinc jar lids and things.


She had some aprons......I picked up a few. They had some stains......that's okay.....Wilma wore them.


I saved the best for last.......we a little fun........so.....
we are going to have a little party! A "NO" reason party!

I loved the soap and thought it would be fun to share. I will fix up 4 cute little bags full of her soap to share with 4 who win!!!!!!  I don't have time to show you how I will decorate it, but I will try to do so tomorrow night. With having the football players today and company tonight for a hotdog roast, my time was limited. Oh, fourteen guys showed up and it was like an army as they worked on the farm. Oh my did they get some work done. They had so much fun they said and want to come back. Special day for our family. I think the Lord blessed us all!


Okay so lets PARTY!!!!
 We will do the party starting today

until this Wednesday at NOON October 10th!

If you don't have a blog. PLEASE LEAVE ME AN EMAIL
WITH SOAP IN THE SUBJECT. 

All you have to do is leave me a comment. 
Do you have a memory of laundering clothes?

Here is mine. When I was young my mom had a wicker laundry basket. I was in charge of sprinkling the laundry with an aluminum sprinkler with a cork that was attached to the top of a coke bottle. It was before steam irons. I would lay the clothing piece out flat, then sprinkle it......fold and roll it up and stack it in the wicker basket. I would love to have a day with my mom doing that for her at the age I am now!  

Hugs from the farm,
Linda


P.S. Yesterday on my fb I put this pic up as I was baking bread......I said I would give the recipe! 


Here is is........ 


Sesame Wheat Braids Recipe
3 packages active dry yeast
2 1/4 caps warm water 
1/3 cup sugar
1 T. vegetable oil
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1 T. water
1 T. salt
5 to 6 cups unbleached flour
2 tea. sesame seeds
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar and oil: mix well. Stir in whole wheat four; let stand until the mixture bubbles, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, beat eggs and water. Remove 2 tablespoons to a cup or small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Add remaining egg mixture and salt to batter; mix until smooth. Add 4 cups flour and beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled about 20 minutes. Punch dough down and divide in half. Divide each half into thirds. Shape each into a rope about 15 in. long. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet; braid. Pinch ends firmly and tuck under. Brush with the reserved egg mixture; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat, placing second braid on the same baking sheet. Let rise until doubled, about 15-20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 loaves.

Enjoy!!!!!!!





45 comments:

  1. Homemade soap, count me in, that is a generous prize for 4 winners. My laundry memory consists of sprinkling clothes as my mom ironed, using the same coke bottle and sprinkling head you describe.

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  2. Your post was bittersweet for me, too. My heart was so sad for Wilma, and yet I know that you are going to use her things with love and tell others about this precious woman who once used and served her family with these treasures.

    My mom had an opaque water bottle with a light blue lid that she would spray clothes with. I remember her keeping them in a big plastic bag until she was ready to iron. I wonder now how they never seemed to mildew. Perhaps she ironed daily, but I don't remember? I do remember getting fussed at because I was a bit mischievous and would sneak that bottle to spray my sister. Oh I was a rascal sometimes ... poor mom! LOL

    Love reading your posts, Linda. They encourage my walk was a wife & mother. Sometimes the path seems to difficult, and yet you find the joy. Thank you.

    Delinda Lea

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  3. It sounds like you had a great time and found some wonderful treasures. It always makes me sad to go to estate sales when I know the items have been treasured by someone who is elderly and cannot enjoy them any longer. But I'm sure she enjoyed knowing they were going to someone who would treasure them as well.
    I'd love to win the soap! :)
    Blessings,
    Ava

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  4. What a wonderful time you had at Wilma's garage sale! I too remember sprinkling clothes and putting them in the refrigeator if we didn't get our ironing done. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  5. Your posts are a happy place in my day. Thank you for your kindness and love. My goal was to have a farm life such as yours, but bad things happen to good people. I still have my faith and know that someday before I am an old woman, I will have my own farm again. Maybe reindeer and goats. And a couple chickens.

    My memory if the strength my own mother instilled in me and my sisters at a young age. Although I'm pretty sure my dad did not appreciate the EXTRA spray starch I ironed into his handkerchiefs.

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  6. Love your blog. My heart goes out to Wilma. Hoping that her family will visit her often in her new home.

    I remember watching my mom sprinkle clothes with a metal sprinkle bottle. She was so articulate in how it was done. Next she would ever so carefully roll up each shirt, dress, slacks, pillow case, etc. and place them neatly in a plastic bag. That bag then had a special place on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. She always said after they set for a while in a cool place they ironed easier. When we got older, my sister and I did the same thing. I still iron everything to this day. Once in a while I will sprinkle a shirt with water, roll it up and put it in the fridge. They still do iron nicer after a while in a cool place.

    Still love your thoughts amd messages everyday. I feel very blessed to have found you.

    Sincerely,

    Linda Schillinger

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  7. I am having such a sad day. Sad to be missing Nick. Sad because someone stole a sweet 10 year old girl in a neighborhood we use to live in! Someone left her backpack on the sidewalk in front of a home 6 miles from her home! I just don't think my kids know how much i love them! I know that little Jessica's mom would love to hug her and tell her how much she loves her. I feel so helpless because I could not handle the despair her family must be feeling!
    So here I am to smile and see your new friend Wilma! I will pray and hope she will get settled in her new home. I will pray for good health and strength for her.
    My childhood friend lost her mom today. Her mom was 97! God Bless her. She lived a beautiful full life.
    I remember being tall enough to run the washcloth over the clothesline so my mom could hang the laundry. I do it myself today when I can hang my clothes outdoors. My clothesline is in need of repair. I wish I had some football players here!
    You are so blessed.
    Your soap from Wilma sounds wonderful. It would be a nice reminder of Wilma. Her treasures are going to make you smile a lot! I love everything you have!
    I want to run away somedays! But not without my honey! He and I are a team! He does so many nice things for me. He set up my Princess House list on excel and made copies for me and also emailed it to me so I could share with anyone who wants it! He made me smile!
    I love Wilma's sweet apron! But I am an apron girl and will always remember my mom hanging the laundry with a sweet apron around her waist! I miss her a lot today!
    Thanks Linda for all the memories you made me remember. I think I will sleep better tonight!
    God Bless You!
    Hugs Anne

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  8. I definitely emember sprinkling he clothes, rolling hem up, then putting tem in the refrigerator. Wonder when er stopped doin that...

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  9. I used to wash with a wringer washing machine. It was all done outside in the fresh air and hung on the clothes line.

    I loved the smell of the clothes after they had hung outside and the sheets were always crisp to sleep on.

    Have a blessed day!
    Glenda

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  10. Hi Linda - This is very generous of you! I would love the chance to have some of Wilma's homemade soap - what a precious lady she must be!

    As for my laundry memory - I will never forget the day my Mom reached in the laundry basket - only to uncover a baby Garter SNAKE! Somehow it had gotten down in our basement! She screamed - my Dad came running and grabbed it - he let me pet it - then outside it went! Most excitement we ever had on laundry day!

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  11. I had tears reading about your new friend. She was probably glad her treasures were going to a dear person who would honor them. A memory for me is everything had to be so so in the pegging out part for mom. It still does. Nothing sloppy, even though no one could see it as we lived in the country, on a farm on a deadend lane. And today, I am the same way, I want the clothes to look tidy as they dry. All matchymatchy too. Thank you for sharing.

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  12. My memory is of an old hand crank ringer on top of the washer that my mom used everyday for a family of 7. I loved putting my hands in the ringer to see if my hands would flatten out:)lol I love those days when we did everything together as a family so sweet...

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  13. What a sweet story; gave me tears hun :); my favorite laundry memory is when I was a little girl (many years ago) I'd go visit my Grandma Brewster on their dairy farm in Ohio, I'd help her w/washing clothes, she had one of the old ringer washer and I thought it was such fun to help her, she'd feed the clothes thru the ringer and I'd hold it on the other end; then we'd take it outside and hang on the clothes line. Our clothes always smelled so fresh; I miss those days...thanks for helping me to remember hun..

    Hugs, Shar

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  14. What an awesome find. I wish I could sit down with Wilma and talk. Just imagine all the things she has seen in her life time. This is the major reason my family and I am planning a move back to Arizona where my whole family lives. I want my children to get to know their Great Grandparents and my Parents. I remember helping my grandmother hang up clothes at the old farm house when I was a little girl. This post brought joy to my heart Linda.

    pkgbest at gmail dot com

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  15. O Linda, what a blessed time you had with Wilma. I know it blessed her also to see her things so loved.

    I have many laundry memories at my grandmother's. Not only hanging but bringing in the wonderful smelling clothes. But one memory that comes to mind is her clothesline. It was made so that you could turn a crank and the line would be low enough to hang clothes then turn the handle to raise the line so that nothing would touch the ground. My line doesn't have that but I think of Mamaw each day that I hang our laundry. Hugs to you today.

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  16. So glad I read this blog this morning. What a sweet story, but somewhat sad too. I think you are the perfect one to share in Wilma's treasures cause you will love them & they'll be in a home where they are appreciated. I do have several special 'laundry' memories. When we'd visit my Grandma in VA, mom would help her do laundry on the old wringer washer. I got to help hang it on the line right out in the front yard. There was a big forked stick that would hoist the line up high after we'd get everything hung up. My mom always had a clothesline too & I loved growing up using that. I've been able to have a clothesline at every home we've had until this one {the neighborhood assoc. would frown on it here}. Thanks for this sweet blog!

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  17. Oops, I forgot to leave a laundry memory. :) I remember Mother hanging sheets on the line and playing under them. Pretending to be in our tents, or houses, playing with our dolls or kittens while the sheets dried. Then, my children did the same.
    Blessings,
    Ava

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  18. When I was a young bride in the early 70's, we lived in a little house that has a screened in back porch, my parents had a wringer washer they weren't using, so I decided to put in on porch & was using it one day. I had very long hair, reached over to maybe get something from wringer, it caught my hair, I was scrambling to get wringer turned off before it snatched me bald. After there was always careful to put my hair in a ponytail. your adventure with Wilma sounds like a fun time and goodies too.ldstowe@hotmail.com

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  19. Thanks for sharing about Wilma. I always loved doing the laundry with our wringer washer. The smell of the laundry when taking it off the lines.I still like my towels off the line.judy j

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  20. Just took my momma (88) back to her house after a stay with me. My brother lives close by and is always checking in with her. I live an hour away and brought her to my house while he was gone on a trip. Doing laundry while she was here made me comment to her about the fact that it is NO work at all today to wash clothes! My mom had a wringer washer in the basement with the two rinse tubs. When the water could no longer go down the drain (fixing plumbing problems was not in the farm budget!), I carried the water up the stairs and out the door to the yard. Over and over. I do remember ironing, too. I still love to iron tea towels and pillowcases, but seldom take the time. I'd love to have a bag of this special soap!♥♫

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  21. So the soap is for laundry? I have only ever used store bought stuff.

    Bless sweet Wilma's heart. I know I would feel awkward too looking through someone else's things in that situation, but so glad you were able to help her.

    I used to live next door to my great grandma (Granny) (for all my schooling years.) We used her washer and dryer that were kept outside behind her house. My favorite thing about laundry was actually the clothes line. It was two big rusted metal T poles holding up 3 lines of heavy wire. I really wish I had a clothesline like hers now. And I very much miss living next door to my Granny! She passed away a couple years ago at 101.

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  22. thanks for the chance to win your soap.

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

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  23. Oh goodness. I can just imagine the mixed emotions that were going through you at Wilma's sale. Bless her heart. You did find some precious treasures though.
    As a child, we didn't have a dryer so all laundry was put out on the lines in the yard. When it was too cold or we had inclement weather, the laundry hung in the garage to dry. I can remember Mom sprinkling clothes items with water, rolling them into balls and storing in a bag waiting to for her to iron them.
    I would love to win some of Wilma's homemade soap...were you able to get the recipe? I hope so ;)

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  24. I remember going down to the basement with my Grandma Bern back in the '70s and watching her use an old wringer washer. She put the clothes in to was in the base, then she had to wring them out with the wringer that looked like two rolling pins that she rolled the clothes through to squeeze out the water. Then of course, they went on the line outside.

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  25. I can understand your mixed feelings at Wilma's sale.
    I have two laundry memories. One is at my grandma's farm watching her do the laundry with an old wringer washer and the other is helping my mom do the ironing and the iron fell on the back of my hand and burnt it--ouch!
    slrdowney at hotmail dot com

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  26. I'd love to win some soap! I like to make my own laundry soap. I also love to iron! Patty--6goobers@embarqmail.com

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  27. Interesting post , so sad for Wilma but it is nice to know her treasures will be loved again .My memories of laundry was helping out the clothes through the wringer , we had the old fashioned wringer washer and it was a big deal to help out . Thanks for the chance to win.

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  28. HI Linda

    Aww sad so glad my Grandma who is almost 93 can stay in her house since my Aunt and Uncle live next door and help take care of her. I remember hanging all the sheets on the line and just love the smell of fresh laundry dried outside! I have a couple recipe for making laundry soap and want to try making it myself. Thanks for having a party!

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  29. I too have the memories of using a bottle to sprinkle the clothes before they were ironed. We also had a wringer washer. I always ejoyed running the clothes through the ringer. I told my little sisteres to stay back or they would get their hands stuck in the wringer because I did not want to share the fun part of the job. Great memories but I am glad I have my new front loader.

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  30. Hi Linda! What a special time you had with Wilma. You found some very sweet things that mean even more because you met the little grandma who used them. Laundry memories are many but I especially remember my grandma doing her laundry down in the basement using the wringer washer & the "Linco" for the whites! It was in a brown jug & I know it was bleach~~but that's what she called it & it was strong:0). Thanks again for sharing so much of yourself~~~Hugs!!

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  31. Well~~~I never know what I should select as a profile so I forgot to leave my name at the end of my comment~~DUH~~~! So, here it is :
    Linda Petersen
    lindaellenpetersen@gmail.com

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  32. What a wonderful story, thank you for sharing. I remember my momma had an old wringer washer and she let me very carefully put the clothes in the wringer and then catch them on the other side. She loved that washer. Always said it did a better job than "those automatic things"
    Blessings to you and all
    Lynn

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  33. Oh my, all the posts. Loved reading them. Interesting to see the connection between a number of the ladies that wrote. I, too, prayed for a little girl named Jessica the other day. My daughter told me there was an Amber Alert for her. What a gift that our God can bring us all together for a common goal. We at least can pray together. The other connection was with the T pole clothes line. I have that one!! I LOVE to hang my clothes on it! All summer long. Thanks for the visit with Wilma. Thanks for sharing. The soap party is such a fun idea. Thanks Tonya for thinking of your momma in law!

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  34. THAT kind of garage/estate sale is the BEST. I can just feel your heart for Wilma. What a special thing it would be to "win" a little bit of Wilma's SOAP.

    Yesterday I spent an hour's worth of recreation at my favorite thrifts store. Would you believe I had a blue and white saucer in my hand with the same pattern as the dessert plate you got at Wilma's!?!? I put it back. I just couldn't bring everything home with me...

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  35. My mother's sprinkling bottle was exactly the same as your mom's. I remember it well.
    We lived in an apartment in Chicago, then, and I remember her washing out some things with a washboard in the sink,or bathtub. She would hang them on a drying rack. We have it so much easier!
    nancyr

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  36. I have two bowls in that same blue and white pattern! Just used them for a chili supper with friends on Friday night (25 people in all, so lots of mismatched bowls in use!).

    Would love to win some of Wilma's soap. My laundry memory is much the same as yours. My mother also used a Coke® bottle to sprinkle clothes, only hers had a red plastic sprinkler top. I loved being allowed to iron the handkerchiefs and pillow cases!

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  37. I remember my Mom doing laundry with a wringer washer and large rinsing tub. When I got old enough I did the ironing and sprinkling the clothes before hand was part of the job as well. Aprons with a stain or two are always welcome in my kitchen.

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  38. Growing up, I LOVED whenever we went to Great-Grandma's house to visit, especially when she was doing laundry! She had an old wringer washer as well...so much fun, but remember her making sure that I didn't get too close to the wringer...I thank the Lord for her and that I still have all of my fingers, tee hee :)

    gdart07@gmail.com

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  39. I got to help both my grandmothers with laundry. They were next door neighbors, so life was very sweet. I was allowed to hand my Nanny the wet clothes from the washer and she would feed them through the wringer. Then out to the clothesline we'd go. I love the snapping sound that clothes make in a stiff breeze and am thrilled that I get to live in the country and hang out my own clothes. (Can't say I'm sorry to have a washing machine though. : ) Was always a bit intimidated by that wringer!) Blessings to you and yours Linda and thank you for sharing yourself with soooo many.

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  40. I have had fun reading these great comments. Especially the one about the garter snake!

    I, too, helped my mom sprinkle the clothes, which she would then deftly roll up and put in a little pile. I'd forgotten why we did that until you mentioned it was before steam irons. "Helping" mom... a good memory.

    My grandmother had a wringer washer and that was always a treat, watching the wet items squish through and then PLOP! out into the waiting basket. I could watch that endlessly.

    Accompanying you on this "virtual estate sale" has been a lot of fun. I love to put things like this on my own blog, showing what I've found on garage sales. With your permission, I'd like to share a link to this post.

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  41. Thanks for sharing with us what you found from Wilma. It's neat how God brings us little blessings.

    I can't say I have a memory about laundry, but I will day that I like hanging laundry outside on the clothesline. My kids help now, so I don't get to do all of it, but it is something I still enjoy.

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  42. Oh Linda, what sweet memories I have about laundry! I remember when our children were small, I had a wringer washing machine and I always hung the clothes outside, if possible. The landlord's mother would come over each day and gather the eggs their chickens had payed. (Their chicken house was in our back yard!) With two small children sometimes I'd wash more than once a week...she said to me one day.."you are either awfully dirty or very clean!" I just had to laugh...and never forgot it! smile... I told her "thanks, I'd take that as a compliment!'

    What a lovely giveaway...you are so sweet!

    Blessings,
    Gert

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  43. how special a day you had.
    i remember hanging sheets on the line with my mother and having to stretch as far as i could to put the clip on crooked. i miss my mother dearly and you prompted a sweet memory for me with this.

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  44. Sending prayers and hugs for you and Wilma. I hope the rest of her life is happy and comfortable.
    Believe it or not my best laundry memory is hanging diapers outside in the winter in New Jersey and leaning the frozen diapers against the wall until they thawed and I could fold them and put them away. They were so soft and smelled so sweet. Thank you for bringing back that sweet memory.

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  45. Oh, I would love to have some homemade soap! I woud have loved the sweet ladies yard sale, especially being able to talk to her! How exciting for you, I just KNOW you loved her!
    Blessings!
    CJ

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