Sunday in My House in My City

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No pictures from out and about my city today because, quite frankly, we still have old, dirty,  shrinking piles of snow on the ground and we're tired of hearing about the snow that we still have in this neck of the woods even though it IS Spring.  Besides that, it was a rather dreary cloudy day and since I hadn't already snapped any shots for this post, I decided to do something else.  Something warmer and more cheerful - I hope.

So - - - I went around my abode snapping things I love because they are, after all, IN MY CITY and they are what I have to share with you today.

You've landed right in the middle of "The Eclectic Company" blog, so named for a very good reason.  I am eclectic.  My "style" is eclectic to the nth degree.   I heterogenously mix colors, time periods, and pieces to suit NOTHING but my own taste.  I like wood,  unpainted "natural" wood.  Well, you'll see.

So, come on in - - - - kick off your shoes  - - - put your feet up on the coffee table - - - and sit a spell in my eclectic little nest.

While you enjoy a little cuppa joe (which you'll find in the left margin) I'll spin my yarns about what you see before you.  Because, after all, the BEST thing about "stuff" is the story it has to tell.
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This antique brown crock on my kitchen table is filled with vintage kitchen implements and one child's toy rolling pin.   I look at these and wonder whose hands used them and what culinary delights were made with them.

I picture a little curly haired child spending hours playing house with the rolling pin.  I sure hope she had a play house in which to do it.
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Several pieces can be seen in this photo, but the character who gets to have the lead in my tale today is the little set of sewing table drawers underneath the circa 1880's dressing table, though there is an awesome tale to go with the dressing table too but we'll save THAT one for another day.

I walked into one of my favorite antique haunts one day and spied this set of sewing drawers.  I HATE to sew, but was taught how by my mother who was a master seamstress.  I fell immediately in L.0.V.E. with the wood tones, the cubby drawers, and the whole look of the thing.  I imagine every one of those drawers held thread, bobbins, and other assorted sewing accoutrements.  I wonder what masterpieces of tailoring were produced from its stores.
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The first home we bought had glass doorknobs like the one on the right.  Our children called them diamonds.  

I never had a sink or tub with this style of hot and cold faucet knobs, but oh how I wish I had!  They bring images to mind of claw footed tubs with lots of bubbles pouring over the sides.
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Here we have a new (two year old) orange basket loaded to the gills with ancient kitchen gadgets.  Girls, (and guys if any are plowing through this post and also happen to DO laundry)  aren't we GLAD we don't have to still USE a washboard like that every time we do our laundry?
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I brought these three prints home from vacation one year.  They aren't old, but I love the old memories they elicit.  Who do you suppose sat rocking on the porches of those two houses?   

How many milk cows passed through that barn?  Oh how glad we are that we can buy our milk in a gallon jug and NEVER had to get up to do "chores" (for you nonfarmers, that means milking) at 5 am and then repeat the whole process at 5 pm.  EVERY. STINKIN. DAY. 365 days of the year.

Cows can't milk themselves, you know.

I never lived on a farm, but some of my Aunts and Uncles did and I spent time there some summers trooping down to the barn before sun-up to "help" with chores.
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I have never owned a hat that belonged in a hatbox.  In fact, these hatboxes are young imposters which I purchased on sale at the local Hobby Lobby one day.

But I can IMAGINE them holding a millinery creation fit for a queen.   I don't mean a strange one like that "cousin" wore to Prince William and Kate's wedding either.
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An old egg crate - the kind the chicken farmer used to bring his eggs to market, sits in a corner holding a picture of our grans and their parents with a replica of our "pet" chipmunk, Chippy.

Chippy keeps us entertained in our backyard and on the patio all summer long.  We know now WHY they are called chipmunks.  Well, we "get" the chip part anyway not so sure about the munk.  Did you know chipmunks "chip" loudly especially very early in the morning and especially right under your bedroom window?   Well they do.
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This is my newest old find.  It is a circa 1900 secretary cabinet combination.  I think I may find a fountain pen, lower the desk top panel, and sit at this desk to write a real live snail mail letter to several of my bloggy friends one day.  You want to receive one?  Well give me a shout-out.
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Once upon a time Fisherhubby had to have a scary surgery for the "C" word.  He was pretty shaken up and worried, being a medical man and all, he knew WAY TOO MUCH.  Our oldest daughter, Keri, brought him this wicker basket chock full of get better goodies - - - including a bicycle horn that he could "toot" to call me to wait on him hand and foot.

Oh trust me, he tooted that thing every minute with such important "needs" as to see how long it took me to get there.

Hmmmmmm - - - I have a little bit of surgery on Wednesday this week - - - perhaps I should FIND that bicycle horn 'cause you know what goes around COMES around!!!  Hehehehe.

The box on top of the basket was my grandmother's glove box.  Back in the day when ladies wore white gloves whenever they were dressed up they had a box in which to keep the gloves between wearings.

I remember wearing white gloves on Easter Sunday when I was about 8.  They stayed white for exactly 10 seconds.
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In my house there are also homages to my beloved Badgers.   Badger banks, Badger bibs, (I'm not above wearing a bib to save my shirt front, though this particular one has only served a decorative purpose so far) football baskets,
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Football tins, and Bucky Badger wearing a badger on his head sitting on the back of another badger, 'cause that's just the way we roll 'round here.

And that concludes our little peek into my home in my city today. 
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I'm joining Unknown Mami

For Sundays in My City.
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My city is Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
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Please hurry over to Unknown Mami's to see

What's happening in other cities around blogland.
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