Another place and time

I just love days that are filled with relaxing and enjoying life. Some days are just so rushed and hurried that you actually forget to just take a breath and enjoy being alive. One of the disadvantages to growing up and becoming an responsible adult is that we are often so weighed down with our load of responsibilities, our worries, and all the "necessities" of life in our society that we forget to just enjoy living.

I remember the simple pleasures of being a child. Waking up each morning with a renewed sense of adventure. The thought that anything was possible and fun waited on every turn.

I think that feeling of endless possibility and the sense of wonder are the two aspects of childhood that I most miss. I can almost remember the point when I crossed over that threshold, the place of feeling anything was possible to the new reality of adulthood, feeling limited by life and its circumstances. Fully understanding the weight of reality and the fact that dreams don't always come true, no matter how hard you wish it to be.

But there are moments, although they are only fleeting now, moments that it seems as though I am breathing the same air and have been transported back to the 1970's when I was still a child. I can feel that feeling that is free of the load of life, free of the responsibilities of adulthood, and the capacity to believe that anything is possible...

I was reminded of this when I saw Noah sitting in the chair mindlessly watching TV, with Bentley the guinea pig on his lap. I was for a brief moment caught up in the wonder of childhood and enraptured by the simple art of enjoying each little moment that life offers.

Last Saturday Megan and I drove to Cameron to the Antiques Festival they hold there every May and October. This was our third time to attend. We had an enjoyable day although we didn't find much that caught our attention and even less in which to spend our money.

I did end up buying a wire basket with Farmers Market painted on it. I really didn't have anything special in mind for it, I just liked the way it looked. I thought it would be a good basket for gathering the veggies from the garden when it is harvest time. I also decided to purchase a sign that I had seen both times I had attended the festival previously. It is a framed sign that says:

Help Wanted

No Irish Need Apply

I plan to find a better frame to put it in and hang it in my bathroom upstairs. I don't know exactly why, but it caught my attention last May, and I saw it again in October. So I decided to finally buy it this time.

Here are a few more images from Cameron that caught my eye:

A little boys dream! If I had several hundred extra dollars to just blow, I would have brought this home to my little man, even if he is nearly to big to fit in it. But I figured there was a more sensible way to spend that much money...

Here are a whole fleet of boy toys

This house was actually the most interesting thing I saw

Unfortunately, it wasn't for sale

I loved this old gas pump. The colors were great!

This brought back some memories. We use to fight over who got to crank the handle. I also loved the blue color. Would have like to have had this to put on my front porch. But it is hard to have a minimalist lifestyle if you keep bring things home.

Old roller skates

An old tricycle

I don't know why I like old things so much. I suppose it has to do with being nostalgic for the past. The memories of another place and another time. An attempt to bring back those days and the people with which they were shared and enjoyed.

When I am around these relics from the past, I can conjure in my mind the life that these items have had and seen. I can for those fleeting moments be carried away, back to my childhood, back to that place when life was simple and carefree, when I was young and unencumbered by the weight of life and the adult world. When my mind was not burdened by the reality of a world that is full of hate and unhappiness, mistrust, lies, hurt, pain, and loss.

I lived a very sheltered life, a life full of love and peace. I was around adults that were kind and loving, who would never think of hurting a child. I feel very fortunate to have lived in a place and time where children could run freely about, playing and enjoying childhood without the worry of being exploited or abused.

We grew up in a idyllic world where we were able to dream good dreams, and have pure thoughts and not know of anything bad or fearful. A world before all of the modern day conveniences but also a world absent of our modern day perils.

Cameron Antiques Day

So I had been looking forward to the Cameron Antiques Fair for some time. I kept thinking, Oh it's in October, so it should be cooler...wrong! It was hot, I was sweaty and nasty by the end of the day. I was also very tired. Again, I took Noah with me, because Andrew had something else going on...seems like that always happens when I find something I really want to do... just saying.

Anyway, so Megan, Noah and I got up early and headed to Cameron. First of all, Noah woke up on the wrong side of the bed and was in a very grouchy mood...so the day got off to a bad start. The weather gave a chance of rain, so I thought, maybe it would be cloudy...wrong again! It was sunny and very warm. So I pushed and struggled with a 75 pound stroller over the roots and sand...not to mention trying to maneuver a rather large stroller through tables that were to close together and people who don't seem to understand that you can't go between them without running over their feet. There were those who looked at me with disgust for bringing my child in a stroller. But it beats having to pack around a 45 pound child after he got tired of walking around so much. After all he is only four years old...and yes, I had to bring him along...

Maybe I was just in a bad mood from all of those things, but I really didn't enjoy it like I had hoped. I only bought a couple small things and was so exhausted when we left. But I did get a few photo's to enjoy.

Love the stars and the red watering can

Like the welcome gate, would look great in a garden

Really liked the wooden baskets, would like to have a couple, but not for the price

Lots of booths

This is where I got my star last year

Like the green chair

Noah got a Batman and Spider man...reminds me so much of my brother.

He use to have tons of these "little men" they were his favorite toys. Had to buy them for Noah.

I just like the look of this

There were all kinds of things, but the prices were a bit high. I guess I am just a bargain hunter and am pretty picky about what I spend my money on. I am not an impulsive buyer. I usually over think even the smallest of purchases. But really there wasn't anything there that I needed. I did buy a couple of turquoise blue bowls, because I love the color. I bought a handful of magazines, because I am a magazine hound and can never have enough magazines. Besides, they were only .50 cents each...couldn't pass that up.

All and all, the day was ok...I would say it was a four on a scale from 1 to 10...

On the way home we stopped in Aberdeen and ate at the Fried Green Tomatoes restaurant.
I met the owners wife while visiting a church there in Aberdeen. She told me about her husband's restaurant and I have been wanting to try it ever since.

She is a very sweet lady and I plan to go back over to the church there to visit from time to time because everyone there was just so welcoming and it felt like we had known each other forever.

We enjoyed the food and the atmosphere at the Fried Green Tomato. Looking at the menu, can you guess what I got? Okay, so I will tell you. I got a cup of Lobster and shrimp bisque and the Oyster Po' girl...surprise, surprise...when given the choice, I'll take seafood every time!

Philippe Brainos, the chef and owner asked Noah if he wanted to see the kitchen. So he took him in the kitchen to look around and meet the other cooks. Noah got a real kick out of that.

So, if your ever in Aberdeen, North Carolina be sure and give it a try. The food is good and the price is right. The fried green tomatoes are delicious!

Time Again...

It's that time again! Time for the Cameron Antiques Fair. I am pumped. I am so looking forward to going. I went in May, but it was really hot, so I am hoping the weather will be cooler and I can really enjoy being outside on an antiques hunt. Not that I will really be buying that much, but I love just going and looking for that one thing that catches my eye. Last time it was this:

Which now hangs here

On my front porch

So we will see what catches my fancy this time. I am certain that I will find something, maybe several somethings that I will want to bring home. But I have gotten very picky about the things that I actually purchase and bring into my space. I know how quickly things turn into junk and clutter. I have cleared out quite a bit of clutter this weekend, so I don't want to just replace what I have purged from my life. I want to find meaningful pieces to add to the joy and peacefulness of my home.

Antique Fair

Just a quick post and a photo of today's events. I actually did go to the Antiques Fair in Cameron. It was something. Wow! Not enough time or money, but we had a great time. Noah did get tired and fussy, so we cut the day short.

Saw some great things, and got some wonderful ideas. If I can just remember them all.

Here is a photo of Noah holding one of our great finds today. It is a metal star that was made by the Amish in Pennsylvania. I am going to hang it on the porch.

I actually forgot I had my camera with me until just before we started to leave. These are just some quick shots of what was nearby when we started to leave. By this time, Noah was trying to climb out of the stroller. I was hot, sweaty, and dirty from walking through dirt and sandy areas. I just snapped a couple quick shots to have something to put on the blog.

This was so amazing. It is bamboo! It was like a forest of bamboo. It was big around and tall as the pine trees nearby. I have never seen bamboo this big in my life. We had some growing behind our house in Little Rock, but nothing like this. It was awesome. The photo really doesn't do it justice.

I found a few more items but I will save those for later. I am working on how to put it all together to make the front porch of my dreams, or at least something that will be inviting and cozy.

They have another Antiques Fair there the first Saturday in October. You better believe I will be there again. Hopefully then the weather will be cooler and this time, I am going prepared! I have already told Andrew to get ready, he will be babysitting that day, so I can go and really take it all in. It was hard pushing that stroller around all the booths and into the stores that were set up. But come October, I'm gonna get serious!!!