Monday, May 25, 2009

a doe bow adventure

The farmhouse is coming along, most of the insides are being ripped out this week. The carpet is gone, the tack strips, lots of the trim, the cabinets, and most of the tile. Major overhaul.

I'll have some photos once it's completely gutted.

But, until then, I've been having fun shopping, shopping, and shopping, to try to fill the place up. Really, I've done more looking than purchasing, but for this "doe bow" as Greg calls it, I have a little story to tell. (Just try saying dough bowl 10 times and it'll sound more like doe bow, I promise.)



Lu, a friend of mine and an interior decorator, emailed me on Saturday telling me to go into the Amish country at a produce stand and look at a dough bowl, glass cheese churn, and lantern. Not wanting to brave the adventure myself, I asked Mom to go with me. It took us 35 minutes to go deep into the country....I'm talking the country where there's no road signs, and barns are your landmarks.

We found the produce stand and went inside. We saw tomatoes, pickled okra, honey, and all sorts of produce but no dough bowl, the item that was of particular interest to me.

I shyly walked up to one of the men that was working, scared that maybe a woman shouldn't approach a man in their culture, and inquired about the dough bowl for sale. He told me (with a German accent, no less) to take the road across the way, past the barn, to the house on the right and ask for James.

We followed a horse & buggy to the house and I asked a younger lad (heehee) if I could speak to James.

I just want to point out that I felt like I had come from a different universe at this point. The women weren't wearing any makeup and had bonnets on, the men were wearing button-ups and suspenders, and of course, the horses and buggies were lined up at the hitching post.

James walked up to us and we asked if he was selling a dough bowl and he smiled. He said he hadn't intended to sell it, but that the produce seller had asked him to peddle his antiques in a "yard sale" of sorts that they had for 4 days at the produce stand. He brought the bowl out for me to look at and even told me I could take a picture of it as long as he wasn't in it.

I decided to go ahead and buy it on Lu's recommendation, plus there was no way I was leaving and coming back. Thankfully, he trusted me enough to take a check and so we left with the "doe bo" in the back seat....all 14 x 30" of her.

She's a beaut, Clark :)

7 comments:

Davinie Fiero said...

That doe bow is a beaut. I wish I had an old world colony near me, lol. Dang West.
I'll also say that you were pretty stuck with that doe bow even if you didn't like it, lol. It would be hard, at least for me, to jump through so many hoops to check it out and then leave empty handed. :) I'm glad you like it!

Ally said...

Ok - could that story be any cooler? I just want to come to Kentucky and hang out with you for a week. We wouldn't even have to scrapbook - I really just want to live on a farm - for a week. That's all, just a week.

I can't wait to see with what you fill that bowl!

stephanie howell said...

i LOVE objects with a story i really do. love this post.

Kimber-Leigh said...

it's perfect. i've had one of those on my list for a long time...my mil has a gorgeous one!

love the story behind your find too!

Lisa said...

Love the dough bowl - but those things are right up my alley (I have two of them - one is on my coffee table - it is usually on my mantle and the other is in the kitchen and holds my rolling pin collection)! Love posts like this. You will have to tell me how to get to where you went. My neighbors buy from the Mennonites all the time and I know how to get there! Again, great story!!

nichole said...

i love amish country & the doe bow (hehe, that cracks me up!) is TOO cool! i love it!

Houston said...

We saw so many Amish in Yosemite this past week and I was impressed by how calm and relaxed they were, none of the "we must go now" mentality... only people with some inner peace could make something so very beautiful. Enjoy and make sure to post once it's in use at your new home!