Somebody's Knockin'

Should I let him in? 
Lord it's the devil would you look at him… 

A wooden deck makes a distinctive sound when walked upon. If it’s a pitch black night in the mountains, and you’re all alone in a house in a strange neighborhood, it’s kind of scary.

It was spring break a couple of years ago. We’d gone to the mountains to our house there. I was off for the week but not everyone else was, so after the weekend they headed down. I stayed, alone.

The house is in a residential area. Although most of the homes around are vacation homes, a family lives across the road, full time. It’s nice because they keep an eye on things and would be there if I had an emergency.

I was relaxing after a day of exploring downtown, watching re-runs on TV and knitting. Suddenly I heard steps on the deck. These weren’t baby steps. Clomp, clomp, clomp. What? There shouldn’t be anyone coming to see me. I didn’t hear a car. Maybe it’s George from across the street?

I froze in my seat. Who could it be? What should I do? Summoning all my courage I got up and peeked out the window. There was someone, in a shirt, plaid looking, walking in front of the railing on the front deck, in the grass. It was a stealthy walk, lumbering really. My first impression was a hunchback like I’d seen on horror movies as a child.

Things look different in the dark!

My heart in my throat, I decided to turn on all the outside lights so that I could see who this creature was. I was locked safely inside, peeking cautiously from the edge of the curtain. What did I have to lose? I flipped one switch, then the other. I watched from my safe place, trying to decipher the actions of the outside visitor.

Suddenly he reversed directions. Instead of heading to the door he was further out on the lawn. There is an aspen tree in the yard, with a section of wire fence around it to protect it from the wildlife. He backed into the fence and it startled him. Up on his hind feet he stood. The hunchback was a deer!

When we visit the mountain house we usually bring corn and hay for the deer. They wander freely and we enjoy watching them. The extra food entices them to stopover. They linger as they eat and we get to observe and appreciate nature that we don’t usually witness. Apparently this little guy enjoyed the feast so much he wanted the last drop! He’d stuck his head into the sack and it stuck on his antlers. He wasn’t able to get it off and was stumbling blindly around the yard.

I felt bad. Fortunately though, I had seen a video before the others headed down the mountain. It showed how dangerous a deer can be. They rise up on their hind legs when threatened and slash their razor sharp front hooves around, pawing anything within reach. They can maim and kill with their front legs.

Watching futilely, there was nothing I could do to help the innocent creature. He flailed about. I had visions of policemen questioning me as they found a poor young buck with his head in a corn sack, dead, in the road. The S.P.C.A would come on the scene and newscasters would be everywhere with cameras, trying to catch a glimpse of the abuser, me.

He moved forward again, coming up between the house and the gate. He struggled and thrashed and finally got the sack off of his head. He looked up and it was like he saw me watching from the little crack in the curtains. If a deer could smile, he did. Then he took off, gracefully leaping to the driveway and sprinting away. It was our lucky day.

Somebody's knockin' ...
Oh, somebody's knockin'...

It’s so nice in the mountains. This last trip was extremely pleasant. It rained and the temperature was cool. When outside, there was need of a sweater or jacket!

Two of the littles came with us and they explored, hunted snails and played until the were exhausted. 

Umm umm good!

Frogs and snails...

Bryce came up and Alan took the boys to town so we got to explore the thrift shops. That’s our fun thing. I found a vintage set of TV trays in pristine condition. He found some of his beloved Pyrex! I also found a folding dresser mirror. It’s beveled and I like it a lot. The outside is a little scarred but that’s okay. We had a good time.

Fun!

Set of four!!

Folding beveled mirror. Opens like an easel.

It's so nice there. We eat, relax, eat and just enjoy.

Every time I go up it’s that’s much harder to come back down the mountain.

But I do.  At least it rained at the house while we were gone. But needing a sweater? Not at all.

Somebody's knockin', should I let him in?
Lord, it's the devil would you look at him...

Silver and Gold

I used to have a treasure chest
Got so heavy that I had to rest
I let it slip away from me
Didn't need it anyway
so I let it slip away.

Isn’t it funny how somebody else’s junk is so much better than your own? It might be an addition to your collection of interesting objects. It could be what you needed and would have paid full price for at the store. Maybe it’s something that has sentimental value to you, reminding you of something you used to have/do/want. Maybe it just calls your name and you can’t pass up the opportunity.


Garage sales are an interesting pastime in America. Some are held for necessity, some for fun. I held a garage sale once and the only fun thing about it was the company of the other hostess. People were rude. The garage sale started at 9:00am and they were ringing the doorbell at 7:00am. Something is marked ten cents and they want it for five cents. Stickers are switched. Items are stolen. It was stressful for me. It was so long ago I don’t even remember if I made any money for all my trouble. I don’t know if I’ll ever do it again.

Going to a garage sale or a flea market, on the other hand, is great entertainment. It’s surprising the things you’ll find. It’s surprising the things people set out. There will be broken things, all sorts of clothing, usually toys, old movies, books and almost anything else you can think of, including underwear. Who wants to buy someone else’s underwear, much less wear it? But if that’s what you want you can probably find it at a garage sale. Sometimes you wonder just why they are getting rid of something.

My son told me he once ran across a pair of prosthetic legs at a sale. I don’t know if they were a pair or if there were just two of them. He was so freaked out by it he had to leave. I went to one once where the house was open to the public. It was an elderly lady moving to a smaller house and her daughter was hosting the sale. Someone asked to go to the restroom and when they came back asked if they could buy the toilet! She told them she could hold it for them and to come back late that afternoon. I don’t know if they came back and she just took it out of the bathroom or what! Another sale I went to had a bunch of shoes. As we were getting ready to leave a lady came in. She said she needed to see if her shoe was there. Apparently she had tried on one of a pair and forgotten to put her own shoe back on. She left and had been walking around with two different shoes on all afternoon.


Everybody wants to find a bargain. The first house we went to seemed familiar. One of the other times I’d been in Tulsa we had come to this house for an estate sale. This time the sign said huge multi-family sale. I found a few crocheted items and my bargain, two sets of sewing machine drawers. Then we were off to another. We spent well into the afternoon perusing items for sale and finding new possessions.


Saturday morning was the flea market. My good friend Hallie met us. We had such fun. There was so much to look at. We looked, picked up things, laughed and put down things. We spotted different things, each deciding we had found something special. I got some old salt and pepper shakers and a couple of small crystal decanters. I saw a great costume jewelry bracelet and pin I couldn’t pass up. We both got a china cup and saucer. She found a rooster for her collection and some other little treasures. Bryce got an old book and Ty found some crystal decanters. As I was looking at an iron bedstead with the headboard, footboard and the rails the lady in the booth said I’ll make you a deal. Sold! Now to get it all home!


It was a good time, one memories are made of. I found trinkets that I probably didn’t need, but the best treasure of the weekend was spending time with a good friend and my boys. That kind of treasure doesn’t grow old. It just gets more valuable.


Knitayear is progressing nicely. It’s really long and it’s only coming up on the second month! I still am not sure just what I can do with it. It’s a good thing I decided to divide it! Day 58 was a great day. I was excited for the concert, Brooks and Dunn, Friday night and I was excited to find my little treasures at the garage sale. I chose variegated orange cotton. It seemed bright and cheery and exciting! Day 59 was another good day. Meeting with Hallie and hanging out was great fun. She always makes me laugh. The boys were in good moods and seemed to have fun at the flea market too. I chose a white with silver sparkles in it for this day. The white was for the bright day I was having and the silver for the victories I made in the great finds at the flea market. It may have been trash to someone but I felt victorious because of my new assets! Good company, good friends, good times and treasures too…far better than silver and gold.




Workin' hard every day
Never notice how
the time slips away
People come, seasons go
We got something
that'll never grow old.
It's better than silver and gold.