SERENDIPITOUS SATURDAY

According to Wikipedia:

Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally stumbles upon something fortunate, especially while looking for something entirely unrelated.

That's exactly what happened today. Spouse and I took the kitty boys to the adoption center and attempted to pursue a mission for him. The mission didn't work out the way he'd hoped, but the rest of the day oozed serendipity.

THE HEN'S NEST PRIM SHOP IN WEST MILTON, OHIO

THE CONTRY HOME BY JUDY CONDON

TREASURES FROM "THE HENS NEST" & "PLAIN AND SIMPLE CABIN"
"PLAIN AND SIMPLE CABIN" PRIMITIVE SHOP
INTERIOR OF CABIN OWNERS' HOME
CABIN OWNERS' HOME FEATURED IN JUDY CONDON BOOK

We traveled to Tipp City, then West Milton, and finally, to Potsdam Ohio. While in West Milton, we passed an interesting looking shop on the main street and I yelled, "Stop! It's a prim shop!", so Spouse stopped and found a place to park, pulled out the book he'd brought along to read "just in case", and said, "Have fun" . . . so I did.

The shop, "The Hen's Nest", was filled with all manner of primitive goods - handmade dolls, pillows, quilted handbags, home accessories, wonderful smelling candles, hand-milled soaps, table quilts, and much more. I asked the owner if she had a website and was told she did not. I encouraged her to look into securing one and suggested people would love to know about her shop. I found some prim kitties and a doll I "needed" (see the photo above) and told the owner I'd like to write about her shop on my blog. She gave me her email address and told me about another primitive shop within about 15 minutes of hers. She was very kind and considerate to call the owner of that shop to make sure it was open. Spouse and I were off and running.

The second shop, "Plain and Simple Cabin", was in Potsdam and lived up to its name. It was wonderfully primitive as was the home on the property. I learned the cabin had been moved from the field behind the home, so it sits very close to its original site. The stairs leading to the second floor of the cabin shop were narrow and there was no railing. The owners had nailed a thick rope to the wall as a guide to visitors. Now that was primitive! The main floor was filled with old cupboards, dolls, painted and distressed fabric cats and rabbits, baskets, stools, benches, and numerous small antiques. The second floor was more of an attic room with a small rope bed, antique quilts, primitive dolls, bonnets, small cupboards, and doll beds. One of the shop cats was upstairs and Annie introduced herself to me. I met her look-alike brother, Danny, when I went back down to the main floor. It's rare for me to go somewhere without meeting a cat or two.

I learned there was no website for Plain and Simple Cabin either, though the owner said her husband had been urging her to have one. She said her family didn't own a computer, but that she'd rather spend her time working on primitive crafting and sewing projects. I had to admit she had a good point.

The owner showed me a book, "The Country Home", by Judy Condon (a name with which many of us are familiar) and there on the front cover was the home of the cabin owner. I was stunned to find out I was standing there on the property looking directly at that primitive log home. Serendipity!

I looked through the book and had already decided I needed it when I happened upon some familiar names in one of the chapters - Bill and Sandy Otto. Bill and my spouse were boyhood friends who lived across the alley from each other. They played together, had the same circle of friends, and graduated from the same high school. Bill was popular in the neighborhood, partly due to his love of cars, and partly due to the fact his grandmother was Esther Price, who was famous for her homemade candies. Although she has passed, her reputation for delicious chocolates lives on in Dayton, Ohio and surrounding areas. The familiar gold boxes with red ribbons are traditionally given as gifts in many households.

When my daughter and I planned a "milestone" birthday celebration for Spouse a couple years ago, we re-connected with Bill Otto and other former neighbors, and were happy to have them in attendance at the party. We learned Bill and Sandy have a shop in Tipp City, Ohio called "Patriot Antiques", so we had to find that shop today. Neither Bill nor Sandy was there at the time of our visit, but it was great to see their shop. http://www.patriotantiques.com/

What might have been just another dreary rainy day turned out to be something wonderful - though perhaps not for my spouse - but he was as gracious and tolerant as I was excited to find those shops.