Treasures from the Valley

I started unloading my truck after our trip to the Valley of the Jolly Green Giant. Here are some shots of some of the treasures that I found there.

A great cast iron base lawn sprinkler, one of my many collections.

I really like this battered syrup jug. The spout is all crapped out, but the color and the shape are great. The fingerprints of the potter are registered on the base of the pot.

This small metal gauge wheel will end up embellishing some project.

This metal piece is about 3 feet long. It may have been the top off a juke box or similar machine.

A few number placards.

Another of my passions. Automobile lights. These red lens lights are great. The yellow lens below isn't as great but it only cost $2.

I really like this headlight housing from a 1930's automobile. Notice the turn signal lens on the top.

This piece of Congoleum, a brand name for one company's linoleum, is from an earlier auction, but it finally was warm enough to unroll it this week.

And George isn't buried here, but this headstone from an earlier auction is going to go into my garden. The chrome nose piece, not the hood ornament, from a 1948-9 Ford will be placed somewhere nice.

Mr. Flannery

Pioneer Power was a Dusty Good Time

Kris and Mike and I went to the Pioneer Power Swap Meet in Lesueur yesterday. I was ready to go at 5 AM but Kris and Mike were a few minutes late. There were excuses about alarms and make-up and hair, and then Kris added some of her excuses. We were off in good sted and good time.

We rented a golf cart this year, bad knees, heavy purchases and long distances in previous years made us realize that hoofing it though the huge display was no longer practicable. Kris' first purchase, a large steel drain cover dome. We strapped it to the cart and off we went.

The first of many flying pigs.

My favorite piece. A carved wood dudad from a summer cottage near Saratoga NY. Unfortunately at a sale price of $150, I only have a photo.

Ok is a group of flying pigs a herd or a flock? (Maybe because they are flying pigs they are a fantasy).

Kris bought a really crappy bicycle and the Gandy seeder.

We just dropped things off at the trailer as we filled the cart. We had to sort and properly pack before we hit the road home.

It has been so dry that it was very dusty at the Swap Meet this year. Two years ago it was torrential rain and then snow. Last year it was heat. This year it was dust. Next year it will be locust or frogs. (If we continue following the Biblical model). I had a good time. We found some interesting stuff. I'll be ready to face those frogs next year.

Mr. Flannery

To the Valley of the Jolly Green Giant

We are preparing for our annual trek to the Valley of the Jolly Green Giant. Early, 5 AM early, tomorrow, Kris and Mike and I will be heading south to the Pioneer Power Swap Meet near Le Sueur, Minnesota. LeSueur is the headquarters for Green Giant and in the heart of the Minnesota River Valley. The Giant used to be an independent company, but it has become part of General Mills. So the Green Giant, like many other siblings in America's blended families is now Betty Crocker's step brother. Ho-ho-ho.

The Pioneer Power Swap Meet is a flea market associated with an antique farm equipment show. There should be more than a 1000 vendors selling lots of good junk, much of it extremely heavy. Fortunately my "no tractor" rule will save me from much of the heaviest junk.

We've filled most of the trailer the past two years and are hoping for another bonanza this year.

Mr. Flannery

A Treasure Hunt

There was an added treat with the 8 locker units that I picked up on Monday. Some of the lockers still had their locks in place. Oh My! What hidden treasures will I find?

I stopped at Kris and Mike's after my paint run to St. Cloud yesterday to pick up some bolt cutters. Mike suggested that I use a side grinder instead. So this morning I took a grind at the lock on the locker right next to Billy's locker.

The sparks were flying, including a couple that land right on top of my recently shorn head. (When I was cutting some bolts for the trailer last Friday I didn't have this problem, but after my haircut yesterday most of my helmet was apparently absent). The hasp was cut. Now for the treasure.

Damn! Its empty. Oh well, I have 15 more to search. More sparks, more hasps rent asunder, more empty lockers.

Then I cut another. (The gloves really helped with the cascade of sparks.)

There was my treasure. A bag of stale pretzels, some empty Tupperware and a spoon. Oh well, maybe I'll find treasure somewhere else.

Mr. Flannery

Taking the Trailer for a Test Run

I started painting the side rails on the trailer, but it soaked up the paint like a sponge. I ran out, so I need to make a trip to Gopher Bargain Center for some more.

I made a trip to Minneapolis to pick up the 8 locker units that I bought at an on-line auction. The trailer worked wonderfully, but it still is not self-unloading.

I will probably save the labels and reuse them on the lockers when I bring them into Gypsy Lea's.

Mr. Flannery

For Mindy in Poetry

Mindy - This is a photo of one of 4 1930's club chairs that I bought years ago. I think that I need the 2 chairs that you just found to complete the ensemble. Mine are around a primitive game table. The style is great.

Mr. Flannery

Redecking the Trailer

I bought this trailer at auction about 6 years ago for almost nothing. The deck was a little bit punky, but it has been very serviceable for my furniture dancing needs. Well the deck finally gave out last fall. Mike almost put his foot all the way through it while loading some sort of treasure. We decided that a new deck would be needed this Spring. Well its Spring and we put a new deck on the trailer today.

The old deck was some rotted old 2" x 8"s that had been overlaid with pressure treated plywood somewhere along the way. I spent the morning ripping the old pieces off and loading them into my other trailer for a trip to the demolition landfill someday. Then I hauled the trailer to Mike's so we could redeck it. We went to the lumber yard and I was very surprised that 10 12' 2x8's only cost $66.


We used the finest imported lumber.


I think that she looks great. I have some side rails that I made from part of an old pig loading chute. I am going to paint them red. And I have a nice set of chrome baby moon hub caps to add to the wheels. We are going to look very fancy when we head to LeSueur for the Antique Farm Equipment Show and Flea Market next Friday.

Mr. Flannery

Dem Bones

The Texas bloggers (at least a couple of my favorites) have become fascinated by bones. They have been decorating with cow parts (well bleached) and featuring them in their blogs. Well I started decorating with bones 18 years ago. And the bones I used are millions of years old.

A 65 million year old fossil fish.

And a skate, a relative of the sting ray.

I had them set into the two storey stone facing on the revamped fireplace.

This is a gar fish from Brazil, about 100 million years old. It is located on the side of the stone stack at the 2nd storey level.

Mr. Flannery

UPDATE:
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

The toe bone's connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone's connected to the ankle bone,
The ankle bone's connected to the leg bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

The leg bone's connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone's connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone's connected to the hip bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

The hip bone's connected to the back bone
The back bone's connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone's connected to the head bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

The finger bone's connected to the hand bone,
The hand bone's connected to the arm bone,
The arm bone's connected to the shoulder bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
Now shake dem skeleton bones!