Vintage Treasures and a Downton Abbey Moment

 The smiling dog was thrown in for extra credit.

I hope you all had a nice weekend surrounded by some hints of spring. For all the Downton Abbey fans out there, I'd love to hear what you thought of Sunday night's episode. Feel free to share your thoughts in a comment. I think this was the next-to-last episode of the entire six season phenomenon. I'm hoping that Mr. Fellowes rounds up the cast for an anniversary show in a couple years. (More on Downton at the end of the post)

Today I thought I'd post a mosaic of some backyard photos. We have lots of vintage stuff around here, and I'm pretty sure our kids are hoping we'll get rid of it soon (except for the daughter who won't let me forget that I didn't ask her if she wanted the total piece of junk red metal shelf before pitching it.) I'm a little more careful now.

 Ye Olde Grain Bin

When I was a kid, there was a TV cartoon called 'Tom Terrific.' The old galvanized steel grain bin just beyond our [frozen] garden pond always reminds me of Tom Terrific. The lights are some I strung on the basswood tree a couple years ago. They're handy in late summer evenings if anyone wants to sit out beside the little garden pond and watch mosquitoes hatch.

 Someone was enjoying the pond.

A pair of ancient skis leans against the barn door. Mr. C. found these at a demolition site. I've mentioned before that I'm often the recipient of interesting 'finds.' Some wonderful, some not quite so much. As hard as I try, I'll never forget the ancient chartreuse, ceramic bedpan he once brought home. Really.

Do you remember when skis looked like this?

 No longer storing milk in a concrete cooling tank

In years past, on dairy farms across Wisconsin, milk houses would contain concrete water tanks in which several milk cans (like the can above) would be placed, each as it was filled with milk, and cold water was pumped into the tank to keep them cool until the milk hauler arrived to take them to the creamery. That was before the advent of the bulk tank with its electric agitator and cooling unit.

 Vintage Fuel Tank
in the West Wood

 February Sunset
glowing through the string of lights

Have a great week, everyone!

P.S. And about that Downton Abbey episode, we sure weren't at a loss for excitement. The last couple episodes have given us a shot of real drama. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the subject.  Last week,  my favorite line was uttered by Lady Rosamund to her brother, Lord Grantham, 'The English language never lets you down.'  That was perfect! I won't set the scene, in case some have not yet watched that episode. But in context, it was a great line.

The more recent episode, Season Six, Episode 8, contained one of my favorite scenes, and a subject that I've written about before in a blog post about the importance of shared history.

From a scene with Lady Mary and Lady Edith:
 
“In the end, you’re my sister,” Edith says with a shrug. “And one day, only we will remember Sybil. Or Mama or Papa. Or Matthew or Michael. Or Granny or Carson. Or any of the others who have peopled our youth. Until at last our shared memories will mean more than our mutual dislike.”

The importance of shared history - something to think about.

Linking to Judith's Mosaic Monday
and Kathe's You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
and Tom's Tuesday Treasures
and Angie's Talk of the Town
and Evelyn's Freedom Fridays

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