Literary Walk, Etowah, Tennessee, June 11th and 12th.

San’s Adventures on Sleipnir Morgan Horse Farm.

A book about a blind dog was represented at the Literary Walk in Etowah, Tennesse, on June 11 and 12. The farm featured in the story is a local one in Delano, Tennessee.

Dr. Britta Denman wrote this first book in a planned series about her dog, San. It is titled San’s Adventures on Sleipnir Morgan Horse Farm.

Lots of things are unique about San. He doesn’t look like most dogs. His legs are a bit too short for his body. He has knock knees, and he was born without eyes.  San is extremely loveable and seems to draw even non-dog lovers to his personality. He has had many adventures with his person, Britta.

Sleipnir Morgan Horse Farm, a family farm on the McMinn-Polk County border, is the site of this book. The book is available at the farm in The Shops At Morgan Lane, 2214 Columbus Road, Delano, TN., 37325 and via his website, www.SanTheDog.com. It is also available through Amazon.com, which can also be reached via his website.

Another person in San’s family, Britta’s sister, Elizabeth L D McGee, took all the photographs for this book, as well as some for future books in the series. She was available throughout the weekend event. She has a website at: www.ImagesnMemories.com

Elizabeth, who is a professional photographer, is also developing a permanent display gallery of her work. Her scenic studies and animal portraits express her appreciation and love of nature. Her stop-action rodeo scenes will take your breath away.

There will be framed and unframed photographs of all sizes, as well as note cards and other photo gifts. Photos in the public galleries on her website can also be ordered directly in  many sizes and gift versions.

Elizabeth is available for horse show, rodeo, pet and human interest photography, as well as other works on commission.

Britta, Caitrin and Elizabeth, and their parents, John and Georgia Denman, have been breeding Morgan horses for over thirty years. The Denman Family believes in raising family friendly horses, which are suitable for anything from trail riding to major show rings.
Shop Hours vary with the weather, but are usually 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM, Tuesday through Saturday. The Shops can be reached off of Route 163 (Bowater Road) in Delano by turning at the white sign with red letters on either McMinn County 969 or 970. The phone number is 423 263 0824.

The entire family can be reached via Email at: DenmanFam@aol.com.

Elizabeth can be reached via Email at: ImagesnMemories@aol.com

 Besides San and Elizabeth’s websites, websites are also up for the Farm:
www.SleipnirMorganHorseFarm.com  (Sleipnir Morgan Horse Farm) and

Shops: www.TheShopsAtMorganLane.com   (The Shops At Morgan Lane).

San now has a blog on his website, and his humans will be posting stories about San there too.

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Using interesting containers for plants and vases.

Hello,

While you are out and about, don’t forget to check yard sales, flea markets, and antique shops for interesting and useful containers for planting and as vases for cut flowers.

Antiques can have extended lives being used for their original purposes.  But they are also useful as “containers”. 

Coffee pots and tea pots are a creative way to decorate a table with cut flowers.  And a cute way to transport flowers for a hostess gift or to a friend.

Old baskets from the flea market, thrift shop, or yard sales, are a nice way to plant a low growing herb like thyme or salad burnet.  They can be grouped on grass or in a flower bed, or even on an informal patio area.  I prefer “natural” hued baskets.  But a bright teal, pink, yellow, or red basket can be a fun accent.

I totally astonished some friends that love antiques by planting in some really nice pieces of enamelware.  I put down a layer of stones  prior to the dirt.  Generally, I would suggest using enamelware that already has rusted through holes, for better drainage.  But in this case, there were some flat basins and tall pots that I wanted to utilize.  One of my friends couldn’t stand it and moved the plants and then cleaned the basin out.  But some generic pots in a big box store are expensive…and generic.  Interesting antiques or vintage items can be more complementary to the plants, and cost the same, or less, than other plainer containers for planting.

I also pick up vases at yard sales, or thrift shops for taking plants as gifts, or for sale at the Farmer’s Markets.  I like clean, medium sized ones, with not too many scratches or water marks. 

“Canning jars” are another nice way to transport a gift of flowers.  The old blue ones are my favorites.  But the newer pasta sauce jars can be cleaned and utilized for larger, more casual displays.  Currently, the daylilies, black-eyed susans, and shasta daisies are flowering profusely here in my gardens.  Canning jars are just the right size for a mixed bouquet.  Maybe with some bronze fennel or tansy stems tucked in for foliage.

Old chairs are another way to add presence, height and uniqueness to a garden.  Sometimes, I’ll just place an old colorful chair or bench near the garden, or under a tree.  But I have also put  brightly painted straight backed chairs in a flower border…with a basket or pot of herbs cascading out and over the seat and rails.  I also had an old wicker rocker that spent a few years in the garden.  It was not sturdy to begin with and didn’t seem to warrant repairs. I put an old pillow out with it and some varying height baskets and pots and plants in the ground nearby.   It eventually had to go to the scrap wood and branches pile that we keep on the edge of the field for birds and bunnies to nest in.  But we received several years of pleasure with it out in the garden.  If the chairs are not very sturdy, make sure that you pot a pot or basket on them, so a guest doesn’t accidently sit on it and get hurt.

Single plates that have chips or cracks can make good saucers for your plants that are in plainer solid color pots.  Terra cotta pots look nice on an enamel plate or stoneware piece.  Solid colored planters look sweet on dessert plates with frilly edges and/or flower-patterns on the borders. 

If you have pets, plates or platters can be a charming substitute for a pet dish.  And stainless steel mixing bowls are easily cleaned water pans.  In the summertime, the stainless steel bowls with some iced water or cool water stay cooler longer for your pets.

Our motto around the farm is reduce, reuse and recycle. Repurposing vintage, antique or even just “old” items gives your home and garden areas character and style.

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Father’s Day

Hello,

Happy pre-Father’s Day to all the fathers out there.  Sunday, is Father’s Day.

We have several fathers in our immediate family; and we have several that have passed on. We also have some men that we know that serve as male role models in the extended family.

My father and John’s father never got to know any of their great-grandchildren. But they sure did love their grand-daughters!!!

Whether you give a home-made card, or a hugely expensive gift, remember to thank the men in your life who have had a positive influence in your growth as a person.

If you are going to give a gift, we have several unique items in the Shop and the Greenhouse.

We have items from WWI era to the present day. Items in the shop, the greenhouse, and on the farm.

We also have gift certificates available for the Shop, the Greenhouse, and the morgan horses.

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there.

John, I love you. Thanks for being the father to our children, and a most terrific grand-pop.

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Harriet’s Hats

Harriet loved to collect things.

She had all sorts of kitchen utensils, pots and pans spanning many generations of all sides of the family.

Cabinets full of lovely cut glass sparkled under the dining room chandelier.

While kitchen and dining paraphernalia was a great joy to her, her favorite thing was clothes. She really would have loved to be a clothing designer. One whole room of her huge Victorian house was dedicated to sewing and various needlework materials. Since she loved to collect things, she kept clothes.

She not only kept her clothes, she kept those of others. She had many outfits from the 1940s. She had her own clothes. She kept several gift outfits from Barbara, her sister in law. Her mother in law, Etta, downsized and later passed on, and among the items that Harriet brought home probably included hats. Her husband Westen’s aunt, Lorene, also downsized and later passed on, and among the items that Harriet brought home probably included some hats. Her mother, Mary, lived with her and Westen. When Mary passed, Harriet kept many of her mother’s things, including clothes, and probably included hats. There were also a few men’s hats found for the collection.

Even some hat boxes.

And hat pins.

Of course, there were also gloves and pocketbooks, compacts and jewelry. But those are another story.

In all, there appear to be approximately forty-seven hats, and some boxes. We, a son and daughter in law, three grand-daughters, three great-grand-daughters, a grandson, and other family appreciate the hats. But we cannot possibly utilize them all.

So, Harriet’s hats are in our family antique shop.  Some have already been sold.  Some are marked with their size. Some are one size fits (mostly) all.  Caitrin has cataloged them. Elizabeth has photographed them. And they are for sale.  We will have some in our ebay store soon at fixed prices, and also for bid.  In the meantime, we will be putting up a gallery of the hats. SOON. 

They are in the shop, as well as some gloves, hat pins, and purses.

I’ve been asked to do some ladies club shows with the hats.  We may do a few. But we are more likely to keep them in the shop for visitors.  Perhaps we’ll do a book.  We can definitely do an article!  And at the moment, they are a pleasant reminder of days gone by, when everyone wore hats to complete their outfits, for church, and visiting, and luncheons. Memories are precious.  We may even find photos that match the hats.  We have noted photos that matched some of the purses! We’ll keep you posted.

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Birthday SPECIAL today at the farm!

BIRTHDAY SPECIAL

It is Caitrin’s birthday TODAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAITRIN !

If you come by the farm today and tell her “Happy Birthday”, she’ll give you a free plant of her choice.

Our gift to you to celebrate her special day!!

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Literary Walk in Etowah

Hi

It is almost June…time for several special events in our area of SoEast Tennessee.

In a couple weeks, there will be a Literary Walk in Etowah, sponsored by the Etowah Merchants and Friends Association, which we are members of, even though we are a bit further south in Delano.
The Walk will be the weekend of the 12th of June. Watch here for more information.

There will be a number of authors visiting the area and doing book signings and reading from their books.

In the spirit, we will be offering copies of Britta’s book about her blind dog, San, for sale. Elizabeth took the photos of him here on the farm. See information about San, and his book at http://www.SanTheDog.com

We will also have copies of Jim Long’s Herb and Garden books for sale. These include Civil War culture, designing garden attractions and various ways to utilize herbs.

Farmer’s Markets will be opening also. We will be at several of them, check out the greenhouse site (www.TheGreenhouseAtMorganLane.com) for more information about where we will be.  Of course, you can find someone here on the farm Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am until 4:00pm.

In the Shop, we have some cute plates, platters, serving bowls and dishes to make your Summer picnics and covered dish suppers something special.

Keeping the promise of  Memorial Day and Flag Day (Aunt Vera’s birthday) we will continue our sale on anything red, white, or blue.  Extra discounts for Veterans, with proof.

We have Gift Certificates available for new graduates (to stock dorm rooms or apartments), unique wedding gifts, and for Father’s Day.

Come visit.

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