I’ve Got Nothing and More!

My blog is again on hiatus this week. I know, I know, I’m letting you down. But, I’ve been sort of crazy busy with other creative stuff and that’s more important right now. I do promise that I’ll be back next week with more of the same excitement you’ve grown to crave.

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It’s A Trucking Problem

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Last week I posted about some fabulous new furniture we’ve acquired here at the Baer House Inn. Well folks, all of this buying and selling does not happen with the help of magic fairies who come in and transform your house overnight. Oh, how I wish it did.

Everything we’ve acquire recently is old and therefore heavy. Not just heavy, but unusually heavy. A dining room table that weighs about 800 pounds. A huntboard that disassembles into 4 pieces, each pedestal weighing about 200 pounds; the top, one solid piece of finely crafted hardwood, weighing about 400 pounds and the fence about 200 pounds.

Photo courtesy Google Images

This is the good stuff people, the solid, built to last, good stuff.

So, we bought this amazing 450 year old table and chairs at an on-line auction. No problem. Yay us. But wait – we have to pick the stuff up. An 800 pound table with 8 leaves and 14 solidly build, solid walnut chairs.

We have a 2013 Subaru Impreza sedan. How’s this going to work? Lots of trips? Hardly. Meridian is two and a half hours from Vicksburg on a good day with no traffic. Hmmmm.

And did I mention we purchased this out-of-this-world huntboard that came off of a ship – an honest-to-goodness sailing ship on the high seas? It was built in the 1750’s. From solid hard wood. With pegs and carved out tongue and groove construction. And heavy sold metal hinges. (It’s a wonder those ships didn’t sink.)

Did I mention that we have a 2013 Subaru Impreza sedan? How’s this going to work? Luggage rack? I don’t think so.

Photo courtesy Google Images.

You see – it’s a trucking problem. We don’t have a truck. We used to have a truck, but we sold it because gasoline in California was over $5.00 a gallon at one point and we drove that truck alot. It was over $100 to fill that beast up and we filled up at least once a week or more. We couldn’t afford the truck. Well guess what? Now we need that truck. And, even more ironically, gasoline here is under $2.00 a gallon. And, to add insult to injury, everything we need to haul is relatively close to our house so we’d probably only need to fill up once a month if that.

Photo courtesy Google Images.

Oh Mr. Murphy – damn you and your stupid “laws.” Guess we’ll be getting a truck soon. Subaru, it’s been nice knowing you.

What ironies have befallen you lately dear readers? Do you find yourself needing something you’ve gotten rid of? How often do you use a truck?

Word of the Day: Filial

Fun fact about me: I actually like driving trucks, although parking can be a challenge.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, September 2015. Photos courtesy Google Images.

 

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A Piece of the Black Pearl

Exciting things are happening here at the Baer House Inn. Fun new stuff. Really cool, really old new stuff. Really expensive new stuff.

Here’s what’s new at the Baer House this past couple of weeks.

Some of you probably saw this post on Facebook, but here it is again.

Original photo by P. Rickrode. September 2015.

This is our new dining room set for the grand ballroom at the Baer House Inn. A 17th centrury, hand carved table with 8 leaves and 14 chairs.  This lovely work of art was hand crafted in Amsterdam in the late 1690’s and brought to America via merchant ship, where it made it’s way to Meridian, Missippippi at some point about 250 years ago. The family who owned this table and chairs was in the furniture business for many, many years; the estate finally passing to a single man who died of brain cancer with no heirs. The estate was liquidated by a distant relative who had no use (or room) for this emaculate gothic furniture and we ended up the high bidder on a on-line auction. (Yikes!)

Photo courtesy Google Images.

That’s right, we bought this amazing work of art, sight unseen, at an on-line auction. (Say what?) Scary adventure – really scary adventure – but it seems like that’s what we’re all about these days. Turns out it was lovely and more than we expected from the expericnce, thank God.

Next we purchased this equally exciting sideboard to accent our showpiece dining set in our grand ballroom. This one, we saw first hand at a local antique dealer before writing the check.

Photo by P. Rickrode. September 2015.

This amazing sideboard, or more appropriately named huntboard, was originally commissioned for a ships’s captain in the 1750’s. That’s right, this piece of furniture came off of a ship! A ship, people! A sailing ship on the high seas in the 1700’s. How cool is that?!? I can’t say for sure, but I’m going to call it a pirate ship, because that sounds so much cooler than a merchant ship. (Think Captain Jack Sparrow.) This piece of furniture used to reside in the captain’s quarters of the Black Pearl. How incredibly cool is that?!? (Excuse me while I wipe drool off the keyboard.) Hey, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. A ship is a ship right?

Now, where was I? Oh, yes, the grand ballroom. Our grand ballroom is so amazing right now, with the acquisition of these two fabulous pieces, I wish you could all see it for yourself. It’s a  totally “wow” experience when you walk through our front doors and lay eyes on the dining room furniture. Did I mention our huntboard came from Jack Sparrow’s quarters onboard the Black Pearl? (It didn’t but . . . ) Seriously, it came off of a ship. I am not making this up. It. Came. Off. Of. A. Ship. (I just think that is so cool.)

Black Pearl. Pirates of the Caribbean. Photo courtesy Google Images.

Anyway, we’re working to upgrade and improve each of our guest rooms as well, as time and money allow. It is our goal to make the Baer House one of Vicksburg’s finest museum homes, offering comfortable rooms at affordable prices with genuine hospitality that will keep you wanting to come back year after year. We want to make you comfortable in lavish surroundings, indicative of hospitality associated with the south.

This adventure here in Vicksburg has been a blessing beyond all measure. I think I was meant to entertain and to entertain in style. I am having so much fun finding truly unique pieces to fill our new home with character, history and pizazz. I had no idea antiques were so interesting.

And, in case you’re thinking it’s all about the house, it’s not. Here’s a little taste of something that cannot be purchased or sold at any cost. It’s a gift from God Almighty and another reason why I am truly humbled and thankful to be living in Vicksburg, Missippippi.

Sunset in Vicksburg, Mississippi. September 19, 2015. Photo by P. Rickrode.

It’s not about the stuff people. That fabulous sunset, is a work of art from our heavenly creator and cannot be bought or sold. It is a gift to be savored. Nope, it’s not about the stuff.

Thanks for visiting today. Please enjoy the simple things dear readers, for they are many and come at no cost to you.

What makes you happy? What simple things take your breath away? What awesome antiques haveyou come across that make you go “wow?” Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

(Please excuse any typographical errors for I was very tired when I composed this.)

Word of the day: Euchre

Fun fact about me: I don’t know a thing about antiques. But I’m learning.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, September 2015. Original photos by P. Rickrode and Google Images.

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