Re-Run Antique Shop & A Touch Of Goodwill

Now for a bit of fun. There is something about old pictures that I find very interesting. Especially if they trigger memories from my childhood, or are just plain interesting. The fantastic capturing of a moment in time, never to be exactly repeated again, with subject matter that makes me smile or just plain think, is something I find just wonderful. These are pictures that I wished to rescue and I think I found some good ones, worthy to share with you.

The first thing I thought when I saw this picture was, I'll bet the, "P.C. crowd", would have a field day with this farmer if he were to do this today. Why look at those content and happy children he is putting in mortal danger! ha ha ha Any of us farm kids know that wasn't as dangerous as the half of it and we didn't think a thing of it. Funny how many there are of us that seemed to have survived it all with pleasant memories fully intact. I used to ride a very similar looking seat like that, only it had a huge v-shaped plow blade on it for digging ditches. It could get really hairy when the plow hit a rock and slung me up in the air. Then it was hang on for dear life!

 This is the only marked picture in the bunch, and is nicely dated too. This puts this right in the depression and dust bowl era of Clayton, New Mexico. There are some crazy looking pictures on line of this town about to be engulfed in the biggest dust storm you ever saw. I can't imagine what it would be like to  live through something like that?! Tho I know my father and his folks and their folks, went through this in Oklahoma during this same time. WOW!

 Here's a lovely team of four horses in front of what looks to be a college of some sort?! It looks to me as if they are grading this field out in preparation for planting grass. I wish the photographer had gotten whatever they are dragging into the shot, but just looking at how level the ground around them is, makes me think they are smoothing out the ground, not plowing or harrowing it in preparation for crops. This shows a very nice set of horses and their harness'. I wish I knew where this was, if you think you know please leave a comment.

Who doesn't like a good, cowboys out on the range photo, complete with wild rugged mountains in the background?! Reminds me of about every western I ever saw as a kid. I can't make up my mind if these guys are for real or are a group of guys at a dude ranch?! Some have their feet so far in the stirrups it makes me think they are greenhorns, but who knows?! I love it because getting all of those horses to stand still for the shot must have been monumental. I expect Gene Autry or Roy Rogers to come singing into the shot at any second.

This next bunch of pictures were just a must have. They are of two different live models at some art school. This fellow is dressed like the fellow in the westerns who was the guy passing by who always managed to get himself shot by the bad guys, or he played the part of the, "Angry Easterner Greenhorn", who just took up farmin' in outlaw infested territory, but couldn't understand why he was in deep trouble?! He always had to be rescued by the hero of the story, and was never quite good lookin' or talented enough to get the lead.

Now here is the, "Stand In", to the, hero. He is much better looking, has a better looking outfit, and even a shiny gun with ivory handles. The reason I know he is the Stand In is that he doesn't have spangles on his shirt or a jacket with fringe, and he only has a regular red bandana and black felt cowboy hat. We all know the Hero wore a big white ten gallon hat and his outfit was so covered in fancy stitching, spangles, and rhinestones, as to blind the bad guy at ten paces.

You can see from this pose this fellow means business and yet his outfit is simply too plain to make him the lead character. Tho those are very real bat-wing chaps, as is the rest of his getup. This was no spaghetti western he was in, no sir!

Here he is giving a, "What for", and a "For when" look, to some clodhopper in this pose. "If you dare get up I'll just kick you in the seat of the pants again," he's sayin'. Man this guy is really good looking, which is why he can pass for the Hero in a pinch, and it might even get him the lead someday, which is always why he makes the Hero nervous.

 He crouches well and it must take some pumpkins for him to hold still like that. I am loving his tall boots too, which puts him in the league with the horse riding Gun Slinger's and not that of the flat footed farmer we saw earlier.

 Here he has taken a forty five bullet to the chest for the hero, but his dinner plate sized belt buckle has either deflected it, or he can take six or seven of these shots and still be up and at it in two days flat. The farmer tho innocent of everything except being in the wrong place at the wrong time, will have ended up on Boot Hill with a splendid full-bosomed daughter weeping over his grave. Thus the need for the Hero. The, "Stand In", seldom gets to kiss the girl, the Hero however is always up for it, unless he doesn't like the choice of actress playing the, "Damsel in Distress."

Here at last our, "Stand In", poses for his fans. Since he can't afford a horse he must make due with a saddle on sawhorses. The studio of course owns the fine saddle, tack, and the thoroughbred horse he has been riding, as well as everything he has been wearing on his back. He is lucky to get to pose for these shots at all. He is after all only the, "Stand In", for the true hero, who just steps into shots for the closeups. At the end of the day he pulls on his own clothes,which look far too much like the first fellow pictured, and strolls off the studio lot, nodding a friendly nod to the security guard at the gate. He leaves dreaming of stardom that may someday be his. See what fun old pictures can be?! Such scope for the imagination.

 Here are a few more items I found on a quick peruse through the Goodwill on yet another parts run. This small oil painting just shouted sunshine and flowers to me. It will tuck into a small spot nicely I think and bring to it a little bit of sunshine and happiness. Looks a little bit like Little House On The Prairie don't you think?!

I am always up for books on interior design or remodeling. They are always chuck full of interesting projects and idea's. These can be adapted and used in all kinds of ways and as they were only $3.99 I thought them a bargain.

 What's not to like about three graduated in size Christmas boxes?! I like to store small items and little Christmas ornaments in these types of boxes. It keeps thing handy and organized. Plus they are nice to set out at Christmas time and gave me some idea's for quilted boxes I can do myself. What a nifty way to redo some boxes I am tired of their pattern and colors. Cover them over with lovely crazy quilted fabric. How fun a project is that?!

Not to be forgotten, I picked up a much needed flannel shirt for my hubby. His are getting a bit threadbare and since we lived in Hawaii he was down to just two. No real need for long sleeved warm shirts there, but here the cold is a definite thing. Now he won't have to be wearing one while the other is in the wash at least, and I shall be keeping my eyes out for more in the future. This was a very good price at just $7.99, plus on Wednesdays I get a senior discount. Gotta be some blessing for being over 55.