Sunday, January 2, 2011

Trash or Treasure?

 Yesterday I was feeling either a little bit adventurous, or a little bored, (maybe both) but I decided that the day had come to go into our woods to have a closer look at something...For 3 years I have been looking at what appears to be an old cow trough upside down in our woods. I cleared the weeds away from it and had Carl help me turn it over. It's fully intact and very heavy--We 'think' it's made of cast iron. But thankfully there was no dead-body or anything living underneath. Carl really feels that it should go right to the dump.  He's probably right (don't tell him I said that).  But I think it's a sort of 'treasure find' and I think I'd like to put it on the backside of our barn and of plant flowers or something inside--What do you think it could be used for?

With that excursion done, the next one was the New Years meal of black-eyed peas. I really enjoyed reading your comments yesterday about your meal traditions for New Years--THANKS for sharing them! Our 'good luck' meal which was cooked with ham and a few vegetables in the crock pot, and served on top of homemade cornbread, turned out pretty well.  I'm all ready to face 2011 now and I hope you are too!

Rudi enjoyed the day as well.
Do you have any idea how many things
there are to smell, eat and roll on in the damp woods?  She does.

41 comments:

  1. First off, that is a treasure!!! If I had it, I would put it out in the full sun, by the water hydrant in the side yard and plant some tomatoes in it (in the spring) and no grass seed would get in there from the lawn mower! I would also plant some marigolds too!

    Your dinner is both delicious looking and festive! I do hope you enjoyed it!

    Aah, Rudi, now what did you get into? Nothing too smelly, I hope!

    Happy Sunday, Gal!

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  2. Rudi is just beautiful!

    I like that old cow feeder! Looks like someone handmade it. I think it would make a wonderful planter "box". If you can get it towed up to the barn - looks like someone tried to fashion it with skids. :)

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  3. I like your idea of using the cow trough as a large flower pot! Very rustic chic!
    I am very sorry I've been out of touch with you but it was nothing personal, I can assure you! It's almost impossible to read all of my favorite blogs and then comment on them but I will do my best in 2011!
    Thank you for your comment regarding "Is there a good excuse for getting rid of a family pet?" today and I was stunned to read that a man wanted to get rid of his golden retriever b/c he/she did not match the other one or look good on the lawn! I wonder how long it took for him to come up with that excuse?

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  4. That cast iron thing looks like a treasure to me, Kim.
    Although, I have no idea what it was used for except for watering animals....or making moonshine?

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  5. We have two very different ideas on using that find of yours. I would paint it a bright color and plant flowers in it. My dogs, however, would have me fill it with water so they could play in it.
    Sue

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  6. OOOOOOOOO! I NEED cornbread!

    I'm glad you're off to a good start for the new year. I am as well. Will be making some split pea with ham soup today. I don't have any cornmeal so maybe plain biscuits will do. Oh yes, I think they'll do quite well...

    ;-)

    Thank you for helping out with the calendar choices. I'm posting another bunch of lamb photos today!


    Rudy looks wonderful! Such lucky dogs.

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  7. Oh! Definitely a Treasure! I'd plant flowers and trailing plants (ivy, wave petunias, etc.) in it. Maybe a few hostas under it as well. It would be lovely!

    Cheers!

    Katie in MN

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  8. I think it will look beautiful with flowers and trailing vines in it. Don't clean it up too much, because it's beauty is partly in its wear. And, maybe, it would be a good idea to use plants that like iron, since some will undoubtedly leach into the soil.

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  9. If you guys can haul it that far, it would make a mighty fine planter.

    Lady sez she would like to snoofle and roll in all that good stuff.

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  10. Oh yes.. I know exactly what to plant in "the planter". Creeping thyme grows magnificiently. It would trail over the edges some..
    Or while waiiting for the creepeing thyme to grow,, you could plant trialing geraniums.. or hens and chicks!! I think you found a treasure!
    And all the smells in the woods,, well there are tracks to smell,
    (or if you have any of KB's creatures- maybe bob cat poo poo.
    and rabbit turds... and little seeds the birds drop, or crumbs that fall from the sky when the crows steal part of your bread crumbs, or,,, yes... some dead leaves that are just ripe for rolling in,,,,or maybe even a skunk.
    Humm, I am hungry for cornbread and black eye peas now
    love
    tweedles

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  11. It looks like a very old water heater or water pressure tank, cut in 1/2. We used those for cattle feed and water for years. Plant some nice flowers in it, and you can have a very rusted, very old flower pot that is probably more work than it is worth. But pretty.

    Mogley G. Retriever

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  12. I bet she does! :-)

    You can either use it for a planter, or if it's heavy, take it to a metal recycling center and get a few bucks for it.

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  13. Oh, YES! I do agree with you that the trough is a treasure. And planted, it will look great. I would not throw it away, ever!

    I love these old things, specially if they are found in our property. I would call it the history of the living things of the past. Sweet!
    xoxo

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  14. Kim,
    I have to say that you have found a treasure and if I lived close by I would take it off you hands no problem.
    First off I would plant some cool colourful flowers maybe some Gerbena daisies with a hanging blue vine over the edge and some stalks of millet in between the flowers for the Fall contrast. Of course I would at a few pumpkins later on in between the daisies which would have probably died down.
    Then for Halloween it would look like Dracula's coffin with some cool lights around it. As a added surprise I may just pop up to scare the kiddies and parents.
    LOL I can think of a million other ideas but this one just is perfect for a Halloween nut like me.
    Can't wait to see what other idea's you blog followers come up with.

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  15. yes use it as a planter, very rustic!
    Rudi is so cute!

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  16. Flowers. That was the first thing I thought of. Or, plant some potatoes in it. Please don't throw it away, Kim! ;)

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  17. I can't wait to find out what you do with your newfound treasure! Your black-eyed pea dish looks delicious!! I've read several posts now where black-eyed peas were the main dish on new years day.
    Rudie looks like he's had some good fun but maybe too much fun???

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  18. Love your little adventure! Very interesting... I like the idea of using it as a planter if it's close enough to the house.

    Yes, K, R and I all know how many things there are to find and sniff in the woods! We specialize in that :)

    I hope that you enjoyed your yummy meal.

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  19. Kim, so funny as most men would say--“straight to the dump”--but Don’t Do It--it’s wonderful and I love your idea of flowers in and having it behind the barn. You could grow some sweet potatoe vine to hang over the edge and put some really pretty flowers in it or even herbs would be neat. I just know its going to look great. You meal looks fabulous and I am sure it was too :)

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  20. Using it as a planter is a great idea!
    Rudy is beautiful! I wish I had been there too.

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  21. I would LOVE to have that trough in the garden here! In the right place it would look great......I can see the old-fashioned real red geraniums in it! What a blast of colour that would be. Keep it and Carl will (may) see how good it looks in the summer. Nice find Kim.
    That black-eyed peas recipe looks delicious!
    Jim

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  22. The first thing I thought of was that the old trough would be a great place to plant flowers! Your black eyed beens meal looks very yummy.

    Good night Kim!
    xo Catherine

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  23. Happy New Year! Black eyed peas and cornbread have been our family's New Year's staples for generations. Hadn't heard the Sherman tale, but it explains why it seems to be strictly a Southern custom.

    Mama thinks Mogley G. is correct about it being a very old HW tank that was just repurposed in the practical way Americans used to do with everything, long before anyone heard of recycling. It would make a lovely planter, but be sure your [and dogs?] tetnus shots are up to date. It will leach metal, so mama wouldn't put anything edible in it, but flowers would be beautiful.

    Jed & Abby

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  24. It would look great by your barn filled with flowers !

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  25. Treasure, treasure, treasure!!!
    That would be planted with flowers so fast it would set a new record for the 100 yard dash!
    Please do plant in it and share photos, I can hardly wait!
    Tina xo

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  26. Rudi did you roll in something smelly?? I sure hope not!! Bet you had fun tho!! It would be a planter in our yard for sure!! Tom would take it to the shop and drill some drain holes in the bottom and we would plant something in it that loved iron!!!
    Good luck!! Happy new year!!
    xx, Bambi & Fern

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  27. Hi Kim, New Years greetings to you.
    I loved seeing the cow trough-and like many I would definitely use it as a planter with tons of flowers.
    Have a lovely week; I thought of you when I saw black-eyed peas at our supermarket, someday I'll have to try them.
    Hugs, Noreen

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  28. Oh, no doubt about it Kim, it is a treasure that needs to be filled with the most gorgeous flowers sith a dash of rustic ones...it's lovely!
    Also, I can only imagine Rudi's infatuation with the woods...golly gee, we take Hurricane aroudn the neighborhood and we need to stop at every sight and sound on the one mile trail...

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  29. Oh brother. My husband and I would have an argument about that - I say TREASURE! Grow herbs or a salad garden in it with nasturtiums growing over the sides. It will be beautiful! Rudi is beautiful, and yes, I do know how many lovely things there are to smell, eat and roll in in the woods. I've got 2 who enjoy letting me know!!
    Staci

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  30. Morgan loves our wet, cold and damp woods too. Love the treasure you found. I think it will make a wonderful planter. Have fun!

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  31. I agree with your other commenters..it would look great as a planter.I found one of those old butler sinks and had the same idea for that.Poor Mr Boo nearly put his back out lifting it into the car!
    I planted pansies in it before Christmas, which I hope have survived the snow and ice!
    If it's there..Bella will find it... eat it,dig it up or roll in it! :0)

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  32. I agree with everyone else it could be filled with flowers. I was wondering if someone had made it to bbq with?

    Great photo of Rudi also.

    Gill

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  33. Hi Kim. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

    Love the find and I would definitely use it for planting flowers. It's a keeper!

    You pups are all so sweet! Nothing is better than a house full of sweet, fluffy, people-loving' pups!

    Happy New Year from Roanoke, VA!

    Di

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  34. Like you, I love finding little "treasures" around our little neck of the woods. That would be beautiful filled with some moss rose!

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  35. Hi Kim, I'm way late with my comment and looking at that lovely dish made me forget what I was going to say. I think it is time for my dinner. Oh, I think the thing you found would look great with flowers in it.--Inger

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  36. I'd plant in that baby in a heartbeat!

    Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wishing you the best in the New Year. Hugs to all those beasties!

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  37. kim you are right, i would keep it! believe me, there are many folks out in the world that would want it. the cast iron in itself is great. just derust and paint and plant your flowers, i was thinking the same thing as i was reading. many men do not think creatively like women and my husband has given away tons of stuff that i would have kept! grrr...take care and happy new year! if you have time, could you email me your recipe with the black eyed peas...looks so good! framtails@gmail.com thanks!! btw, riley has such a sweet smile! :)

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  38. We use to have a kitty when we had Joker that would walk with us for miles. Happy only walks with us for about a half a mile when she wants to walk with us! I think that is pretty special b/c of her advanced age. We like having a cat walk with us too!!
    xx, Happy, Bambi & Fern

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  39. Rudi IS gorgeous and our pups know just how many smells, etc. there are to investigate in woods, like her! And I think you have a real find! Flowers would be perfect in that treasure! And you could intersperse some herbs too? Happy New Year - that meal looks scrumptious!
    Hugs xoxoxo
    Sammie and Avalon and Mom

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  40. Trust a Golden to find the edibles! I would definitely plant flowers in it - or an herb garden!

    Sam

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Speak--I really enjoy your comments! Thanks for stopping by today!!