I want to show you my vintage shop today,since everything outside is asleep in snow.

I have had a dream to have my own shop for many years. But I didn't want it to be a "junk shop"

with lots of various items and I did not want to sell clothing .

I wanted it to be for hand embroidered linens and vintage dishware. 

Last year I worked and worked on fixing up a little storage building on our property

I spent weeks hauling out stored items , scrubbing and painting......and planning.

I filled it with pieces of old furniture I had found along the way,

 I painted my sign, with my shop's name, Yesteryear,

attached it to a vintage bed frame,

fixed it to the ground,  

attained my business license ..............

and opened the door!

I wanted to have different areas fixed in my shop to sell the different things I have collected throughout the years. This is my kitchen/dining area

with every nook and cabinet

filled with vintage kitchen gadgets and dishware.

I love depression era glass and have a shelf 

stocked full of different kinds.

I have a table set with vintage linens, plates, bowls, wine glasses, and everything else for a dining table. The colorful chairs are a vintage set I have had for many years. 

I stripped them, painted them vibrant colors 

and hand cross stitched different backs with different scenes of the seasons. 

Another corner holds decorative wall plates and anniversary plates, as well as vintage picnic baskets.

One section has vintage lamps and candle holders.

One of the two dressers holds vintage figurines , vases and handbags,

while the other holds

crocheted doilies, perfume bottles, metal compacts, trinket boxes,

and drawers full of vintage hand embroidered linens.

Vintage wall pockets and vintage needlework are all over the walls. 

And then there is Sophie. Who is with me constantly whether I am outside 

or in the shop.

As for customers,..............I live pretty far out away from town.........so I have only had a handful.

Most of my sales are helped with my online Etsy shop.

I have not advertised my shop in a big way........

which is an area I need to improve on if I want more folks to come out and visit.

But it is a wonderful dream that has become a wonderful reality.

How about you?

Do you like to find and go through vintage shops?

What are the things you like to look for?

I would love to hear.

Sometimes my chickens hide their eggs from me

and when I start wondering why there are no eggs in the nests, I start hunting and always find a pile like this.  Eggs are a precious commodity to me............I don't want to throw these away.......and

I don't want to make a 50 mile trip into town for a dozen of eggs.........so the question always is..............

how can you tell a good egg.........from a bad one??

I found a true method that always works.

Fresh eggs will sink to the bottom of the bowl and probably lie on their sides.

Slightly older eggs (about one week) will lie on the bottom but bob slightly.

If the egg balances on its smallest tip, with the large tip reaching for the top, it's probably close to three weeks old.

Eggs that float at the surface are bad and should not be consumed.

This way, I can always be certain that I have good eggs to use for my baking. 

Speaking of baking..........I have a wonderful buttermilk biscuit recipe that makes tall and fluffy biscuits.

You can find this recipe on my cooking blog

My Country Kitchen

Let's talk about dirt.............My grounds are telling me

that spring is almost here........it's time to get the gardens ready. 

But every year, I work and work and sometimes, the things I plant just don't survive. Harsh wind is one problem, but the main problem..........is tired soil. 

Healthy well balanced soil makes it easier to grow a variety of beautiful flowers and bountiful vegetables. Because of the different soil types not all plants will grow well in your garden soil. 

Once you know what kind of soil you have in your garden, there are many ways you can improve it. 

To improve a soil, first identify whether it is basically

clay

silt

sand 

or a mixture of these.

Also you can buy kits that are simple to use and give you a reasonable accurate reading for nutrient and acidity/alkalinity content. Acidity or alkalinity is measured on a pH scale that ranges from 1.0 to 14.0. Pure water measures 7.0. Anything above the level of 7.0 is acidity. Anything below the level of 7.0 is alkaline.  

Developing a "feel" for the soil type

this is an important step to learn about what type of soil you are working with. Dig down 3 to 6 inches , to where the plant roots grow. Scoop out a cupful of slightly moist soil, place it in a glass jar, and shake it thoroughly. Take some soil from the jar and rub it between your thumb and forefinger. Does it feel gritty? If so, that's a sign your soil is largely sand. Soil that feels smooth, like flour, is primarily, silt. One that feels sticky is clay. Another way to identify texture is to take a spoonful out of the jar and squeeze it in your palm. If the ball you made falls apart almost as soon as you open your hand, the soil is sandy. If it crumbles when you poke it with your finger, the it is loam. If it keeps it's shape after it is poked, it is clay. 

Now to remedy your soil:

Clay soil is made up of minute mineral particles that tend to clump together. It is heavy and sticky to dig. It tends to drain poorly. When clay dries, it becomes rock hard and cracks. To make the most of its natural fertility, you need to improve drainage and aeration by working in organic material (ranging from kitchen wastes and shredded leaves to well-rotted manure and compost)  or sharp sand, so that the texture becomes less compacted.

Silt soil is less finely textured than clay but still commonly suffers from poor drainage and inadequate aeration. Because the type of soil absorbs and drains water slowly, it erodes badly in heavy rains. However, it holds moisture very well in dry spells. Like clay soil, silt benefits from liberal doses of organic materials such as shredded leaves.

Sandy soil is light and esy to work. Although it warms up quickly in spring, giving plants a good start, sandy soil drains so quickly that the nutrients can be washed out. As a result, it needs plenty of organic matter and the careful attention of fertilizer.

Loam soil contains a good balance of clay, silt, and sand. It also has good texture and plenty of organic matter. You are lucky if you have loam soil, as it is easily cultivated of all soil types and hold water and nutrients well. 

Although it is still quite early in the year, and most grounds are frozen at this time,  it is always best to know about your soil and the plants you want to grow before planting.  Good healthy soil produces, good healthy plants!

 Do you love Texas Caviar?.......or have you never hear of it?

Visit my cooking blog 

My Country Kitchen

for the recipe and to learn about the Texas lady who created this popular party favorite!