Now, THIS is what I’m talkin’ about! Perfect vintage haul

By Elizabeth Prata

I wrote this yesterday on my personal blog, The Quiet Life. It’s Fall Break! Which means I have 4 days off, Saturday and Sunday which are usually off and then also Monday and Tuesday. I’m going to take a break today and tomorrow. I’ll be back Monday at The End Time with a new essay. Though I keep The End Time writing related to theological topics, here is a peek at the things that charm me in my regular life. My deeply rooted joy is in Jesus, but then again, who doesn’t enjoy a good deal?

I love Georgia. I love winter, spring, and fall. Summer? Not so much. I knew that going in. BUT! The Fall is glorious. Yesterday October 10 and today, October 11 were 72 humidity-free degrees, azure diamond clear skies with some fluffy clouds hanging about, also enjoying the day. A gentle breeze. No pollen. We wait all year for this, and when it comes, it’s wonderful.

So yesterday was a half day for the students, so the rest of the afternoon at school was generally lower key (but still busy). I took the opportunity after school to drive across the county amid swooping hills and gorgeous sun, rolling pastures, cows, horses, and no other traffic, to the farm stand. The sale was $5 for a dozen sunflowers. ‘How nice!’ I thought. ‘I can get a dozen, put them in my favorite vases, and spread them around the kitchen and living room, and have flowers all around me during Fall Break!’

Yes, Fall Break. Friday is a teacher work day and then after the weekend we have Monday and Tuesday off. I worked on all my things at school while listening to various playlists. So cozy and relaxing. Hee Haw Gospel Quartet, Classical Piano, Instrumental Hymns, those were my go-to playlists for the afternoon as I wrote up reports.

Afterward, I zipped home to receive my Kroger grocery delivery, then zoomed up to the vintage store to check out the sales. I needed placemats. Oh, I knew going in that though I only needed one item, I’d leave with more than one. That is the way of it. So this is my haul:

Clockwise from bottom: The aforementioned placemats, with a green necklace. $3 and $2.65. I don’t have any green jewelry. I’ve been trying to be mindful of the color clothing and accessories I lack. I have a lot of blue. No green. Unless it’s all green and no blue, because I get those mixed up…

Anyway, to continue- 2 small gift bags and vintage wrapping paper. I love, love these designs. $1. Ellicott’s Commentary on the whole Bible, 1954, vol 5. Covers a lot of the Old Testament Prophets. Charles Ellicott was a conservative scholar in the 1800s. $3.

Random piece of marble. Very thick, green (ha ha) with a wonderful tan vein. I don’t know what I’ll do with it, but it was only $2. Cannot. Resist. Marble.

Gibsons-England Teapot, Peach Luster and Gold, Vintage 1950s. $6.50. Gibson’s is sought after and luster-ware is coveted too. I liked the size and shape.

I am pretty happy with the haul, total was less than $20. I got what I needed, what I can and will use, and I had a nice visit with the store owner. She is driving up to see her friends who pastor a church in storm-ravaged NC. She put a short video up about donations, and within a few hours received over $700. We talked about how kind and generous people are!

And tomorrow, Saturday, I will kick off the weekend with attending the annual Books for Keeps, a warehouse of gently used books of all kinds, tens of thousands of them. They throw open the doors to the community once per year for 3 days, and you can go get up to 100 books each day they are open for free! I will be standing on line with my totes at 10 am ready to scour the shelves for the perfect additions to my classroom library and my personal library.

Flowers, vintage paper, teapot, and free books… Happy Fall break to me!