Thursday, April 9, 2009

A Junker's Paradise!

OMG! I have died and gone to junk heaven! LOL! It was a beautiful day on Tuesday and I had cleaned enough bathrooms and scrubbed enough floors! So I decided to take a little drive about five miles from here. I took a "country" road that I had driven many, many times to a place I had seen many, many times.

Now, I have lived here in western Washington for almost nine years and travelled by this place at least 3 or 4 times a month. For some unknown reason I could never turn my steering wheel into the driveway. Maybe it was because I was always headed "somewhere else". Maybe it was because of the lack of cars there. Maybe...
Who knows why I had NEVER stopped here before, but on Tuesday I decided that was where I was going. And THAT was one of the best decisions I ever made! As I parked and began to get out of my car I knew immediately I was in heaven. The huge front yard of this old house was filled with treasures from days gone by. Treasures left out to weather their way to rustyhood. As I walked through the yard it was like I couldn't wait to get to the next little table or pile of goods. My face began to hurt from the huge smile on my face. I was like a kid at an Easter egg hunt.

I eventually made my way to the long porch of what had been an old house many years ago! (I think the upper part may still serve as a home.) More treasures, more trash, more wonderful finds! I was beginning to hyperventilate! Most items didn't have price tags on them, many did but had been "weathered" away. But for some reason, I wasn't worried that the prices would be outrageous. It just wasn't that type of place!


And then I found the front entrance. Ahh...an "inside" to this wonderful paradise! Whatever could be behind that closed door! I opened the door slowly and immediately discovered a large room jammed packed with the past! I heard someone in the back room and quietly yelled out "hello"! The man's voice replied and welcomed me in. As I squeezed through the little cubbies throughout this huge room, my face began to hurt even more! This was not your typical antique store. No little displays nicely set up to appeal to your eyes! No...it was just everything you could imagine strewn everywhere you could imagine! Under tables, on tops of cabinets, high shelves, treasures under treasures! I walked through the room twice, stopping briefly to speak to the kitty that was greeting me in one corner, before the gentleman from the back made his appearance. A quite nice, older man, with a little pot belly and rugged look. He told me his name was John. I told him how much I loved his place here, and how I had driven by it SO many times throughout the years without ever stopping. His reply indicated to me that I wasn't the only person to have done this. Thus the reason for always seeing a lack of cars there.

I handed John my finds from outside, asking for prices on everything. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed or have to set anything back. And I didn't. I then decided to take another look outside, only to discover more finds. And once back in I had to make one last trip through.

John has found a new and faithful customer! I will no longer be afraid to turn that steering wheel when riding by this wonderful paradise on earth! Yes...he will be seeing a lot of me from now on! I have discovered a junker's paradise!


Oh...one last thing...my finds during my first visit...you can still see the dirt on the bottles and the leaf in the enamel bowl!


16 comments:

  1. It looks like a charming and wonderful place to prowl around!!!

    Wish I could find a place like this near me!!! Looks like a place you could spend HOURS!!
    You'll have to share (pictures) with us what you purchased....

    Shari

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  2. I would love to pull up that driveway myself!!! Lucky you!!

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  3. Thank you, ladies, for dropping by! Funny...I was still working on this post when you both dropped by and having a dickens of a time getting the photo of my "finds" on there. For some reason it kept giving me an error. Anyway...I now have a photo of my "junk" finds on the post. And believe me...MANY would consider these to be nothing BUT junk! LOL

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  4. Oh what a find...lucky you...I bet
    it wonderful to go through that place..they always say one mans junk is another ones treasure....wonderful
    treasures...thanks for sharing it with us...
    Prim Blessings...
    Tonja

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  5. Oh, I loved it.. Thanks so much for taking me along with ya.. I like ur junk finds.. I can't resist kitchen junk..lol..

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  6. I didn't see even one piece of "junk" in your pictures. Better than Macy's any day of the week. Lucky you!

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  7. Peggy...you're so funny! I totally agree! Cat...kitchen "rusties" are my favorite! I make a lot of my gatherings from them! Tonja...yep, except it was probably one "woman's" junk -- now MY treasure! LOL! Thank you ladies for dropping by! ~~Annie

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  8. Please share with us where we can visit this place. It looks to be one I'd consider driving quite a ways to shop there. I love all your purchases. I posted a pic on my blog yesterday of an old pan like yours that was from my childhood. All your finds look like treasures to me.

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  9. I saw you joined me as a follower - thank you!!

    What fun you had at the old junk house - so many treasures! I'd be going back often as well!

    Happy Easter, hugs, Linda

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  10. Annie,
    I love the photos. lol. Made me want to jump into them and go junkin. lol. I wish I was there to go with ya. Now you have me in the mood to go junkin. lol. Have a great day and Happy Easter to ya.
    Thanks for sharin your day with us.
    Dena

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  11. Ohhh I could have found some treasures in there! lol lol Thanks so much for coming by...hope you had a great Easter weekend and happy treasure hunting in your new found place!

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  12. Hi Annie! Loved your Treasure Hunt! I would LOVE to come out there and help you/me find stuff to take home! I used to know of a place like that a long time ago, but no longer there, and I know of a place that I pass by, every so often, that I have wondered if I got out and asked if I can roam thru their junk, would I be shot?!?!?! LOL! I can't wait to see what you are going to do with these goodies. If I had found them, I would have taken them to the shop to sell. Hope to talk to you soon!

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  13. Hi Annie,
    I love this adventure you were on ,I love the part & then you found the door,Sounds like my house !!Ha,Ha, LOL
    Thank you for stopping by my blog & letting a message.
    I'am sorry your son has problems !! Now that said,they are also a blessing .Autism,Cerebral Palsy,whatever they have ,makes us look at life in an all different perspective.We know what a milestone is for a person,how much happiness they bring us & to themselves.My wish is that other children/people would understand & help them more & not be so mean to them !!
    I'am so glad your son started a job !!What a milestone !!
    Annie,I love your blogs & those lady bugs & hats are just so perfect !! Are the lady bugs a 3 piece set or sold by each ?
    Do you email for shipping quote,etc.
    You are a special Mom !!
    Prim Hugs & Blessings,
    Sharon

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  14. OH MY, What a paradise indeed!!! I would have loved to gone shopping there too. Thanks for sharing your day with us.
    Cheri

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  15. Well, goodness, what a wonderful place! I live in Everett, so I imagine this isn't too far, will you share where this place is, or did you already and I missed it??? :)

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  16. Does this place have a name, and where in wonderful Washington is it? :-)

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