May is the best month of all!

How can I tell you how wonderful it was standing on the street in front of my store and seeing all the quilts waving in the air around the Courthouse Square, from the courthouse and other storefronts here in Huntsville. This is my favorite time of the year here. There is something about this time, plants in bloom, even with the bluebonnets having done their thing for the year as well as the azaleas who put on quite a show this year. This was last Saturday that we had the annual Airing of the Quilts. This is the largest quilt show in Texas and if you have not been, then put it on your calendar for next May, always the first Saturday.
But hey, this was just one event. There were 3 going on last weekend here so there was something for all.
The Airing, an antique tractor show, and the Sam Houston Folk Festival on the museum grounds plus a fly-in at the local airport and shuttle to and from other events for those arriving by air.
But now to get back to business as usual, we have to wait until July for another event on the Courthouse Square, and our then our annual Antique show and sale September 19 through the 20th at the Walker County Fairgrounds. This was called off last year due to Hurricane Ike with the FEMA people taking over the Fairgrounds for their own activities. If you are interested in a booth it is not too soon or late to book. Contact Kathleen at 936 436-0265 or email www.anitschintime.com and she will give you the information and sign you up for a booth. This year we are expecting many additional sellers who have heard of the show here. There are usually about 100 booths but this year there are more expected. This is an antique-only show. There will be no cheap imports like some shows have turned into.
Huntsville has so much to offer. We have B&B's, hotels, stores and
several museums: the Sam Houston Museum with several Sam Houston homes, the state prison museum, Veteran's museum, and more. We have some great restaurants here. The best in my book is the Homestead on 19th Street next to the museum. It is in an old dog trot log cabin. The food is excellent.

Come and check us out. Spend a weekend and decide if you want to join our antique show and sale in September. There are also 6 antique stores and some stores have over 40 dealers in them. I do not know why more people have not discovered this town about 70 miles north of Houston, 200 south of Dallas, and 35 miles from College Station. A most central location for traveling in Texas. It is quiet and sleepy enough to relax. in Huntsville. We are a few miles from Lake Livingston for those who like to boat, ski or fish. Take a look at some scenes of the lake. See what I mean about the beauty of Lake Livingston shown in 2 pics above?

I am working on some areas of my store to recover from the big sales day on Saturday during Airing of the Quilts. Sold some stuff and now needing to show some different things. I love ironstone especially English. Can never keep enough of it on hand.
clocks of all kinds interest me
And of course the old apothecary jars and other drug store items. Almost all of these came from a friend in Vermont. Notice the old Cardui Women's Almanac in the black boot. Some dust still on these items. Hard to keep dust at bay in a store like this.
Below a page from an old book here that I would like to restore but probably won't. So many wonderful illustrations of children in it. Faded, aged but definitely still beautiful.
This old man is one of two tin paintings we have: nicknamed Jesse and Frank James at the Estate Auction where they were purchased. They have seen hard times here in Huntsville.




And the French doll with phone and Eiffel Tower watercolor in the background. He has been with us awhile but now have a buyer for him and looks like I will give him up.
He is going to a good home.

My friend Bette has been having an estate sale at a building across the Square from me on certain Saturdays in April and May. One more to go from what I have heard. This lady who owned these items had over 100 quilts so this is the reason that one of the Estate Sale dates was last Saturday with all the quilters in town. There will be at least one more sale. Bette has owned several antique stores in town but now rents from me after downsizing. She is a great lady.
So if you are out on a hunt for antiques or vintage junk come by to see us in Huntsville. You are welcome here!!!! Lois


" As a slight token of esteem,
Accept these lines from me:
So plain and simple, they do seem
Unworthy such as thee,
But soon these traced lines will fade
And disappear--'tis their doom.
May you, unlike them, be arrayed
In a perpetual bloom."
from Seven hundred Album Verses c 1884