Smitty Gifts

 

 

Smith Brothers in Clinton, Iowa is still there.  Smith Brothers is an everything store.  A general store from bygone era, a hardware store, a department store, a gag store, a home goods store with cast iron pots and pans, enamel ware, wash tubs, wooden drying racks.

When we stopped recently the door was locked but it appeared to still be in business.  There are 4 entrances – one has appliances in front of it, one is boarded up, one was padlocked, and one had a recycling bin in front of it.

Looking through the big windows we could see the wonders inside.  Signs of all shapes and sizes, a Cowboy Bible (a flask) enamel ware, antiques, parts, cast iron everything- skillets, Dutch oven,  a kettle to put on the fire and invert the lid for a stove top, several varieties of pans to make corn bread. 

When we lived in Clinton my husband would poke around at Smith Brothers.  At Christmas, gifts started appearing from Smith Brothers – quirky gifts under the tree for everyone.  A thermometer, a bird feeder, a pruning shears, a trowel, a wrench, a tape measure.  It evolved into Smitty gifts and continues through 3 moves and 24 years.  Smitty gifts are still under our Christmas tree!

24 hours

We attended the movie Whiskey Tango Foxtrot last night.  For me it was an okay movie…not great nor horrendous.  Son 1 suggested that the title was code with the initial first letters.  I don’t know if that was the intent but indeed a bit of googling revealed that whiskey, tango, foxtrot is indeed military code for wtf….and since the dialogue probably included the third word about one-third of the discourse, it makes sense.

 

This AM I walked our “woods” with Sneakers.  It was about 40 degrees so more than walk it was stop and sniff…trees, melting snow, clumps of grass, tree limbs.  We met a well-bearded man who rides his bike with a small motor on it.  Today he was towing a small trailer – bicycle-size – and he was loading downed branches on it.   As I walked by he said, “I’m building a log cabin.” Willow Creek was moving along and the ducks were playing leapfrog and honking.  Spring is coming.

 

After the movie and throughout today I’ve been cutting and sewing to complete a second LWR quilt.  The challenge is to use the fabric available and end up with a 64 x 84 top that can be tied and finished.

 

Tonight we’ll meet John for supper and follow the Hawks and the MC girls in the basketball finals in Des Moines.