White O'Morn Cottage

Glenview Folk Museum Visit

You know how I love all things vintage...well, last week I had my fill when I went to visit the Glenview Folk Museum in Ballinamore, countly Leitrim.

This is a private collection of over 7,000 artifacts large and small. We were shown around by the lovely owner Mr Kennedy and it was such a treat. He very kindly let me take photos which is unusual in such places and also told us to bring in the dogs as it was too hot in the car for them.

Here are some of the photos I took.

Look Colleen!!! the telephone exchange on the left came from Strokestown, your home place. It was probably there when you folks were.

 
BELOW a 1936 car

 
below: a spinning wheel, baby's pram, and beside it is a wooden rocking cradle

 
below: on the left is a very old range with the cast iron cooking pots and pine dresser with crockery

 

 

 

Below: in the chemist's shop

 
below: the grocery shop

 

 

The old pub

 
 Free beer tomorrow!

 
Great old signs

 
two milk churns painted up and an old water pump. Each village would have had one of these in the main street.

 

A pretty thatched cottage on the grounds that can be rented by tourists

 

BACK HOME....

When I got home I painted my picket fence emerald green and the roses look so lovely against it at the moment. Oooh look at the top right hand side...my own green milk churn. I must put some flowers in it.

 

 

 

 

This weekend  we will be working at a huge charity fete where I will find lots of lovely treasure that I will share with you all. Wish me luck!...Pam

St Patrick's Well .....make a wish

I found a truly beautiful spot in Lovely Leitrim last week and had to share it with you. It is called St Patrick's Well. It was a glorious summer day and it was looking it's best....well....all around it was looking well but the WELL itself does not look too well if you know what I mean.

I'll show you in pictures... Here is the entrance to it. Looking good so far. The Irish name is printed over the English and is pronounced: (tubbar nave pawd-rig)

Next is a grotto with a statue of St Patrick looking very well.

but that's not the well.

This is not the well either and I was not able to find out what it was exactly but it looks ok - nice and rustic. It is near the well.

Then there is a wonderful hand crafted large cross with a shamrock engraved on it and it is really lovely. It is also near the well.

and a close up of the shamrock.

We're almost there. At the well people say a prayer or make a wish and hang a piece of fabric on the tree nearby. It was fascinating to see what some people left. One left a lovely handmade walking stick, and another left a tape measure, another left a rosary beads while I also saw socks, hair elastics, plastic bags and all manner of fabric scraps. I left two strands of wool.

 

The tree they hang things from is quite a majestic sight. Here is the moss covered bough that hangs over the well (we are getting real close now)

...and here is the WELL itself. Oh dear, I think the council could have made a better cover for it to fit in with all the beauty around it but the water is fresh spring water and tastes so refreshing. Oh well (no pun intended)

The man in blue is leaning on the actual well. The other man is collecting the water and filling water bottles with it. You just dip in and take what you want.

I must say it is a totally tranquil spot and I could sit for hours just unwinding there.  

Wildflower Window

After that visit I came home all tranquil and relaxed and quite unable to do any work so I went out and collected some wildflowers from the ditches. I think they are exquisite in the cottage window with the late evening sun shining through.  

The Prettiest Hardware Shop in the World???

I popped into PJ Reynold's in Ballinamore to get some paint for my picket fence (which is now emerald green) and happened to look up and thought "This has got to be the prettiest hardware store ever" It is situated in an old church. Have a look and see if you agree....

In my next post I will be showing you all the MANY vintage treasures I have found lately so do drop in for a look-see. Bye for now!