Bay City General Store Ledger

2010-03-21T17:34:00.001-05:00

"The only place success comes before work is a dictionary."
Vidal Sassoon

Words to Live By - Week 1

2010-03-21T17:31:00.001-05:00

2010-03-21T17:26:00.001-05:00

We're spiffing up around here...

2010-03-21T17:17:00.002-05:00

For those of you who hang out around Bay City you know time is getting close for the opening of the Bay City General Store. And you know that means spiffing the place up a bit. This year we decided to spiff up our blog a bit too, so let us know what you think. We think it fits us to a "T." We met the creative soul that spiffed the place up for us on the internet, never met face to face, two strangers bumping into each other cyberspace and voila - she nailed us - we love the new look that looks old. That probably only makes sense to us. Thanks, Cat!

So with our new, old look we are venturing out into the blogging world to connect with other like-minded souls. So if our paths should cross, drop us line in the comment section and we'll drop a line back.

Look Who's Turning One!

2010-03-18T17:19:00.002-05:00

Sir Winston Wigglebottom of Bay City will be one year old on April 5th. Don't you think he would be absolutely adorable in a "paw-ty" hat? The Bay City General Store will be opening for the season real soon - maybe a Winston birthday paw-ty celebration is in order.

Do you like our new look? We do, we really do!

2010-03-18T17:17:00.000-05:00

2010-03-13T15:30:00.000-06:00

New Kid on the Block

2010-03-13T15:25:00.002-06:00

There's a new kid on the block - I-24 Antique Mall! It's at exit 37 in Metropolis, Illinois, Home of Superman. Today was its' first day to be open to the public. You couldn't ask for a better location, just seconds from the interstate. Add in the Southern Illinois Wine Outlet store just steps inside the door and I think you have a winner. There will be flea markets, wine tastings, music, good food and other special events as the weather gets warmer. The Bay City General Store has a booth just inside the door and we are looking forward to seeing you there. Stop in and say hi to Charlie and Richard when you are in the neighborhood.

2010-03-13T15:21:00.000-06:00

2010-01-21T12:04:00.001-06:00

Daily Flotsam and Jetsam

2010-01-21T11:55:00.002-06:00

I love the blogging world - I start my mornings with coffee overlooking the river and travel around the world in a matter of minutes. It's like peeping in someone's window to see what they are up to, what their house looks like or what's for supper, except it is socially acceptable. I'm pretty sure actually looking in someone's window is NOT socially acceptable. I love the fact that some talented people are willing to share their creativity with the rest of us by hosting online workshops. It's so much easier than having to take your shoes off to fly across the country, not to mention the full body scan situation. Anyway, I digress. To start 2010 I signed up for Mary Ann Ross' Remains of the Day journal and so far it has been way too much fun and occupied way too much of my day. I didn't exactly follow the directions - it plainly states a sewing machine is required. I'm allergic to my sewing machine.....so I used iron on stuff to attach my fabrics and ribbons. So far, so good! The photos above are my progress so far..............

Reflection

2009-12-29T11:34:00.002-06:00

As I reflect over the past years' activities and events there have been many fun activities but probably the most fun I had was at Collage Camp with K.C. Willis. If you have not seen her fabric collages for yourself I strongly recommend taking a stroll through Lipstick Ranch at www.lipstickranch.com She is offering her Collage Camp at a discounted price of $75 now rather than the usual price of $98. You can find all the details about Collage Camp at http://www.collagecamp.ning.com It's the best $75 I spent this past year.

2009-04-30T11:06:00.002-05:00

I'm heading off to camp - this camp http://collagecamp.ning.com If you haven't already drooled all over KC Willis' fabric collages - run, do not walk, over to this website and see for yourself. And the best part of all - she is sharing her talents with all of us campers with videos of how-to's. Head on over and sign up now at a discount.

Going to Camp

2009-04-30T11:04:00.001-05:00

2009-04-08T16:25:00.000-05:00

2009-04-08T16:23:00.000-05:00

2009-04-08T16:15:00.000-05:00

The Good Old Days...

2009-04-08T16:10:00.002-05:00

The good old days are alive and well at the Bay City General Store. We're all about nostalgia and we love hearing customers say "oh I had one of those when I was a little kid." Here's a few glimpses of our Trip Down Memory Lane department. Any of these toys take you back to your childhood?

2009-03-18T08:55:00.000-05:00

Planting Time in Bay City

2009-03-18T08:38:00.002-05:00

Spring is springing up all over the place around here. Daffodils have been up for a couple of weeks, tulip poplars and the forsythia are blooming. We're starting to see crappie fishermen in the creeks. And the Bay City General Store is blowing the dust off and getting ready for its spring opening. The first thing you see when you walk in our old 1915 store is this seed cabinet. It can be a painful experience for parents with young kids - they are eye level with all sorts of colorful vintage candies. Each drawer is filled with all the candies and novelties from your childhood - Sugar Babies, Milk Duds, Candy Buttons, wax bottles filled with sugar water, candy necklaces, Pixy Stix, candy cigarettes (yes they still make them - can you believe it?) BB Bats, Bazooka bubblegum, Tootsie Pops, taffy and circus peanuts. Does it get any better than that? While the munchkins are drooling over the candy selection hopefully parents will be drooling over the new spring merchandise - nature inspired plates and serving dishes just perfect for that next tea party or gathering on your patio or porch, nests and eggs of all sizes, baskets blooming with forsythia, bluebirds sitting on glass cloches............well you just need to come see for yourself. Oh did I mention red wax lips????????????????????? That makes it worth the scenic drive right there. Hope to see you soon!

2009-03-11T17:42:00.001-05:00

2009-03-11T17:32:00.002-05:00

I have a bad habit of hanging onto things for fear of ruining it when I try to be creative. This wooden chest for silverware was just such an example. I have had it forever. It didn't bother me to rip the insides out of it, although it was not as easy as I thought it would be. Didn't bother me to paint it with gesso. Then the creative process was ready to begin. And it sat, and sat and sat............then it came to me - a chest for art supplies! Then a theme of birds and nests began to emerge. I am really pleased with the way it turned out and now wonder what the heck took me so long. I lined the inside lid with cork, made an accordion folder out of a decorative folder and tacked it inside. Now I'm filling it with flotsam and jetsam from my art stash.

Best of Both Worlds

2009-03-06T10:07:00.002-06:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I like things with drawers but I failed to mention how much I love old postcards. So I'll say it here - I love old postcards! One of my favorite memories as a child is playing with a shoebox full of old postcards in my Granny's basement. Never knew what happened to those - in that same basement - old typewriters too! At a recent auction my husband discovered an old oak filing cabinet - a treasure enough by itself. A peek inside the top drawer of this old file cabinet revealed lots of old postcards - all of the drawers were filled with old postcards from all over the world dating back to the early 1900s. And someone had done the tedious work of cataloguing all of these postcards by country, city, state, and subject. Long story short - we came home with the filing cabinet and all of the postcards. I could not wait to dig into all of these treasures. This story does not have a happy ending.........at some point in time the cabinet sat in some water and you know how well old paper holds up once it gets wet or damp. It doesn't and these were no exception. Someone's precious collection that took years to gather and months to organize is ruined. What a heartbreak! I'm a silver lining kind of person so I'm enjoying all of the cards found in the top drawer - they managed to escape the underwater tour.
Come see us!

World Travels

2009-03-06T10:00:00.002-06:00

2009-03-06T09:57:00.000-06:00

Back in the Day

2009-03-06T09:45:00.002-06:00

Thought I'd show you a few of my favorite things - old typewriters, things with lots of cubbyholes and drawers, old cabinet cards and all things sepia. One of the old cabinet cards is my Papa wearing what I hope was his christening gown. What you can't see is what all this stuff is sitting on -- an old casket maker's chest from England! I'll have to show you a photo of the inside one day -- it is just the neatest chest for someone who likes little drawers and cubbyholes. When we bought it we knew there were a few items in the little drawers but we had no idea what was in store for us when we got it home. It was heavy, very heavy, but that is just us. We go to an auction, flea market, yard sale or whatever - we look around and manage to buy the heaviest item there. But I digress. In order to get this chest in our house we had to set it on the deck with our tractor, put it on a floor dolly and roll it into the house. Once inside we started poking around in the little drawers and my husband said there sure seems to be lots of wasted space in this chest. WRONG! There were hidden cubby holes throughout this chest and they were filled with old carpenter's tools and ephemera. That's how we found out it was a casket maker's chest from England. For us it was our Antique Roadshow find! That's one of my greatest fears - to be watching the Antique Roadshow and have someone show up with the ugliest vase only to find out it's worth $40,000 and when the appraiser asks where they found it, they say they bought it for a quarter at a little old general store in Bay City, IL!!!! My store! ARRGHHHHHHHHHH! Because most days I have no clue as to what I am doing but I'm sure having fun doing it.
Come see us!

2009-03-02T10:48:00.003-06:00

I thought I'd give you a bird's eye view of downtown Bay City, which in reality is pretty much all of Bay City. What looks like the Red Roof Inn is the Bay City General Store and Lodging. If you look to the right of the photo you will see my commute to work - we live on the hill. Traffic can be brutal at times. This is our little slice of paradise, us and about 18 other people. We've had a population explosion in the last 10 years - when we moved here there were only 9 people. Is this what they call urban sprawl? We absolutely love it here on the banks of the Ohio River but it is not for everyone. The closest gallon of milk is 12 miles away. People that come in the store ask me if I get bored living here in the middle of nowhere and I just have to laugh. There is always something going on around here whether it is watching for the eagles to come fishing in the river, waiting for the deer to make their daily trek through the backyard, listening to the piliated woodpecker searching for dinner, or dodging the hummingbirds as they swarm in for their sip of nectar. And the river - you never know what you might spy on the river - countless barges towing commodities up and down the river, snowbirds taking their yachts to the sunny climes of the Gulf of Mexico, the vagabonds with their canoes loaded down with supplies hoping to make it to New Orleans..........never a dull moment in Bay City.
Hope y'all will come see us this year!

Bird's Eye View

2009-03-02T10:40:00.000-06:00

2009-02-20T15:59:00.001-06:00

2009-02-20T15:51:00.003-06:00

I mentioned in a previous post about waking up in the middle of the night with the word "crafternoon" bouncing around in that space that is supposed to hold my brain. So nothing doing but figure out a way to use it which has lead to this Sunday's Crafternoon in the Bay City General Store. All of the tools, toys, bits, bobs, gee-gaws, flotsam and jetsam has been relocated from my studio to the general store. Eleven ladies are coming to spend the afternoon creating, gabbing and eating. Does it get any better than that? It does when everyone gets a gift just for showing up. The above canvas tote has been made for everyone and filled with crafty supplies.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!

2009-02-18T08:02:00.000-06:00

Disposable Society

2009-02-18T07:48:00.002-06:00

I mentioned earlier how I find it sad to find someone's cherished memories being sold at an auction, flea market or yard sale. Didn't anyone in the family want to keep the memories? Is everyone gone? I have family pictures of people I have no clue as to who they are or where they are but they are mine and I am keeping them. I have my Aunt's 50 years of travel photos of people I don't even know and places I don't recognize but they are safely tucked away. And believe me I could use the space for something else but I just can't find it in my heart to dispose of them. That being said, my PIC (partner in crime) and I got lost on our way home from an estate sate and as luck would have it this unfortunate act led us right past a junk store. And when I say junk I really mean junk - piles of it still in boxes, trash bags, with no rhyme or reason to its' organization. Nothing doing but we dig right in and in the middle of all this chaos what do I find but this beautiful "Holy Bonds of Matrimony" certificate between Mr. Columbus R. Smith and Miss Josephine Porter dated May 4, 1874. There are other pages of the births of their children and the marriages of their children. I think these may be pages from an old family Bible. Of course being addicted to this kind of ephemera I knew it was going home with me I just didn't know what it was going to cost me - oh I'd have to charge you 50 cents for that the proprietor said. It now has a good home and I thought I would share with all of you. Anyone know a Columbus Smith?
There were other hidden treasures uncovered in this junk store but I'll save them for another post. I'll just say we filled my SUV for $21!!!!!

Letters of Friendship

2009-02-15T12:36:00.000-06:00

2009-02-15T12:12:00.002-06:00

Just want to extend a special thank you to those of you who stopped by my blog yesterday during the Soul Journal Valentine's Day blog party. There was a question about why the two lovers who wrote the postcards were apart. Apparently they lived in two different towns a few miles apart, and in the 1900s even a few miles might as well have been a thousand. It also appears there may have been more than one suitor of Miss Mallye.........I'll have to let you know in another post. My real world beckons from the laundry room. But before we leave Miss Mallye's world, there is something I find very interesting about these postcards, besides the fact that they are not very private, they wrote on the fronts of the cards as well trying to squeeze in as much love and affection as possible. Why not just write a letter? Was the postage too dear? Would that have been improper to put one's thoughts into a letter that maybe a nosy Ma-Ma could not read? Guess I'll never know for sure but it sure is fun to speculate. Stay tuned for more adventures of Miss Mallye and her suitor.

The Art of Love Letters

2009-02-14T05:41:00.001-06:00

Greetings and Salutations from the Bay City General Store!

2009-02-14T05:23:00.003-06:00

This is my first blog party and I'm here without a chaperone so I will try and be on my best behavior. Events of the week interfered with my original plan to have something of "knock your socks off" quality to put on display for the blogworld to see. So I did the next best thing - I combined two passions of mine - antique postcards and ephemera. The letter writing pages are from Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms. There is guidance on when and how love letters are to be written so as to preserve the lady's dignity. Too bad we can't transfer some of this guidance to today's teens and their use of text messaging and camera phones. As I mentioned earlier I love antique postcards and buy them at auctions every chance I get. It always makes me a little sad to see someone's cherished memories laying in a box discarded like yesterday's news. This antique postcard from the early 1900s was purchased with 200 others in an old dusty shoebox and upon closer examination they revealed the most wonderful courtship and love story carried out through the US mail. When I bought them I didn't realize they were all to and from and the same people - when I put them in chronological order the love story began to unfold. The story culminated in a marriage and so I have both sides of the love story - his and hers. Don't you just love it when something like that happens? I have pictured these two lovers in my mind and my ultimate goal is to bring them to life through an altered book. Perhaps some day I can host a blog party and share the story of Mallye and Mr. Kelley. However, in keeping with the times of their day, you will have to come properly chaperoned.
Hope everyone shares the day with someone you love and loves you! I am. XOXOXO

2009-02-12T07:03:00.001-06:00

The Elements are getting me down...

2009-02-12T06:52:00.002-06:00

OK, I do not profess to be very computer savvy. I can do the basics and so far that has been good enough to do what I want to do. When I wanted to produce my own brochures I learned how to do desk top publishing. Now I want to do digital collages so everyone says to get Photoshop Elements and it is a piece of cake. Saying that is like giving someone directions and saying "you can't miss it." Kiss of death! I bought Elements, I bought Somerset Studios Digital Studio, I have tons of photos, graphics, and vintage ephemera. I pride myself on being able to follow directions............but this Elements stuff might as well be written in Greek.......layers, brushes, magic tools..............arrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhh! Just when I was about to give up I stumbled into this blog. Don't know how I got there but she has some wonderful graphics and she does really neat stuff with them besides just store them in a file somewhere. So I am encouraged to give this Photoshop Elements stuff another whirl and besides all that she's having a Valentine's Day Blog Party and I signed up. No gain in just tiptoeing around the edges, might as well jump all the way in.
Hope you'll stop by and leave a comment sometime.

2009-02-07T15:29:00.001-06:00

Why is it always the middle of the night...

2009-02-07T15:18:00.002-06:00

when I get my best ideas, or what seem like good ideas at the time? I woke up the other night thinking about having a "Crafternoon" at the Bay City General Store. I thought that was a very clever play on words, so clever in fact, I am wondering if I dreamed it or if I saw it somewhere else. Whichever it is I'm having one - a Crafternoon, that is. On Sunday, February 22nd from 1 pm to 5 pm. Hosted by the Bay City Babes Rescue Society - that's us up above. We "rescue Granny's silver, buttons and lace and make pretty things for you and your place." We're bringing out all the tools (or toys as some might suggest), all the supplies and goodies - buttons, lace, trim, ephemera, scissors, rubber stamps, papers, glues, punches..........if we don't have it, you don't need it. We're serving refreshments, having giveaways, door prizes, a free gift for everyone and for only $20. Sounds like a great way to combat cabin fever. See we're right in the middle of the worst ice storm to ever hit this part of the country in forever. Some people are still without power and water. So shake off the winter blues and come gab, munch and craft at the Bay City General Store.
Hope to see you there.

Treasures from Tennessee

2009-02-03T20:27:00.002-06:00

Nashville Flea Market

2009-02-03T20:09:00.002-06:00

Before Mama Nature interrupted this program to bring us Ice Storm 2009 Part Deux, I was talking about our trip to the Nashville Flea Market. Day 2 took us to Franklin, TN and a wonderful antique mall located in an old former ice house. Just the kind of mall we all like - nooks and crannies, lots of little rooms and treasures hidden around every corner. And around one of those corners I found it - a beautiful oak rolltop desk in my price range. In the trailer it went, followed by a copper fish weathervane (perfect for our Ohio River store), an old sewing chest filled with lots of old sewing notions and there was still room for a vintage suitcase. You can never have too many of those. This stuff joined all the treasures from the flea market - sack of cork-lined bottle caps, two gravy boats, a sack of old hardware, and a fixer-upper dentist cabinet. Our journey home took us off the interstate (we really detest interstates) and onto the blue highways where the real America lives. A stop in an antique store located in an old livery stable brought us to an old shabby oak mantle - in the trailer it went. 40 Norman Rockwell plates were calling our name so in they went too. Two metal card file cabinets later and we were back on the blue highway. Our last stop of the day was an antique mall located in an old elementary school -a two story Marx metal dollhouse, a set of vintage flash cards and two old documents boxes joined the group in the trailer. Now if we had stayed on the interstate we would have missed all that.
That's the news from the Bay City General Store.
Come see us!

Mama Nature is telling us something...

2009-02-02T10:38:00.003-06:00

We must have done something to really honk Mama Nature off. She dropped buckets of ice on us for a couple of days and we are just now digging out. And we are way more fortunate than others in our region that are still without power, heat, water - all the comforts to which we have become accustomed. Kentucky was really slammed in this ice storm. We went a few days with no TV, no internet, no newspaper, no radio, and no mail. You talk about feeling isolated when we are so used to the constant bombardment of information from all directions. Even our cellphones wouldn't work because of the ice build-up on the cell towers. That I didn't miss, not one bit. It was gratifying to hear stories of grandparents, parents and kids of all ages coming together to play board games, cards, or charades and totally unplugging for a few days. Maybe we need more of that..........maybe that is Mama Nature's message. Maybe we should listen, but we'd have to put our Ipods down first.

That's the news from the Bay City General Store Daily Ledger!

When you thaw out come and see us!

2009-02-02T10:31:00.000-06:00

Day 1 - Nashville Flea Market

2009-01-23T21:30:00.002-06:00

This was our first trip to the Nashville Flea Market held at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds every month. Guess because it was winter the turn-out was not what was expected. Still managed to buy a bag full of old bottle caps, some old hardware, doorknobs, keyholes, and a wonderful oak dentist cabinet that would be classified as a fixer-upper. Picked up a brochure featuring Franklin, TN and it said Franklin's antique district was in the top 5 in the country according to Country Living. So the jalopy heads to Franklin tomorrow morning to see what we can see. There's a 10 foot trailer just begging to be filled. More adventures tomorrow from Franklin!

Bay City General Store

2009-01-22T10:19:00.002-06:00

Here goes another day..........

2009-01-22T10:04:00.002-06:00

Just when I think I can't possibly add any more blogs to my favorites list, I do. If my day starts right, I'm sitting at my computer (no webcam please) with a cup of coffee touring my favorite blogs. From my upstairs window I can see the sun rising over the Ohio River, which is never a disappointment. And in a matter of minutes I can go around the world visiting blogs and talking to people I've never met. For those of you who blog you will understand this..........I start with one blog, and that leads to another and another and another until you feel like you fell down Alice's rabbit hole. Sometimes I have no idea where I started. This morning was one of those blog journeys and this is where I ended up. Oh my, I could just see my whole entire day evaporate right before my very eyes - such wonderful projects for my junk collection. And what inspiration for our buying trip to the Nashville, TN flea market this weekend. The photo above actually has nothing to do with this post - I just love the photo and thought you might like to see where our "junk market style" hangs its hat.
What's that? I hear the washing machine calling my name!
Later

2009-01-21T10:22:00.000-06:00

2009-01-21T10:15:00.000-06:00

Road Trip

2009-01-21T10:04:00.003-06:00

It's time to head out of the City, Bay City that is, and point the jalopy towards Music City. We hear there is a ginormous flea market there this weekend and we're going to check it out for ourselves. Don't you just love this old photo? This was actually taken in front of our general store many many years ago. When one of these contraptions pulled in front of the store I'm quite sure it drew a crowd. For Bay City that could be 5 or 6 people! These vehicles drew crowd just like these old paddlewheelers draw a crowd still today. They travel our river with a quiet and stately grace. They sneak up on you. You can be minding your own business plugging away at the computer or washing dishes and glance up and there one is right outside our window. Sadly 2008 was the last year they will cruise the rivers of this great fly-over country. The economy has caught up with them too. We will miss the Queens..........their appearance always caused quite a stir in these parts no matter how many times you had seen one. The news would travel fast up and down the river.........DJ, this is Calvin, a Queen is headed down river! Jerry, this is DJ, DQ is coming! Homer, DQ alert, grab your camera! And no matter what we were doing, we'd grab our cameras and binoculars and head to the riverfront to watch their graceful passing. Sometimes on a really quiet day we could hear the riverlorian telling the passengers "Folks, this is Bay City, where they shot the airplane crash scene from U.S. Marshals starring Tommy Lee Jones." One of the Queens even stopped Hollywood during the filming so they could all watch her stately cruise up river. Good-bye Queens! Thanks for all the good memories!

Now I'm really getting out there...

2009-01-17T17:03:00.002-06:00

This is a test folks...........I'm trying to create an active link to our website. We'll see how this goes -- I'm usually pretty good at following directions until it comes to technology or math or assembling something but otherwise I'm really good at directions. OK, maybe not so much. But if you are looking for a scenic, quiet, relaxing getaway on the Ohio River Scenic Byway then this is your place.

Branching out...

2009-01-17T16:27:00.002-06:00

This post is the beginning of meeting several goals. The first goal was to use some supplies I have been hoarding for a very long time. I have had this silverware chest for quite some time. I knew when I finally broke down and covered it in gesso and ripped the insides out of it that I was on my way. Two years later, I finally decided on a color for the box. Then a purpose for the box came to me in the middle of the night. Seems everything I make or create must have a purpose besides just sitting there and looking pretty. Must be my German upbringing! Then a theme emerged and that led to the selection of more supplies and more hesitation. What if I never have another crystal door knob? Nevermind that I have a substantial stash of them already. What if I never find another little nest at Hobby Lobby? Then there was the whole twisted, tortured dance of should I put this here or here? Should I use this bird or that bird? Arrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhh! "Just do it, it's only a silverware chest for goodness sakes" a little voice screamed inside my head! So I did it! Another goal achieved. The chest was finished about 3 months ago - time for the next goal - to actually show it to someone and then to show it to someone else who didn't feel obliged to say "oh that's beautiful" in order to ever have peace again. Now onto another goal -- to actually decide to sell it which leads to where to sell it and that raises another batch of issues -- who will buy it and what will they pay? Looks like I have a long way to go before this project is really and totally completed. But hey, I made it this far. So what do you think? The first person to leave a comment will receive 3 vintage Valentine postcards in the mail from the Bay City General Store. As for me, I'm going to go see what else I can gesso...

Future Nest for the Arts

2009-01-17T16:23:00.001-06:00

2009-01-12T06:50:00.001-06:00

Color me reluctant, but ready...

2009-01-12T06:28:00.003-06:00

This blog has been primarily about the comings and goings of the Bay City General Store and Lodging and the characters that pass through our little slice of paradise here on the Ohio River. And Lord knows that is enough to fill one blog for a lifetime! However, the Bay City General Store Ledger is branching out this year and entering the world of arts and crafts. See, we have been window peeping into many blogs around the world to see what other folks are doing to decorate their homes and stores, what they do to fill any spare time they may have, what inspires them and what gets created from that inspiration. And what we have discovered during this worldwide journey is that there is just an awful lot of us all enjoying much of the same with our own little twists and tweaks! So this year we decided rather than be reluctant to participate in all this artsy crafty goodness that we would plunge right on it. The first thing we have done is sign up for Kari Ramstrom's A Year of Color blog. It's just loaded with inspiration and there are bloggers connecting from all over the world and all for $12. The colors for January are blue and white and the following shadowbox/mixed media collage is our contribution. Now if we can just figure out Flickr and how to get this from here to there our day will be complete...
We hope you will stop by from time to time and see what is going on at the Bay City General Store - there is never a dull moment in this little spot on the road. You'd think with only 20 people what could possibly happen to make life interesting...........stay tuned!

Here comes the sun...

2009-01-02T08:10:00.001-06:00

Looking forward while looking back

2009-01-02T07:55:00.002-06:00

When I was a little girl wishing for Christmas to hurry up and get here, my Granny would encourage me to not wish my life away. My Mom would tell me that as I got older time would go much faster. Of the many pearls of wisdom she offered me, I thought that was one of the dumbest (right next to one of these days you'll wish you WERE skinny again). I thought an hour is an hour whether I am 50 or 5! But once again she was right - where did 2008 go? Tempus fugit as my high school Latin teacher would say!

A new year brings new resolutions for the future. This year instead of resolutions I'm going with intentions so when my resolve vanishes I won't be quite so disappointed in myself. And I "intend" to do better on many fronts starting with the Bay City General Store Daily Ledger blog because there hasn't been anything daily about it, not even weekly and lately not even monthly. And it's not because there is nothing going on around here - every day is an adventure of some sort! So starting today I intend to post more frequently and to also leave comments on the many blogs into which I window peep. Then there's the whole healthy lifestyle changes (diet/exercise). That ought to be enough for starters.

If there is a photo above this posting you are seeing how the new year greeted us folks here at the Bay City General Store and Lodging. This is looking down the Ohio River from our view on the hill. If there isn't a photo above this posting then you should come and see the view in person by staying at the Bay City lodging. More info at www.baycitystoreandlodgingohioriver.com

2008-08-22T10:56:00.003-05:00

All of us here at the Bay City General Store have been enjoying an amazingly wonderful August. We have been having "San Diego" weather -- mid 80's during the day, 60's at night and low humidity. Normally we have weather you can wear with cautions of heat indexes of 110. Normally in August it is really hard to think about the crisp cool air of fall and all the wonderful warm colors that accompany the season. But this year is different -- when this guy showed up last week we started thinking in bronzes, golds, hunter greens, oranges and deep reds. Our new fall merchandise is cropping up all the store.

Our lodgers have been enjoying starry nights on the deck overlooking the Ohio River. For the early risers, pastel sunrises over the river have been breath-taking. Maybe you need a quiet weekend retreat before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season -- I know... it's August...but just a few minutes ago it seemed like it was February and we were having trouble thinking about spring. Check out our website at www.baycitystoreandlodgingohioriver.com or give us a call at 618/683-4305. Hope to see you soon!

August???

2008-08-22T10:44:00.002-05:00

2008-07-28T11:00:00.001-05:00

Then

2008-07-28T10:41:00.002-05:00

This was the Bay City General Store "back in the olden days" as I used to say as a kid. Now it seems strange when I hear kids today say that. You should see them take a look at a rotary dial telephone........they go huh? How does that work? I love it when they buy a "little bottle Coke" from the old 7-Up cooler. In order to keep with nostalgia, Coca-Cola didn't make the bottle caps twist off. They have to be opened with a bottle opener -- kids today do not know what that is and they look at me like I've fallen from another planet. Then you start talking about taking pop bottles back to the store to get money for the picture show and they just shake their heads and mutter something about "back in the olden days" and walk out texting on their blackberries. And us folks from the olden days wonder why blackberries aren't just for cobblers anymore?
We've tried to keep many facets of the old Bay City General Store alive -- same old gravity flow gas pump, same old worn oak counters, same old yardstick used to measure many yards of calico, same pot belly stove that warmed many a fingers and toes back in the olden days, the old grocery store shelves have stood the test of time and many of the friends and neighbors who shopped at the store back in the olden days have also stood the test of time and still shop in the Bay City General Store of now.

2008-07-28T10:22:00.000-05:00

Now

2008-07-28T10:16:00.002-05:00

Although we don't carry the same merchandise as Mr. and Mrs. Weeks, we still offer the same personalized service, a friendly smile, a free cup of coffee and we'll even help you carry your packages out to the car. Stop by and see us -- we're getting our fall goodies out and marking down the summer and garden merchandise.

You Shoulda Been Here...

2008-07-10T06:57:00.002-05:00

and you would have seen this view from your balcony. For some reason this photo makes me think of Scotland (never been to Scotland so don't have a clue why I think that) or if I close my eyes I can hear Heathcliff looking for Kathy in the moors. But no, this is western Kentucky right across the Ohio River from the Bay City General Store and Hotel. And all I hear when I close my eyes is birds singing and an occasional fish jumping. No traffic, no horns, no sirens, no lawn mowers...........just total peace and quiet.

Can't you picture yourselves here with your hot cup of coffee, sitting in the swing on the balcony, nowhere to rush off to, a good book to read and the sounds of birds singing in the background? Looking across the river to the moors of Kentucky...........well that's a stretch, but not this morning. Give us a call at 618/683-4305 to reserve your slice of peace and quiet or check us out at www.baycitystoreandlodgingohioriver.com I know, it's a long name but it doesn't leave much doubt about what we are.

Morning Mist

2008-07-10T06:50:00.002-05:00

A Shopping Experience

2008-07-09T09:28:00.002-05:00

Retail experts tell us that shoppers are looking for " an experience" when they venture out today, filling their cars with $4.00 a gallon gas. I don't need an expert to tell me that -- common sense tells me that and long before gas was $4.00 a gallon. The Bay City General Store is a shopping experience -- heck it can just be a browsing experience -- we don't charge for browsing but buying is strongly encouraged. Our goal is to make you feel welcome, make you feel like you are at home (although don't try putting your feet on our antique furniture, unless of course you intend to buy it). And every day is different at the Bay City General Store but always friendly, always old-fashioned and always just plain old good fun. Like the day the parking lot filled up with these old cars............bound to be a story or two shared over a cold soda or hot cup of coffee in that bunch. Stop by the next time you're pumping $4.00 a gallon gas in your "jalopy" and share your story. We promise you a shopping experience.

2008-07-09T09:14:00.001-05:00

Me and My RC

2008-07-09T09:03:00.002-05:00

A favorite Bay City General Store experience is to grab an icy cold RC from the old 7-Up cooler in the back, pair that up with the old southern favorite Moon Pie and now you're talking. Grab one of the 1920's ledger books off the antique thread cabinet and sit down for a stroll down memory lane. You will hear comments like "Look, here's Granny Beulah Fern's account and she bought 3 yards of calico for 25 cents." Or "that's my Papa Willie Joe and I bet that candy he bought was for my mom." And from there the memories of the good old days start to flow and whether or not your family shopped at the Bay City General Store you probably have a happy memory of some old store and that icy cold soda that your Granny or Papa bought for you.

By the way I shouldn't even tell you this because it's probably illegal -- but if you pop that Moon Pie in the microwave for just a few seconds and let that chocolatey, marshmallowy (is that even a word) gooieness get all melty -- around here we call it Heaven on a Plate. Stop in -- we'll fix one for you. You don't get that at the big box stores!

2008-07-09T08:37:00.001-05:00

The Bay City General Store Experience

2008-07-09T08:29:00.002-05:00

How many times have you walked into one of the big box retailers and they call you by name, ask how you are and really want to know and then invite you to sit down and have a cup of gourmet coffee, on the house???????????? That's the experience you'll have at the Bay City General Store. Unless of course it's a blazing hot afternoon in August and then we'll probably offer you an icy cold glass of lemonade or iced tea. Because that's just the kind of store we are -- a store that makes you feel good and makes your visit a pleasant old fashioned experience.
The coffee pot is on.......come on in! Can't you just smell those freshly ground beans now coming right out of the big red antique Enterprise coffee grinder?

2008-07-09T08:09:00.001-05:00

2008-07-04T07:09:00.001-05:00

Come sit a spell...

2008-06-21T13:09:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Bay City General Store. We invite you to come and sit a spell. This chair is occupied at the moment with a variegated sweet potato vine but come on in and grab an RC Cola and a Moon Pie and watch the river go by from our shaded picnic table or one of our many retro vintage aluminum lawn chairs. Or better yet come and spend the weekend in one of our Bay City General Store Hotel rooms and relax from the balcony swing while watching the river roll by. Hope to see you real soon...

2008-06-21T13:02:00.000-05:00

2008-06-15T16:49:00.002-05:00

This rusty toolbox has seen better days but it makes a perfect container for these flowers and vines. It's resting on a primitive turquoise crock shelf with just the right amount of chippy paint and sitting out front of our general store in Bay City, Illinois.

2008-06-15T16:40:00.000-05:00

What's cooking?

2008-06-15T16:39:00.001-05:00

This old iron kettle once used to make soap is now host to sweet potato vines, pettunias and other purple flowers.

2008-06-15T16:28:00.001-05:00

2008-05-30T10:22:00.000-05:00

Can't see the forest for the trees...

2008-05-30T10:17:00.002-05:00

This is just one view of our property overlooking the Ohio River in Pope County. Multiply these trees by 100 and you will get a sense of what our property looks like. A quick glimpse at a map will show that our county has thousands of acres in the Shawnee National Forest. We are the Whitetail Deer Capital of Illinois, more trees than people, well you get the picture -- and yet this Mama and Papa Bird could not find a more suitable location to start their family. At any rate we have welcomed them with open arms.

The Humble Abode

2008-05-30T10:10:00.002-05:00

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home! Mama and Papa Bird seem to be quite content to call my watering can home sitting right in the middle of the traffic pattern on our front porch. And that traffic includes two cats and a dog! I must admit the view is quite stunning so maybe they figure it's worth the risk.

2008-05-30T09:49:00.002-05:00

It's good to share...

2008-05-29T14:11:00.003-05:00

I was going to keep all these wonderful boxes for myself, but then I decided it was good to share. I'm not sure what to call them -- they have six compartments and make great storage boxes for crafts, kitchens, work benches, small toys or whatever your creative spirit can come up with. I have used one as a shadowbox for shells, rocks and other treasures from nature. The box has brass handles on each end and they are very sturdy. Although the boxes are new they have been ages in all the right places. This box, filled with craft goodies, is in my Ebay store right now -- Bay City General Country Store.

2008-05-29T14:02:00.000-05:00

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

2008-05-26T06:31:00.003-05:00

Thanks Just Doesn't Seem to be Enough

2008-05-26T06:25:00.002-05:00

A heartfelt thanks to all the veterans and their families for all the sacrifices that have been made in the name of freedom. May we all cherish this and not let anyone take it away from us.

We are headed to a big auction and hope to have new treasures to show you later this week.
Have a safe Memorial Day!

Photo courtesy of Barb Shelby Cimeley. Her work can be seen in fine gift shops in the Indianapolis area.

If we had a motto...

2008-05-24T13:43:00.002-05:00

If we had a motto, this would be it - Welcome, Sit Long, Talk Much! People ask us what our marketing niche is and we scratch our head but it really is simple -- we offer what you remember from your neighborhood store. We encourage our customers to sit a spell, plop down in one of our retro lawn chairs and watch the river flow by. Grab a cold soda out of the antique soda cooler and visit with us for a while. Take a stroll down memory lane looking through our old store ledgers when two yards of calico fabric would set you back 30 cents. Walk down the shelves from this 1915 store and see all the antiques and gifts we have selected for you.
Looking for a relaxed and friendly shopping experience...the Bay City General Store is just that place. We are located on the Ohio River, 12 miles south of Golconda, Illinois. Come on and see for yourself just what I'm talking about.

2008-05-24T13:37:00.000-05:00

The Way Things Were...

2008-05-24T13:17:00.002-05:00

Take a step back in time at the Bay City General Store. Built in 1915, this store was operated as a general merchandise store until 1973 when the owner passed away. We bought and reopened the store in 2005 as an antique and gift store. We have tried to recreate the store as it was many years ago. An old oak thread cabinet, much like the one pictured here, greeted you as you walked through the door. Ms. Tressie was more than ready to measure out your fabric using her yardstick nailed to the countertop and it's still there although time-worn in many places. We are blessed to still have the old store ledgers and neighbors that grew up here enjoy looking through them to find their relatives. Others like to look at the prices from the 20's and 30's.
We hope the next time you are passing through you'll take a minute and step back in time.

2008-05-24T13:07:00.001-05:00

Old McDonald Had a Farm

2008-05-24T13:01:00.002-05:00

and on this farm he had a chicken, a red barn cabinet, baby chicks, a barnyard welcome sign, patriotic baled berry bowls, a rooster birdhouse and so much more for your primitive country home. The Bay City General Store carries a wide variety of merchandise for every decorating style. Stop in and see us when you are in the neighborhood.

2008-05-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

Our Wish for you...

2007-12-24T06:55:00.000-06:00

Our wish to you is to have the merriest Christmas and the happiest New Year ever! A special thanks to our families, friends, neighbors and customers for helping us live a dream at the Bay City General Store and Lodging right here in our favorite place -- Bay City! The store is going into hibernation for the winter months -- look for us on Ebay at the Bay City General Country Store. We'll stay in touch with our daily ledger here in Blog-World and if you have a minute, leave us a comment so we'll know you stopped by. And if you are looking for a quiet getaway after all the holiday hustle and bustle just give us a jingle, we'll be glad to make that happen for you at the Bay City Lodging.

2007-12-24T06:47:00.000-06:00

Warner Brothers pays a visit...

2007-12-22T07:17:00.000-06:00

Several posts ago, I promised to tell you about the day that Warner Brothers discovered Bay City. It's a pretty incredible story, incredible defined as unbelievable. Bay City is an unincorporated spot on a county road overlooking the Ohio River. Bay City is located in a county of 4,000 people with one four way stop and no traffic lights and everyone wants to keep it that way. A great deal of our county is the Shawnee National Forest so the scenic beauty is quite remarkable and our claim to fame is the "Deer Capital of Illinois." So of all the places in the world to make a movie, Bay City seemed to be at the very bottom of any list. And then one Sunday afternoon a bus pulled into the Bay City General Store parking lot. The store was not open at the time and was owned by a lovely couple, The Butlers. All of these people piled out the bus with clipboards, cameras and swarmed the place. We owned the cabin next door, our weekend getaway. Now if you look up curious in the dictionary, you will see a picture of my husband. I should point out that on this particular day he was digging in a sewer line for our cabin so he was mud from head to toe, when normally he would be wearing a suit and tie. Off he went to introduce himself and to inquire as to what they were doing in Bay City. At this point, they already outnumbered us so we needed to know if they were friend or foe. We're going to make a movie here, the person in charge said. It's called U.S. Marshals and it stars Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes and Robert Downey, Jr. Having heard many a tall tale in his life my husband thought this one moved right to the top of the list. A movie in Bay City - sure! Well as they say, the rest is history...............the airplane crash scene from U.S. Marshals was filmed at Bay City in the summer of 1997 and the make believe Roy Willie's Barbecue Restaurant was created. And the Hollywood created barbecue restaurant sold these T-shirts and Tommy Lee bought one in the movie. And we have created them again and they are for sale in the Bay City General Store.
This story would not be complete if I did not tell you the ending to the story of the day Warner Brothers discovered Bay City............while all these official Hollywood people are taking their notes and photos, our chocolate lab, Hannah, got on their bus and ate all their snacks!!!!!!!!!!!
There are more tales to tell about the movie but I'll save those for another day.

2007-12-22T07:11:00.000-06:00

What a great morning...

2007-12-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

What a great morning to visit the Bay City General Store. The air is crisp, the river is rolling by, smoke is curling up out of the chimney of the old pot bellied stove, the coffee is hot, not fancy, but hot and we're all gassed up and ready to show you around our little slice of paradise. Hop in and let us show you around and introduce to the fine folks of Bay City. They've gone out of their way to spiff up just for you, even Talvin! Don't worry, you'll meet him later. Thanks for stopping by -- you can sign our guest book just by leaving a comment.

2007-12-19T06:54:00.000-06:00

2007-12-19T06:51:00.000-06:00

If you are new to this blog, then you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Talvin. Here's his little place -- he may act like Scrooge or the Grinch but he sure gets decked out for Christmas. Let's just drive on by. If he sees us he'll want to go and that man has an opinion about everything.

2007-12-19T06:47:00.000-06:00