Gertrude and Alice

Favorite ad of the week: Huge downsizing sale for Jim and Dot Francis. At the big two-story "haunted house" in Warrensville on Staggs Creek Rd.

This morning found the Rosies meeting at Crystal Gayle's sale (yes, that was her real name. Apparently, her father loved Crystal Gayle the musician and named her in honor of the long haired singer)off of Roby Green Rd. They had excellent yellow fat-lettered hand made signs! This was their first time hosting a sale and they had some nice items. I found a fabulous vintage hand beaded purse for $3 and a few mismatched Mikasa dishes for a .25 a piece.

We decided to go to Kalmia Acres for a trio of sales, but got diverted by a sign near Perkinsville rd. ended up at Mike's Inland Seafood Lot. I picked up a vintage cowboy shirt from a brave woman having a garage sale and caring for her 2 month old infant at the same time. She was there to sell all of her clothes that would no longer fit--bless her heart. Next to her a family was set up on a flat bed trailer. I walked by and noticed a glass pipe on a Crown Royal bag and another one on the bed of the truck. I asked the mother about the blue blownglass pipe and she referred me to her 20 something ish son. He quickly and gladly came right over to me and began his sales pitch. He handed me the pipes and said they were as clean as a whistle holding them up to the sky and he only wanted $20 a piece on them. "At a head shop, they would be at least $50", he assured me. He wanted these out of his possession, I could tell. I told him that I would think about it:)
Off to Kalmia Acres, where we found our own local version of "carmeggedon"--some woman decided to park her minivan in the middle of the road. Come on folks, let's show a tiny bit of consideration for others--please. Needless to say, we pulled the sleeping baby, car seat and all, out of the truck and began walking up the hill to the first of the three neighboring sales. "Moving sale" it said in the front yard. Usually, that is a good sign. Not in this neighborhood I guess. $80 for a used car seat--hmmmmm--I bought mine new for $50. There were no deals to be had here. But I did manage to run into rosebud Wendy and got to introduce her to rosebaby Hank:) Next door, we found more reasonable prices a couple of items.
Off to the 4 college boys moving sale from the craigslist ad. As we passed Miller Industries, I saw the black mannequin and asked my husband to pull over. No luck!Bummer. Thankfully, Rosie W. was behind us and she swept in for the buy. $2 later our Gertrude now has her Alice:) A quick Skateworld stop finds my appliance guy Scott selling his record collection and my husband scores Alice's Restaurant and Big Brother and the Holding Company on vinyl.

Burl Lawrence Road turn on Yasmine --238 said the voice on the cel phone.......waiting waiting waiting--they finally show up to open up a beautiful rental home that has been inhabited by a bunch of college boys---picture it. Exactly. We had chased this sale down and my husband walked out with an App State flag for $10.

All for all, the hunt went well this late July morning. Happy Hunting everyone--we will see you out there! Till next week Rosie P.

Holy Cross

“I “heart” EXPLOSIVES” read the bumper sticker on the black truck that I followed around the twists and turns of mountain roads to get to Holy Cross Church in Valle Crucis, and yes, same truck pulled into the parking lot, which made me wonder about this year’s shoppers. It was the Holy Cross annual sale and I was bemoaning the fact that I would be five minutes late for the 8am opening.

Wrong.

The sale was actually scheduled to start at 9am, and there I was, almost an hour’s drive from home, and an hour early.

Luckily these fine folks had provided an outdoor area with tents jammed full of fifty cent items for the early birds like me. Delightful, and it was off it was to the land of fifty cent treasures. And I must say that there were several “odd” items to be found in fifty cent land like the bedpan decorated with plastic flowers and the naked baby doll with a freakish look on its’ little white face that was attached to a chocolate brown body. Thirty minutes later I rolled my little cart out of this area with the following: Two framed pictures; “Love Birds” signed by artist Harold Crowell, 1983, and a small print that looks like an inkblot signed by artist Hatcher in 1973; a silver plated bud vase from Italy; another pair of reading glasses with a cool beaded clasp; wooden toy truck for a grandson; hand blown glass ornament for the herb garden; and some sturdy rope.

Fifty cent items rock, and all this for less than five dollars, and I’m thinking, “these folks are headed toward a dozen roses from us”.

The next best organizational feature of this sale was that the first thirty shoppers were awarded numbers to be granted early admission. I was number fourteen which allowed me early admission at about 8:55 am. Brilliant idea, and take note other’s who hold large sales.

The house wares section was not as full as usual, and frankly the prices were very high. I hope these items sell, but remember, Saturday is 75% off so it would be worth a journey back to Valle Crucis for the leftovers.

The basement was rocking with stuff a bag of clothing/shoes for $5, and you can bet that I used my expert stuffing skills and came away with a lovely bag of assorted clothing, all rolled tightly to fit into one paper grocery bag: Eddie Bauer silk long johns, Billabong corduroy shorts, The Territory Ahead pants, new, and a Columbia shirt are items found for my husband. Sacred Threads top, Patagonia dress, tie dye skirt, summer top by “pura vida”, two hats, two scarves, and a lovely basic black dress by Wet Seal.

Back upstairs I perused the art section. A framed poster of tomatoes for $80?, nope. And a quick run through the furniture and jewelry sections (overpriced), along with the heat made me call it a day.

I drove away to the sound of bagpipes echoing in the beautiful valley. Even if I had come away empty handed, the experience of being in that sacred valley, with the mist rising over the mountains, crops in the field and the rushing waters of the creeks emptying into the Watauga River was worth the journey. Rosie W.

Cold and Fog

He had four jukeboxes (not for sale) and one old fridge painted like a jukebox (this for sale, and quite a treasure for $25). His name was Ron, and after living in Boone for many years he was selling his home and moving to Florida. Nice, quirky guy who also had a fabulous collection classic vinyl albums.

A dear friend is soon to be gifted some Frank Sinatra and Perry Como, this despite the fact that he’s “un liked” himself from the Secondhand Rosies Facebook page. I don’t hold grudges, and I understand that many of our posts may seem pesky to him.

But, I digress, totally. The point of telling about Ron’s sale begins with the journey to FIND the dang thing.

It was a foggy and cold summer morning, as they say…..with yard sale offerings as dismal as the weather. I drove all over Perkinsville looking for the sale that was listed as a moving sale near the new High School. Round and round I went, up and down several streets, (I’d been warned at a sale on Hwy 421 that others had been searching for this same sale). One more dead end, and a turn around in a driveway with a truck that bore the bumper sticker “I’m happy as a carp in a septic tank”, viola! This mantra was SO fitting.

Now, I’m driving UP and DOWN the streets chanting “I’m happy as a carp in a septic tank”….la la la….

Dead end in the High School parking lot, but I can SEE the appointed street, but can’t get through the HS exit. “I’m happy as a carp in a septic tank”……la la la…faster, faster, and add an expletive to the mix.

Bingo, I finally find the sale, but no signs, banners, balloons, or even a sign of life, but I get out anyway, and go up to the door. Yup, this is it, and I take a tour of the jukebox collection, see photos of Ron’s dogs, and walk away with Frank and Perry.

The poor folks at Mountain Oil parking lot were nearly drenched, but they’d brought plenty of plastic tarps. It was there I scored a charming folk art piece. Hand made stained glass mermaid/angel/goddess??? Funky cool, and one dollar.

The ladies with the best ad I’ve seen all year were next on the list, and they were delighted to learn that Secondhand Rosies had posted their ad on the Facebook page. They danced around and hugged me, and one even called her daughter in Florida to tell her the news. Since they’d started on Friday they were about sold out, but it was worth the stop just to meet these lovely ladies.

I’d been to the Holy Cross sale on opening day, Thursday, but it was early and I thought, “what the heck, it IS 75% off today”, so off I wandered back to beautiful Valle Crucis.
Sure enough, the place was picked over, but I did find a few odds and ends for almost giveaway prices. The best show in town was the camaraderie between the ladies working the basement where the clothing was displayed. After three days of dealing with hoards of people they were punchy, and some of the ladies began to model the leftover clothing; long john’s and frumpy dresses, tacky purses, and garish high heels, and sporting some swift runway moves. Good fun, good cause.

The valley was still shrouded in fog when I left, satisfied enough to call it a day, and yes, feeling as happy as a carp in a septic tank.