Winter-The Pause That Refreshes

As I sit in my kitchen on this typical winter day and gaze on the surrounding picturesque rolling hills covered with glistening snow, I can readily understand why so many people come to this part of Ohio to visit. Those of us who live here often take the beauty of the landscape for granted, but we certainly are blessed, no matter what the season. Each presents its own unique gifts for us to enjoy.
Although there are no “roses to smell” as yet, the aroma of wood burning in the fireplace brings to mind scenes of olden times gone by, at least for me. What is your favorite part of the winter season? Pause and be refreshed by the smell of freshly baked bread, the laughter of children playing in the snow, or dozens of other treasures right at our doorsteps.
As winter days lengthen and spring beckons, the doors of our “Antique Barn” will once again be open for you to stop by and see what’s new. We are always out and about looking for gems that our customers are delighted to find here. If there is something in particular that you are looking for, just give us a call. If we don’t have it, we will try to find it for you. Pictured at the left are some items which are available now. Just contact us via e-mail or give us a call at 330-343-8358.

Crisp Fall Weather Calls For a Slice of Pie

As the weather turns cooler, our thoughts turn from lighter summer fare to heartier food, and yes, even a slice of pie now and then!  Although many of us like to bake (and for those of you who do, be sure to check out our hard-to-find cooking and baking items, just like Grandma had in her kitchen!), sometimes we like to go up the road to a long-standing family favorite -- Dutch Valley restaurant, which is just this side of Sugarcreek on Route 39.  When you go, bring your appetite, because we've never heard of anyone leaving without a full tummy and a smile on their face!  They offer a wide range of Amish style dishes which they mainly serve "family style", and they always have many flavors of pie to choose from.  One of our family's favorite pie flavors is grape -- if you haven't tried it, now is the time!  (You won't regret it).  Since you drove all this way, be sure to ask for a scoop of ice cream with it.  See you at Spies Farms Antiques!

Getting Back to our Roots - it's the Ohio Swiss Festival!

In Sugarcreek, Ohio, just about 8 miles up the road from Spies Farms Antiques, the Swiss Festival is held each year just 4 weeks after Labor Day.  So this year that means it's being held on September 26-27.  Being of Swiss heritage on the maternal side, we have a long-standing tradition of attending this traditional celebration -- in fact, a certain Spies couple met at the Swiss festival many years ago and it resulted in a marriage that has lasted over 50 years (and still counting!) Although we can't guarantee a romance like that if you go to the festival, we'll bet that you'll enjoy rare festivities such as the Swiss Miss contest, SteinStossen (stone tossing -- not small pebbles either!), alpine horn playing and an old-fashioned parade with colorful floats.  On your way back from the festival, be sure to stop by and tell us your favorite part.  We'll be waiting here at the shop, ready to show you our latest finds from Amish country.  Have fun!

Our County Fair is Here! Time for Prize-winning Fun

Our local County Fair (Tuscarawas County) is coming to town next week, here in Dover, Ohio (from Monday, September 15th through Sunday, September 21st). Every year it still delivers a feeling of excitement and nostalgia, with the booths all decked out, the produce and preserves awaiting their blue and red prize ribbons, and of course the rollicking rides, games of skill, sugary sweet treats and hot fried snacks.  What more can you ask?  It tugs at the country kid in all of us. While you're in town, after enjoying the exhibits, livestock barns and grandstand shows, be sure to stop by Spies Farms Antiques to say hello and browse around.  Even if you didn't enter or win something at the fair, you can still take home a "prize" that you'll cherish for years to come -- and we have quite a few items that don't cost more than the price of the grandstand shows, so there is something in every price range.  Happy Autumn!  We'll see you at the shop.

Tips on Visiting Amish Country

If you haven't been to Ohio Amish country before, there are a few things to consider when paying a visit. For one thing, since the Amish travel by horse and buggy, if you're on the road while sightseeing here in East Central Ohio, at some point you'll probably find yourself driving right behind a buggy (remember, a buggy only has 1 horse power so they don't travel very fast!) Horses can get spooked -- they are animals after all -- so please use caution when driving near buggies. Also, although you may be fascinated by the Amish and their culture, they are somewhat private, and it is against their beliefs to take or be in photographs, so please respect their privacy. One way you can learn more about the way Amish live is to visit Yoder's Amish Home, located in Millersburg -- they have two Amish homes open for tours on a 116-acre farm, complete with animals to pet at the barn. Speaking of buggy rides, you can take one of your own at Yoder's while you're there. Find out more at yodersamishhome.com. We'll see you soon -- have a safe trip.

Fall is in the air...Already! Update & Decor Ideas from the Shop

Even though it'll only be August 1st this Friday, thoughts are already turning to fall in the antique shop.  Some folks from Washington state just bought a wine press from us (we're thinking the grape harvest can't be far off -- and we're betting that the cider press we have in the auxiliary showroom won't be here long).  We've noticed that crockery sales have started to pick up as well. Fall is such a beautiful time of year -- the rustic earthenware crocks we have in stock now are perfect for displaying arrangements of bright fall foliage, dried thistles, branches of bittersweet, bull rushes (or "cattails" as we always called them), miniature shocks of wheat, the list goes on -- you are only limited by your imagination.  A simple crock and a "nature walk" on an Ohio country side road (don't forget a pair of gardening gloves, trimming shears and a bag to hold your "harvest") can provide you with a striking arrangement of Mother Nature's bounty for your dining room table or mantle, adding a warmth and a connection to the seasons to your living space that is just priceless.  (And we bet you'll enjoy the walk too!)  We look forward to chatting with you when you stop by -- we'll see you soon.