Pages

Monday, January 21, 2013

Cabin Fever

We're in the middle of a cold spell.
The kind of cold that goes right through your winter coat and boots
and chills you to the bone.



The kind of cold that keeps you inside your nice warm house.
The kind of cold that drives mothers crazy when their
children develop a case of cabin fever!


Pictured above is a handcrafted board game made for Mildred,
Norman, David, and Bruce by their father and dated February 14, 1939. 
 (The names and date are carved into the back of the game.)

I imagine the father of these children created this
bored game
to cure a bad case of cabin fever.


I picked up these celluloid deer when we made a pit stop
on our way home from Minneapolis yesterday.
I suppose they're considered to be Christmas decorations,
so they were clearance priced especially for me!

And since we're talking cabin fever, I thought I'd share some photos of
our rustic, one-room cabin-in-the-woods.

Okay, toy cabin in our back yard. 



I picked it up for a song last summer at Staples Mill Antiques in
Stillwater, MN.  As you can see, it needs a new window, but
look at the charming detail on the gable end!



Maybe both windows need replacing. 
 By the looks of the frost on this
window, it's not very energy efficient!


The porch has a hand hewn post.........



....and the front door drops down to access the interior.  I'm planning to cut
the door in half and hinge the doors on both sides to create a more
welcoming facade.  I may even cut out window openings and add some
trim detail along with door handles. 

  Lets take a peek inside, shall we?


It's furnished with a table and chairs for two, a buffet, and a chandelier
 that needs to be hung from the rafters.  It's got a nice wood floor and exposed wood walls
 typical of a rustic northern cabin.
 

This is a familiar sight if you've left your car on the wrong side of the street
 during calendar parking months.  If your car isn't towed away, it'll be plowed in by
the city snowplow operator, leaving you stuck in the snowbank.


This was the temp outside today during the warmest time of day.
*FYI, my SLR camera functions just fine in below zero temps.


My feet were toasty warm in my Mukluks,
but my hands quickly froze, even in my warmest gloves.

We've learned to dress in layers in our cold climate, and I've got
four new sweaters to choose from that arrived in the mail just last week!


Aren't they adorable?!

They were crocheted by my friend Tracy of Crow's Feet Chic and were just part of a package
filled with a variety of hats she made for our grandchildren for Christmas.
Thank you Tracy!

  If you remember, we just celebrated our family Christmas
 this past Saturday.  Our oldest daughter gave birth to their second
child on December 26, and our youngest daughter works every other weekend,
 so this was the date that seemed to work best for everybody.

We weren't stricken with cabin fever, but half of our family were
sick with one virus or another.  Our son-in-law Jeremy woke up with
the upper respiratory virus that was passed to him by our daughter Julie.
Their 19 month-old son, Mack, came down with a case of stomach flu, and
our 2 year-old granddaughter Finley was still recuperating from
her stay in the hospital earlier in the week.

  Little Maggie slept in her mama's arms,
 oblivious to the chaos unfolding around her.  
Lots of hugs and kisses shared between the rest of us
 and you've got the perfect recipe for catching the virus you haven't
been infected with........yet.

We all managed to have a good time in spite of the
germs trying to spoil our celebration.  :@


It's a good thing I picked up this teapot for $11 at the same place I
found the vintage deer.  I think I've got a touch of the stomach
flu and a cup of tea is just what the doctor ordered!



  
How do you cure a case of
cabin fever....
or an upper respiratory infection.....
or the stomach flu......
or a sinus infection.....
?

Here's to better days ahead!
Vickie

*I'm joining the parties at:
Knick of Time Tuesdays 
Common Ground Be Inspired Friday
Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Nite Special

39 comments:

  1. Oh no, Vickie. I hope you soon feel better. Meanwhile enjoy your sweet finds. They would cheer me up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. for the cold and flu I rub Vicks on my feet, sinus wash with sea salt and aloe juice, drinks lots of honey and lemon and sage tea, for cabin fever I look at garden magazine and plan my garden!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Such a cute post. I loved that the vintage board game was handmade and the childrens' names were carved in the back. The deer are sweet and love them with your cabin!! I am sorry you have cabin fever. I can honestly say I have never been anywhere at any time with a below 0 temperature. I just read what Laurie wrote...I have heard that works! Sorry you aren't feeling well. We all got flu shots, not sure that's why we haven’t gotten sick, but I'd like to think so. Who knows. Feel better!
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  4. I adore your cabin in the woods, but it might be chilly, seeing that one of the windows is amiss! It's cold here too, but no snow...yet. Hope all your crew is feeling better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my! You guys have been through something! I had the flu right after Christmas and I slept for 4 days. I love your cabin and truck! Take care in this cold weather.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a sweet little cabin! You are finding cool treasures on your travels! Oh it is cooooooold her too! Hmmm the temperature outside right now is....... 1.The windchill is -17 .Can't wait to drive my daughter to school tomorrow.I can't believe I have to actually go out in this!
    xx
    Anne

    ReplyDelete
  7. yea, I have been getting cabin fever just this week. I love your cabin in the snow. It will be such fun to decorate! Jean

    ReplyDelete
  8. Okay on the little sweaters. Sock monkey, Minnesota, Red Cross and what about K? Cute post. I like the little cabin and deer. And of course I like the Chinese Checkerboard, I collect them. I'm sick of the cold too!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Vickie, you find the most adorable items and make the cutest vignettes!! Sounds like there's way too much sickness going around your family. Please take care of yourself!!
    Mary Alice

    ReplyDelete
  10. Really cute vignette! There is so much virus, flu and stuff going around right now. Hope you didn't catch something. Congratulations on the new baby.

    Judy

    ReplyDelete
  11. Here's to better days for sure! Love your little deer and cabin! The 'bored' game is too fabulous for words. Hope you aren't getting the flu!
    hugs, Linda

    ReplyDelete
  12. I had been wondering about your late Christmas celebration. Glad y'all made the best of it even if there were some sickies... I have a feeling it's hard to get your family down. ":o) Also loved seeing your little cabin, game board and deer... soooo cute! What a good eye you have.
    Stay well and stay warm!
    Geneva

    ReplyDelete
  13. I LOVE all of your charming goodies, Vickie, and how sweet to have the game signed on the back...I love stuff like that! I wish I knew how to get rid of the illnesses hitting the state right now...we sure can't get rid of them here! Cough, cough! Maybe the COLD will kill all the germs lol! Hope you will be feeling better SOON!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love that old board game you found. A few years ago, my dad made me a wooden board game, "Aggravation", just like the one my parents have that we played when I was a kid. It's very special to me. Your little cabin and truck are so bloomin' adorable! The only tip I can share with you for illnesses, that seems to work for me, is (and this is a little gross), swab your nose once each day with a q-tip dipped in vaseline or anti-biotic ointment. I read that it "catches" the germs before they can enter your system. I almost never get sick, and my family pretty rarely gets sick either, but I'm the only one who does the q-tip thing - mainly because I have a dry nose. Probably more info. that you wanted hear!! Hope you are all much better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Vickie,
    Stay warm and stay inside and feel better. It is so so cold here in Chicago. I have a doctors appt. in the am and I am dreading having to leave the house. Our wind chills are 15 degrees right now and temp. is only 1. Winter is back and our spring like temps in December are gone. I want SPRING!!
    Hope you feel better.
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  16. What adorable finds, Vickie. That cabin is too darn cute with its little pickup parked out front, and that aqua table and chairs? So trendy right now. I have some doll house furniture waiting for a shabby makeover as well. Hope you are better very soon.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh I love your guest house out back -- even with the window open! I think you may need a set of teeny booster cables for the truck though. Love the turquoise furniture and chandy.

    Love your new teapot in the perfect hue and your mini herd. They do look a bit concerned that the game board may topple over on them. How sweet that the names and date are engraved on the back. Love that. Great pic of the sweaters too... you are so good at that. I'm signing up for lessons.

    I sure hope you're feeling much better and that you got some rest today. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. You have the most amazing knack for finding adorable antique toys! If only I were the size that could wear one of those cozy little sweaters.... I really wouldn't mind being shut up in that cabin for a good long while.

    Lynn

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh I am so covetous (is this even a word?) of your old pick up truck! I'm definitely going to hunt one down when antique show season starts again (May). I'm glad the germs didn't spoil the Ranger911 Christmas celebrations! Great photos!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ok, you win. I thought it was cold here this morning at 1 degree.

    Such cute things. I especially like the little cabin. Would be so fun for kids to play with all those things.

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a truly enjoyable post....made me a little chilly though! We've had some cold weather here too...but I suppose that's normal for Canada, right.

    Let's see....well I would have to say that the cure for cabin fever here is CREATING....whenever I have a chance to keep my hands busy with making pretty things....yup, that does it for me. Good thing my whole family is like that...hubby and the kids like drawing and making things too.


    Thanks for sharing.
    Take care, Vickie.


    Ciao bella.
    Creative Carmelina

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love little cabin fever! Cute and the little decorations you have for it are perfect! Can't wait to see the remodel.

    It is extremely cold here too and I am waiting for warmer days to get outside. Maybe in the teens..or more.

    And congrats on the newest grandchild! It just doesn't get any better than that!

    Love those tiny little sweaters, Tracy, made!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a sweet bunch of finds! Your cabin/truck/deer just made me smile...you were so brave to venture out into the cold, you crazy woman!
    Love the teapot, too.
    I'm sorry to hear that the various virus bugs caught a few of you...no fun.
    I hope Finley's visit to the hospital wasn't too serious. Poor little sweetie.
    Tiny sweaters are the icing on the cake...you and Tracy should open a store.
    xo, Tina

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh poor Vickie, I am sorry you are sick. At least you scored some wonderful JUNK. I know those photos are adorable staged outdoors in the snow.....but what the heck are you doing out in the cold sick and all?? Keep warm and drink your tea with some honey and get better so you can score some more great junk. Feel better fast friend.

    xo Danielle

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hope you don't really have the stomach flu. Those are AWFUL!! Love all of your new "old" finds. They look like the perfect thing to have fun with during your cold spell. I can't get over how cold it is where you live. It's cold here, but not like that! Guess I won't complain then. LOL. So sorry to hear that a nasty bug has been going around and getting everyone sick. You're not alone apparently. The news has been reminding us all of it. Stay inside and stay warm.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Love the little cabin-it's just darling. The little sweaters that Tracy made-OMG. So cute. Love that green teapot too. I think after all the excitement and sickness you do need a cuppa. Hope your weahter warms up.Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi Vickie, the wee cabin is so cute paired with the pick up truck. This southern girl would perish in those temps. I hope you do not get sick. If you can push the fluids and rest a lot. No treatment for viruses unless it's early flu and then Tamiflu does help a lot but you must get to your doctor early. If you don't know I am an RN. Lots of ICK out there. hugs, Olive

    ReplyDelete
  28. sweet, little cabin, and i love the cute deer, vickie:) tracy's sweaters are so darling--lucky you! feel better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Well now....
    1. Did you go out in that damm cold weather to stage that scene? YOUR NUTS!
    2. OMG, the monkey sweaters, TDC (too darn cute!)
    3. Are those Mukluks of the Will Steger ex-wifes brand?

    Bliss

    ReplyDelete
  30. Look at what cabin fever can do for a girl... love that you used your time to entertain us with pictures of the cabin and the deer. And gosh darn, that Tracy is something else with her stitchery! Those sweaters are nothing short of amazing. They kinda remind me of the sweaters The Chipmunks might wear. Well, not the sock monkey one, that's just over the top ingenious. I love how you have them displayed. I'm in awe, right down to the teeny tiny hangers. Now it's time for you northern girls to get out of the "cabin" so to speak and take a road trip down to sunny south Florida. It's actually gorgeous here and it's not supposed to be so hot today. I have my windows open. Maybe Tracy could knit some bikinis and you could bring the sock monkeys all decked out for the beach.
    Liz

    ReplyDelete
  31. As a Californian, I can't really complain about the cold although for the first 3 weeks of January we were unusually cold. I find it hard to get things done when I am chilled through to the bone.

    I love your green teapot. I don't know why, but I am totally drawn to green recently.

    Congrats on a new baby. We are yet to be grandparents, but we keep hoping.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Oh no, hope you all feel better soon. Stay warm my friend. Sending lots of warm hugs your way.

    ❤Ana

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hopefully, you're over your stomach flu. Your little cabin is just about the cutest thing. Love the chair on the porch.

    ReplyDelete
  34. What a cute little cabin! That Chinese checkers board is so cool~I'm sure it was made out of love and desperation. :)
    Get better! It's been super cold here, too. And the flu is going around.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Vickie, I always enjoy your posts and I am learning a lot too! I had no idea what "cabin fever" was, but thanks Google I have understood it, I think we don't have a similar expression in Spanish. I am on summer vacation -that explains my poor blogging- and it's very hot here.
    I really love your deer, I have seen so many of them for Christmas (blogs and Pinterest) and they are so sweet but there are not so common here. And the teapot is lovely too.
    Hope you are all right now.
    Besos!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Vickie,
    how lucky to have such a great getaway place, and furnished so stylishly! I have a thing for deers, I use them at xmas all over the house and some I leave out for "winter" decor so I think yours are perfectly fine watching over that fabulous game board! I just picked up 2 more large deer that are on my mantle from Pottery Barn on sale after Xmas. So glad you all got together finally for Xmas even though the "germs" came along for the ride! Hope you and the rest of the gang are well!
    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  37. Oh that little cabin is precious. I think you kind of have a thing for miniatures! I'm glad you had a special Christmas in spite of the sickies. We didn't find anything that helped with the respiratory thing except time. Fortunately ours came after we got back home from our holiday trips.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Vickie, I love the little deer and the chinese checker board. Fun to have those handcrafted games. My brother-in-law made me one that I treasure. Don't you just love Stillwater! I loved to drive over there for the day when we lived in Mpls. Congrats on the new baby in the family!!!! Sorry every one as not feeling well, rest up! Laura

    ReplyDelete
  39. Oh Vickie, everything is so adorable, from the deer to the cabin and furniture to the sweaters. I enjoyed reading this very much! Hope everyone is better now! I got my sock monkey socks in the mail and now have to find the time to make my sock monkey. That sweater is so darling - they all are!

    ReplyDelete

Your comments make it all worthwhile. Thanks for visiting today!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...