~Three French Hens~

 

I found the container, at Three French Hens. 

I’ve combined several different subjects in this wandering post; books, table tops, decorating, and garden art. 

Friday morning, bright and early, we shopped the Friends of the Saint Charles County Library Book Fair. Attending this event is a family tradition.  This year, J and I joined our eldest and youngest daughters, at the fair.  A huge event, the Book Fair attracts people from several states.

We spent three hours browsing thousands of books.

My purchase included, among others, books for children, cookbooks and two biographies. 

We are a family of avid readers.

Books are priced beginning with books for children, at 25 cents.  Hardcover books are $2, paperbacks $1.  There is a section, at the event, for specially priced books.  The cookbook, in the last book collage, is one of those books, priced at $3. The Peter Mayle two volume set was $5.  Cookbooks, in the regular stacks, were $2 for hard cover and $1 for spiral bound.  The stack of childrens books cost just over $5 total. Where can you find a stack of books, in great condition, many with library binding, for that price. 

All proceeds go to the Library Foundation.  Books, purchased by our family, are read and donated back to the book fair; recycle/reuse.

If you live in the Saint Charles Missouri area, you might enjoy attending the three day Book Fair, next year.

Kid Books

Cookbooks

 

Beautiful Cookbook

Lunch, at McGurk’s Pub, in O’Fallon, MO.  McGurk’s is on our list of favorite restaurants.

Another stop, while weekend wandering; Three French Hens, located in west St Louis County.  I was able to take these exterior shots, however, interior photography is not permitted. If you would like to take a virtual tour, click the store site HERE.

This store is absolutely beautiful.  I could spend hours just going from room to room. 

There is a variety of antiques, new furniture, accessories and gifts. Custom pieces are also offered.

 

I managed to find a few things to bring home.

The black and white placemats and napkins were found at Three French Hens.  The placemats are reversible, with a bold black and white paisley on the opposite side.  I’ll use them in another table setting, soon.

• Rooster salad plates are garage sale finds, from last year.
• Other plates and flatware from Marshall’s.
• Napkin rings, Pier One.
• Goblets from Target. 
• Rooster and hen salt and peppers from Tuesday Morning. 
• Black pedestal, Nell Hill’s.
• Silk flowers, Evergreen Mfg. Osage Beach.

I will be featuring other treasures found at Three French Hens, in upcoming posts.

For now, the bike has found a home on the patio, next to the wall and Knock Out Roses.  I found a wicker basket, with a flat back, at Michael’s. It was lightly sprayed creamy white and wired to the handlebars. A bouquet of Iris, 2 books and a bottle of Coppola Chardonnay were placed in the basket for photo taking.  I have plans for a geranium, in the basket, and perhaps some sort of ribbon.

As much as I would love to ride this old bike, I am no longer able to, due to a couple of minor physical issues. Nothing really bad, but possibly bothersome, should I try riding a two wheeler.

Continuing our weekend wandering, we are taking a couple of days off, for a little R&R at Lake of the Ozarks.  I’ll be checking in from the deck.

Enjoy your week!

(I am not compensated for mention of businesses or products)

~Thrifty Treasures~

My contribution for Today’s Thrifty Treasures is a trip to the 2009 Saint Charles Friends of the Library Book Fair. Books are true treasures.

We attend the event every year. Table after table of donated books are available for sale, at bargain prices. Proceeds benefit the library.

Stop by Rhoda’s for more Thrifty Treasures.

This is also my contribution for Diane’s 2nd Time Around Tuesday.

G’pa J and Xanti at the 2007 book fair. That was the year we dragged accompanied J to Miss Aimee B’s Tea Room for lunch, after the book fair.

I took my beautiful Raised in Cotton bag, thinking one bag would be plenty. After taking the filled bag to the car twice, J decided we needed more containers! The Whole Foods bags were quickly filled, too! I think we should look for a laundry cart, or something similar, at the garage sales, before the 2010 book fair.

Hardcover $2

When J and I finished making our selections, we went to the lobby, where there are several comfortable chairs. I was carrying the above book, when we sat down. An elderly lady, sitting in one of the chairs, asked about the book. I’m sure my carrying that book was meant to be. She told us her own amazing dog story. The extra special animal gave the woman and her husband many happy days. Meeting her and hearing her story was a wonderful bonus to our book fair day.

Mysteries, to keep me busy.

Paperbacks @ 50 cents each.

This was my only purchase in the special section. This book was $5. J has lived near the Mississippi River all of his life and I have for most of mine. I believe we will enjoy these stories, very much.

Lunch after the book fair, this year, was at Panera’s, with eldest daughter Terrie, who also made several purchases at the fair.

We’re at the lake, as you can see by the window and shutters in the background of some of the photos. While J is fishing I’m going to see if I can find something to read.

Preview of upcoming posts, this week~

Outdoor Wednesday

Tablescape Thursday~Foodie Friday

Library Books, Bookmarks & Fairs

The photo:
An empty book bag and my bookmark.

The annual St Charles City-County Library, Friends of the Library Book Fair, begins tomorrow, June 8th. The three day event promises over 250,000 items.

I plan to be there!
**********************************************

Where ever I've lived, for as long as I can remember, I've held a library card. I have happy thoughts of walking to the library, in the town where I grew up. Even the walk is a happy memory of my library visits. The special book smell and quiet murmurs of the Librarian and visitors as I entered, finding a book and checking out, seem like yesterday memories, to me.

The library, that stands out most in my memory, was on a beautiful tree lined street, not far from home and school. When I was a child, the Librarian was Miss Bass. Each Saturday morning, I would sit beside the radio, listening to Miss Bass read. I can hear her voice now. What joy she brought. What a love of reading she instilled in me.

I loved volunteering, as a Library Aide, when my youngest daughter was in Kindergarten and 1st Grade. Each of my daughters received her first library card at the age of three. They are all avid readers. It means so much to me, that they have a love of books.

***********************************************
There's nothing like curling up with a good book when there's a repair job to be done around the house.

~Joe Ryan~

The more that you read,

the more things you know.

The more that you learn,

the more places you go.

~Dr Seuss~

***********************************************