Yard Sale Wrap Up

I am happy to say

another Tree Street Yard Sale

has come and gone

quite successfully!

Nancy and I spent most of last 

Thursday setting out our wares

on the front porch.

As in the past,

our plan was to sell

all we could on Friday.

Then late in the afternoon we would

transition whatever was left

to the drive way and set up our

Bistro on the Porch

for Saturday.

We had an incredibly busy day Friday.

The weather was pleasant.

However, the predictions for Saturday

were not good.

100% chance of thunderstorms ALL day!

 

So this year for the first time

we had to combine the Bistro

with some remaining yard sale on the porch.

We lacked a bit of our

usual ambiance,

...but the food was plentiful,

and our customers didn't seem to mind.

We carried on through the dreadful weather

and had our most successful weekend yet!

It's Almost Time...

...for our colossal

neighborhood yard sale

next week.

Buttermilk Cottage

has been a state

of total disorder

since last week.

My sister and I have been

pulling out,

organizing and pricing

all the "junque" we have

acquired since last year.

My entry and living room

have become a staging area

until we can take it all outside.

And I have been

baking and freezing

to prepare for our 

"Bistro on the Porch"

during the sale.

This yearly event

brings thousands of

shoppers to our neighborhood

each year.

We do our best to let them know

we're happy to have them!

Another Neighborhood Yard Sale Done!

Quite a sight, right?

Where's our pretty porch???

Generally, we set up our yard sale on the driveway

and while Nancy is busy selling all day Friday,

I am setting up the Bistro on the Porch for 

all day Saturday.

This year the weather predictions were dire,

with severe thunderstorms expected for Friday.

So, we set up and sold on the porch on Friday.

We also offered a small selection of goodies

and reminded everyone of what was to come

on Saturday.

This time the weatherman was right on point

and we had a terrific thunderstorm in the afternoon.

We were SO glad we were on the porch and not 

out on the driveway.

Talk about making lemonade 

when you have lemons...

We are experts.

We rested and caught our breath 

during the storms.

Once they were over, 

everything dried up quickly

and we moved everything out to the driveway.

We actually had a bit of a surge

 of shoppers Friday evening

and Nancy continued to sell,

while I prepared the porch

for Saturday's Bistro.

Here are some of our goodies

waiting on the kitchen table to be moved

onto the porch Saturday morning.

Saturday morning arrived with no rain in sight!

And we were ready with good food

and freshly brewed coffee!

While Nancy continued selling on the driveway,

I was waiting for our "guests" on the porch.

The weekend was a great success!

Two of our happy and satisfied customers.

This event is always fun to do,

but the amount of work and effort

Nancy and I put into it 

makes us quite happy it only

occurs once a year!

The Countdown Has Begun...

All through the house, basement and back porch

are piles of "stuff."

Nanniepannie and I 

are in the midst of getting ready for the annual

Tree Street Neighborhood Yard Sale!

This is a BIG event!

It is an established event and many

people in the region make a special effort to get here,

and get here early,

in order to snag some real bargains.

Each year this event brings thousands of 

people into our neighborhood.

So, not only is it a great shopping adventure,

it is an excellent way to clean up

and get rid of things we no longer need or want.

I have even cleaned out my fabric stash

and will be measuring and pricing it today.

We are one week out.

By this time next week,

we should be the owners of a

lot less stuff!

Our rule is that once an item is taken outside

for the yard sale

it cannot be brought back into the house.

Happily there are several local charities

who make the rounds after the sale

and will take away anything you want to donate.

I have also been baking and freezing for several weeks

in preparation for our

"Bistro on the Porch."

Each year for one day

I get to satisfy my fantasy of having a 

tearoom, bistro, cafe, whatever.

We set up on the front porch

and offer a lovely little retreat for the 

weary and hungry yard sale shopper!

Thus far I have stocked away

Heath Bar Brownies (6 pans)

Mounds Cookies (6 dozen)

Zucchini Bread (8 loaves)

Cinnamon Cake (2)

Lemon Loaf Cake (4)

Pineapple Muffins w/Coconut Drizzle

Applesauce Muffins w/Cinnamon Sugar

(I've lost count on the muffins.)

The 80 chicken salad sandwiches I always make

will need to be made just before the sale.

The preparation continues...

Last year's event.

Another "Bistro on the Porch" and Neighborhood Yard Sale...

The Fall mums on the porch are ready...

The porch is ready...

The house is ready...

The coffee is ready...

The morning muffins are ready...

Our food counter is ready...

Our yard sale is ready...

So begins the 2013 Tree Streets' Yard Sale

and Buttermilk Cottage's  

"Bistro on the Porch!"

The weather was perfect this year.

An enterprising entrepreneur next door...

was later joined by her sister.

What can I say?

Our neighborhood has classy yard sales!

Many of our customers took advantage of the porch.

This is the third year this group has come to have lunch 

with us on the porch!

The porch sitters were constantly changing

and enjoying a moment of shade, 

sitting, good food

and conversation.

Fun customers and...

...happy customers!

Until next year...