Friendship, Finds, Food and Claw Feet

The title of this post pretty much sums up the amazing day I've had today!  You're heard me talk about Connie from Hartwood Roses.  I even did a post about her gorgeous heirloom roses recently.  But what you didn't know was that after I did my post on my dream bathroom a few weeks ago, I received an email from Connie telling me that she had a clawfoot tub that she wanted to give me.

She said that they had one in the bathroom she and her husband are currently remodeling (which you can read about by clicking HERE) and that they weren't planning on keeping the clawfoot tub.  She went on to say that she wanted it to go to a good home, and if I wanted it, it was mine for the taking!  Now, I had planned to visit Connie anyway to pick up some of her wonderful rose bushes to fill up the huge blank flower bed in front of our house, but the idea of picking up roses and a beautiful clawfoot tub...now that was an offer I couldn't refuse!

So the two of us started trying to figure out a time when I could head over and pick up the tub.  Then, as if giving me a gorgeous old clawfoot tub wasn't quite kind and generous enough, she asked me if I wanted her to bring it to me!!!  Ok, are you starting to see what kind of person Connie is folks?!  The kind of person who loves roses so much that she started a whole business around them.  A woman who drove to Ohio just a few weeks ago to help raise awareness and money for canine cancer research.  Someone who owns not one, but two greyhound rescue dogs...and the list goes on an on.

So today, after having a very full weekend already, she drove 2 hours to bring me her wonderful clawfoot tub!  She braved driving her hubby's big 4 x 4 truck, a la tub, over a very tall, very narrow bridge that separates her home state of Virginia from my home state of Maryland, and arrived promptly at 10:00 a.m this morning.

She hopped out of the truck and knocked on the door and we were both pleasantly surprised that neither one of us was an axe murderer...hey it's the internet, you just never know!  Plus, as far out as I live, I'm sure by the time she finally got here, she was wondering if there really was any Earth left since we live at the end of it!

We chatted for a few moments, walked down to the water, and then we were off so that I could take her on a tour of my "hood"!  We left Mr. Tide and our son, Bugs, to figure out a way to get a big, heavy clawfoot tub out of a pick-up and into our very messy garage!

The first place we headed to was The Vintage Source.  Connie scored some bowling pins, an antique set of doorknobs, and this very cool railroad station made by a local artisan.  She plans to put it on top of her pie safe and I can't wait to see it!  Can I just say right now that I'm extremely jealous of the 9 1/2 foot tall ceilings in her beautiful historic home!!  Notice that this one of a kind art piece is all buckled up for the long drive home, safety first!

And here was my big score.  It's a beautiful slipcovered chair I bought from my friend Sheryl.  I'd been eyeing this piece for awhile and today I decided I was ready for the commitment.  I really love how it looks in my living room.

We hit up a few more shops and then headed over to Solomons Island for some lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, CD Cafe.  After a yummy lunch of curry chicken salad it was time to shop some more.  We stopped by a local Gallery and then we jumped back in the car and headed south to Historic St. Mary's City, Maryland.  Connie is giving a presentation to a rose society in the near future about old heirloom roses found in cemeteries and there is a very old cemetery at St. Mary's City that I thought might have some roses in it.

We made one more stop at a small glass shop and nursery before heading back to my house.  Connie picked up a beautiful white African Violet.  When the back of your car looks like mine did, we knew it was time to stop shopping and head home.

I know Connie must have been exhausted from all of the driving and other activities she had done all weekend, so she decided to hit the road.  We gave each other a big hug and I think we both knew that this would be the first of many visits for the two of us.  We had such a wonderful day, chatting about everything from flowers to family.  We have so much in common and she is such a beautiful person in every sense of the word!

After Connie left, and we brought the new wing chair in and got it settled, I ventured out to stare at my gorgeous new tub.  I think she needs a name, and somehow Rose seems quite fitting don't ya think?!

Photo:  Hartwood Roses

Above you can see how Miss Rose looked when she was at Connie's house.

And here's how she looks, all safe and sound inside my garage.  She laying on her tummy to help protect her insides and because Mr. Tide and Bugs were too tired to turn her right side up.

I love that Connie even brought me the original rubber drain plug, such a detail oriented gal that Connie!

And this is Rose's birth certificate.

And although I love this pretty little tub and know I will treasure Rose and share many wonderful bubbly moments with her, it was the friendship and generosity that made my heart swell today!  Thank you Connie!