“The best therapist has four paws and fur.” Sometimes after the long, hard days all I need is the endless love of my sweet pups.
I believe in our entire married life, Richard & I have always had at least one dog. Most of them rescues.
The first house we purchased in North Wilkesboro, literally came with a dog! That was totally an unexpected surprise when we went to closing and the previous owners asked us to care for the neighbors dog that virtually lived at our new “soon to be home”. The seller was crushed that the neighbors were unwilling to sell the dog to him, hence the request to us. We could tell that the seller was very attached to the dog, so we agreed to care for the dog and keep him updated on the dog, which we all called Sugar Bear…our very first rescue pup. Sugar Bear quickly became a cherished pup. We all loved her dearly and she was a fantastic guard dog.
Sugar Bear loved to be inside as well as outside. A pic of our first kitchen… Sugar Bear was terrified of thunder storms. She would try to crawl inside my bottom kitchen cabinets or bathroom cabinets during a bad storm
Today is National Rescue Pup Day. Over the years, we have had the opportunity to bring a few special rescue pups home. The joy & memories of these furry friends still linger. Here’s a glimpse back into time to our “fur babies” that we loved dearly and a small portion of their rescue stories.
Elvis & Gigi were adopted at the same time. They were definitely a dynamic duo. Elvis never missed the opportunity for a good costume change. He had a great personality and loved his people. Elvis loved a good napElvis loved to spend time with us at the hardware store sniffing out all the good things Gigi was our little diva dog. Gigi had a severe burn that was healing on her back when we brought her home. Gigi loved photo time Annabelle “Bella” came to us after losing an eye. Eventually she lost her other one too. Blind Basset Hound was a first for our family. Bella navigated our home effortlessly. She was amazing Bella would smile when she was happy. Naps and love… Bella was always ready for both .
Our current rescue pups…
Joy is a fireball of energy. She loves to play all day long. Joy was rescued with her brothers and sisters… nine total. It’s all about bones & finding a good blanket Joy is definitely a mom’s girl… Cookie came to our house to live with us this January. She was found abandoned at a car wash in town. So hard to believe how much she has grown since this original photoThus sweet pup loves to be close to us, scouting the neighborhood for any movement of cats, or people, and definitely playing with Joy. Cookie loves snacks too & mom.
Our lives are definitely rich with love with memories of our former rescue pups and they are dearly missed. Cookie and Joy keep us active and busy now.
Each rescue pup came to us with a definite need, love & healing. All of these sweet babies found love and new home. Their story should not end. Their stories should be told so more rescues can find homes.
We are truly blessed and thankful for the Humane Society of Wilkes. The volunteers, & foster pet parents work tirelessly to keep local animals safe and happy. Consider supporting your local rescue organizations if you can.
The memories linger from the days of my youth, of the first signs of spring… Windows open, a freshly cut lawn, a light breeze blowing through the curtains, and the aroma of cut grass coming indoors. Spring had arrived!!!
I can remember spending hours on that red riding mower going round and round. Our yard was large and it took a good hour or so to finish everything when we mowed the lawn. I would take my place on the riding mower & dad was usually on the power tools, cleaning up the edges of the flower beds and working the push mower like a pro. We worked as a team to get the lawn looking good. Mom often worked in her flowers, while we were outside. Mom always had beautiful roses. I learned to love to be outside, and meet completion of a beautiful task, a well kept yard.
Today I would like to share a few tips I learned from my dad about mowing grass and keeping a nicely kept lawn. These may seem novel to you, but they are truly important for growing good grass.
1. Keep your equipment in good working order. Do the routine maintenance on your equipment & keep your blades sharp. Your lawnmower blades if dull, can create problems for you. Need new blades or blades sharpened??? We can do that!!!
We can sharpen your blade or you can purchase tools to do it yourself!!! Need a good gas can to keep your mower powered up???
2. Never mow while the lawn is wet… patience is a virtue for a “Mowologist”
A good neighbor is one who doesn’t mow in the early morning hours… right???
3. Mulching your grass is good for your lawn, bagging grass takes those nutrients out of the yard.
4. Be aware of your blade settings, & don’t cut your grass too short. This may mean you cut your grass more frequently because you don’t want a situation where your grass gets too long and your mower bogs down with grass clippings, and then you have to rake the yard 😳
Just in case you need a new rake, we have those too 😉
5. Mix up your mowing patterns, it is good for grass growth.
6. Never mow grass into your flower beds!!! 😳😳😳Yep, I’ve watched people do this!!! Mow grass away from your flower beds and keep your flowers healthy & happy!!!
7. Your lawn is only as good as what you put into it. Curb appeal is a portion of your home value. If your curb appeal is amazing, that in turn, will help your overall home value. Homes with a well kept lawn & gardens could sell faster & for more money!!!
I don’t mow the lawn anymore, because of our work schedules…which puts us at work 6 days a week but, my dad still does his own lawn care. It is one of the things he truly enjoys doing AND he has one of the best looking yards in his neighborhood!!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Whether you consider mowing as a chore or as a joyful gift to be immersed into the great outdoors, Wilkes County Hardware has invested in your lawn care needs. When y’all are ready to tackle that lawn this spring, we will be there to assist you whether you are novice “mowologist” or a veteran.
Speaking of being of novice… Have you been here before??? Going into a big box store and have serious questions that you need answers for and no one is around 😳, OR needing a product loaded into your car and no one is available 😬???If you have questions about your lawn, bug/pest control options for your lawn, our team should be able to assist you AND we load our customers purchases everyday!!!
Bagged goods can be quite heavy!!! We always load up our customers at Wilkes County Hardware.
Furthermore, did y’all realize that we have tools to make your yard work easier???? This is one area that we are trying to “grow” into. Many of these lawn care/mower maintenance products were not available at Wilkes County Hardware several years ago. Our customers were coming in asking for basic weed eating string, mower spark plugs, blades, etc and we now have them!!! Richard & I felt this was an area that we could definitely “grow”. Our “mowologists” regulars/customers know where these supplies are and they find them before gearing up to work in the yard.
Richard & I have have also expanded our lawn and garden product line over the last 6 years. We have lime, pre-emergents & post emergents weed control products for your lawn, and much more.
Just a small sampling of what we offer
Unsure, what a pre-emergent or post emergent products are??? A Pre- emergent is used to help prevent weed growth in your lawn… before they begin!!! Yes, that is definitely a win!!! Be very careful, you should not use a pre-emergent & grass seed at the same time😳. The pre-emergent will stop the growth of the grass seed as well as the weeds! Pick one to focus on for spring.
When is the best time to use a pre-emergent??? How do you know if it is warm enough??? Once the forsythia finishes blooming, pre-emergents can be used in your lawn.
Post emergent products for your lawn are used after the weeds have popped up into your lawn. Yes, Wilkes County Hardware has products that you can use safely in your lawn without killing the grass.
Sharing my favorite photos from my camera roll from this past year. Hope y’all enjoy!
Cold morning walk on the Greenway Joy loving her evening snuggle time with me Bella… we miss you sweet girl Cold winter morning Waiting patiently for our Covid shot Morning sunrise in April Spring thoughts Best buddies hugging for the first time in over a year.., 💕Joy checking the neighborhood Colorful sunrise Yes!!! Morning clouds Prom time Summer Evening Sunset Hydrangeas in early bloom Summer morning sunrise July 4th fireworks Walking among the corn stalks along the greenway path Super senior year /Kindergarten photos… be still my heart ❤️, my boy is grown! September sky in the morning Fall is coming!!! Nightlights of MerleFest Fall clouds Fall morning sunrise Southern Christmas… blending the seasons together December morning sunrise Frosty Morning in the shadows Wishing y’all a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from our house to yours!!!!🎄🎄
The messages sent to me were powerful, with beautiful scriptures, kind words & your personal stories of experience made my heart melt.
So many people who have battled cancer that I connect with everyday as a business owner reached out. Their stories they shared with me were amazing & a beautiful blessing. Thank you so much for sharing your stories with me.
If you haven’t read the blog post, Waiting, I would love for you to click back and give it a read. We all go through periods of waiting in life. Waiting on test results, waiting for changes in a career path, or just waiting patiently on God to show you a pathway.
All paths in life are not clearly defined… many times we wait for clarification and direction
As I said before, my experience was not unique, but I chose to share it because I felt it would create common ground experience for many ladies who have walked in the path of waiting for test results OR seeking answers to any type of situation/problem.
Writing is a dynamic way to connect with others. As a blogger, that influence extends across our community & even across the globe.
Storytelling goes well back into history. In the days before novels & books, stories were shared orally, musically or artistically and passed down through the generations. Stories help us to keep our past history alive, & keep us linked together.
Philadelphia, full of historical stories
I had a professor in college who was a gifted storyteller. US History was revealed to me as a story of events & the people behind it.
As an educator, the most powerful thing you can do is to connect your content to the student. Once the student gets the practical connections, the path learning is much easier.
Often as a hardware store owner, we are privy to a portion of a person’s story. The struggle of a DIY, pool ownership (the good, bad, & the ugly 😂) and even the success of a beautiful garden.
All are welcome
The longer Richard & I have been in downtown North Wilkesboro, the more folks we have had the opportunity to meet & get to know a small portion of their story.
Many stories are told around this wood stove
This week we met a gentleman who came by for a few keys, & he stayed to visit for a while. His story began to unravel. He told humorous stories which all made us laugh. He also revealed that his wife died this summer, she had a serious form of blood cancer.
My heart hurt for him. It was obvious he missed her tremendously. Once he told us his story, we understood more about him, his needs and empathized with his current situation.
So how do we share our unique life experiences in 2021??? We are all not bloggers, writers, gifted musicians, artists, or storytellers.
Do you look at Instagram stories???? OR Facebook stories, Snapchat, or even Tik Tok??
In the world of social media, we now have these little bits of video & images on our profile page called stories. The intent of those images is to give the viewer a quick glimpse of what is going on the “inside”of the life of that specific social media page.
After 24 hours those stories disappear and you must continue to add more of your own images in order to keep your story going.
Stories give us a way to stay connected to friends and family. A way to share triumphs, celebrations, fun times, sweet moments & even sad events in our lives. All are a significant part of living our lives.
Many of us are not public speakers who go across the country sharing their stories with others creating change. You may not be gifted storyteller OR even post out Facebook/IG stories everyday.
Your personal story & experiences create change just by sharing!!! Do you journal everyday? Share your family stories with younger generations???
We all share our life experiences with others… how are you sharing your story???
Our life stories cause us to adjust, change, & can create empathy for others who have faced similar experiences.
What I have learned as a blogger is that you should not be afraid to share your story. Your personal story creates bridges to others… connectedness. If you don’t tell your own story now, someone else will later…
Our personal story is why we are here. Your experiences could become a survival guide for someone else who is struggling with the same thing.
My wish for you… find a creative outlet for your unique personal story.
Six years ago we began our journey into hardware store ownership. It was an exciting time, a plan was emerging from our minds on what we envisioned happening in our new business.
Wilkes County Hardware store front
Our official name became Wilkes County Hardware. Many folks still refer to us as Wilkes Hardware and wonder where Harvey is… lol he hasn’t owned the hardware store for many years. Gerald Lankford owned the store for 10 years before selling it to us. Harvey was the owner before Gerald.
Gerald Lankford, the former owner and dear friend
Gerald stayed with Richard for the first year so that he could learn all aspects of the business, including the pools.
Richard became a quick study of how to care and do maintenance on pools
The first year is still pretty much a blur… we decided to add a point of sale computer system instead of a basic cash register so that inventory could be monitored closely, & new fixtures went in. A major highlight of year one was the filming of our hardware store on NC Public TV.
Richard completely set up all these fixtures and began to move merchandise, key desk was also moved closer to back door
In the next few years, we added staff, continued to add new products into our lineup. One neat find inside our walls … when we opened up a space near the front entrance and found two doors that had been covered up for many years with pegboard. The captions that follow along with the pictures will chronicle the rest of our story.
These double doors had been covered in pegboard for many years!!! Lawn & Garden items were dramatically expanded into the next few years of business ownership Apple Festival… new hours for us we are open all day during the festival. The store used to close early on Apple Festival Day. Logo gear was added to our hardware store… it all started with this original design Added new locally based products into our store… these are best sellers around holiday time The wood stove is always going strong on cold winter days… and folks love to stop by and warm on snowy days The largest snowfall we have had since store ownership has been 16inches !!! Richard’s news clip from WXII made it onto the Today show Need a great grill??? We are sold on Traeger grills Dog friendly hardware store Our customers love this potting soilKeegan’s first pieces arrived at Wilkes County Hardware Amazing new line of bird seed was added that our customers keep coming back for more and more.., Here’s our first Meyers display… customers come from all over in order to purchase from our vast selection Straight shot from back to front door… it took several years to get there but we are getting there as we still work on organizing Always & everyday.., A list of our hometown hardware store services We love you always 💕This small display is no longer found at our front door… the entire front is open now and wow!!! What a difference it makes!!! Expansive selection of fasteners Our hours were updated and changed to close each day at 5:30, so our customers could swing by and shop as they are on way home & still pick up essentials. We still currently close at 2pm on Saturday Last day of school… retirement as a teacher begins and a new role as a full time hardware store owner begins… The same view of the store captured in a series of two pictures Ceiling fans installed Harry’s Hot Dogs Event was an amazing successWayne is truly a key master… folks still come into the store just to have keys made by him Keegan’s work has progressed into bigger and fabulous designs Made in McGrady is an multi-talented husband & wife team, we keep their pieces in our store. A favorite local WCH hat… deeply rooted into our store history Wilkes County Honey, locally sourced!!! COVID created an interesting time for small businesses to operate under. We are appreciative of your support Teamwork with Cooks, the #wilcostrong initiative raised money for our community-Samaritan Kitchen Locally sourced granola The most devastating day in our ownership so far… Customer rewards have been a huge success and the checkout process is easy & safe A unique variety of locally sourced products A paint line was added in early 2021 We continue to add to our logo gear… short sleeve, long sleeve, and sweatshirts BBQ sauce that is absolutely delicious!!! In 2021, Wilkes County Hardware launched a booth inside Carolina Treasures Antique MallWe sell local pottery, each piece is handmade & unique Locally sourced soaps!!! Our drop off flag box is consistently full now that our customers realize what it is for. We are so excited to begin another year of service in our community. Thank you for shopping with us at your favorite hometown hardware store, Wilkes County Hardware.
Living the "hardwarelife", join us in our journey of hardware store ownership
The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 