Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The Bell

Joe bought a bell at the auction barn a while back. It's what folks in this part call a dinner bell. You know the kind. The big black bell that used to be rung when dinner was ready and the husband and kids were out in the fields working. The hard working wife would have dinner ready and that was her way to beckon the family to come and chow down.

He mounted it on an 8X8 which probably cost more than the $20 Joe paid for the bell.

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But where to put it?

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Let's put our hands on our hips and think about it. I bet Stephanie has an idea.

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Let's put it up there, by the driveway. Joe's idea was to put it there, next to the sidewalk and the folks that come to see us could ring the bell and we would know they were here. Uh, how will they know to do that and hey, I've got an idea. The barking and jumping of the pups might clue us to know that someone is here!

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What do you think Dad? I don't know, what do you think Steph? It was finally decided to put it next to the sidewalk close to the driveway like Joe had thought of before. About that time Ryan showed up (he was still working for our neighbor at the time).

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Joe and Steph walked down to get the bell. Joe decided to load it on the back of the golfcart as it was very heavy. Ryan hopped on the back to hold it. I'm not sure what happened but for some reason Ryan hopped off of the golfcart as Joe turned it around. About that time the bell fell off breaking the handle. Oh my. Joe didn't let Ryan know but he was really upset. Apparently the bell was worth about $800 according the Joe's research but now that the handle was broken off that greatly diminished the value. Oops!

They went ahead and dug the hole and placed the 8X8. Joe has the bell in the back of his pickup and will take it to town to a buddy who will weld the handle back on. Then a little black paint and good as new. I'll be sure to post a picture of it and all of our future guests as they ring it when they arrive to visit. Or something like that.

10 comments:

Scott W said...

But. But where did everyone decide to mount the post?

Didn't the Nagels have a bell, or was that the Martins? And the Coils beckoned with the car horn?

I like that shot from the top of the steps. You never posted a photo taken from there before.

Vintage Chicken said...

What a neat idea! Can't wait to see the finished product and to hear if whether or not visitors use it to let you know they are there? Or maybe the dogs barking will work too?

Bill said...

If I drop by & ring the bell, will you make dinner for me?

Hula Girl at Heart said...

We have one in our backyard that we bought at an auction years go. We like to ring it at midnight on New Year's Eve, much to our neighbors' delight.

Trailboss said...

So, Laura had a bell like that but you wouldn't remember that. When her parents rang the bell we had best be answering and/or coming back to the house. I don't remember one in our neighborhood but if I was to guess I would say the Nagels or the Martins. Yes, the Coils honked the car horn, that is if they had a car who's horn worked!

Bill dahlink, place to come soonly and I will gladly fix you a mess of good ole southern food items!

Trailboss said...

Hey Hula, there's an idea. We can ring it at all hours of the night. Right....like we are going to be awake.

Dusty Devoe said...

Love the bell!

Dan and Betty said...

It's good to remind ourselves that things are things. My son always says, "love people and use things and don't get them mixed up."

Dan

Paint Girl said...

That bell is really cool!
Our neighbors will come out in the summer and ring their bell, which means it's time for us to come over for cocktails! We love it!

Pammie said...

I lOVE the bell!!!