Friday, June 29, 2012

Decorating With Vintage Bicycles...A Fun Story


On the first day of my son Zach's spring break from school, I decided it would be fun for us to go for a bike ride. Now mind you, I had not been on a bike in 15 years. I had recently purchased an old bicycle at a yard sale and was anxious to "get some exercise".  


After telling Zach, "you never forget how to ride a bicycle", I took off  with dogged determination.


At the end of the street is a path you can take to get to a lovely park. As you leave the street, you have to maneuver up a higher than normal curb and onto a dirt path. Well here is where the story takes a tragic turn. Forgetting the aforementioned rule of balance, I rolled up onto the curb.......and stopped . Gravity said "Lisa Farmer, come on down" and as Zach described it, in slow motion, I complied. And then Gravity said......"gottcha"! Within 5 minutes from the house, I had shattered my right (of course it HAD to be that one) elbow and lay there a crumpled mess with elbow and dignity destroyed.


I knew I was not going to be riding anymore so started thinking of how I would teach my bike a lesson. I would either put it up never to be ridden again.....




or use it in some sort of  demeaning way. Bicycles are meant to be free after all.


Maybe I would make a gate out of it.  That would teach it a lesson!!


Or donate it to be melted down and used to create the worlds largest bicycle.


But after months of healing, I began to see the beauty ....









and usefulness of  bicycles again.


And remembered how much fun it was to ride double with a friend.


I remembered that bicycles can be so romantic.


 A great way to go on a picnic!


And how much fun you can have just riding along with the wind in your hair.




So I decided to forgive my bicycle and maybe give it an honored place in my garden,




 lean it up somewhere for all to admire,


or make it a part of my interior design.


I could even bake it a cookie to show just how sorry I was for the neglect.


After all it could have been worse.
Sadly, before I had the chance to make amends, someone stole it from my porch. I can only hope they saw it's vintage beauty and gave it a place of prominence in THEIR flower garden. If not ..... I hope Gravity  decides to come calling again!



I hope you had a good time!!