Happy Anniversary!

I am happy to announce that The Antique Gardener 

is celebrating 15 years in business! 

 The shop began in a small one room shed on Pig Turd Alley in Amador City and combined my love of antiques and gardening. I started the shop as a way to have my own business and raise a family.  I never dreamed I would still love it so many years later.

It didn't take long for me to outgrow this location.  Although I loved the garden and the creek nearby, it was time to move to more visible spot.  In the fall of 2002 I moved to our second location, a large brick building on Main Street in Amador City.

The Antique Gardener continued to grow, as did our family.  Jack was born in August 2003.  He spent his days in the crib behind the counter, riding his pedal car around the shop or digging in the dirt in our small garden area out back.

In 2008 an amazing location became available at 80 Main Street in Sutter Creek. It was the perfect combination of a rambling historic home and a large outdoor space. We made the decision to move in October 2007 and spent the next six months renovating the new location.  

The Antique Gardener moved to Sutter Creek in March, 2008. 

 Just a few months later our family grew again with the birth of Emma. 

Emma in the Spring of 2009 in the garden

The gardens had been neglected for years. 

Here is five year old Jack shortly after we moved in to 80 Main.

Jack in the same spot seven years later. 

 I'm not sure which has changed more - the yard or the kid!

Jack & Emma's original fruit stand.  

Together they sold plums, blackberries, veggies, fresh flowers and lavender.  

They still set up their stand for a few days every summer.

It is hard to believe that 15 years have passed.  The shop is fuller and the garden has grown.  There are great new products in the shop that change seasonally as well as products we have carried since the beginning.  The kids have grown.  They have gone from a playpen behind the counter to working behind the counter.  So I hope you'll stop by soon to see all the changes and all the things that have stayed the same.  Most importantly, thank you to all my customers.  Without your support I would not be celebrating this milestone. 

 Much love and thanks, Aimee

Getting back to blogging!

I had to take a little break from my blog - - ok, a long break.  The last three years have been a whirlwind....

In the fall of 2013 we were finally able to refinance the construction loan for our new home. Sounds like such a simple thing. It took us ten stressful months and we came oh so close to loosing our beautiful new home.  Just one month after that huge weight was lifted another took its place.

Three days before Thanksgiving my mom was hit by a pickup while crossing the street in a nearby town.  She actually flew onto the hood of the truck then rolled into the street when he stopped.  Her hip was crushed. She had emergency surgery and endured over a year of physical therapy. She had been a nurse for 35 years and was forced to retire because of her injuries.  As horrible as it was there were so many things to be thankful for.  She was alive.  She had no head trauma. We live on the same property so I was nearby to help with showers, meals, housekeeping and laundry.  And, I have an amazing family - my father, siblings, husband and kids were all there to lend a helping hand.  After the accident Mom's leg was almost an inch shorter. This gave her a terrible limp and increasing pain. In February, 2015 she had a second surgery - a total hip replacement. Thanks to her miraculous surgeon, physical therapy and a lot of hard work she is back on her feet.  As my daughter says, she is "Nanny no cane".

In the middle of all that my husband got a great new job as a fire fighter/dozer operator for Cal Fire. He was hired in September of 2014 and stationed in Woodlake, CA - - just miles from his hometown of Exeter, CA.  He started months of schooling.  Back to back training that lasted until June 2015. And it taught me very quickly what life is like as a single mom!  His station is almost four hours away.  He is generally gone 3-4 days a week with the longest stretch last fall lasting about three weeks.  It has been a blessing and an adjustment for our entire family.

While I was juggling two kids, a full-time job running my shop and helping out with Mom my blog disappeared from my thoughts.  Completely.  Entirely.  In January I resolved to keep it updated and do at least one post a month.  Well, here it is April and I'm finally doing it!

So, yes, The Antique Gardener is open!  Business has been amazingly good the last year and Sutter Creek is booming with several great new shops and restaurants opening.  There are also some amazing wineries that have opened tasting rooms in town.  We have survived wildfires, drought and are enjoying an economy on the rise.

Please excuse me if I'm not able to update our blog on a regular basis.  Instead check us out on Instagram or Facebook which are a little easier for me to keep up to date. The shop is really full this time of year with a good selection of plants, antiques and other treasures. So come relax in the garden or take a class.  Check out one of the many events happening in Sutter Creek in the next few months. Or, just stop in and say hello!

Happy Spring!
Aimee