Author: admin

How does your garden grow?

 Ours is growing TOO BIG.  I think the man forgets how much work this kind of thing creates.  Today a row was hoed.  Make that about 50 rows… that’s alot of hoeing.  Why does the mind always go right to the gutter when that word is uttered.  A blogger that I admire sent me some information, and I chuckled immediately when I saw her e-mail address… gardenhoe at ….  that just cracks me up. (you know who you are).

 See that large square of rich black soil out there?   I’m not whining, really…

 Ok, I’m whining…
You all are gonna come help me with the weeding, right?
In all fairness I will only be responsible for the weeding in the two raised beds behind the house. Supposedly there’s a plan in place for a rototiller to cut in between rows every three days to chop up any weeds that are thinking of taking root.  I’ll let you know how that goes.
The coop is coming along – yard is done – roof tomorrow….

The menfolk are outside right now fortifying the greenhouse walls…

 Although it’s still freak’n cold here, as in 40’s for the high…
I am grateful to the previous residents of this property for planting mini daffodils and crocus.

Spring really is here, if only Winter would just let go.

Brooklyn Restoration Supply (here’s a coop for the files)

 

  To all my fellow junk hunters…. if you live within a few hours drive of Brooklyn, CT and you love yesterday’s architectural treasures as much as we do… you must stop by and visit Rudy’s place one of these days at 12 Gorman Road, a quiet road off of Route 6, easy access from I-395. 


 At 81 years young – Rudy has owned and operated Brooklyn Restoration Supply for 45 years, now accompanied by his son. Made of several large chicken coops (as in HUGE)  and absolutely packed with old house parts, the place and the man are legendary among old house owners, antique collectors,  restoration experts and contractors.  

 As Rudy held his pipe in hand, I asked him what the secret is to living a long and productive life..

 He said … “It’s real simple.  Keep working. My mother helped me farm this land into her 90’s.”   I said… “Did you eat healthy foods fresh off the farm most of the time?”  and he said “Heck no. My mother couldn’t break me, and my wife couldn’t break me.”

OK then!…

This is why most people just call him “Rudy”…

  Rudy is successful for a few reasons, one of which is the fact that he knows how to get his money.  He’ll bargain with you just so much, and here you see Mike doing that slow dance.

  He bought a series of old glass paned doors that will serve as the panels of the greenhouse..
… Stay tuned…

  And these…. are what I came home with.
The milk can was $10.

The urns… well never mind. 
 Rudy saw me coming, that’s for sure. 
I’m guessing it was the salivating that gave me away
as I stood pondering their rusty awesomeness 


 

Coop Progress and baby onions

 This photo here shows you the proximity of the chicken coop to the rest of the homestead.  You’ll see the garden shed way over to the right… and my coop behind the barn/garage on the left.  Mr. Chicken Heart can’t get past the fact that someone told him rats like chicken feed.  Why he never thought of this in the twenty years we’ve had horses and their barn in very close proximity to our other house  is beyond me.  Horse feed rats are more horrifying than chicken feed rats, apparently.

 Have a great weekend – let’s all think SPRING.

Looking in the mirror

   

Today I see a woman who, at 46, still doesn’t  really know what she wants to be when she grows up.
I see a woman who wants to age gracefully and appreciate the gift,
but has a hard time with the signs of age despite her best intentions.
I see a woman who tries to please many, and in doing so…sometimes pleases no one.
Thankfully…. tomorrow is another day –
What do YOU see today when you look in the mirror?

The Art of Quilting

  One of the biggest sellers in our artisan gallery over the past two years were Vivika DeNegre’s Art Quilts.  They are beyond beautiful and I am lucky to have two of them in my home – She uses many different color threads, a wide array of fabrics, and her subjects vary from shorebirds to pet portraits to modern designs.  Often in the store, people would say “What a beautiful painting!”  and I ‘d say  “That’s actually a framed quilt!” … Upon closer inspection  they’d  see it – the quilt details are that refined.   My favorites are the nests and pet portraits, which she does on commission – GREAT present for someone with a beloved pet.  I have a  quilt portrait of Bailey and Rudy in my office, see bottom photo.

Baily & Rudy!!….
To see more of Vivika’s work, visit her blog at
http://vdenegrequilts.blogspot.com/
Her etsy shop is here
http://www.etsy.com/shop/vdenegrequilts?ref=top_trail

Greenhouse Project

   Our rising Son is at that age where he knows everything, and everything you think you know is stupid.   (enter my mother, chuckling at the irony…paybacks, apples not falling far from the tree, surely you remember when..….)   The problem is, I remember all too clearly!…

We forced him to tag along with us on errands yesterday and I noticed while having lunch at Chilis, I think rather than be seen with his parents he would have evaporated into the upholstery of the booth if he could have found a way.

  So this morning when he said  “Dad, remember we talked about the greenhouse, want to build it together today?”… you know… my heart kinda skipped a beat or two.  The moon will surely be blue tonight, I’ll have to remember to look. 

Spring Give-away Winner – and You Guys Totally Rock

  Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes, you make my heart sing with all your kind words, truly.
 No, I didn’t get a pony.

 Sandra of Thistle Cove farms… You have won my Spring Give-away!!  Send me an e-mail with your address – I’ve had fun putting a package together for you.

 Have you heard? Today the moon will be at it’s largest, and the Tides will be at their highest. Get your cameras out!

  Yesterday I took Ben for a walk on the beach and for the first time ever, I saw a seal sunning himself on a rock nearby.  In my 26 years of living in CT, I have never seen a seal in the waters here before.  Then, making our way back up the beach, there were two swans just out of dogs reach.  Always an odd sight to me in salt water.  But beautiful.   When I wrangle Ben, the camera is too much… so many photo ops, and NO CAMERA!!  The dilemna of being a camera lover is, you ALWAYS see something you want to capture… hard to be without it!

 Have a wonderful weekend    🙂

46

Tomorrow I’ll be
Forty Six
Four Six
46
Just four years and I’ll be 50
It’s scarey… the time
In particular,  how it flies
 I have always been acutely aware of  the process of aging
I wouldn’t say I obsess over it, but the weight of it has always been there
like a stone in my pocket
One summer day – I was 20 – I sat on a beach in a bikini
Basting in baby oil, of all things…
and I looked at my limbs, youthful and muscled and tan
but not yet mottled with sun spots, as they are now
I remember so clearly ..thinking…
Enjoy this time, this wearing of YOUTH
It won’t last
One day you will look down and things will be different
Enjoy it..now
And I did
Youth was not wasted on this youngster
because I was fully aware of its temporary existence
I did appreciate almost every detail
minus the zits and heartbroken angst
While it was mine
Now in middle age as things start to weaken and creak
I need to remind myself to appreciate all that is still working and healthy
because it is truly a gift, not a given
I carry that stone in my pocket now too
My birthday wish this year is for some kind of peace for the people of Japan
some saving grace, some respite and rescue
a ressurection from the devastation
that is their home
*****
OK, and maybe a pony…….
because some things never change  ðŸ™‚