Tag: Old Stuff

Chicks, Cool finds and Artichokes

The chicks are now a few weeks old and growing some serious feathers. I’ve made their brood box bigger so they can run and jump and flap their wings.   I supplement their medicated chick starter crumbles with chopped up parsley and spinach and crushed hard boiled egg – they love the yoke in particular.  One of them has developed a scissor beak and I’m not sure she’ll make it.  When chicks hatch out of the egg they protect their head and beak with one wing over it as they claw/peck their way through – When they fail to do that they can develop an injury to the beak that becomes more evident as they mature – which is what’s happening with Cersei. Some live with the condition, some don’t.  She is the one on the bottom left corner – if you look closely at her beak, you’ll see the misalignment. 

Meanwhile.. out at the coop – the girls are getting out to free range more often now that the weather has improved, and they’re loving it.  Ruby is my friendliest hen… 

 

 
 Their favorite places to hang out around the yard are under the big pine tree at the front of the garage and the side of the garage where the dust baths are divine and the worm scratching prolific.  Hence all the mulch in disarray. 
 

 
I’ve been doing some Spring cleaning here at the farmstead, tackling a clutter issue I’ve been ignoring but annoyed by for some time.  The big window in the keeping room area that the dogs sleep under has housed my plants on a table for a while now. The problem is it blocked the light/cluttered the view, just looked like an afterthought.   Two days ago I came across a very old plant stand in an inexpensive antique store and had an aha! moment.
Before… 

 
 

After….. 

 
 The plants are now on the stand on the other side of the bar divider, in the dining table area.   They’ll  get the same light, so I’m hopeful they will be happy there.  I do need to raise my stained glass creation, but it’s a heavy piece and will need one of the menfolk to get the job done without smashing it. 

 
This recipe has been circulating facebook, and I’m definitely going to try this as a seaside supper at the cottage. Looks delish! 
 
Stuffed Artichoke bottoms with lemon and shrimp
 

 
 
 
Servings: six as a first course; two as main course.
These stuffed artichoke bottoms are impressive appetizers but also make an elegant main course for two.
 

Ingredients

For the breadcrumbs

  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1-1/2 cups coarse day-old breadcrumbs

For the artichokes and shrimp

  • Kosher salt
  • 6 large artichokes, trimmed down to bottoms 
  • 3/4 lb. medium (51 to 60 per lb.) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Make the breadcrumbs

  • Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the parsley, thyme, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels. (The crumbs may be made up to 1 day ahead; cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Prepare the artichokes and shrimp

  • Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
     
    In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 Tbs. salt, drop the artichokes in, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Spread out on a clean cloth to cool and dry.
    Heat a 10- to 11-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the cayenne, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Working in two batches, sear the shrimp in the hot pan, turning once, until lightly browned on the edges and opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer each batch of shrimp to a medium bowl.
    In a small saucepan, gently melt the butter over low heat. When the butter is just starting to foam, add 2 Tbs. of the chopped parsley.Let the parsley sizzle in the butter for 1 or 2 minutes and then whisk in the lemon juice. Add the butter mixture to the bowl with the shrimp and toss.
    Oil an 8×10-inch baking dish with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil and arrange the artichoke bottoms stem side down in the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pile 5 to 6 shrimp in the center of each artichoke bottom, including some but not all of the butter. Top with the breadcrumbs and drizzle the remaining butter and the shrimp juices over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
 
One last thing before you go – I laughed out loud when I saw this one.. 
 
 
 
Till soon –
 
Karen🐤🐣 
 
 
 

The Hunt for Treasures of Years Gone by

     My husband and I are about as far apart on the spectrum as you can possibly be when it comes to certain things, but it’s those other more important things that keep us together and contented most of the time.  Our love of family and our sense of -home- , the land and beauty of nature are on the latter list.  Treasure hunting through antiques stores and old barns and outdoor markets is up there too.

      Along the shoreline not far from our farm and seaside cottage are quite a few treasure troves – two of which we visited yesterday.

    First we browsed the Essex Old Saybrook Antiques Village –

   We didn’t find the small black table he was looking for to go in his office, but I did score these Bunnykin bowls –  Vintage 1936, small bowls that were part of a children’s mursery dining series by Royal Doulton, England.  I’m a firm believer in using the good china, using the antiques that make their way into This Old House.   One day, when we are hopefully graced with grandchildren,  I’ll use these bowls to serve up ice cream or oatmeal or baby food  when they visit.

    I love to search for information on the pieces that catch our eye.   According to Wikipedia – Introduced in 1934, Bunnykins tableware depicted Mr. and Mrs. Bunnykins and other rabbits dressed in human clothing, in colorful rural and small-town English scenes, transfer-printed on white china. The earliest pieces, signed “Barbara Vernon” (Sister Mary Barbara Bailey), are quite rare and highly prized. Bunnykins china was used by  Princess Elizabeth and  Princess Margaret and thus became a popular present given as christening and birthday gifts in middle-class English homes. The chinaware line originated with artwork by Sister Mary Barbara Bailey, the daughter of Cuthbert Bailey, general manager of Doulton during the 1930’s.  Unbeknownst to the public, Mary was not a professional illustrator, but a nun in the Augustinian Canonesses of the Lateran. 

     Since we hadn’t found what we actually went out for – we drove down the road to the Old Saybrook Antiques Center.

   This antiques center carries some of the very finest pieces, some dating back to the early 1700’s.  It’s clear the dealers who sell their wares here know the value of what they find – and carefully preserve it.   The details in the woodcarved chairs and desks are amazing – a toddler’s 1800’s highchair below…

     The photograph below by well known photographer J.A. Beal depicts a scene in 1870’s New York City…  If not for the price tag, I would have loved to bring it home.

     This mirror is just stunning in it’s detail… 1900’s – Gold gilt
pardon the ugg’s slip-ons… comfort first 🙂

     The bowl below was large and well worn – still in beautiful,  functional condition.  It is described as an Early American lathe turned pine kitchen bowl with original forged iron hanger – circa 1800.

     

   
     This horse caught my eye –  an 1850-1860 era horse that has acquired a leg wound.

If you’re a long time reader here you might remember my rocking horse restoration project.   The price tag on the one above means  if I bought it I wouldn’t bastardize it with a renovation –  but the one I found a few years ago had already been messed with quite a bit and was a real bargain, so I gave him a facelift.

 The find…

    My finished project….

       I’m not sure how old my horse is…. but he’s very similar to the one we saw yesterday – so quite possible he is  an 1800’s horse.  I didn’t repaint the base, as it looked original.

A few more treasures I would have loved to take home if I won the lottery…

   After browsing this market we still didn’t find the piece we were looking for…. but…  I did find an 1800’s original pencil sketch of a farm house that reminds me of  Gracie – what I call This Old House because I also call our home Saving Grace, Gracie for short –   with trees and fields and a person with chickens and a dog in the front yard and a horse in the field on the left.  The price was fair and they accepted our offer,  my birthday is around the corner, sort of anyway…. So… I picked up another treasure and we call it the early birthday present. 
 I placed it above the mantel in the keeping room because it reminds me so much of This Old House –  They are about the same age, don’t you know.   And although we aren’t convinced it belongs in quite that spot – scale and all that – I love it too much to put it anywhere that it won’t be seen often.  I imagine A. S. Bailey sitting in a field in front of the house, perhaps under a shade tree – sketching the scene in front of him/her? ….. admiring the shiny coat of the horse grazing in the field, the man tending his flock of chickens, with beloved dog by his side… the charming house in the background – the attention paid to the roof shingles, the fencing…  the chimney at the peak.   Simpler times…. 
  Speaking of which – it’s time to go do the not so simple chore of feeding the horses and chickens and tucking them in for the night –  Thank you for tagging along- 
Till soon – 

The Christmas House

      If you’ve been visiting my blog for a while, you know about Stella – our little cottage on the cove.  We learned about that vintage coastal community through a dear friend who lives just down the road from us here at This Old House.  She and her husband raised their kids during summer months in their cottage near Stella –  It maintains the same rustic 1930’s seasonal cottage charm as ours, partly because of her loving touches just about everywhere, and her husband’s beautiful artwork to compliment it. So, we are neighbors both here and down at the shore.

      I need to tell you just a little about “Mrs. F” without giving away her personal information. She is a real dynamo! Having already lived most of her 90th decade, she continues to maintain two households with a little help from her children and grands,  still volunteers for several organizations, still creates, gardens and bakes for family, friends, and the causes she supports.  I have several perennial plants in my cottage gardens now that come from her garden, they will always remind me of her, and my gratitude to her for having helped us find a cottage of our own.

    I stopped in a few days ago to see the bird carvings her son had created, and was just blown away by the Christmas decor she had absolutely everywhere in her charming home.   An observation I’ve made regarding “Mrs. F” and a few other people I’ve been lucky to know who have lived well into their 90’s…  despite heartbreaking events like illness or  the passing of a spouse,  they all share something vital – and that is to live fully with purpose, intention, keeping up with family and friends, nurturing their creativity and being active in causes they believe in throughout all of their days. 

    Browsing all the decorations and artwork and treasures around her home, the warmth of the place and the person  and the people she holds dear surrounds you.  I told “Mrs. F” her home reminded me of a Christmas House… and she said that is exactly what her grandchildren call it.

     The ornaments on her tree are vintage, some she made out of copper,  some given to her by students during her teaching career.

The sitting room above has beautiful furniture pieces 
made by members of her family. 
This bathroom has so much spunk… “Mr. and Mrs. F.” papered it with old

New Yorker Magazine Covers… I absolutely love it.

Below is the only work in acrylics her husband 
ever produced –  He preferred to work in oils.
Of his many beautiful works, this is one of my favorites, and hers. 
A blacksmith’s shop.. with the forge’s glow spilling out into the evening snow

   A collection of Steiff toys from her husband’s childhood live in her office/study… 
The story of how steiff toys came to be is a worthy read – 
you’ll find it HERE. 

    So many treasures of the heart in this old farm house down the lane… Thank you, my dear friend “Mrs. F” , for sharing it with us here on my blog.

   There’s one more thing I’d like to share –  Mrs. F’s recipe for Swedish cookies. I was gifted with a lovely box full of cookies she made for the holidays, and these  particular cookies are absolutely divine buttery sugary perfection. 

Grandma Mabel’s Swedish Cookies
1 lb. Butter
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1 egg yolk
dash of salt
1 shot of Brandy
Combine ingredients – Work with hands until a paste dough is formed. Chill for 20 minutes, Roll  out dough on floured surface, nice and thin. Cut shapes, brush with egg wash so that decorations like colored sugar, etc. stick to the cookie.  Bake at 350 Degrees, 12 min or until just golden.    

In search of the Fire King

    On Saturday my two favorite guys took a ride with me to the Putnam Antique Center here in Connecticut to do some treasure hunting.  Four floors of  all kinds of “stuff”  can be found here in this old building in the center of an old mill town.  A previous post on this area can be found HERE and HERE.   My mission on Saturday was to find more Fire King Jadeite for Stella, our little cottage on the cove. 

   This is not my collection or photo.  After having done some research, this collection is most likely a mix of vintage and new.  An example of what’s obviously new – on the middle shelf, the large bowl with handle/spout in the center on the bottom has a swirl pattern. With vintage pieces, the swirl is much softer, the swirl edges not so rigid.  I bet if that were turned over, it would be discovered as a new piece.  Fire King originals had a very smooth simple quality.



      More info: Fire King Jadeite, made by Anchor Hocking, was popular in the 1940’s and manufactured up until the 1970’s.  It’s  a type of glass tableware made of jade green opaque milk glass. It was very durable, so much so that some restaurants/diners used the plain but pretty dishware and cups, etc. to serve their customers.   So popular was it,  that the company still produces a reproduction line with minor variations so that collectors can tell the difference between original pieces and the new line.  China has also come out with a line of it’s own, and some knockoffs can be found in Target and Cracker Barrel. 


    So.. we cruised around the antique mall and I did find several groupings of Jadeite – all original, but some very pricey and some in scratchy chippy condition. 

 Then I spied a creamer and sugar bowl in perfect condition with a price tag that was reasonable. 




 I turned them over and indeed, they are authentic.  Not that it matters to me so much that they are authentic, but I’m not paying $20 for a $2. target item.  Some people have gotten caught in that trap on ebay, etc. 



 Score! 


I also found this depression era juicer and loved the vibrant spring green hue. Their simple design and sturdy thick glass work  really well when making lemon-orange aid, one of our favorite thirst quenchers ’round here in summer.   


 According to Wikipedia – Depression glass is clear or colored translucent machine made glassware that was distributed free, or at low cost, in the United States and Canada around the time of the Great Depression. Much depression glass is uranium glass. The Quaker Oats Company and other food manufacturers and distributors, put a piece of glassware in boxes of food, as an incentive to purchase. Movie theaters and businesses would hand out a piece simply for coming in the door.
Most of this glassware was made in the Ohio River Valley of the United States, where access to raw materials and power made manufacturing inexpensive in the first half of the twentieth century. More than twenty manufacturers made more than 100 patterns, and entire dinner sets were made in some patterns. Common colors are clear (crystal), pink, pale blue, green, and amber. Less common colors include yellow (canary), ultramarine, jadeite (opaque pale green), delphite (opaque pale blue), cobalt blue, red (ruby & royal ruby), black, amethyst, monax, and white (milk glass).
Although of marginal quality, Depression glass has been highly collectible since the 1960s. Due to its popularity as a collectible.  Depression glass is becoming more scarce on the open market. Rare pieces may sell for several hundred dollars. Some manufacturers continued to make popular patterns after World War II, or introduced similar patterns, which are also collectible. Popular and expensive patterns and pieces have been reproduced, and reproductions are still being made.

 Below is a photo I found online of someone’s pink depression glass collection – 


    There was so much to look at and prices were fair.  We are tempted several times over but the truth is we don’t need more “stuff”…  and the looking is half the fun. 
 An old coal stove, ornamental now due to a crack in the back
 “No trouble to show goods”



Beautifully crafted leather purses

   


💖 This stove! 



   After I made my purchases, we stopped in Victoria’s Station Bakery and ooh,  if I could only share the heavenly smell of good coffee and pastry with you here…  Notice all the cozy seating areas with newspapers, magazines, a nice way to relax on a chilly afternoon.  




… a lovelier cupcake cannot be found in all the land.


       

 Till soon, friends – 








   


Love Lived Here

   We recently purchased a piece of commercial property that has a house on it.  The nicest couple from  Ukraine have been living there for over 10 years – without heat, without insulated walls, and with primitive plumbing.   They did their best to live comfortably, without any assistance from a very absent Landlord.  The house is in such disrepair, though, it’s a tear-down.  Located in a commercial zone, it’s also no longer appealing to a homeowner.  If you have been reading here for very long you know we love old houses and This Old House is a “save” of an 1835 farm house.  We thought we might renovate the little house, but once we acquired the land and inspected the house, it was clear there was far too much rot and not enough quality construction to keep it intact.  So.. we’ll remove and re-use what we can – like some of the windows, that beautiful old tub, door knobs, etc. 
   The traces left behind are evidence that Love lived in this house too, regardless of the neglect. 

Claw foot tub and beautiful glass lamps, diamond checked floor
… love lived here. 

  Santa on a window trim ledge – love lived here.

 A pink vase in a sunlit window – love lived here. 
   American flags, their adopted country – love lived here. 
    Shells on the front steps, with a little piece of pink yarn.  Love lived here…  
 Out back, an old shed… 

  with an old garden plot lying dormant out back,  tools standing in wait for the coming season.  While this little homestead’s season has come to  an end, before she goes.. you should know… love lived here. 

Abandoned North Brother Island

   Having grown up on Staten Island in New York, it’s hard for me to believe I never heard of North and South Brother Islands in the East River until it popped up on my facebook feed recently.  Both Islands are completely abandoned since the early 1960’s.  Either that or it was buried in a history lesson at school and distracted youth prohibited me from paying attention. 
Note*  The island and facilities are not open to the public. The  following photos were taken from various photographers and historians who gained permission to access the island.  My resources were found on the internet. These are not my images. Hopefully those affiliated with these images won’t mind the sharing, since no money is made on this blog. 
  A little history –  the North and South Brother Islands are a pair of very small islands located in NYC’s East River between the Bronx and Rikers Island (notorious for it’s hardcore prison).  North Brother island was originally the location of a quarantine facility built around 1885, the Riverside Hospital, and housing among other outbuildings.   

North Brother Island consists of approximately 20 acres, but the number varies depending on source.  It had long been privately owned until 2007 when it was purchased by the city. 
Aerial view.. 
  In it’s day, the Hospital treated a variety of  diseases including typhus, leprosy,  small pox, tuberculosis, scarlet fever, venereal disease and drug addiction.
   
   Have you heard of Typhoid Mary?  Ever wonder where that expression came from?   Mary Mallon was an immigrant cook from Ireland.  Although she was immune to the disease, it was discovered she was a carrier for typhus.  Working as a cook, she spread the disease in New York to approx. 50 people and long story short, ended up quarantined for over 30 years on North Brother Island even though she was “healthy”. 

    Historian and photographer, Ian Ference has been given access to the island and took some incredible photos, some of which are used here. 
   Says Ian…
   “This has got to be one of America’s most important places to visit.  Historically it has had a notorious and sometimes sinister reputation.  It was established as a forced quarantine camp for people suffering from infectious and often fatal diseases such as typhoid, scarlet fever, yellow fever and thyphus.  There were six people suffering from leprosy here in wooden huts. 
   New York was taking in a huge number of immigrants in the late nineteenth and earth twentieth centuries – and new arrivals were forced to live in crowded and unsanitary conditions. Diseases would inevitably spread and once the health authorities identified a person as having a communicable disease they were seized and forced to live on North Brother Island – unless they were rich enough to afford a private clinic. Conditions were bad – the mortality rate among patients was high and the recovery rate low. There was no telephony in those early days so once people were grabbed and taken there – they were often never heard from again by their families.’

   
   Then…. 
 





and now…

   The island is off limits to the public with the exception of city police and a handful of bird experts, who have a special interest in its colony of black-crowned night herons.  Before closing it was used for housing for War Veterans, and then a drug rehabilitation facility until 1963, when the doors on the island buildings and grounds were closed permanently. 

    If you’re a shutterbug like me,  you’ve probably browsed this post thinking the same thing I did – to be able to explore this island with camera in hand would be a dream come true.  That this forgotten facility has not found another use, all these beautiful old buildings being pulled back down into the flora and fauna of the island, is a sad tale of ..what, I’m not sure. Poor management on the part of the city? Seems such a waste of potential for the many needs still out there – Homeless Veterans, elderly or affordable housing, homeless shelter, substance treatment facility, rehab facility, animal shelter, ….. the list goes on.  If there is such a thing as a haunted place, I imagine many a restless spirit paces these grounds at night.. 


If these old walls could talk…..

  

Till soon, friends.. 


Gladys Taber and Stillmeadow Farm

 
    I love a good book and have read many over the years.  During spring and summer months here on the farm when the days are longer, I’m outside more than I’m in.  By the time we get into bed I fall asleep before I’ve turned eight pages of whatever’s on my nightstand.   When fall arrives and the days are shorter I start the hunt for good reading material.   We are not night owls up in this house. We rise around 5 a.m. just because we always have, and of course there are the dogs and horses and chickens to tend to.    Come autumn and winter when  the light bleeds out of the sky by 5 -ish and the temps are chilly at best, we hibernate in the man cave by the fire with some sport or another on the flatscreen  for him and a book for me.  The dogs are happy with this arrangement for they nestle among us in front of the fire and one or two on the bed when we hit the hay.

     I’m so disgusted by  our current political atmosphere that I have been seeking respite from all that blustery ego and dagger waggering crap… and I have found it in the wonderful books of Stillmeadow by a renown (but unknown to me till now)  author… Gladys Taber.   I discovered Gladys through another favorite author of mine – also a respite read if you are looking for upbeat home and heart warming stories, art, recipes and musings on life.  You can find Susan Branch’s wonderful blog and post about Gladys HERE.   If you click on the link, scroll down her post a little to find info and a tour of  Stillmeadow.

    A little info about Gladys – Born in 1899, died at the age of 81 at her Cape Cod home, she was the author of 59 books including the Stillmeadow series currently on my nightstand.  She was a columnist for Ladies Home Journal and Family Circle, had a bachelors degree from Wellesly, an M.A. from Lawrence College and taught creative writing at Columbia for years.  Gladys married Frank Taber and had one daughter, Constance. The young family lived in a small, dark apartment in NYC, but she and her childhood friend and NYC neighbor, Eleanor (Jill in the books) yearned for a simpler, cleaner life in the country to raise their children and beloved dogs, away from the smog and noise of the big city.

     After two years of searching NJ and CT for an affordable farm, the two families purchased the vintage 1690 Southbury, CT farmhouse for $30K  and soon found there was much work to be done as the home was dilapidated beyond what they had assumed upon purchase.  The women initially commuted on weekends, but within two years they decided to move permanently to the farmhouse.  For many years after, Gladys wrote of life at Stillmeadow.  It’s unclear what the role of the husbands were at the farm, they are not mentioned frequently in the books.  What I found out by doing some research is that Gladys eventually divorced and Eleanor’s (Jill’s) husband died of cancer at some point.  Gladys and Eleanor delighted in gardening, cooking, tending the old farmhouse, raising their children in the country and their beloved dogs  as well.  With her talent for writing, Gladys brings her readers along with her on their journey, these homesteading stories and recipes now treasured for generations.
 
     Sadly, Jill passed on in her 60’s of cancer and Gladys found herself engulfed in grief.  In one of her later books she shares with her readers the grieving experience and what she found helpful to cope with such a terrible loss.  The title of that book is Another Path – I just purchased it on Amazon (all books are now out of print but if you’re lucky, you can find them online or in a bookstore that carries out of print books).   The following are photos I’ve found online – hopefully it’s OK to share them here with you.  Then I’ll show you a few of my own.

Gladys as a young woman with one of her favorite cockers – 
Gladys in her element at Stillmeadow…  

with daughter Connie and favorite cocker,  named Especially Me.
Notice there’s a dog in every picture – 
part of the reason I love her so. 

The next three pictures are of the interior…
Photo Credit to Susan Branch, who’s link I placed
above will take you to a lovely description of her tour 
of the homestead.  
For all the fabulous cooking Gladys put forth over the years,
 her kitchen was tiny! As Susan B. said on her blog…
it’s a one-butt kitchen! 

Books and more books in every room

The main hearth, which you can see  hasn’t changed much.
Gladys did some fine cooking on cold winter days over that fire… 

 Below Susan Branch in 2014 at the front of the house, which can’t be seen from the road.

Gladys had written that no one used the front door except the dogs and now that I’ve visited I understand why.  The front door is in the backyard.  The back of the house faces the road. 

Just a few of Gladys Taber’s many books… 

 Cookbook photos found on apronfreecooking.com
 I’ve had great success finding old books on Amazon –  Below is my current GT collection
And this is what I love about books, why I won’t buy a kindle – they are something you hold in your hands, share with others, they are an heirloom, a piece of history in and of themselves. They are concrete, not a file on a gadget.  I love the smell of books, the feel of books, the idea that they have been or will be enjoyed by many others before or after me.   Gladys’ “Another Path” ,  her very personal account of dealing with grief –  arrived in the mail the other day. I ordered it from a used book dealer on Amazon.  Inside was this note… 
  The book was published in 1963.  I googled Margaret Aylworth and only two things came up in the search that were relevant to that name.  

   This Margaret and her spouse lived in California.  The husband died in 1962.  His wife passed later in 1977.  Could this be the Margaret that bought the book I now have… as a birthday present to herself, possibly to help her grieve the loss of her husband?   
So… 

    Yesterday, the Mr. and I took a ride to Stillmeadow Farm. I was thrilled to learn it was just over an hour’s ride from This Old House.  While the home is not open to the public, it’s still owned by Gladys’ granddaughter.  Amazingly,  it’s reported she has kept it just as if Gladys had stepped out to run some errands. The Land Trust of Southbury has been working with the Taber family to help them keep the homestead.  The farm once consisted of over 40 acres, but the Southbury Land Trust has bought some of it to include in their parcel right across and surrounding Stillmeadow Farm.  One can’t help but think Gladys is smiling down on the arrangement.

  The old road Gladys lived on is still unpaved and surrounded by fields and forest, all part of Land Conservation trust now.  There are newer homes up the road that I’m guessing weren’t there years ago.    As we drove  down this little hill her beloved Stillmeadow came in to view.  It’s sits just off the road and honestly, it’s as if no time has passed since she last walked the grounds –  I half expected her Irish, Holly and cockers Tiki, Linda and Teddy to run out to the picket fenceline to make Gladys and “Jill”  aware of the strangers in the road.

   I remember a passage where she describes a conversation with her companion, Jill, talking of how it must have been before there was plumbing in this 1690 home as they stared at the ancient wellhouse… the occupants would pull their water up from this well, even in the chill of winter, and warm the buckets of water over the fire, one at a time..returning outdoors for each additional bucketful for bathing or cooking or cleaning chores.

   That well house needed paint and was on Jill’s “to-do” list still sitting on the kitchen table when she passed away suddenly after a brief illness.  Of the two, she was the fixer upper and had accomplished so much in her time at Stillmeadow.

There were lights on in the house and cars in the side yard…
While it’s not clear if her family lives there full time, 
I didn’t linger too long taking pictures
as it felt a bit stalker-ish with someone “home”. 
They’re probably used to the attention, as I’ve
read of many fan pilgrimages to the farm
but I’m sure it gets old.. folks staring in at the homestead,
camera pointed – 
There is a small pond fed by a lively brook to the left of the house..
and a  summerhouse  as well. 
Many a dog swim and children wading
and spring frogs were mentioned in the books. 

Directly across the way is an equally charming old homestead 
with a beautiful big barn…
Neighboring famer George Phillips was frequently
mentioned in the books.  
The Land Trust now owns the barn but I’m not sure
about the charming house right next to it. 
For many years it was empty while Gladys lived across the way,
due to some sort of legal issue. 
I don’t know it’s current arrangement, although it looks
lived in and cared for.  
                   Stillmeadow on the right in this picture…

While googling around for images, I found these  pictures of the two properties in the snow –
This is why I love New England – our four seasons are spectacular and so worth the occasional nuisance.

 Perhaps a Gladys Christmas Card? 
  So.. if you’re weary of the recent nightly assault of discouraging news and long for a simpler time, find yourself a  Gladys Taber book and get lost in a bygone era.  She was one remarkable woman, and lived through a difficult time – the World Wars in the mix, after all.  Her words of wisdom can still be applied today.   Both women knew struggles and loss, and found respite in the countryside where they entertained friends and family and shared their goodwill and good sense and homesteading talents with the world through Gladys’s writing. 
Till soon, friends – 

Another installment of the K List

  .. .meaning this that, and the other too. 
   Little Miss Olivia Penny Sally Maddie Scout is doing just fine.  Even though I had her name tag engraved OLIVIA… I’m not feeling it.   I  also gave her too much credit for being potty trained so soon in life- silly me.  Now that she’s comfortable here… yeah.   So.. the REAL potty training is in full force.  The great news is she sleeps through the night without having to go out – and without messing in her crate.  Bonus!   I do believe in crate training, it’s not cruel, it’s not dangerous, and it’s not to be abused or it can be all of the above.  I only use the crate for over night and when I have to get busy somewhere else and need her to be safe and not in a potty zone. For the most part she has the run of the house with the other dogs. 
   
The dogs are getting use to her – here they are under my desk in the little bed a bought for her because she likes to hang out there when I’m working… they kicked her out and took over, but at least their butts are allowed to touch.  Progress! 

   I saw something beautiful on pinterest or facebook… a sea glass artist who makes beautiful creations from sea glass, shells, sand and windows.   Mine is much more simple but I love it regardless.   I bought an old window at a junk shop for $5, took some of my  shell and sea glass collection and scored a big vase full from a friend,  and in two hours time put this together and will hang it in my dining room window as soon as the husband has time to help. It’s heavy and I don’t want to risk not securing it well enough.  Better to be able to blame him if it falls (kidding!!  but not really!!).  This is a super inexpensive craft you can do – cost me $16. total – and what a gorgeous accent to anyone’s home.  
      As I’ve said before, I’ve been trying not to delve into the political state of things lately, but some things can’t be ignored.  I have a good friend who is a decent man, an intelligent man… who loves all things Tr*mp.  How those two realities co-exist is beyond my comprehension.   He believes all negative news is fake news and repeatedly tries to defend him no matter what the obvious offense.  It astounds me, how anyone can love him.  LOVE him, not just tolerate him because -agenda-.   He thinks the government deserves what they’re getting from Tr*mp and to be honest?  The government and the media had lessons to learn.  They’re learning alright.  But to who’s expense.  Ours, in my opinion.  This is the leader of the free world, supposedly.  This isn’t just a lesson.   My friend has said over and over again there are absolutely no truths to any of the inklings that the Tr*mp team and Russ*a had any collusion whatsoever regarding our election.   While this will not get him arrested… it is the tip of the iceberg.  It is.. truth.  Is it illegal?   I guess not.  But the son of the President was willing to work with the Russ*ans, felt comfortable doing so… do undermine our election.  That’s enough sleeze for me.  If you’re a Tr*mp supporter and you’re reading this.. you would be SCREAMING if it were Chelsea Cl*nton.    First… lets stop all the hypocrisy.  
     One thing I’m pretty confident is the truth….  Tr*mp is a master manipulator.  He knew how to play what would be his base by using the distrust and fedup attitude of many towards our government.  The downside to that is, he got in and I don’t think he every really believed he would.  His own good friend, Howard St(rn said he had hoped his friend wouldn’t win the election because he didn’t think he really wanted the job.  He was too thin skinned for what would come with it, he would miss is old life, his mental health would be in serious jeopardy.  NO  KIDDING. 
 45 himself said he misses his old life.   So.. what are we getting?  A bitter, self-absorbed bully narcissist who’s missing his old life and saying FU to whatever and whomever isn’t riding along on his magic carpet with high praise for his majesty.    The POTUS works for us, we don’t work for him. He’s forgetting that very important aspect.  If he were a corporate exec, he’d be fired by now with all that hideous twittering and false facts.  
   We the People deserve so much more.  The world stage demands so much more.  What damage will be done…   and oh how I hope I’m wrong about all of it. 

Ed’s Place

    Around 12 years ago we tried to buy This Old House when it was in need of much repair and the 90 something year old owner, a lovely and very philanthropic woman had passed on.   Having no children of her own, she left the house to a University, and the University sold it at auction to use the funds for their needs.  We loved the old place and put in a bid. Initially we were told our offer was accepted, oh, did I leap for joy!  Only to discover a week later that another bid had been “unofficially accepted” by another party shortly before us, so sorry for the mistake,  and the fellow heard of our offer being accepted and hired a lawyer. Long story short, we had to walk away. 
   Who was this person who pulled This Old House out from under us? Was he going to tend to her many needs as we would have?   Was he a master of renovation? Did he care about her old bones enough to preserve them?  
    Years went by. We would drive by This Old House  ( literally THIS old house)  and see….. not much.  The yard around the house continued to grow up and around it.  Some beautiful trees in the driveway had been cut down (gasp!) … but the purpose for that remained unclear.  The fields remained overgrown.  The house needed paint.  Had he repaired the ceilings?  The walls?  That kitchen!  
   Five years go by, and we get a call.  A call, it turns out, from  Ed – the fellow who bought This Old House out from under us.  I should be clear about this, it wasn’t his fault.. it was that of a realtor who shall remain unnamed.   Anyway – Ed was having trouble keeping up with the place, it was “getting away from him”,  he was struggling with some personal issues and would we still have an interest in buying the old place?   Are you kidding.    He wasn’t! 
  Within a year, we did get to purchase This Old House, and the rest you already know if you’ve been reading here for the past five or so years.   
    So.. where did Ed go after he left This Old House?  He bought yet another run down property with significant acreage, a barn and two houses that needed work.  For whatever his reasons, he has for at least three moves now, been drawn to lovely old properties that need more work than he can mentally or physically handle, but he sees them, falls in love, pays good money for them.. and then lives there for a while trying to sort it all out.  It ultimately doesn’t get sorted, and he moves on. 
    Ed actually became a friend, and the Mr. helps him out where he can.  When this next property became too much for him for whatever the reasons or demons… an associate of  M looked over the place and saw a whole lot of potential he wants to tap into, and so he bought it. 
 What a glorious property!… The two homes are 1800’s and late 1700’s (stone house in pics below), all hand hewn post and beam. We had dinner at a local pub last night and then stopped at the old place to do some exploring before the new owner does what he will do. (develop).   While it’s a bummer to see old farms like this developed, it’s inevitable in many cases. What’s important (!) is that it’s developed responsibly and with respect for the beautiful terrain that is worthy of keeping intact.  Hopefully the homes will be restored.   That’s the influence my M hopes to have on the developer.  While this is what my guy does for a living.. the buyer is going to give development a go himself.  That can either work out OK or be a disaster… so much to know, and they have no experience. 

 At one time, long before Ed owned the property, it was a nursery.  Throughout the place there are lilacs and random flowering shrubs and perennials like iris, hosta and globe thistle.  It’s all overgrown and the rhyme and reason are no longer obvious, but the quiet beauty of it all is breathtaking.

 A barn stands in the middle of a field behind the houses – at one time a horse named “HotShot” lived there according to a plaque on the wall.

   
 So where did Ed end up?  Well, he kicked around a few ideas, including a Florida condo… but ultimately he bought himself a charming older small home on a busy road in the middle of town with not much yard to maintain.    I don’t know how he is feeling about the traffic and the close proximity to neighbors, but  the relief of finally landing where the land is not demanding…  must be a comfort. 

Treasures…

   I’m getting fed up with being fed up, I’m anxious over all the anxiety,  I’m mad as hell about all the madness that has descended in this ill wind that currently blows through the white house and our government at large.  The damned fibromyalgia is flaring and I’m getting tired of seeing my own hot air spewed all over my social media pages. 
   So today.. even thought there are at least five new obnoxious revelations by the Orange Scream and his cohorts that I could highlight here… aren’t there daily??… Today…  I will be the light.

A local pub is collecting sneakers, bras, socks, duffel bags for the homeless of New Haven. I decided to send a shout out to my friends on FB to start a collection to help her and I am so happy to see the outpouring of caring people who are donating those items.  Already within half a day’s posting, I’ve got socks, shoes, duffle bags, reading glasses and hair brushes here at the farm waiting to be disbursed.  A good friend is sending 18 pairs of socks through Amazon to my house along with two duffle bags – I haven’t seen her since HS!  Amazing.  WE the People are what makes America great. I needed to see it again and here it is, being dropped off at my side door. 

Here’s a funny for you – the computer guy is here right now putting in a new router. Apparently ours was a dinosaur and the new one will give us internet at warp speed.  The key though.. was to remember the old password.   *sigh.   And come up with a new one.  *sigh again.  Why must passwords be such a pain in the ass. 
Ah, but we’re not complaining today, are we… 
   My 52nd birthday was spent in my favorite way – among my family,  the kids and their partners and the moms, enjoying each others company. We went to a noisy italian restaurant that serves huge portions of delish, you always go home with a meal for tomorrow when you visit the Log Cabin.   I was even able to keep up with most of the conversation despite my defective hearing.  The sangria was the bomb!  While I’m not much of a drinker, put a glass of a good red wine Sangria, a Mojito, a Margarita with salt or my mom’s version of a gin and tonic with a splash of lime in front of me and I’m good to go. Just one glass is all the resfreshment I need and the alcoholic version only happens a few times a month.   Cheap date, I am.

  While I don’t need gifts and prefer to be the giver, a few of my blog buddies who have been reading here for years surprised me with a few treasures.  I sure wish they hadn’t, but I am so grateful for their thoughtfulness and the friendships we have forged through this little blog.  You know who you are.. thank you dear friends. 
  This shall be placed prominently on one of Stella’s walls… 

.. and these are part of a line I have not been familiar with until now… 
I am so looking forward to trying these two culinary delights out…and from what I understand, the maker has a fantastic show on pbs – you may have already heard of her – Vivian Howard – 

http://www.vivianhoward.com/

 Ever since I read The Prince of Tides many moons ago I have thought a part of me was meant to live down south somewhere…  but time and experience and a few summer visits have taught me that the heat and humidity aren’t my best friend.  However, Vivian Howard’s South is just lovely. Check her out.

   This book arrived in the mail this afternoon – thank you H!  Tonight’s new read!

 As for Stella – oooh, we’re getting close to move in time!  The floors are finished and just a little tacky to the touch. So we’ll wait until Friday and then.. AND THEN.. friends… we get to move  “stuff”.. in.  You know I’ll share it with you as we go.  I’m nearly giddy.

 I found a couch yesterday that was within our comfortable price range.. it’s actually a love seat.  While I had a whole ‘nother look in mind,  the look and the price didn’t match the budget.   The love seat size is better suited to Stella’s small size and the color is a slate blue/grey – should go OK with the rest of the place.  Not taking the pillows – have never been a geometric design fan.  The couch was found at the same place we got a few other pieces for Stella – Consign & Design in Branford.  In the couch picture you can see a real gem in the background – unfortunately not for sale.

 When the owner of the consignment shop rented this space – the desk you see way in the background there was in a back room covered by a tarp.  The previous owner said – Oh, you can have that, we have no use for it.

  “IT”… is an original sign-in desk from Ellis Island.  THE Ellis Island.  Can you imagine all the hands that rested and signed upon that desk…. amazing… perhaps even some of my or your relatives. Hard to tell in this picture, but the desk is huge. the books on the desk are about chest high, to give you an idea.

                      What I would pay for this desk… however, some things are simply – not for sale.