Monday, April 29, 2019

I can see it now!

I went to lunch with Ruth today. On the way back I went up the street behind. Take a peek:



The drive is seven feet wide and maybe forty-five feet long. The deck will be four feet wide by five or six feet long.



I already gave pig a little pot of flowers on the step.



But he needs a handsome display to tickle his nose, like last year.



I will get my flower poles fastened to the new deck and there will be mandevillas on all corners.


My new garden will be a rock garden. No flowers except in pots. 


I did puzzle mightily over the glass lady and the water lily. How to set them up on concrete.


And then it came to me. I will have all my baubles and gewgaws on display. In fact, I was elated to find I have two fifty pound bags of Delaware River stones in the shed. More will be needed, I'm sure.

The things I want to display the most are intended to be sunk into the ground, and that can't happen. They surely can be fastened into a fifty pound umbrella stand, and the whole affair buried in Delaware River stones.

Done, done and done, wouldn't you say. PS--and I'm wide open to even better solutions. 




Friday, April 26, 2019

8 day vacation


  
I need a vacation. The last one was to Wisconsin at Christmas, and not soothing for too many reasons. I read an article recently on the maximum days and benefits reaped before there is a substantial decrease in vacation benefit. After day eight of a vacation that began on day one, positive benefits began to decrease.

Of all the places I’ve been, one I would like to revisit is Saratoga Performing Arts Center, SPAC, in Saratoga Springs, New York. But then, I wonder if the buildings that fascinated me in my brief wanderings remain, or if ten or fifteen years has seen them renovated. 

I must have been there last before the turn of the century. A friend and I wandered in and out of buildings of the Roosevelt Baths. Everything was wide open, no security anywhere. Much of the interior was in disrepair, or in need of serious sprucing up. A tour in Google shows much improvement. I would need a scooter to get around these days. I definitely would drive, and I definitely would take a friend. This one requires more thinking on.

Another destination is a trip to South Carolina, to see my friend Carol. We visited her last spring; we drove down with her and flew home. Having gone as far as the bottom end of South Carolina, I may as well keep on to Union Point, Georgia. Another weaver pointed me to a yarn dealer there who seems to be like yarn dealers I knew in the south, years ago, and bought from. This is  Georgia Yarn Company.

Then, there always is Wisconsin, and a week immersed in Ann’s library is a vacation. Last summer we visited the Dells (the real Dells, on the Wisconsin River, between the bluffs), and Taliesin, and outside of driving through the farmlands and looking at the old towns, I’ve seen Wisconsin. It’s always good to see the dogs, which are gone and who are new.

So much hinges on moving, as it turns out. All will go well, or encounter a thousand snags.  Concrete for the driveway was to be poured yesterday, but due to rain, that didn’t happen yesterday, or today. The forecast is for rain every day for the next two weeks, excepting the weekends, of course.

I did have my audience today with the ramp powers who be, and had the first intelligent discussion of ramps. I can have a ramp, but to be zoning compliant, its configuration would be more awkward than I care to deal with.  I want a ramp in order to get heavy stuff up the porch and so into the house.  

They offered to help find a used wheel chair lift to mount in front of the deck to carry up groceries.

Suddenly someone was above and beyond the call of their job description, and I appreciate that. I didn’t mention that a wheel chair lift is way ugly, but I did get on the internet and find a cart with wheels that easily climb steps.






Tuesday, April 23, 2019

The Mary Ellen Carter

If you live in a rental unit, you will immediately understand this post. If you own the home and spent years puttering it into your scheme of efficiency, or even just started, cast your mind back a few decades. You'll remember.

This adventure started last December. I went to the rental office to inquire into the availability of a one bedroom unit. "Oh, no problem, honey!" from Theresa, the site manager.  I had my heart set on a single bedroom unit like the two examples on the street behind me.





I was so excited! Could I have the bedroom door into the bathroom. Could I have a walk in shower. "Oh, sure honey." The cat could have his own room, the 14 foot square living room could hold all my weaving on one wall, with plenty of room left.

In one of my several stops in the office I learned "management" could and would put a two bedroom unit on that lot. I could chose one of the two plans and still have a walk in shower.

It was becoming an uphill battle.The rent is two hundred dollars a month higher than the one bedroom, but still two hundred dollars a month less than the current three bedroom unit.

I still felt a bit like one of my favorite folk songs, that Stan Rogers classic, The Mary Ellen Carter.

I picked a unit. They chose the other one, the cheapest unit.




It was delivered a week or so ago, and blocked the access road, to the annoyance of my neighbors. But eventually it was sited.



Dan, the maintenance man has been in, and says there is a walk in shower. He was pretty grumpy about the whole interior layout. I believe all I care about is the walk in shower. We'll see. And yes, our rent increased effective May 1st, even on this virgin unit. We must all be on the same page, you know. Honey.

I must keep my eye on the progress to be sure I get a ramp access to the door. That is the front door. With smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go, as Stan Rogers sang, who knows what will transpire. Dan tells me there's not enough room for a ramp. Bet me!




Saturday, April 20, 2019

No change in the weather, no change in me

It has not stopped raining here since forever. Many of you had it much worse, and for that I am so sorry.  Pig, toad and lamb are taking the brunt here, but then, they have been out in all weather for the last thirty and more years.






We took a drive out to Steve and Deb's home, to deliver the sack 'o towels. Laura spent yesterday afternoon pricing and tagging the towels, a great help. 


This is Steve and Deb's fairly recently renovated home, from the doorway of the new studio, up the hill. A great view of the tin roof, circa 1860, and the glass pane, circa 1840. The second story addition, erected in the eighteen hundreds, and the bedroom of the children, remained supported only by love, according to the carpenter who undertook those renovations.

If you are an artist who loves looking around other studios, here is Elements Gallery, 360, or rather close.



The wall behind Deb's work table and some of her carved plaques.



The back edge of the table. I was waved off photographing the front, with Deb. 



More stuff that must come in handy when throwing or casting porcelain.



On the top shelf. I wonder if the vase on the left did not pass the glaze exam. On the right looks good to me.



More work area, the kiln, and I'll guess that white box involves glaze, as Steve makes theirs. 



Sophie, la gata, and the next to last side of the studio. I found a lovely small plate here, and Deb and I made a trade.

And so more errands and home. I need to go work on setting up my loom for its next project.


When I wrote the blog earlier tonight, I could not figure out how to get the purloined picture of Deb and Steve published. Someone put it out in Facebook a year ago, when they were closing Elements Gallery in Peninsula. Now you have them. I am fortunate to have them.



Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Slim pickin's

Things are looking up, a little. Here is the pear tree, blossoms starting.


And something in the front garden, and someone will know its name.


Our first daffodil, miniature, that is. And lots of weeds to prise up.


And I finally located where I'd tucked the flyer that came from Elements, with artists and work.


When Deb started putting the show together, last December, or earlier, she asked me to participate, and I declined. I was not at the end of my towel project. But a couple of weeks ago I realized I was at the end, and asked to be accepted, which Deb and Steve graciously did.

Of course, I missed the postcard, but so what. I would be there. Then Deb asked me for towel pictures to include on the Facebook page. I did not realize this would get me top billing:


Followed by the postcard. Though, in fairness, sometimes she just posts a collage of all the work, and my pedestrian towels. Steve and Deb are porcelain artists. Deb's porcelain plaque and Steve's vase flank the green central banner.