Yes!, Suddenly we are deep into August! (a title that I heard on NPR and figured was perfect for a quick Blog entry after three months of silence since my last post).
The lilacs are a sweet memory, preserved in a picture by professional photographer Kelly Clow that we use in our ads and as a banner (see above). The three goslings that have survived a horrible season with predators are nearly full grown and getting getting more difficult to distinguish from the adult geese.
The geese continue to be our lawn mowers and to entertain us! They have come in to the Shop twice to check things out, settle down on the oriental carpet and spread the fake apples around with disgust. Now if I come into the house for a few, I shut the shop door to prevent their visits. I have not figured out how to add short video clips to this program so will provide your Goose entertainment with this link!
June saw us receive 13.5″ of rain here in the village and the soil didn’t warm up. July gave us 9.5″ of rain and August has delivered a heat wave that we do not expect for more than a day or two here in Northern Vermont. No beautiful gardens to share this year. We are getting some tomatoes, beans, chard and lettuce. We will see if we get any winter squash. I roll with it and dream about next year’s garden!
Not sleeping outside in the tent, as I have for the past 4 years, has been a personal comfort hardship (physical & mental). Priorities had to be set and the cost of a new tent was way down the list. Plumbing first! We are making progress with the plumbing. We have had hot and cold running water to the shower and kitchen sink since the end of May along with cold water to the outside faucet and hoses. We still need to install the toilet and bathroom sink. That is waiting on the floor which will be the next project. We have removed the old floor and just need to select, pay for and install new linoleum. Soon!
Rather then more money for tents, we would like to just construct a roofed, screened platform for the bed and 2 reading chairs. Once in place, this could be wrapped with tarps for winter and the pitched roof could handle the snow! A step at a time!
As you know, the show case, fixtures and orientals we had loaned Shops On Star and NEVER expected to come back, were delivered the end of May! When I heard it was all coming home to roost, I had no idea what I would do with it! Relaxing allowed the creative ideas to flow one at a time and at unexpected times. Everything has been worked into Shops At Fayrehale.
The silk lined display case – Left: Shops At Star w/ Porcelain In The Style of Celia Thaxter – Right: Shops At Fayrehale
The lighted display case, once I figured out how to work it in, has created a nice focal point – filled with colored glass in the Antiques section of Shops at Fayrehale. At this level, there are three additional ledges on top that can be displayed.
Mahogany Drop Leaf Table
The Mahogany drop leaf table that used to greet Shoalers as they entered the Gift Shop on Star Island, fits perfectly (just!) under the window and creates an eye catching display area for Shops At Fayrehale Early Lighting.
Three bookcases from the Book Store, Shops On Star, Isles of Shoals, Star Island
Even the three book cases, that I painted yellow for the Shops On Star Book Store fit in! Two of then on the fronts of the hay racks in the back of Shops At Fayrehale and the third under a window in the front of Shops At Fayrehale! They did not need to be repainted, just dusted, as the yellow I chose for Shops on Star fit perfectly with the yellow I choose for Shops At Fayrehale. Serendipity!!!
We have had a parade of friends from New York and New England come to visit us! Many, a drive in the driveway surprise! Always fun to see everyone and show them Shops At Fayrehale whether or not we know they are coming! Everyone says that the pictures, as good as they are, do NOT do the Shop justice!
Nothing we can do about that except invite and encourage you all to stop by for a personal visit.
Several good friends have passed over these last few months and that has me so aware of how mortal we all are. We need to live and love, help and be kind every day as none of us know which day will be our last.
I work to relax and flow with life and events beyond my control, like the Lynx and Fisher we have in the village killing what they can. I dread the fact that the election and corresponding media hype has 16 more months more to flood the media world. I totally support the concept used in other countries that limit the election process, some to as little as 90 days!!
Tom and I try to take a couple days a month for misc. day trips. Fun and a change of pace from our regular daily routines.
Thus, Life at Fayrehale marches on. Fall will soon be here and than winter. Aaaaaaaaaaah winter, I can hunker down and work on getting some semblance of order in the house. I have a dinner party to plan (Probably Spring) where we will inaugurate the first four place settings of the Porcelain in The Style of Celia Thaxter Dinner Service.
Oops! forgot to add last night that we are testing the Coupon feature on our Online Site! A 10% discount is available on ALL online products through the end of August using Coupon Code bl20150831 at checkout.
Until next time — live and love, help and be kind as you flow with life.