Snug as a bug in a rug....

Well with hurricane Irene gone but not forgotten we have a lot to be thankful for around the Tripp house.  I am most grateful for having a wonderfully cozy house in which to ride out the storm!  I could not imagine having the storm when we were in the throws of the renovation and not having electricity and boxes and furniture everywhere!  It would be unbearable in there.  But now, it's becoming absolute perfection.  On Friday we collected up most of what was in the yard that we thought might fly around in a big wind.  Not knowing what the storm would be like and all the hype it was getting we may have gone a bit far but what is the price for peace of mind?

While I was busy finding all the flower pots to put in the basement the turkeys were having a grand time on the bulk head giving them a good vantage point from which to watch me scurry around like a complete fool.

Moose and Stuffing getting comfortable

Steady now your moving the door

Whoa- you think they were trying to tell me something?

Settled back down to enjoy my work!

The night of the storm there was lots of rain and lots of wind.  But everyone was safely where they needed to be.  The chickens were snug in their coop, the turkey's were in the dog crate in the barn, and pip was tucked into bed with me and the other dogs put to bed.  However, Dave for some reason was in the barn watching the lightening show!  I was myself a little scared and tried to call him in the barn on the 3rd phone extension but that didn't seem to work.  I pondered for a split second about going out to collect him but from the looks of the weather I just went back to bed!

Sunday we awoke, like the rest of Connecticut to no electricity.  I'm not sure how many days will go by until it's back.  Luckily Yale didn't lose power so I am able to spend the day at work- oh joy!  So- back to Sunday.  When we were up and around we went outside to assess the damage.  Well I am happy to report that the work of Gulick and Spradlin is good and sturdy.  Nothing out of place.  The only damage was to a lilac tree.

Devastating damage at the house- ha ha!

When we thought it was safe enough to venture out in the car, which meant that a zillion other people have driven by the house, we thought it was time to visit the boat.  Dave decided that it was best to keep her in the water to ride out the storm.  It's always a crap shoot decision to know what the best thing to do in these situations but the marina is pretty isolated from the river and we hoped for the best.  Dave said he did throw up from worry but that's pretty typical for him.  He's kind of a puker.  We headed to the marina but within a few feet of the turn off we saw a tree across the road and had to take the long and round a bout way.  I thought he would die while I drove really slowly to avoid branches and power lines.  We finally made it to the marina were he jumped out of the car before I had actually stopped it!

A happy boy with his favorite old girl.  Hum, named the Mervin F Roberts.  Perhaps not a girl???/

Later in the day we collected our friends for an Irene dinner.  We were able to use the top of the Lacanche lighting it with a match.  Hooray for propane!!!!  Dave made the most amazing haddock chowder.  Paul brought stuffed scallops that he heated at home since he has a generator!, Priscilla and Terry brought luscious tomatoes and couscous, and Diane and Walter brought hummus and garlic bagel chips that were the crowning glory to the chowder.  We had a grand time eating my candle light and drinking way too much.  But it was a fine time for all involved.  I feel badly for the people reporting to have eaten canned tuna fish!  I should have taken some pictures with our friends actually at the house and not after they left but I was conserving my cell phone battery!  Sorry for the dim light graininess.

We hung the chandelier last weekend- just in time!

Picture pretty

The aftermath!

Who is gonna clean this mess?!?!?!

So all in all a bit of an adventure taking place.  It's hard to know when life around the Tripp house will be absolutely back to normal but I for one am hoping sometime today!  Not that it isn't fun to read by candle light but the cold shower was a bit of a hardship and having the shop closed is not my idea of a financially good time!  I'll let you know how it turns out!

A Zen feeling....

The atmosphere of the house has gone from cramped- where all our stuff was smashed into a few rooms to a nice simple zen feeling.  While we didn't actually have a lot of furniture before the size of the house made it seem like we did.  One piece next to the other with no visual space in between.  Not a soothing environment to say the least.  I was always hesitant to purge these pieces since they were inherently very nice.  From the small space we ventured into the chaotic and a state of turmoil and complete entropy! Take an already cramped house and throw it all into a few rooms and then add dust and animals.  No wonder that I thought I was losing my mind!  The remodeling phase was hell on earth to put it mildly but I knew that the pay off would be worth the inconvenience

And now....... well- calm, beauty, tranquility..... a zen sort of feeling of well-being when I get home.  It's not perfect yet and there is still a lot to do.  Moving the furniture into the new spaces has opened things up and you can actually see them now.  We certainly don't need to buy anything new- which is great! Some things have moved into the barn and a few more waiting for some strong arms to help them along.  There are still areas of the house where I get agitated looking at or overwhelmed thinking about.  But it's slowly coming together.  Aside from my absolutely stunning kitchen my new favorite place to stand and look is the upstairs landing.  What was once a little cramped office is now a really cool space.  We are still hanging pictures and trying to decide on a wall color.  I've been thinking that an interesting beigey browny gray- here we go with the color chips again!  There's a Benjamin Moore color called Racoon Hollow that might be nice.

Benjamin Moore Raccoon Hollow

I love this Chinoiserie desk- perfect with my funny light fixture

A little maritime feel to the upstairs landing.  A far cry from my horrid old office!

  Going down the stairs is a little shelf that is just perfect for a few of our little objects.

Tiny anchor finally able to be seen

New spaces for collections- nice and simple!

The babies are getting big and starting to explore more and more.  They have outgrown their pen and we still haven't built a turkey house.  They were living in the dog crate but have decided on their own that they prefer to roost in the big pine tree next to the house.  They get way up there at night.  I hope that they are safe but what can you do?  During the day they come down at dawn and go as a pack through the yard eating buggies.  They come running over when I open the door.  I'm convinced that Moose is a tom turkey.  He has a bigger snood that has a life of it's own.  Pretty creepy really but he's a nice boy and takes care of the girls.  One morning I saw him all puffed up like a gray cloud!  The girls are very sweet and curious as ever.  I have to swoosh them out of the kitchen!

Babies are growing up fast!  They're getting bold too.

 What is Pip up to this week? Not much- maybe he's on vacation???

Pip doing what he does best!

Whitechapel Hardware

If ever find yourself in need of great hardware- hooks, pulls, knobs, latches or decorative accents look no further than Whitechapel Hardware- http://www.whitechapel-ltd.com/.  We have gotten a few things from them now and their quality is amazing.  We got some French bin pulls that are exceptional.  I looked everywhere for some nice bin pulls and glad that I waited to get these!

French iron bin pull

The pulls for the little dough chest have finally arrived and Dave has put them on.  They are museum quality in every detail.  They really make the cabinet look like an old chest of drawers. 


Just wonderful in every way

Pulls it all together (pun intended)

Colors of Summer....

I love to fill the house with flowers any time of the year but in the summer especially.  I've always been pretty creative with my choices since I don't ever want to spend a lot of money on flowers.  I tend to pick what ever is green in the yard and fill in with some brightly colored flowers.  This year with our garden in a hiatus until we have some time to organize ourselves I've had less to choose from.  I have plenty of weeds though.  Some with some very interesting leaf shapes.  There's also one that has w dainty little spiky flower.  Since we were having Francie and her dad over for dinner last night and they have not seen the house since last summer before the work was done I wanted the kitchen to look great.  I picked a few flowers at Scott's pick your own flower place.  I love the rows of zinnias and sunflowers that they have.  However, I am very careful not to get too many since they can add up fast of you pick a heavy stem!

Zinnias are my favorite summer flower.  They remind me of my childhood.

These spiky purple flowers look great with the weeds from the yard. 

Just a few sunflowers to brighten the kitchen.

We are still in the picture hanging mode!  The rooms are taking on a real life feeling.  I have to get into the old living room and start getting the boxes out and sorted through.  Not looking forward to that one- but needs to be done, and soon!

Nook

Small folk art birds painted by Evelyn Dubeil of Glastonbury- she's almost 90 now and still painting!

 The colors of summer extend to the table as well.  These wonderfully multicolored carrots came from a farmers market in Holyoke MA.  They were delicious, as were the multicolored little potatoes!

Carrots before the roasting

Happy tiny spuds!

Love the Hipstamatic- totally forgot about it until this morning.

Put put putting along......

With the whirlwind of hammers and saws now completed there is a slower pace around the homestead these days.  The blog took a little time off when a dreaded computer virus took down my computer!  But we're back writing again.  Dave and I have been methodically going around and putting our home back together.  It's going to be a long process of unpacking boxes and assessing the "house worthiness" of an item.  If it does not pass it will be a yard sale item.  We've become pretty efficient procrastinators about the painting.  It's summer after all and the need to be outside or in the boat in the evenings seems like a necessity for our mental health.  This fall we will get back to painting and finishing some trim work- promise!

Sea dog

 Our mission these days is to hang the paintings we have collected.  The house is so different that it's fun to see a familiar piece in a new location.  Everything looks completely different.  We found a perfect spot for the portrait of Dave's dad done when he was 14 years old.  The painting looks great on the real textural plaster. 

Red Smith- Age 14

Moody sea picture that was my Grandmother's looks amazing here

 The kitchen is looking lovely.

Cooking is such a pleasure now!

Many years ago we bought these nifty bronze rope knobs.  We always thought they would look great somewhere and here they are!

Our old bronze knobs from Maine look perfect on the new cabinets

Dave's magical patina looks wonderful with brass pot filler

Dave spent a lot of time on the still life on top of the hutch- the detail guy!

The outside of the house is coming along slowly.  Dave has become the master hosta transplanter.  He has them all over the place.  The landscaping will evolve over time.  The other side of the house is is sporting a profusion of crab grass and weeds. Now sure how that happened since there was all new grass seed put down.  At least it's green!  Anyone know how to get rid of it naturally?  We also have more poke weed than anyone should be entitled to have.

My brother gave us this sculpture as a house warming.  I LOVE IT!!!

Back inside- the nook is a favorite spot to sit with a book or magazine.  The entire house has such a calming effect.  I have to say we are watching far less TV than we ever did and reading a lot more!  What a bonus!

Everyone loves the nook- specially Coal.

We've gotten a lot of lighting up as well.  In the bathroom we put this antique pendant light that didn't work in the kitchen.  Got to love Brimfield- you can actually find cool things and with a little negotiating a good price as well.

Antique pendant in master bath

This old lantern we found at a local antique shop.  It was so cute I could not resist it.  I had the old carved sconce that I got really cheap at another antique shop.  I thought, why not marry the two for a unique lighting fixture at the top of the new stairs.  I think it looks pretty good!

My clever invention- yes or no?

We had seen this light new at a local shop.  It's a really well done reproduction that is pretty pricey.  But recently I was at a local antique shop (same as the above lantern) and saw the same light for a fraction of the price!  I even went back to look at the original and sure enough it's the same.  Good shopping on my part.

Great light found for a song at local antique shop

You've been wondering what Pip has been up to lately- right?  Well he took a nip at one of the baby turkeys and- well see for yourself.

Pip-manchu

Last week I was making a blueberry buckle for our lab picnic.  I went upstairs while it was baking and then heard the dogs going nuts.  I went down to see something flying around the kitchen.  I raced upstairs into the bedroom with Looey and Pip closing the door.  Dave was running around screaming- a bat- I love bats!  Well, I like them from a distance but not in my kitchen.  After a while Dave cornered it in the library and swooped a butterfly net over it. We use the net to catch chickens- you can see the feather still stuck in it.  Dave proudly brought it upstairs like a cat with a prize mouse.  So, here he is before the release to the outdoors.

Evening intruder