Culling through the years.....

Waiting

While I have been doing pretty much nothing except working, Dave has been sifting through the stuff that had been abandoned for many years in the garage.  I went out one day to try to help him but I really could not get into it.  There was just too much junk that I didn't know what it was, where it came from or if it was mine.  The only things that I could recognize as mine were my bikes that I haven't ridden since I opened the shop, a few old foot stools that I plan to fix and recover someday, a bee skep  and my old skis.  The bikes and foot stools can stay but the skis, which 20 years ago were awesome, can go into the dumpster.   It's funny how a sport that was so much a part of my life growing up and through my 20's could be forgotten.  Abandoned into a corner of the garage.  For most of my life skiing was everything (well, next to riding horses of course).  Almost every weekend in the winter no matter state I lived in I went skiing. Not whimpy little hills but rather the steepest and most bumpy runs that you could find at Killington.  Now, when my brother asks me to go skiing with his boys, a wave of panic goes through me....  what if I get hurt?  How would I get to work?  What if I can't ski like I used to? Maybe some day I will be brave enough to tackle the little CT hill near where he lives but I will have to rent my equipment.  Who wants to see those old relics on the slopes?

Stuff, mostly of unknown origin. 

 

 

 

 

The big ominous storage container sits on what was once an abandoned garden.  Lately the area had just grown some of the largest pokeweed plants I'd ever seen.  Maybe this will take care of them since pulling them out didn't seem to help.  This was the only place that the poor guy could put the container.  I thought he would have to return it his facility.

Here it is, all ready to be filled up!

While the driver was very good to get the storage container into the little garden space.  He managed to clobber the shrubs at the end of the driveway on his way out.  Maybe we were going to do something else there anyway?????

Oops :-(

Here are just a few examples of things that have been unearthed.  Has this happened to anyone else? 

 

How did this happen?

Tip of the iceberg for Dave's flag collection- who knew?

The iron cookware needs a little TLC but will clean up nicely.

Slow and steady progress

As you can see there is still a lot to do- each thing has to be carefully analyzed and deemed worthy of (1.) keeping, (2.) something to sell, or (3.) toss into the garbage.  If kept, then it has to be cleaned and organized for storage.  Maybe we should have gotten this container in June.  Thankfully Peter told us we'd better get it sooner rather than at the last minute.  Can you even imagine if we waited?????

Remember Paris....

While awaiting some activity with the house I thought to regale you with some pictures of my trip to Paris.  Last year at this time I was in Paris.  Ah, the City of Lights.....  for those of you who have spent any time in Paris you will know how enthralling the city can be.  Even though it was not my first time in Paris, it was my longest stay.  I don't understand why this is the case, but many guys don't want to go to Paris.  For that reason Diane and I left husbands at home to care for kids or animals and headed on a girls adventure.  The impetus for the trip was to go to the Paris Home Show called Maison d'Objet to buy goods for the shop.  We also did a fair amount of looking in antique shops in and around the city.  The most famous being Clingancourt.  A maze of little booths with the most amazing collection of stuff your eyes can ever take in.  I think I could have filled a container with things that I wanted to bring home.  But with only one suitcase I had to be selective.  I only got one linen sheet this time!

Here are a few things that I had to sadly leave in Paris....

This booth was amazing. 
I wanted the hutch but would have settled on a small bowl.
I was told that they were only props...

Great corner cupboard.  The paint was old and wonderful.
This was something like 8000 euros!

As hard as I tried I could not see how this would fit in my suitcase.

I did manage 2 of these in my suitcase- they are quite heavy!

This booth was a cooks dream!
Nothing I didn't like here

Speaks for itself!

Best omlette ever!  I can't believe that I didn't let Diane have even one taste.
I am a bad friend...

More from this trip another time....

I admit to having a problem....

OK, it is a little slow in the house project department.  Not much is happening with the exception of waiting for permits, the arrival of a very large and obtrusive storage container (still empty) and anxiety about starting.  Meanwhile I am trying to organize myself  (and this is more talk than action I must confess) in terms of stuff that I have accumulated over the years and what to put into this elusive yard sale that we keep pretending is going to happen.  When I told Dave that we should really start going through the stuff in the garage he immediately went to the hardware store for another can of spider spray.  With a new can of spray and that storage container do we now have any excuse not to cull through the stuff?

Meanwhile back in the house I have been going through my linens.  I admit it, I have a problem with antique linens.  Not the stuff that you find in Granny's attic mind you but real good linens.  While many go to the department store for their bedding.... not me- I went to France to find  old linen sheets.  Heavy, old and lovely linen sheets.  On hot summer nights like we have been having they are the coolest.  I am not ashamed to tell you that I stood in front of the Air France baggage check and shed tears because my bag was over weight (those suckers are heavy) and they wanted me to pay a huge fine (which they thankfully waived that time).  I am also not embarrassed to tell you that on another trip I did shell out 200 euros in a fine for the weight of my luggage.  That is all behind me now.  In the present, I am the proud possessor of these treasures.  I was telling someone about my quest for these sheets and their comment was "someone else slept on them".  Who cares... they're great.

While these are not my actual sheets- that would mean photographing the inside of my house which is an impossibility at this point in time- they are representative of what they look like.

Antique linen has a particularly unmistakable charming texture.

Antique sheets were made on looms so they always have a seam up the center.

Many of my sheets have wonderful monograms similar to this one.

My problem with linen does not stop with bedding but extends to the kitchen as well.  I have a lot of towels like these as well.

One of my best discoveries for new linen items has been the Brahms Mount bath towel.  Hand loomed in Maine (on antique looms but not antiques themselves) they are unbelievable (Brahms Mount Blog- Linen Towel).  Linen is about the most absorbent textile you can find.  This towel dries you and itself off in record time.  All my other towels have been banished from the bathroom and only used for company and dogs.  I am hoping to add to my collection later in the month as they always have a tent at the Common Grounds Fair in Maine.  Truly worth every cent of the investment!

Do you think that there is some type of textile's anonymous that I could join?

A field trip to Waterworks....

Last week Dave and I took a field trip to look at faucets and tiles down in Fairfield.  I had already been to Waterworks in NYC so I knew there was a lot to like there.  We also ventured into Klaff's which has a huge showroom of every imaginable faucet, sink, tub, kitchen and tile source.  Be prepared to hit immediate sensory overload!

We started at Waterworks and found some great options.  Since we have our hearts set on unlaquered brass or untreated copper we have only a few options of vendors.  We want the faucets to age over time and become what they will.  Most companies either treat the metal for a faux patina or lacquer them for everlasting shine.  Neither case is exactly what we want.  I think that after all the looking we decided on the following choices.

Easton Vintage

OR

Orleans with one handle?  I think this one gets the vote.

Julia faucet unlacquered brass or shiny copper for prep sink?

Julia faucet for upstairs master bath- nickel

Normandy prep sink for center island. 
Copper, brass or nickel????
All depends on the center island's top.

Lyon- an aptly named throne for David Lyon??

Minna tub: this cast iron and absolutely beautiful in person. 
The picture does it no justice.
A real European soaking tub- 20" deep... Bubble bath?

Grove Brickworks tiles for the upstairs shower.  Then the pebble floors that have already been discussed

Booth Bay Blue- as a border along the bottom of the shower

Grove Brickworks- Butter Bisque
The majority of the shower walls

Henry shower head

Henry shower controls
Thermostatic or pressure balance, what ever that means?

There are definitely a lot of really nice bath and kitchen faucets to chose from and choosing the right one is a major decision.  These are huge investments that you only want to make once and not again.  These choices seem to be timeless, fitting to the design of the rooms and best of all- Dave and I agreed on them!!!!

The storage container for the contents of the garage arrives in the morning.  Stay tuned for that fun!

Inspirational Pictures- 2

Please!

These wonderful antique pieces were found on the Appley Hoare Antiques web site http://www.appleyhoare.com/home.asp.  Appley has been dealing in French Country antiques for many years.  As you can see she has quite a nice selection!  Why do you have to go all the way to France to get good stuff?

I can see these lined up in the pantry

Italian Confiture Jars

Great paint!

Swedish Sofa

New home for the Ficus tree?

Rude Dinner Guests (birds not people)

As summer is winding down (way too fast) and we are getting ready to take down the walnut tree and dig up the back yard we are trying to use the patio as much as possible. We invited Francie and her dad, Bill, here for a nice summery dinner.  Francie lives on Nantucket so we don't see her has much as we would like.  Her dad lives outside New Haven and she comes to visit him every now and again.  Bill is a great guy and we enjoy his company very much- he can tell a story as well as Garrison Kellor and regailed us all evening with tales of his being a ne'er-do-well as a youth (he is invited here anytime and does not need Francie as an excuse to come for dinner).  We have always envied Francie's family dynamics.  As an example, Francie has this great picture on her fridge of her family having a whip cream fight as young kids.  Mom and Dad also covered in whipped cream laughing as hard as the kids.

We enjoyed a little wine and cheese with all the hens, roosters, duck and turkeys wandering around.  The turkeys seem to want to be right with you.  They have no concept that they are birds and not people and have no idea of boundaries. I am having a hard time keeping them off the tables and they actually greeted our guest by coming to the door to see who was there.  Of course the question was asked.... "why are there turkeys in your kitchen?"  And "oh, what happened to his head? (a reference to the unsightly gash the hens gave Gravy while they were living in the chicken coop).  While we love these sweet young birds I think that we are going to have to teach them some manners.  It hasn't worked with the dogs but I am hopeful with the turkeys!  As you can see from the fact that they were all over the table and actually ran through the cheese plate that we have a long way to go.

Francie and Bill with the backyard menagerie of poultry

Stalking the cheese plate

How about a little wine for me?

At one point I felt something on my neck and asked if I should be worried.  No, it was just Gravy who seems to like to sit on people's heads and shoulders.  It's OK now but can you imagine if a full grown Tom turkey wants to sit on your head?????

On my mind... (and some new pictures)

I can't seem to get this stove off my mind.  Now, everywhere I look are gorgeous pictures of the Lacanche range that I want.  I found these pictures on the blog Belgian Pearls.  Now all I have to do is figure out what the rest of the kitchen should look like. When we met with Peter last week I asked if he had pictures of different cabinets that they have made that I could look at.  His response was that they could make what ever I wanted.  But, what do you get when you can have anything you want?  It is a decision that I will have to make carefully.  I am busy collecting pictures of things that I like- but liking something and living with the cabinets forever is totally different.  Do I want painted cabinets or natural wood?  What will complement the stove without over powering it?  I have seen a bunch of pictures of proud Lacanche owners that have totally overdone the kitchen and lost the beauty of the stove.  Tiles going every which way in a variety of patterns.  I don't want to do that.  A simple hood above and a piece of copper made for the back splash that will patina on it's own should be all it needs to stand out in our kitchen.  We thought about tiles but Dave and I couldn't decide on the same tile but both thought the copper a great idea.  I am beginning to think that tile stores are evil and should have marriage counselors in the back rooms for spouses that can't agree on the the zillion choices!

The Chagny- this is it! 
Complete with small broiling oven.

Trim details- so elegant

18,000 BTU burner in center with wok ring

Can I go from a 20 year old electric Hotpoint stove to this?
You bet!