Swapshop

True confession time...I haven't yet made time to view the new yoga tape let alone roll around on the floor to it, but I mean to any day now...hoping for better luck tomorrow.

Ken and I spent the day today at one of our favorite auction houses. Nothing beats driving over hill and dale out into the idyllic countryside to be at auction. We were armed with homemade chicken salad, a thermos of coffee and the New York Times. There was no way it wouldn't be fun and I'm happy to report the picking was awfully fine! We came home with a carload of goodies including almost two bins full of great vintage Christmas itemswhich included ornaments, lights, a mini-tree and some adorable plastic santa ornaments from the 1940's. It's nice to be a little ahead of the season for once.
(Pippa is so ready for her close up, don't you agree?)

Other top scores of the day included this very cool eyesight test kit for children. It likely dates from the 1920's and is clearly meant for kids (or adults) who can't read. I also came home with not one but two fabulous ostrich feather boas, and two leather suitcases. Somehow an array of smalls including early stoneware, glass, china and some cool kitchsy kitchen things also made their way into our car.
Okay, I didn't buy this but my immature sense of humor required me to photograph it.
We also got a cool 1950's floor lamp packed into the car along with lots of other booty. Sadly today's lamp doesn't quite measure up to the last one I purchased...This one-of-a-kind beauty only lasted a week or two in the shop.
Secretly I was hoping to just bring it home and forget about selling it...

Week Six of the term begins tomorrow! I'll be swapping some of my students with my doublebass colleague this week and am looking forward to a little change of pace. Should be fun and a nice way to shake things up just a little bit!

White Out!

TGIF!

A beautiful, heavy, wet snow is blowing horizontally past my window and if the forecast is correct we'll get almost a foot of new snow by dinnertime. We're well on our way.Time to make some soup and roast a chicken. I am so grateful to be inside all warm and cozy, still in my pjs, with Pippa and Peter devotedly keeping me company on the desk. Ken decided not to brave the roads so he's home keeping me company too! I've got two afternoon appointments...not too sure I'll be keeping them.

I had my first vintage Fiestaware score in years yesterday as I was turning off the lights in the shop to go home. There they were, just sitting in front of god and everyone - how did I not spy them earlier?! Three perfect ivory egg cups for SIXTEEN DOLLARS! I scooped them up so fast I almost tripped myself on the way to the register. Now I know, you're probably thinking I have enough already...

but that would be totally beside the point! It's the thrill of the hunt and the victory of the score that keeps this obsessed collector going! Cool thing was I wasn't the only one in the shop yesterday finding treasures. Sandy went home with the sweetest stick and ball stand and Ken bought a real photo postcard he'd been pining over for weeks. Everyone wins in this situation - we get great stuff and our dealers get a nice sale!! Sweet.

Here are some recent shots of the shop (photos by Ken).

I still have to pinch myself every now and then just to be sure I'm not dreaming!

In the "I have no excuse" category I am proud to report that I am the owner of a new yoga dvd (thanks to my massage therapist who's been nagging me about doing more yoga for weeks). I can take no credit for its acquisition really. He dubbed me a copy and handed it to me as I left on Tuesday. I'll start today (I promise). Whether it's getting back into shape physically or musically, it all sucks especially in the early stages. I wish I could report that I'm further along in terms of being able to play again but the pain in my neck still persists when I hold the viola and this time around I refuse to play through it. I'll see the head of PT up at the college next week for another consult and a go at the machine that shows you hidden sources of tension.

Ken and I have been going through a stack of "inspiration" mags lately - Flea Market Style, Country Living, Flea Market Garden, Cottages and Bungalows and Dwell. Every other page is turned down in most of them. We're plum full of ideas for our booth at FOUND and for our house. Winter always seems to stimulate the flow of these kind of ideas...I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that we can't really get out there and do any of them right now? Hmmmm... We've identified two projects that are on our "definite" list for this summer - winterize the garage and open up the wall between the living room and the family room. Now I know that two items don't really make a proper list, so I'll offer up what's on my own personal wish list of projects for the summer:

1. Winterize the garage AND add another bay so we'll have room for the cars AND a place to work AND put a bathroom out there while we're at it so that when we eventually put a second story on the garage we're good to go.

2. Take the wall out between the living room and the dining room and replace all the carpet with hardwood floors.

3. Dig a new raised bed vegetable garden and fence it in with architectural salvage pieces.

4. Add on 10 or 12 feet to the back of the house and while we're at it renovate the kitchen AND downstairs bath AND the family room AND build a new deck (with a pergola of course!)

5. Finish landscaping the front yard and repaint the house.

Okay I know it's starting to look like I'll need a year-long summer and a super increase in my salary...wonder if it's too early to put in a request for those things now.

Ragged

The birds are singing...

It is eerily warm today. The sun is out and the birds are singing their little hearts out. Tomorrow we'll see snow and overnight the temps will hoover around 15. This is February after all...

It's been one looooong week. We've had evening events to go to every single night since Sunday and we've got one more tonight. Frankly I'm pretty weary but grateful we've held up as well as we have so far.

I've ditched my coat for the day and have been enjoying being outside. I've noticed I'm not the only one who looks a little weary lately. Ithaca's looking pretty worn down and ragged around the edges these days too - all gray and brown and dirty and wet.

Though it's not technically mud season there's plenty of it to go around right now. The melting snow has revealed our less than sanitary hygiene habits and the cold's kept the graffiti police from protecting us against the evils of spray painting philosophers.

Actually I quite like what I see.

I've a pile of magazines waiting for me and a big orange boy already in my bed meowing something about a promised snuggle and a nap in a sunbeam.

Only three weeks until spring break.

Mind Meld

My life is not interesting enough to merit two posts in a single day, but if I don't get these sweet photos up today it won't happen for at least a week (ridiculously busy week ahead...).

In honor of Valentine's Day, here's P and Pippa showing off their impressive snuggling skills and Pippa's recent mastery of the Feline Vulcan Mind Meld. I fear Peter will never recover!

Pippa the wonder kitten.

Don't know how we ever got along without her.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Now go snuggle someone you love!

Snaps

It's been a lovely relaxed Sunday so far even though I've spent the better part of the it glued to my computer. My photos are all edited and uploaded to the FOUND blog and facebook page, and the last of the PR for this week's gallery show is almost done. PHEW! Good thing I enjoy this kind of work!

By some miracle we've managed to eek out two or three sales a week from our eBay store despite the fact that it's been months since we've run an auction. We've got thousands of photos in the queue waiting to be processed, photographed and listed, but getting them to auction won't happen again until at least May or June. I really miss going through boxes of photos. Each image even if it's unidentified, carries with it an immediate story for me.

Take this guy for instance...Where do you suppose he's headed in his swanky sports coat and new caddy with the Playboy Bunnies on the license plate?

What about this little sweetheart? I think I can almost hear her mom call her in for dinner.

Now I wonder, did this little guy grow up to be chief of

police in Small Town, USA?

Or did he turn to a life of crime after having had been subjected to a formal photo in this get up?

When I look at these photos I immediately hear the sound of wind in the trees, laughter, and fun. I can almost smell the crisp fall air.

Looks like so much fun,

and look how sweetly he gives her the apple.

What do you think?

First camping trip with Dad?

Maybe my favorite photo of the day -
the 1930's homemade Hallowe'en costumes. Look how proud that little Indian is!

Enough diversion, I should get back to work! There's still more PR to do, a lecture to prepare and an unending pile of clothes to fold and...

Counting

Week three of the semester has come and gone. I'm glad to be feeling healthy and am moving around pain-free most days. How did I ever get along without weekly massage and acupuncture appointments?!

I'm really loving being back in the studio and am energized and inspired by my students having rediscovered what joy there is in being a being a mentor. I am continually and amazed and amused by them!

This week the college ergonomist (who knew there was such a thing!) came by to give final recommendations for how my office set-up needs to be changed to suit my physical needs and this damn neck injury. Turns out almost everything needs to be change. Now the question of the week - will the school actually pay for it...hmmmm, we'll have to wait and see.

Our lives seemed to run more smoothly this week - we must be getting better at juggling I think. A significant sign of the busy pace around here is that the only photos on my camera this week are of FOUND.

The fire extinguisher lamp is ours, the other shots are from some of my favorite spaces in the shop.

Since most week days don't end until 8 or 9 pm one of the biggest challenges has been finding time to cook dinner (and let me tell you starting this process at 8 or 9 isn't something I'm remotely interested in!). Finally this week I was able to cook almost all of our meals for the week on Sunday afternoon - roast chicken, split pea soup, chili, various vegetables (roasted cauliflower and kale). This system really works but obviously only if we're home on Sunday! By some miracle we even got the laundry done too and (be still my heart) it is folded and put away. The house is starting to look a little neglected but Kathy comes on Monday morning so that will be remedied soon (by the way, the best money we ever spent EVER, is on having someone help with the housecleaning). This week we've even found time for fun. We're headed to an old fashioned country square dance in T'burg tonight and will celebrate Phil's 65th birthday party at Bound for Glory on Sunday night.

Only four weeks 'til spring break and 12 or 13 weeks until summer. Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but a girl can hope can't she?

Pining

Yesterday's forecast sounded so simple...1-3 inches of snow. No problem, we can do that. The morning started out innocently enough with a gentle but annoying rain which eventually evolved into a spray of face-stinging ice pellets. Ewwww. By mid-day we moved nonchalantly through thunder, lightning and heavy wind accompanied by a driving rain that came down in sheets. By evening we'd graduated finally to snow, but not your ordinary garden variety type of snow. No, these were enormous puffy snow flakes the size of butterflies. I could've watched them forever but dinner and that lovely glass of pinot were far too big a draw...

Pippa and Peter certainly have their priorities straight.

All's quiet out here in the hills of Newfield this Sunday morning. We're weighing the merits of going to a country auction this afternoon versus staying home with our feet up while juggling a cat and the New York Times on our laps (simultaneously of course). Wish we could do both but free time is really at a premium these days.

According to Punxsutawney Phil spring is a mere three weeks away. That would put it roughly the week before our Spring Break...hmmmmm, wonder if his prediction will be any more accurate than the real forecasters. Personally I'm counting on him to be right this time because I'm already seriously pining for spring...

All Talk, No Action

Depending on your point of view you're either grateful we dodged another bullet or are once again left disappointed and jealous of those whose snow fell in measurable feet. Personally I'm bummed we didn't see enough snow to justify a real snow day. Ironically, IC declared the "ice emergency" so dire that they went ahead and canceled this morning's classes last night. In the twenty winters I've worked there I've only seen them cancel classes once, let alone the night before! I was grateful to receive the news ahead of time and enjoyed a few extra winks of sleep this morning. The little bit of unstructured time is nice too. I'll actually make my acupuncture appointment this afternoon and will have a home cooked meal ready for dinner tonight. Right now it's a balmy 40+ degrees, with patches of blue sky is emerging. I expect the sun to appear any minute.

Pippa is home from her two-day stay at the Cornell Vet School. She's officially out of the baby-making business now and has an impressive incision and a bunch of stitches to show for it. She shows no signs of having suffered from the experience and has wasted little time getting back to her primary occupation - terrorizing Peter and Lillie. Guess she's got to make up for those two days away from home. We've got lots of hissing and growling going on here today, in between bouts of reclaiming personal territories.

As you can see, she's claimed a new spot.