My Favourite Room

With only one guest room to display many objects and double as my writing nook, the decor has a bit of a personality disorder. Yet, call me crazy, but I think there's an offbeat harmony in the mash-up of By-The-Sea, Girly Vintage Cowgirl and Wordsmith.

The 'Howdy' sign is a souvenier from my Texas road trip.

This wall seemed a natural place for my shell mirror.

The birdcage was a housewarming gift used as

a plant holder. I painted it white and added the
crow to mimic this local art piece.



S.B.'s mother found this wrought-iron wind chime.

My writing corner.

Can you spot all three themes?

Boots. Shells. Flowers.

Why not?

Everybody loves a cowgirl.

But how about a cowgirl writer by the sea?



Vintage Cheese Boards

The first one was out of necessity. The second one I justified by saying, well, it's only $2, and if I use one for cheese, crackers and grapes, I can stick cured meats and olives on the other. By the third, I just have to admit I'm just becoming a cute cheese board collector. Sue me. 

This one came with the original cheese knife, which clips on to the board so
I don't tear the kitchen apart trying to find it in a drunken, cussing, pre-party frenzy.

Sometimes I put toothpicks where the knife is supposed to go. Naughty.

I think the handles are for the kind of hostess who actually walks around
serving guests, saying thing like, "I'm so pleased you all made it over to play
Bridge with us this evening" rather than those who yell from the sofa,
"Grub's over there. Don't forget to put your keys in the bowl!" 

The Tickle Trunk Album

            Left to right: Age of Aquarius, Elves, Wanted Poster.

A friend just asked me, "How the hell did you ever find someone who likes to play dress-up with you?"

Fluke! Bizzare, awesome fluke.

As a kid, I was obsessed with Halloween and costumes, and to this day everything I am drawn to: theatre, roller derby, even writing is an extension of my desire to try on different personas. And I obsess about the details, which is what led to the photographs - all that hard work ought to be shared, right? So before S.B. came along, many scenes from my imagination had already been brought to life on camera.

Breakfast at Tiffany's 'Moon River' scene.

I don't think I even asked him if he wanted to join in my warped little hobby. I think he suggested it. And now that he's in on the photos, they seem to have twice the effect, generating comments ranging from wow!!! to wtf??? (not a week has gone by since Christmas that someone hasn't mentioned our Elves Photo Spectacular, which included shots of us frolicking in the yard, drinking beer and doing calisthenics).

I'm glad people get a kick out of it, at least. The adult world is entirely too serious, and I for one won't ever let it take me. So stay tuned for weirder and more elaborate tickle trunk photos in the years to come. Perhaps I can even convince some friends to get in on the fun.



Sea Glass Mystery #1!

The growing collection.

It's happened already! I have a case to solve.

Yesterday S.B. and I went beachcombing in nearby Blandford where I found a giant piece of sea glass with a bordered triangle insignia embossed in its centre. I thought it may be the bottom of an old Vicks Vaporub bottle, as the company has a similar logo, but the border around the triangle on this one is wider and flatter than those on an antique Vicks bottles.

Can you see the triangle mark?

Vintage Vicks bottle.

Due to its thickness, I now suspect this isn't the bottom of a bottle at all. I did some research and discovered that it may be part of a glass insulator used along Canadian railways and telegraph/telephone lines in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Take a look at this picture of a screw-top insulator made by the Boston Bottle Works Company:

Exciting isn't it? I'm not sure what next. Are there sea glass historians? Could a particularly keen antiques dealer date this ocean-warped artifact? Suggestions welcome.

Mellow Yellow

This year I've fallen in love with yellow, especially shades of goldenrod creeping toward orange. We have a garage that will one day become a guest cottage, and I've already begun to procure an assortment of yellow objects that will splash it with sunshine:

Vintage Sadler England teapot with folk art birds.

 The happiest cookware in the world.

Lamps from Value Village.

One had a small gash that I filled with plaster then disguised with yellow

nail polish I happened to have kicking around. It was an exact match!

 Future guest cottage.

What The World Needs Now (is love, sweet love)

 

Last night, S.B. and I had our first gig playing love songs during a fancy three course dinner at The Galley Restaurant & Lounge. The restaurant is in a spacious haunted house originally owned by a sea captain, and a camera crew had just been in to film an episode for a ghost-hunter type television show!

For a month we have been practicing a set list of thirty songs, everything from Oasis to Patsy Cline, and our harmonies were really tight. A surprising number of partrons stopped by to thank us for enhancing their Valentine's Day. They especially liked S.B.'s intricate finger-picking on 'I Can't Help Falling In Love With You'. Hopefully, this will lead to us getting more gigs when the restaurant gets crazy busy this summer with boaters from the marina. Our house needs a new roof, and we can always use the extra money!

Our stage outfits.

Treasure!

Things I didn't know about sea glass: A lot.

For instance, it can take the sea twenty years to soften the edges of a shard of glass. Our beach has very few rocks, just the odd mussell shell and a few tendrils of seaweed along the packed sand, so it's very easy to spot the coloured gems of sea glass that seem to wash up with every new tide. I started harvesting the beach a few weeks ago and have collected pieces in opague white, green, amber, a tiny slice of blue. 

The prime time for collecting is the first low tide following a storm.

Take a look at what S.B. retrieved after Saturday's snowstorm!

S.B. has an eagle eye. He found sea china!

According to my online sleuthing, "sea china" originates from 18-19th century pottery, earthenware and porcelain made in Europe and America. Some pieces contain markings that can help history buffs (like me!) trace their origins. In my fever, I joined the Sea Glass Association of North America. They hold a "Shard of the Year" contest.

When I was a child, I had (and lost) a large round piece of sea glass that was an exquisite ruby red colour, and now I desperately want another. Short term goal: Find the ruby. Long term goal: Gather enough sea glass to make a patio floor mosaic. I envision a giant bowl on the coffee table that our friends can help fill over the years. So far, we've got half a mason jar.

To think - I put roller derby on hold in order to pluck at the novel and pick sea glass off the beach. I'm really getting in touch with my inner old lady. I should get a shawl. And a walking stick. And a basket.