Painting Essex Day

Essex, Mass is the dreamiest town, I've always thought. I imagine a tourist who does not live on the coast driving around here on vacation falling in love with the place. The marshes, the salty air, the seafood and the charm. Filled up flowerpots and windowboxes, funky treasures and antiques spilling out of storefronts make it a really special place.

Yesterday was "Paint Essex Day". There has been a lot of roadwork done on the main drag and the businesses have suffered. So this was a wonderful effort to get people back walking along Essex. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., there were 45 painters tucked in all corners of the village and a red balloon was tied to their easel. Then from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. there was a silent and live "wet paint" auction at the Cox Reservation.  This was the first year, but it seemed like a great success so I think it will be the first of many.
http://www.essexheritage.org/sites/cox_reservation.shtml

This painter was inspired by Woodman's as he set up across the street (and so were we).  
http://www.woodmans.com/ 
  Yum.  The slightly damp weather kept the crowds away.  Maybe not good for the artists, but good for a nice outdoor seat.
 
Everything for sale has a certain patina, a certain age, a certain history. 

It's in the details, the way you feel grounded.  The old granite, the tilt of the home, the old iron strappings on the wooden door.  

A former diamond, now a bit in the rough.  But even this Victorian Colonial looked a bit dreamy, like a painting herself.  Yet still a wreath in the door and a light in the window (Mary Margaret...for Margo..)

The kid is getting a new bedroom now that both brothers are going off to college.   This is the painting that we were watching the artist paint (see above photo).  The kid said he would love it for his new room.  Way to get to me.  So mom and the boys came back from Essex around 3:00 pm and the grown-ups went back around 5:30 pm for the "wet paint" auction. 

We had the loveliest night...in all seriousness...go next year!  The paintings were all set up in this magnificent old barn, hanging on all of the walls.  There was cold beer and wine and tables set up outside under an apple tree with vintage tablecloths.  A local caterer had fabulous cheese and dips and fruit and crackers and white twinkle lights were strung through the trees - and a bluegrass trio played.  Another perfect summer night.

And one lucky boy.  The painting was in our price range and he has offically started his art collection.

He's missing Shark Week

That's the first thing I know.  Carter flew off to Indiana on Sunday to attend Purdue.  And he's missing Shark Week for the first time since he was 7 years old.  The other thing I know is that I need to keep as busy as possible so I don't take to my bed and weep over missing him.  Then I think it's important not to be over dramatic.  It's just college.  But my left arm might as well be in Indiana.  I'm just sayin'.

We went up to our favorite place in Maine for a few days before the big departure and had a great time.  We rented a kayak (brave for us) and all took turns using it.  Carter had been many times before so he was our instructor.  The brothers now all getting so old.  Two in college, the "baby" alone with us for seven more years.  Unthinkable when Ronan was born that this day would actually come. 

The simple things, right?  Having a meal together when every one is together not really thinking that you won't share many more until Thanksgiving.

The light of the Maine Coast before sunset is so pretty that alone will give you a lump in your throat.

And then you see them all together listening to some groovy tunes at our favorite ice cream spot and ...ouchies again.  It really is like you have the flu, stomach feels all achy and tingly.  Heart a bit heavy.
Thomas the Train Engine, stegosaurus and brontosaurus and the dinosaur collection, 5 a.m. day after Thanksgiving Toys-R-Us runs to scoop up Pokemon cards, endless soccer games, proud band tuba player.  Trying not to let these waves of memories drown me.

I'm glad I was there.  The volunteer.  The brownie-baker.  The cheerleader.  The birthday party planner.  Perfection?  Nope.  But I got up every morning and tried my best.  And in return so did he.
We had a great walk on the beach that morning, my boy in the purple sunglasses and me.  I love them all, of course, I do, but he says "yes" and "sure" and "ok, mom" more than they do.  He doesn't get worked up about stuff.  He was born on the sunny side I always said.  When I asked him to take a walk with me on this beautiful morning he jumped right up. 

He won't see the shore again until he comes home.  But everytime I go I will think of him.  And every time I see the empty bed and every time Ocean's Eleven is on and every time I need someone to shoot hoops with Ronan, I will think of him.  Truly I do not want to be sad for long.  It is a good thing.  Honors Program!  Purdue!  But it hurts just much as any newspaper or magazine article I have ever read about the passage from high school to college and being the one left behind to sort through the past.  The right thing to do is let them have fun and come home and tell you of their great adventure.  Understand what they need from you and what they don't.  Dry those mommy tears and keep calm and carry on.

And hopefully by the end of this week I will have inched closer to the goal. 

Ok, Orange Leaf!

So some of these West Coast shows that I've seen that may or may not have a Kardashian or Real Housewife in them often show the characters popping in and out of these frozen yogurt stores.  And they look awesome.   Hey, a lot of problems get solved over spoonfuls of this chilly stuff.

Today we went up to Newburyport for Yankee Homecoming and saw this store called Orange Leaf.  Yum-O!  You grab your cup, you pump your own yogurt from many, many varieties, you sprinkle your own toppings on...and you put it on the scale and pay by the pound. 

Very good.  If you are a fan of soft-serve anyway this is the best of both worlds.  I have heard that there is a frozen yogurt store coming to my town soon with a similar layout. I can't wait!

So the next time you spot an Orange Leaf and like me, had no idea what it was...run don't walk inside.  I had banana and peanut butter yogurt with granola, coconut and just the TINIEST bit of butterscotch topping.  Smiling happy people.

Master Bedroom - Carpet Installation!

It's a beautiful thing.  I'm yelling.  Can you year me singing "It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away"  like Bono over an adoring crowd?  The first day of the rest of my life.  Am I being too dramatic?  Well, it's the room I've been dreaming of forever.  We are not totally done yet, nor are the rest of the rooms cleared out, but we will sleep in this room tonight after a very long, hot summer. 

Surrounded by boys my entire life.  No sisters.  No daughters.  Lots of dirty bathrooms.  Just speaking the truth, people.  In this space, I will shut the door, paint my nails, take way too much time picking out what to wear and play "Sense and Sensibility" in heavy rotation.  

hard decisions, to stay or go

We all face this dilemma with things our kids have made.  Whether it's paper, a painting, a photo, an uneven bowl or funny sculpture from pottery class or in this case, a first attempt at knitting a scarf.  Carter was about 11 years old when I showed him how to knit.  He was forever making rubber-band balls and had great dexterity with his hands.

I was a total novice myself when it came to knitting, but took an adult ed class and was happy (and rather insistent if I am being honest) to share my new found craft with Carter.  He took right to it.  He made scarves, hats and cell phone covers that had pom-poms on them.  So cute!  It kept him busy and he had his own collection of yarn.  6th grade made way to 7th grade and by then it just wasn't cool to knit anymore.  That's what he thought anyway.  I tried to tell him that girls would think it was "wicked cool" to have a boyfriend who could knit them a hat, but no go.  

All of the yarn was banished to the back of the closet and eventually donated to the band yard sale.  Now that we are having a good go-through of the house we are having to face all of our collections.  Like a square dance, everyone is moving one room to the left.  And the things that were cherished as 7 and 10 year olds are no longer important (to them).  And then it becomes my job, as mommy, to make decisions about precious objects like hand-knitted scarves.  So now this story comes full circle.  I have gotten as far as writing about it and taking a photo of it, but it's still going in the "still thinking about it" box.

Master Bedroom - Closet Doors

Another craigslist purchase.  I found two pretty doors that were actually a pair of gray French doors that I thought had that perfect vintage look for my house.  They were from an artist's loft and used as room dividers.  $30 each.  Hey, that's not bad at all!  Except that they weren't exactly the right color gray for the room and well, since I'm not using them as French doors one of the doors has to change the knob opening because it's on the wrong side.  If that makes any sense. 

Taking a break from painting these doors in the summer heat, my brother Andy and my dog Bono just love
to rough and tumble.

Andy has been working here almost daily for 2 months and the dog has never been happier.

Primed and painted.  Just waiting to dry and then he'll scrape the paint off the glass.  Saves all of that blue tape! 

Master Bedroom - Handpainted Footboard

On another rather sultry summer afternoon I set up underneath the canopy on the back deck and got to work on the footboard.  While the after-effect is light and fluffy, just like I wanted, it was a bit of an arduous task.  I set a goal of one day for the headboard and one day for the footboard.  Hard on the back, though, and the artist is paying for it today!  I should have propped it up on something but at the time is was more convenient to just lay it on the table, but did require me to stand over it for a few hours. 

A few cold glasses of iced tea and with magazine tear sheets a references, I set about matching the design of the headbord.  I am very happy with the results! 

This is the backside of the footboard, the original color of the wood.  I do love taking something old, worn, scrappy or just something that someone has tired of and making into a real gem.  Goal accomplished!