The Fourth of July cometh...

I've been remiss in updating my blog. Summer has always been brutal months in the art departments of record labels and this summer is no exception. So that little thing called a J-O-B has been taking top priority these days. And that's ok. I'm glad I still have one.
I am incredibly pleased with the way things are coming together with the deck at the church. Two Saturday's ago, I heard a knock on my door at 9:00 am. Herringtons had come to deliver the handrails that David had hand picked for the deck. He wanted me to move my car so he could get up onto the driveway and place the wood near the entry to the deck on the north side. Some of the pieces were 18' long and I wondered how he was going to get them off the truck. I didn't have to wonder for long...

The handrails were gently set down all wrapped up and protected, just waiting to be installed. They are really nice 2 x 6 pieces and, like I said, a few of them were 18' long. They were not cheap.
Since that got me going nice and early on a Saturday morning, I began my first project of the day. Clearing up some of the mess on the southeast corner of the house. So, this:

became this:

After that, because I wasn't drenched in enough sweat, I painted the front porch rail. That was a really nice transformation and I was so happy how that ornate woodwork cast shadows on the porch in the late afternoon.

 I had ordered all the necessary components to make the Atlantis Rail Cable System for the railings on the deck. There are very serious building codes regarding railings and I'm happy to comply. My deck is an easy two story drop and I really don't want anybody or their kids or pets sailing off of it. Everything showed up two days later and David inventoried and studied the parts.

That was enough work for the day, so I set off to my favorite local junk stores to see what I could find. 

My favorite score was this George Nelson bench knockoff which, I'm going to guess, was a high school shop project.  I cleaned it up and while it's no George Nelson bench, it has nice proportions and a sleek mid century modern look. Not bad for five bucks!

 

At another yard sale, I got this classic Oster Blender. It was a filthy mess but they plugged it in and it worked so I bought it (another five bucks). It shined up perfectly and made really great smoothies the next morning!

My friend Deb gave me a permanent loan of this Louis Renzoni painting that I have always loved. Like most things, while a nice sized painting, it looks a little dwarfed in the space (granted, I overemphasized that in the photo below) Some day I'd love to have a huge Alyssa Monks painting there...

 So, slowly I am starting to make the church more livable and adding some gail flavor as I live and learn in the space.
The deck, which I always knew was the "star of the show" is really starting to shape up. It has a wonderful view of the Hudson River and dappled sunlight which casts lovely shadows throughout the day...

 The light in the church, formed by 5 very large windows on the north and south sides of the house and my new additions of glass on the east and west sides really plays around the interior so beautifully.

 The following weekend, I got up early on Saturday again, to head over to the post office and get a P.O. Box. I should have done that a year ago but I had fantasies of some beautiful mailbox in front of the house. Not a priority with all that still has to be done. Oh, please send me mail at P.O. Box 92, Coxsackie, NY 12051.
Here's the village, just a few hundred feet down Ely Street

And the post office

I always thought the village looked like a movie set.

 Back at the deck, David had installed the first section of the cable rail system. I loved it because it didn't interfere with the view and had a nautical feel to it. The deck is such an amazing place. You feel like you are in a tree house with all the old tall maples surrounding you and yet you have this fantastic view of the water so you also feel like you could be on a boat. You'll just have to come visit and experience it. Just send a note to my P.O. Box and let me know when you're coming :)

 In the interior, Jeff, my electrician hooked up the office loft lights. Right now the shades are boring glass  cylinders but I'm eventually going to try and make a wire cage with Edison bulbs. Eventually. The other big eventually is, see that black triangle at the end of the office loft? That is where the steeple goes. I don't have the resources to replace it right now but I will do that in the future. Nothing crazy, just very simple and spiritually sound.

 Finally, other Jeff, the plumber, installed my outdoor spigot. This is awesome because
a) I can satisfy my car pride by washing the old girl in the driveway
b) I can water the plants that have just started getting planted on the landscape
c) I can spray water all over myself when it gets too hot