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| A lazy summer day at the Bee |
Cottage Life visits Honey Bee
Last month I wrote that a photographer from Cottage Life Magazine came to take pictures of our Little Free Library for this months edition of the magazine. It was a kind of "look at this cute little thing these folks did at their cottage" sort of segment that you can see below.
While here, the photographer snapped 'scouting' pictures of every square inch of the cottage, inside and out. After the editors reviewed his shots, they called us and asked if they could send a writer to spend two days with us to
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| Janice being interviewed |
After talking the writer's ear off, the photographers showed up a day later to spend another two days with us to shoot the pics they would use in the 10 page feature article to be published next summer. (They work a year ahead)
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| Photographers using reflectors to light up their subject "just right". |
Unbelievably, they took a total of 3,700 pictures in two days. All this to end up with a dozen pics or so they will use in the feature. Rather serious about it all they showed up with lights, reflectors, step ladders (to shoot from a higher vantage) and a plethora of other equipment. They even took pictures of us swimming from under water!
When it rains, it pours!
We Have been bracing ourselves for this all summer. First, we had daughter Cassie and husband Steve join us from the West Coast for a week. This was Steve's introduction to island life and to put a face on Cassie's stories about all the work she helped with in our early years here. Just as important, they took little Kayla away after 75 days with Nana and Papa. Whew!
Days later, cousins Monte and Cinde showed up from their Nebraska farm for a look see that was planned when they came out to visit us in California last December. During their short visit we saw Fort Henry (The Canadian West Point) in Kingston and managed a day in Ottawa, Canada's capital where we toured the parliament buildings and the Rideau canal. Now if we can only get them to France...
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| Monte and Cinde at the Parliament buildings in Ottawa |
Speaking of France, last but certainly not least, village friends Philippe and Evelyn came out for an 11 day adventure and first visit to North America. We picked them up in Montreal and and are in the process of giving them the grand tour of the extended region on both the US and Canadian sides of the border.
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| Philippe and Evelyn at the top of Whiteface mountain at Lake Placid in the Adirondaks |
It runs about a mile along Route 20, on both sides of the road, extending several hundred yards back from each side of the road. Most show their wares inside large tents, and all fields are contiguously located next to each other, so seeing everything is an easy stroll.
Calling it an antiques show is a bit of a misnomer as you can find everything from a transformer on a power pole to a door from the Paris subway. It is a splendid place to find the eclectic one of a kind art pieces we love. Years ago, I missed out on buying a two foot (60cm) piece of a stalactite from a cave because I was too stupid to appreciate that it was available.
Then, over the years I missed getting a 16th century silver chalice because I was too aggressive while trying to negotiate for a better price. I missed getting a 14th century Portuguese Venetian sailing ships wooden rudder that Janice wanted to use as a coat rack because we were DI-5K-BAH-FB (Double income, 5 kids, building a house and flat broke) Same-same for the steel entry gates to the Houdini estate.
We are now exploring ways to have that 500 pound (225 kilos) 4'X8' (1.3M X 2.6M) steel door from the Paris subway seen below shipped to California. Covering it with a piece of glass would make a fine office desk, don't you think? OK, so it is not for everybody, but it is us, to a T.
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| Pirate days on the river. We take our fun very seriously around here and make sure to keep the pirates hydrated |
As I close, we are but a week away from our trimester countdown. That's the last week we are in this house having to close up and head to the airport for home. Let's see... if this is mid September, we must be heading to California! Meanwhile, we have a plane, car, boats, jet skis and a house to tuck in for the next 8 months. It's a lot of work having this much fun.
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| Stewards of paradise. Sunrise from our bedroom at the Bee makes it all worthwhile |
OK, now for this month's parenting advice:
