Bedside Tables

What seemed like a fairly simple project was a little more than anticipated. Each table is made of more than 30 individual pieces. The joinery includes 8 sliding dovetails and 30 mortise and tenons. Doing two of them added up to a fair amount of work.

This was a straight forward design. As an accent I like using the white sap wood that is usually omitted from cherry furniture. I joined two boards to create the white stripe down the middle of the top and also chose a board to include it in the drawer faces. This matched two bureaus I made in 2007 & 2008. So after 35 years we now have what might be called a bedroom suite.

Dining Out Winter

Dining Out Summer Spring

Central Park, NYC

day in the city

Ginger Died Friday Night

Our dear pet rabbit finally passed away at the ripe old age of nearly 12. She long out lived our expectations, ignorant as they were, for what we thought was a normal life span of a rabbit. We jokingly called her the energizer bunny as she just kept on going. When we got her and her mate, Baker, for our kids in '99 I thought we'd have them five years. I had 3 rabbits as a kid and they didn't last 3. But it turns out 8-12 is normal for a well cared for small breed domestic rabbit.

We thought the two bunnies we purchased were the same sex but the truth came to light when they were caught humping under the Christmas tree. Ginger was allowed two litters and played her part well enough. I gotta say there is not much that's cuter than baby bunnies. Robin named them all - Scooter, Skipper, Bonnie and Clyde, Merle, Curious, Bobo.

Her beau Baker

Ginger was not particularly fond of being held in her youth and left many a scratched belly and arms as she tried to free herself. But this changed in  later years and she seemed to enjoyed being petted, sharing with us her soft fur coat, leaning into a hand scratching her cheek.

As is the way with many childhood pets, the child moves on and the pet stays. So Ginger became Margy's pet. Feeling sorry for a caged creature a gourmet rabbit trail mix became a "must have" treat and Ginger would sometimes stamp her feet demanding her daily dose. As Margy once hurried to deliver Robin remarked, "Geez, Mom, you're like Ginger's bitch."  What we do for love.....

New Socks

I bought these socks the other day and I like them well enough I suppose but look at this, there's a left and a right.  What the hell, when did this happen? Whose idea was this? I didn't get a warning or anything, did you? What's happening?

You remember when your Mom was teaching you how to dress right? And when she did the socks part everything was still pretty cool. All you had to do was pick two that were the same color, or close anyway, and get the curvy heel part down and then pull 'em on and you were good to go. Didn't matter which foot the sock went on. At that point you were thinking, "Allright! This shit is gonna be easy!" Course you didn't say that and then when you got to shoes and left and right and tying laces and all you had a lot of second thoughts. As a matter of fact shoes might be the place when you started having doubts about everything big people had in store for you.

Anyway I'm feeling like I am not OK with this left and right sock thing. So just to show 'em who's boss, just to stick it to da man, just because I'm a bad ass living on the edge kind of guy, I put them on the wrong feet.

And I'll be damned.  Try as I might I could not walk the straight and narrow. Everywhere I went I just kept leaning to the left. Man, life is getting complicated. I don't know what's goin' on anymore.

Martha

Martha, a three year old long haired calico, is the newest member of our family. She comes to us from a friend whose father died,  leaving behind his beloved cat. Our friend was carefully seeking a new home for her.

The story goes she showed up as a stray with 5 kittens in tow and was appropriately named Mama Kitty.
But that's not what we wanted to call her, so after much deliberation, Martha it is. A long haired cat would not have been our first choice here in our woods, where briers and seeds abound, but her sweet disposition won us over.

A concern for any new pet in the house was the reception our big tom, Simon, might deliver. But it turns out he's a wuss, the one who hisses and runs for it. Martha has not been aggressive but neither has she been afraid. Not sure they will ever be BFF's but already they are tolerant.

Room With Two Views

October 16th

This Morning

The season has changed. I don't know many people who like winter. It might be just those who enjoy winter sports. For the rest it is something to be grimly endured; the cold, the snow and ice and sleet, the dull gray skies.


I won't say I like those things but I have always felt OK about winter because I love the change of seasons. The yin and yang, the other side of the coin, we're on the other side of the sun. You can't know nice without not-nice. The face stinging cold wind magnifies warm cocoa by the stove. Boots in hard crusty snow gives pleasure to barefoot in new spring grass. I like to be reminded of the ever changing miracle.