Where the Wild Things Are...

One of my customers, wanted to meet the chickens who supplied his family's eggs& took a stroll with me to the chicken house. As we walked thru the gardens, he commented on the different plantings. " You seem to be infested with Gargoyles..." slid effortlessly into out conversation about green gardening . Very dry...

A beautiful day in the country...

A dear old friend, gone these last 10 years would always greet his neighbors with: " It's a beautiful day in the country>" No matter what the weather or the season, to the "Judge" , a day in our valley was always worth commenting upon. I think it was his was of gently reminding us to slow down enough to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us here in Walker Valley.
This morning, as usual, I had a list of things that needed to be accomplished before today was yesterday. My intentions were good, I felt motivated and goal oriented. I was looking forward to completing each task and the satisfaction that goes with checking it off the list. And then I went outside.
In early spring, when the weather is fine, I start each day wandering my gardens: coffee cup in hand, to check on the progress of all growing things. I wander the gardens in my nightgown, listening to the birds greet the rising sun, with no one to see me but the animals. It's a peaceful way to start my day& something I dream about during the long frozen winter mornings.
Today was not the day for my to do list. I wandered , puttered, planted, potted & pruned.
I sat on a bench and planned the bentwood arbor I would build to shade it. I pictured it covered with vibrant orange trumpet vine & humming birds keeping me company while I rested in it's shade.
I repotted a water lily with root ball so huge it's pot was bursting. I looked at the tiny gold fish in my little water garden and thought of them so large I would have to find homes for many.
I rearranged the decorative trash & treasures that make up my garden accents & create whimsy when you least expect it. Moving things about, elevating statuary, moving chimes where they catch the breeze in a different way, changing the waterfall in my little pond so that the sound will carry to bedroom window as I lay in bed. It dawned on me that I wasnt wasting time. I decorated my outside world in a way that soothes my spirit & took a day to just "be".

Music in the Park

Mark your calender for this Saturday, May 30th. It's Music in the Park, sponsored by the Town of Shawangunk & The Walker Valley Marching Band to benefit the Pine Bush Relay for Life. A fun filled day filled with music in beautiful Verkeerderkill Park ( between Pine Bush & Walker Valley) The music starts at 9am and run till 5pm. Rock All Day Long with: Damn Glad***Prez***Flooding the Void***Tony Martino***City @ Odds***DJ Ken Henry***Vickey & Spencer***Stinkin Garbage***The Pine Bush HS Strings Band***Xiro*** The Walker Valley Marching Band! There will be food, fair games, vendors & GREAT MUSIC!! Free Admission! For more info call: 744-5731 I'll be there with a great selection of goodies from the barn and a new shipment of African Market Baskets!!

We're Back

Back from a relaxing ten days on Ocracoke Island. This trip was everything a vacation should be. After taking a few days to wind down, getting 8 hours of sleep a night, and taking a slice of time to reconnect with my "just me" self, the ability to think clearly and creatively returned to my somewhat fried brain! Come on vacation with me for a few paragraphs...
Sixteen miles of unspoiled beaches stretch along 16 miles of Ocracoke Island. As part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, opportunities for swimming, surf fishing, boating, clamming, or just beach combing are the order of the day. Shelling, biking, bird watching, and kayaking are also wonderful.
The village at the southern tip of the island is accessible only by private plane, private boat or one of the state run ferries. Limited access have helped preserve the prominent Old English inspired brogue of the local residents and the old time island way of life.
Until the 1950's, residents lived in relative isolation. Their contact with the mainland was from daily trips by the mail boat. Islanders made their living from fishing, hunting, and as guides. Ocracoke had long been the destination of wealthy hunters & fishermen & mainland families who could afford to summer in the cool breezes that the island offered. It was not until Highway 12 was paved and scheduled ferry service was offered in 1957 that Ocracoke Island was truly discovered.
For a brief period during World War Two, the Coast Guard Station was transformed into a US Navy Base. Beaches were closed, fishing was curtailed, homes and businesses were requisitioned, and the islands life style was interrupted. The war was witnessed firsthand offshore where " Torpedo Junction" claimed more then 60 ships during the first 6 months of 1942. The British Cemetery serves as a reminder of the generosity of Ocracoke people. It holds the bodies of four young British soldiers who lost their lives when the HMC Bedforshire was torpedoed by a German submarine off the Ocracoke coast. Island residents found and buried the bodies on donated land and continue to maintain the graves.
Ocracoke's history is rich in sea lore. Blackbeard, the infamous pirate who plundered the Carolina coast in the early 1700's, fought his last battle just off the island at Teach's Hole, where he lost his head. Legend hints that his vast treasure may still be buried on the island. Ocracoke Inlet served as the main waterway at one time forming port towns on Ocracoke & Portmouth Islands and spurring the growth of these coastal villages. Portsmouth Village, now a ghost town is maintained by the Cape Lookout Park Service and can be toured. The oldest working lighthouse in North Carolina and one of the oldest on the East Coast has stood tall on Ocracoke since 1823, guiding ships alone the treacherous Graveyard of the Atlantic.
The small community of 800 year round residents work together to preserve the islands culture and history. The Ocracoke Preservation Museum does a wonderful job of preserving the history of island life.
The motto of the real estate company we rent our cottage from is: Relax, You're South of the Stress Line!" For me, its the truth.

Ocracoke Bound

We are off for our long awaited and yearned for trip to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. The outer most barrier island, Ocracoke is only accessible by boat or air. The National Park service manages most of the island with on small village at the far end. Only about 600 people call Ocracoke home. There are no big box stores, fast food, or even a movie theater! All shops & hotels are owned by the locals and most people walk or bike around the village. The beach, fishing, crabbing, and just relaxing are the order of the day. When you leave the ferry, you are truly "below the stress line" I'm off !!

Spring Has Sprung

After a long, seeming endless winter, Spring has sprung here in the Valley. The robins are back, peeper frogs sing us to sleep, and the snowdrops, squill, and daffodils give us a preview of colors to come!
April 18th is the Pine Bush Little League Parade. All the kids are out in their bright new uniforms to parade down Main Street & to the Town Park to the music of our own Walker Valley Marching Band & HS Marching Band. Small town fun at its best!
But something else will be happening downtown that day. Pine Bush has a long history of UFO sightings & is known as The UFO Capitol of the Northeast. Aliens have been spotted popping up in shop windows all over town!! What is this strange phenonmenon?? Its UFO Hide & Seek!! A FUN & FREE Event for the whole family. Spot "Alfie the Alien" in his flying saucer in each shop with aliens in the window and collect a star token. Collect 18 tokens ( 10 for children 5 and under) and redeem at Stewarts for a free ice cream cone. Enter to win a free shop local gift basket! No registration required and everyone can play! Here are a few of the extraterrestrials we've spotted.

No Down Time Here!

Been a busy month here at The Old Red Barn. Once we decided to move the shop down to the lower level ( the upstairs was always intended to be studio space) we started going hells-poppin'! The old cement floor was framed out and rigid insulation laid. We now have a beautiful wide pine plank floor waiting for the warmer weather to be sealed. A brick platform was laid in anticipation of a pellet stove, additional outlets & lighting were wired in. This gives us more usable space and I get my studio back. It also eliminates the trip up the stairs which was difficult for some of our customers.


We've also teamed up with a wonderful, talented group of local Hudson Valley artisans who are interested in being part of our shop. More on this as we develop our shop & handcrafted gallery.
"At 1846 House Soaps...we're not just soap!"

In our area, the community works long & hard to provide an All Night Graduation Party for our seniors. The local chamber of commerce as well as many civic organizations raise funds to provide this safe and memorable night for our young people. Gift certificates, merchandise , and fundraisers abound. Everyone contributes & everyone gets involved. This is what makes living in a small town so rewarding!


1846 House Soaps has also gotten involved in Relay for Life. Here in Pine Bush, we "Paint the Town Purple" during the festivities. We are doing Awareness Ribbon goat milk & shea butter soaps (with a purple ribbon, of course) for two of the relay teams as a fundraiser. These 4 ounce bars of Lilac scented soap will also be available in my etsy shop (1846housesoaps.etsy.com) with 50% of the purchase price donated to Relay for Life. Here's a chance for your to purchase a great soap and donate to a cause that affects us all. These will be available for a limited time,
so get 'em while they're here! Together...we can make a difference!

Until next time, have a wonderful & creative day!