Sean Rowe's "The Wall"

Every once in a while we hear a piece of music that seems to touch both our head as well as our heart.

Sean Rowe's "The Wall" is such a song. Having initially only heard the last few bars of the song I emediately began to search out the full song, lyrics and the song writer.  Consider if you will;

      http://youtu.be/nwVsINBxc2A

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Rowe

      

Blue Barn Collectibles

In her retirement, my wife Dale has opened an online vintage store; Blue Barn Collectibles. Here are her guiding principles;

After more than 50 years in the working world, my preparation for the next steps in life’s journey include some inevitable downsizing (one reason for my Etsy vintage shop) and a deep desire to stay active and to pursue new experiences and new challenges.

Robert Fulghum wrote the famous book; "All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten". I can’t think of a better basis for setting my Etsy Shop Policies than
borrowing from his simple yet thoughtful outlook on life:

Share everything: I will always share all that I know about vintage items being sold

Play Fair: Prices will always reflect what I believe to be true value 

Don't hit people: I will be honest and fair in all my transactions 

Put things back where you found them: My shipping will be Eco-friendly

Clean up your own mess: If I make a mistake I will try my best to fix it

Don't take things that aren't yours: I will strive to offer true vintage items only

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody: If you are unhappy let me know

Wash your hands before you eat: My shop & my home are both non-smoking

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you: Shop closed for tea-time daily

Live a balanced life: learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and 
dance and play and work every day some: 

If you see my Etsy “Vacation” sign up, I’ll be missing for a while......but will be back with tales to tell!! 

Take a nap every afternoon..... And then eat dinner by candle light

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together: I will try to foster a spirit of comradary with other shops 

Be aware of wonder: I continue to be amazed by the people and shops here!

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK:

"There are many things in life that will catch your eye,
but only a few will catch your heart....pursue those."

Adapted from : © Robert Fulghum, 1990. 
Found in Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten, Villard Books: New York, 1990, page 6-7.

Fall & Spring .... where Are All Your Friends?

Spending time living beside a lake brings us much closer to all aspects of the changing New England seasons. Typically the summer finds us all hosting numerous friends and family. Cookouts, campfires on the beach, swimming and sailing are all natural attractions.  But isn't it amazing that when it comes time to haul the boats and dock out in the fall and launch it all back into the still-cold spring waters,

those very same friends and family seem magically, to be less inclined to come up for a visit! 

As I approached retirement and dreams of being able to sail longer and earlier with my new found leisure time, I began to research ways to both extend my time on the water, and, in deference to my advancing years, simplify the always challenging process of preparing for a beautiful, yet solidly frozen lake. Thus, this year's experiment with the "Ice Eater"; a submersible gadget that periodically draws warmer water from below the ice up to the surface creating a liquid oasis around our dock and boats to protect them from the ravages of winter time ice. So far, the experiment seems to be working, with a less than expected effect on our winter-time electric bill. Look for me with sails up and hands in mittens on that first day that the year-rounders on Monomanac declare "Ice Out"!