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| The Ledges - Photo by Salt Water New England |
Over the years, I have received questions about naming houses, including one just a few days ago. The basic questions for the community include:
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| Photos by Salt Water New England |
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| Photos by Salt Water New England |
** Save 25% now through October 16! **
While many people might be familiar with the cornhole toss, The Muddy Dog has taken it to a new, and much higher, level with their incredibly durable and tasteful "Made in the USA" Cornhole Boards.
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| Photos by Salt Water New England |
Houses can often benefit from industrial products. Steele Canvas has continued this ethos by making wheeled Elevated Trucks, inspired by the factory floor. These trucks make storing, accessing, and shuttling about clothes, blankets, toys, and so many other things easy and convenient.
Ours, shown above, is a 4 Bu, which they say is about the size of two plastic laundry baskets.
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| My Eclectic Approach to Towels - Photo by Salt Water New England |
In a nutshell:
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| Photos by Salt Water New England |
What furniture, dishes, clothes, or accessories do you have around your home or office with your day school, prep school, college, or grad school name on it?
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| Photo by Salt Water New England |
"Yes, one of the brightest gems in the New England weather is the dazzling uncertainty of it." - Mark Twain
A Hot Yesterday... (Photos by Salt Water New England)
Shown:
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| Photo by Salt Water New England |
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| Photo by Salt Water New England |
I hate hate hate bathing suits. Ugh. Someone wrote "the near-death experience of trying on bathing suits" and yes! That is me. Where do people go to get bathing suits for people older than 25? Help! Also, where to find the best ones for men. An easier category but still not an obvious source.
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| Photo by Salt Water New England |
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| Photos by Salt Water New England |
I may be frugal in a lot of ways, but I have learned that you have to invest in a good pair of loppers and shears. (Bob NOLA)
Felco pruning shears (they even have a left-handed version!). I bought mine at Amazon but that's because I live in rural NC and nobody around had them. I get my heirloom seeds a good hardware or garden store (there are 2 in the town where I work). I still have some garden tools from my husband's grandfather (including a lovely hoe, which I admit I use more to poke a bonfire than I use in my raised bed vegetable gardens). Ergonomic trowel (from a box store) probably one of my favorites but sadly it doesn't last very long. If I could find the new design in high quality construction, I'd be thrilled! (Hoya)
A good pair of gloves with a nice gauntlet is helpful. Saves arm and hand scratches. good pruning shears are a must. (mary anne)
My favorite tools are my Felco 2 pruners, a Smith Hawken telescoping ratchet lopper, and a circle hoe. (Joyce North)
I ran a small field-grown, perennial nursery from our home. My customers were always asking for recommendations of tools and such. My list is surprisingly small and affordable.
- Felco Bypass Pruners
- Felco Bypass Loppers
- Small “nippers” for delicate trimming.
- Kitchen string
- Auger attachment for cordless drill which is perfect for mass planting of bulbs.
- Deluxe soil knife w/serrated edge, replaces my late father’s hunting knives. Can be found at: GardenersEdge.com
- Atlas Gloves, the best overall gloves out there. They are machine washable and inexpensive.
- Heavy duty, leather work gloves for all seasons and available in women’s sizes. Can be found at: WomansWork.com
- Muck shoes, high & low
- Hoe, edger, and pointed shovel, inherited.
- Hula Hoe, perfect to maintain inside edging.
- Spear & Jackson Spade from England. This was my splurge, and well worth it.
- Good, sturdy wheelbarrow (Laurie Ann)
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| Some of Muffy Aldrich's Scottish Tartan Throws |
This is the time of year when I start taking out the Scottish tartan throws for many of our chairs and beds. Typically made of British wool, they have all of its fabulous properties. They are fire resistant, breathable, anti-microbial, warm, lightweight, hearty, and repairable.
And while knockoffs abound, there is almost no reason not to get authentic versions. For a surprisingly reasonable amount, one can get throws and blankets that have have gone through every state (design, dyeing, blending, carding, spinning, weaving, and finishing) in various historic Scottish mills. These are products with soul.
Because they are so useful in so many places (many keep a few in the back of the car), they make perfect gifts, as long as you resist the urge to keep them for yourself.
Photo credit: Muffy Aldrich
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| A Pair of Adirondacks Chairs |
Ideally made of teak, they can be made of other types of wood, and increasingly rot-proof resin.
Their reputation for comfort may be slightly oversold, given how low and hard they are and the angles involved. Variants, including rockers and swings, provide some compromises.
Photo Credit: Muffy Aldrich
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| Photos by Salt Water New England |
Weather vanes provide the perfect venue for expressions of passions, appreciation of craftsmanship, and even wit. In a culture that values the architecture of streets and entire villages to support a greater collective vision, weather vanes allow for individuality.
In terms of The Uniform, weather vanes may be the equivalent of the motif belt or, for some people, socks.
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| Photo by Salt Water New England |
These structures go by the same name as, but give a completely different feel than, the ever more common and newer year-round, large and vaguely-contemporary looking second houses, replete with central air-conditioning, black windows, and modern cable deck railing.
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| My 1868 U.S Coast Survey, Kennebec and Sheepscot Rivers, Maine |
Photo Credit: Muffy Aldrich
