Bungalow Gallery/ Broad Ripple

Heading down to Broad Ripple today to restock the Bungalow Gallery with some of my handmade rustic furniture, mostly stools, birdhouses, vases and birchbark picture frames. Diane and Jennifer visited my shop last week to select pieces they would like to display. They just returned from a buying trip to the Javits Center in New York, and I am anxious to here their views on current trends. They have handled my handmade rustic furniture since the 80's and are dear friends. They have always been wonderfully supportive and gracious. Their shop has been recently renovated and I am eager to visit. Spent yesterday trimming a curly willow in Anderson. The property owner there has allowed me to trim her curly willow four times and seems very grateful to me for restoring the tree's health and shape. I also stopped at two other places to talk to the owners about trimming theirs. I was gratified that they consented. They also seem glad that my trimming has helped their trees. These will bring the total number trimmed to five, three or four to go. The warm weather made yesterday's work much more pleasant than during the colder weather. I also opened up the doors in the shop to let the cold air out, and warmer air in. My shop remains cold during the winter, despite a hot fire in my wood stove. The sixteen foot high ceilings make the cubic volume impossible to heat with conventional heating systems. It would cost thousands of dollars during the winter. Mercifully, during the summer this makes it stay cooler. Getting close to the stove and dressing in warm layers becomes part of my routine during the Winter months. Gathering firewood takes a lot of time and storage of the five or six cords of wood takes up a lot of space, but it makes financial sense. Also visited Brad McQueen's Hickory Designs shop and picked up some of his scrap as I do every Tuesday. He has a tabletop for me to inlay with willow. His business is thriving, despite the difficult economy. I did stop at Morse lake to see if there might be some loons, but I only saw what looked to be scaups. It may be an early spring. Groundhog day is coming up. The Judge Stone House/Nickel Plate headquarters in Noblesville will host Bruce Neckar's bluegrass band The Poison RiverBoys, for First Friday February 1, 5-8. Visit and tour the six artist's studios, including Bruce's.