Back to the shop

After the intensity of the 58th Talbot street art fair and some heavy work constructing two arbors in less than a week, I am resting my weary old bones today. I do have a little trim work to finish, but the heavy stuff is done. My next major event is my 19th open house at the shop July 12,13,14 during the Lapel Village fair. As usual my buddy Joe Green will display his leatherwork and walking sticks, also an annual tradition for him. He uses the leather and fabric scraps to handsew his wonderful traditional bags.

I am hoping to also have a couple of other artists and their work on hand. The open house always brings in visitors from Indy and old friends. My landlord has been working on the building, and all the windows on the south and west sides have been restored and painted, with storm windows installed. Work is continuing on the north side.

Wildlife watching has taken a back seat lately. I made a run up to my son's in The Cleveland area for my granddaughter Kayci's graduation. She will attend Cleveland State in the fall, majoring in Biology. Old grandpa is so proud! It was a nice trip. I was able to go fishing on Lake Erie, a first for me. Spencer has a new boat, and Kayci and Spencer T and I spent an enjoyable morning on the water. The wind was from the northeast,and only one fish was caught, by me!!
I got a photo from Spencer last weekend showing that they caught a whole bucketful of perch last weekend. It makes me happy that he takes his family fishing. They live in a rural area east of Cleveland that is really more like Pennsylvania. They have a lovely place back on a long lane on a nice piece of land. Bears have been sighted in the area! The small towns and the larger town of Painesville has almost a new England feel.
Anyone who knows me is aware that I hate traveling on the Interstate. I can only do it if under time constraints, and since I was not, my ride over took me across Ohio on US 224. I had breakfast in Chattanooga, Ohio, in a little bar that caused me to turn around after I had passed it and stop. Talk about a backwater.
On the way back home, I was eager to return to my lovely wife and did take the interstate until I could stand it no longer and got off on US 36, a lovely drive through some of the unspoiled towns of central Ohio. Although the towns put you through some stop and go traffic, there are far fewer near-death experiences with Trucks and texting drivers.