down by the old Mill Stream

My high school alma mater festooned the 1890-built bridge across the Mill Stream, which meanders through the center of the campus, with a fabric display of performance art.  A big sign advertising the kick-off of a new $35 million capital campaign kind of spoiled it.  Can we do beauty just for the sake of beauty?  Because humans do beauty?  You can google "bridges wrapped in fabric" to see other examples.  But I'm proud of what my artist classmate, Emmet Murphy, did this evening.

the M. Div. graduation oil

At the local graduation recognition party--way back in April--guests were asked not to bring gifts, but, if they wanted to contribute to the purchase of an original oil by Christine David as the grande graduation gift, that gift would be deeply appreciated.

Finally the painting was chosen, framed, finished with varnish, signed, sealed, and delivered.  Here is the graduate receiving it from the artist, Christine David.  I can't think of the title, but it is an abstract poppy.

then the barn

As the house waits for filling nail holes, priming, and painting, the contractor worked on the barn, the west end, replacing siding boards that were rotting.  Here's before and after photos, although the after was taken before all the siding was replaced, to show the insides.

putting the puzzle pieces back

Today the crew of two is putting the trim back on the windows, upstairs and down.  Set up next to our freezer and washer and dryer is an air pressure pump to power the air nailers.  Set up outside are the saws.  The biggest task was to bring the window frames out a half inch to be flush with the new walls.