Rainy days in Windsor

Moody shot of the Windsor-Cornish covered bridge across the
Connecticut River here in Windsor.

Is it raining where you are? Sun would be nice but the rain is so moody.

Little Factoid: This is the longest wooden covered bridge in the United States and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world.

Getting Away from it all

I came across an article in our local paper that mentioned a website I thought a lot of you may be interested in: BnBFinder.com

One of the trends in vacation planning is to customize your activities to what you are looking for in your life. If you are looking for action and adventure, you try parasailing in Mexico. If you are looking to restart your life, you try a B&B or Inn that features a personal trainer. If you are looking to make family memories, you try a cabin in Missouri or a full blown Disney Vacation. I know I have a daughter who would be seriously interested in Treehouse Paradise in Cave Junction, Oregon. She could climb trees all day and even swing in a tree boat at the top (although her mom might not like that very much).

Of course we hope that if you are looking to antique shop, explore early American history, experience the color of a New England autumn, or just really feel like you are away from it all that you'll choose to come visit us at Snapdragon Inn.

In the meantime, while you wait for us to make our grand opening, check out this site and learn about all the great places there are to visit around the U.S. In fact, there are several Inns and B&Bs listed just for Vermont alone, including our neighbor The Juniper Hill Inn.

Check it out and begin planning that special getaway custom made for you!

An encouraging father

The letters between Max and his daughters in Father to Daughter are too lovely and tender not to share. They give such insight into the lives of the family who called 26 Main home (at least on holidays) with the most charming hand drawn illustrations. Max would keep up correspondence with his girls while he remained in NYC to work and they spent time in their home in Windsor during summers and holidays. I think this quote in the introduction by the eldest daughter, Bertha Perkins Frotheringham, speaks volumes.

"Max Perkins was interested in all of his children and guided and encouraged us with out ever seeming to do so. It was not until I read Editor to Author for the first time, after his death, that I realized that he brought out the very best in his writers in exactly the same way the he encouraged us to do the very best we were capable of. John Hall Wheelock, in his introduction to Editor to Author, says, "the recognizing, the encouraging, the guiding of talent-this, in his opinion, was the sacred task worth any amount of effort, of risk, of time expended." He put the same time and effort into encouraging and guiding his daughters, each one according to her particular interests and talents."

Jane, Zippy, Bert, and Peggy about 1922

Nancy, age 12 in a dress designed and made by Peggy, 1938.

This illustration accompanied a letter written in 1916 while Max was guarding the Mexican border (a blog post here). It says, "This or This? Well I think it will be this" pointing to the girls. Does it get any sweeter? Nope.

We will occasionally share more of these tender communications between father and daughter that we have all come to appreciate as we learn more of Max and his family.

(all images scanned from the Father to Daughter)

Seasons of Lake Runnemede

today

and it starts all over again.

Something that is so brilliant about this area are the seasons. We have such distinct seasons and each has it's own perfections. I would say that we don't have merely 4 seasons because what we are experiencing now isn't quite winter (although it kinda feels that way) but isn't quite spring either. This same bump season happens in between autumn and winter again and there is beauty in these transformation seasons as well but sometimes you have to look harder.

What do ya say ?

Cinnamon Rolls and Helping Hands

Chaz is heading back to warmer climates after truly lending a hand to the Snapdragon Team once again. The library is completely prepped for paint and a ton of homemade cinnamon rolls were consumed.
A little shout out to Big Red, who has stalwartly gone without his faithful companion for three weeks. She's on her way, big guy....hold tight.
We are really grateful for her loving guidance, kind advice, amazing mothering/grandmothering, and dedication in seeing the Snapdragon project through to the end.

Safe travels, Mom. Thanks for everything!

and the winner is...

Our random number generator picked Shannon. A BIG THANKS to all who commented this week! Send us an email at innkeeper@snapdragoninn.com and we will post your gifties out to you.

Windsor in the 1920s

Evarts Pond (now Lake Runnemede) in 1920s

Paradise Park in 1920s

Our beautiful 26 Main in the 20s (with that amazing porch!)

Aren't old pictures cool?
There are pictures of Paradise Park and Lake Runnemede today and it is so interesting to see how things change.

This morning I have been reading Father to Daugher: The Family Letters of Maxwell Perkins (check out this post for more info) and I definitely think we need to share more of them because it is such a tender collection of letters between Maxwell and his little girls and these are the people who called our Inn, home. I know it is not Mondays with Max but there were also some great pictures of the house and area in the 1920s in the book that I thought I would share. Click to enlarge.

Today is the last day to enter the March giveaway. Comment by Noon and win some free stuff!

Maybe Spring didn't arrive as soon as we thought it was going to in these parts but this is a great gift or shirt for working in the garden. The lip balms are REALLY nice too!

The Dynamic Duo

I must confess, I am a negligent sister. Chris posted a nice picture of me on my birthday and well, I was too busy watching the Oscars to remember to post here on her birthday. But as luck would have it, I can make it up to her by posting on BRIG's BIRTHDAY!


Actually, Chris and Brig are really a Dynamic Duo. They've always been close, but Chris really came to know and appreciate her brother when he came to Hawaii to live (oh, and go to school). Now they have learned the fine art of wall preparation at the inn together. Ah, togetherness. Chris' eye for design and her adventurous spirit have been such a blessing to the inn as she was willing to learn how to design fabric and then go to India to see it made. It's super cool. Chris is the driving force behind our organization and keeping things on track each day, she's really a General disguised as the baby sister. She's tough, don't mess with her. When she was four, she broke her arm and she got up from the crash, marched up to my mom, held out her busted up arm and said, "FIX THIS!" That attitude has been such an asset to this project of ours. Without her diligence and hard work we wouldn't be where we are.

And now a word or two about Brig, since it is his actual birthday. He's the strong, silent type, you know. We just couldn't get by without him. He's also the most middle child I've ever known-- 1 older sister, 1 older brother, 1 younger brother, 1 younger sister with three years between him and each brother. He's sandwiched. He's stuck. He learned at an early age to cope with the chaos by turning to art. Did you know he created an elaborate army scene on the wall of his bedroom when he was in the 4th grade? He also created a t-shirt that has lived on in family history as the "Man falling into a pit of insanity". We also believe he holds the record for the performance that our Dad most wanted to see again with his "Office Chair Olympics".
He's become quite a handyman in the last few years and he's known in the family for having just the right touch when it comes to skim coats. Have a great day, Brig and Chris. Good luck painting the library, can't wait to see the results!

--The big sister

Repainting old radiators: The research starts here

via Apartment Therapy

We have 13 cast iron radiators in the Inn. These aren't the fizzing, clanking, sputtering, popping radiators that may come to mind when you think of a radiator but are of varying lengths and heights. We had a HUGE debate as to whether we should repaint them or we should build radiator covers (and I am not going to open that debate here because some things need to just rest.)

Once getting into the research, there are some who say that painting them lowers the efficiency of the heating but others say that is a a radiator myth. One thing is for sure, ours need a little pick me up. The best thing to do would be to take them all out and get them professionally sandblasted before we paint them but have you ever tried to lift a cast iron radiator? I think we might kill ourselves or at least break some backs and feet.

I have found many excellent first hand experiences on the googletubes like Our Fixer Upper,which has tons of great stuff, House in Progess, Old House Web, DIY Life, and Casa Sugar.So from what I can gather from our DIY books and online help (the comment sections on all the posts have great info from others as well), we will follow similar steps as these (casa sugar), but PLEASE LEND OF YOUR OWN TIPS :)

1. Some of you may have an unpainted radiator or a finish that's in good shape, but if the paint is chipping, you'll need to remove it all before you give it a new finish. Unless you're prepared to remove your hefty radiator to sandblast it (or have it sandblasted professionally), you'll need to sand and scrape it the old-fashioned way: with a piece of sandpaper, a lot of elbow grease, and maybe even a putty knife. If you have an old radiator, the paint may contain lead, in which case, you do not want to sand because this would release lead into the air. Instead, use an eco-friendly paint stripper like SoyGel, 100 percent biodegradable and made from soybeans, which will encapsulate the lead in the gel, preventing airborne lead particles and allowing for safe and easy disposal.
2. The next step (or first, if you didn't need to sand) is just to clean all of the dust and dirt off of the radiator with a damp cotton rag.
3. Then, sand the radiator to create a rough surface for the paint to hold onto.
4. Open your windows and doors and make sure the area is well-ventilated.
5. Saturate a rag in Wil-Bond Deglosser and wipe down your radiator. This removes oils and cuts gloss so that the new finish will go on smoothly, bond tightly, and last longer.
6. Now, it's prime time! If your radiator has never been painted, prepare it for painting with a bare metal primer. If not, use an ordinary oil-based primer.
7. Here comes the fun part. Lay down some newspaper to protect your floors. Paint on your finish top coat, using any oil-based interior paint and a brush meant for oil-based paint. This paint will be heat-resistant and durable. If you choose to, you can also use spray paint, but you'll want a high-temperature aerosol paint and you'll need to mask off the surrounding area to protect your floors and walls.
8. Let it dry, and if it seems to need a second coat, go ahead. Fini!

There is also THIS VIDEO from This Old House that shows the process by a professional with sandblasting and it looks so easy huh? We will keep you updated on this one. We have to wait until the temps are over 50 degrees to even start this project but thought I would share the research in case anyone else out there is embarking on this DIY too!

Comments are entered into the Giveaway ending tomorrow!

A poem to start the week

Spring is coming! I thought today it would be nice to take in a poem. So here it is. Have a wonderful week and enjoy all the tiny details that announce the coming of Spring!

i thank You God for most this amazing
e.e. cummings

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of a sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings;and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any----lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)


Don't forget to enter our giveaway (info here) for the nice, soft, comfy, organic cotton Vermont Tee and other goodies to help you be ready to soak up the sun! Just comment on any post this week. The giveaway will be open until the 24th!
(That's Wednesday, in case you were wondering.)

Thinking Green

Happy St. Patrick's day!
Do you have an St. Patrick's Day traditions? I think we need some--more than
just wearing green.

Enter the March giveaway-- a very green shirt and hat!
more details here.

March Giveaway!

This month's giveaway is a %100 certified organic t-shirt and hat printed with the phrase" Vermont: we were green before green was cool" which we think is pretty funny. In fact, the t-shirt (size small) was printed in Vermont using cow power (revolutionary system that generates electricity out of cow manure). Gotta love Vermont!We will also include 2 Snapdragon Essential lip balms to keep your lips feeling good. You can be cool from head to toe.

You have until Wednesday March 24th at Noon EST to enter. You can COMMENT on EVERY POST to enter your name MULTIPLE times and this does indeed help your chances of winning these very cool items :)

Interested in learning more about cow power or green Vermont tees? Go HERE or visit the Vermont Clothing Company.

Another of Max's authors

We've mentioned F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway as two of the authors that Perkins worked with. Today, I thought it would be fun to mention Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Rawlings was the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Yearling. Believe it or not, I have never read this American classic. I just checked it out from the library and can't wait to get started. The Yearling received the Pulitzer Prize in 1939. Scribners published the book in the spring of 1938 and it was indeed edited by Maxwell Perkins.

The Yearling is a story of a young boy named Jody who adopts an orphaned fawn. Set in rural Florida, The Yearling has become a standard for young adult audiences. In the 1930s, Rawlings lived and worked in Cross Creek, Florida. Much of her inspiration came from the natural surroundings and the local folk. Her home there is now a Florida state park.

Rawlings was just another in a long list of authors who put their trust in Max Perkins for his editorial guidance and expertise. The result was a list of fiction that has endured and still brings enjoyment to many readers of all ages, not to mention a Pulitzer.

Here's a link to some information about the classic 1946 film version of The Yearling.

And just on a quirky side note, can anyone tell me what The Yearling has to do with The Gilmore Girls?

Have a great week everyone and stay tuned for information about our March GIVEAWAY!

How we get yer done

After skim coating, there is A LOT of sanding to be done so the surface is nice and smooth and ready to be primed and painted. You can rent a dry wall sander which is very helpful for ceilings and tall walls (like ours) or you can sand manually. It takes A LOT of sanding to smooth out any bumps, especially if you aren't very careful with the skim coating but we are MUCH better than we were at the beginning of the project so it is moving right along.

This week, I have been doing some hand sanding and I have found that with just the right music, I can also get a pretty good work out. If you were to come in this week, this is what you would have found me doing so I thought I would share.

Yes, I know I look ridiculous but with the lack of blogging this week, I felt I owed our followers something amusing :) Happy Weekend. Stay tuned next week for our March Giveaway!

the fine Art of Skim Coating

skim coating tools

Sometimes working in the Inn is like a giant puzzle of timetables and childcare. We are lucky to have Chaz back (mom) to help us out with the childcare part the next few weeks. Yesterday Brig and I got half of the library skim coated (when you put a plaster compound on the the old walls to prepare and smooth out the surface to prepare for paint) and I am about to head back down for more although he is SO MUCH BETTER than me.

Has anyone ever skim coated before? What have your learned or tips to share?
It is definitely one of those tasks that takes some finesse, patience, and practice. Brig has become a master during this project and it is yet again, another very handy skill we have acquired.

I will post with some of our tips later but my son is napping and I have got to get down there now--it is my brief window.

Oscar Weekend!

At 7:30PM on Sunday night March 7th many of us here in Windsor will be watching the 82nd Academy Awards--well first we will be watching the Red Carpet and discussing who's looking hot and who's not.

This year we will be playing Oscar Bingo made by Jessica at How About Orange if you want it for your Oscar party too. I also saw these cool bits and bobs on Twig and Thistle if you are interested. Here is the official ballot if you need that too!

The Oscar site has all sorts of fun stuff. You can check out the evolution of style here or you can test your movie knowledge you can play trivia here. There are links to movie posters and all sorts of random things.

Sometimes it feels like we are are always busy busy busy with projects but occasionally we do just hang out together--and that is always good. Enjoy your weekend!

Best Picture 1976-family favorite.