Slogging Through a Snow Storm to Get Some Special Pieces.

Its been one hell of a week here on the tundra.  12 inches of snow last Thursday just added to the miserable April that we are enduring.  We were scheduled to sell at the State Fairgrounds Antiques Spectacular this weekend, but had decided that selling outdoors would be a muddy mess even before the last snow dump.  We just forfeited our rental fee because there was no way we could even get ready for selling, even if the field was dry.

I am getting ready for the May sales at Second Hand Rose and Gypsy Lea's but the logistics of working on pieces has been just too difficult.  I am also getting some special items ready for the big Depot Junktion show in Brainerd over Memorial Day weekend.  I bought two special pieces thru an online auction in Detroit Lakes.  Of course Thursday was the pick up day so I got to traverse the heart of the snow storm while pulling my trailer.  300 miles and $80 in gasoline later I have a snow encrusted trailer with my two huge finds.

I bought a 1930's wood two man kayak in a nice flaky green paint.  It is about 11 feet long.  I hope to hang this from the huge steel trusses over the space in Brainerd.  I have to do a little shoring up with the brad nailer and then will lightly sand and poly the boat.  I think that it is going to look spectacular.  The second piece I bought is an old slatted wood elevator door.  It is about 10 feet long.  The spaces in Brainerd do not have any hangable wall space.  I am envisioning placing the slats between two wood porch posts and using it to hang items such as frames and prints.

I really like this boat.

And the elevator door will be special.

I have lots of ideas and lots of projects for Brainerd.  Now the weather has to start cooperating.

Mr. Flannery

3 Phrases to Sum Up Life on the Tundra

I went picking today.  I left home at 5:00 AM to meet Chris in Brainerd by 7:00 AM.  As I was cruising up Highway 10 it dawned on me what was wrong with this entire scene.

1.  It is April 2nd.

2.  It is 7*.

3.  What the HELL?????!!!!!!

The entire state is in a funk caused by this dire state of affairs.  We tryed to pick, but no one is outside working.  We talked to a couple of people who were interested, but told us to come back when the weather was warmer.  We stopped, we yah-dahed, but we got nowhere.  So it was 3 PM and we had found nearly nothing.  We even stopped at the Wadena Auction house where a perusal of the junk revealed that the table filled with outdated bags of potato chips was the highlight.

Then we stopped a little antique shop.  It was interesting.  I found a couple of items, Chris found a couple items and then I bought a carrying case for a harp.  Its huge and antique and very cool.  It was shipping tags for places all over Europe.  It has a stenciled itinerary with lines like Antwerp 1893 and London 1904.  I am planning to make it into a coffee table.  It may be very cool.

Mr. Flannery