This cheery basin of blooms comes to you courtesy of Lisa Drummond, proprietor of By Chance or Design Antiques. Lisa’s shop is on Nagonaba Street, across from the post office. She has a nice, playful way with flowers that I appreciate, and everything in her small shop is something she’s chosen personally with care. BookWomen journal out of the Twin Cities has asked me for a history of my bookstore as part of an ongoing series they’ve recently launched. My deadline is the end of the month. I’m well along but not sure I’m telling the story in the most interesting way. I’ve been working on the eccentric philosopher and business angles, but is that what women readers, many in book clubs, would find most interesting? Perhaps more about my customers over the years or books I’ve helped launch or … or … ??? I’m open to ideas, if anyone has any to send me, but do it fast!
It’s finally official: the Painted Horse Gallery, Siamese business twin to Dog Ears Books--one entrance, one set of business hours, often only one person on hand to make sales for both places—will be open for the first Gallery Walk of the Northport 2008 season on Friday evening, June 27. Only nine days away! According to my marine radio forecast, warmer, drier weather is supposed to move in starting tomorrow, so we’ll hope for a beautiful Gallery Walk evening a week from Friday.
Another date to mark on your calendar is Friday, July 11, when Bob Underhill will be at Dog Ears Books to greet the public with his new book, CATHEAD BAY. I’ll have a time for that event when it gets closer, but we’re thinking evening there, too.
Don’t forget Leelanau Children’s Choir and Youth Ensemble this Friday! As for July 5, there are so many events scheduled for that day that I’ll save them for a separate posting.
I’ve been escaping the rainy, not-warm-enough weather this week by immersing myself in 19th-century Western homesteading, rhe first book of a fiction trilogy by Nancy E. Turner, THESE IS MY WORDS: THE DIARY OF SARAH AGNES PRINE, 1881-1901, ARIZONA TERRITORIES. It's a busy week, but I’m almost halfway through THESE IS MY WORDS, which tells you how many other things I’ve been neglecting. “Reading,” though, my sister tells me, “is part of your job!” Really? It’s not just a guilty pleasure, a self-indulgence? I just love it when other people see my choices in a noble light!
When you hear “self-indulgence,” do you think cheesecake? A couple of friends and I indulged ourselves in Traverse City a week ago Monday at Underground Cheesecake in its new location on the old state hospital grounds, now called (if I have this name right) Grand Traverse Commons. Fascinating complex--great historical renovation going on there. One of the great things about living Up North is how many wonderful half-day minivacations one can find close to home. That means a lot to those of us who work all summer!
2 comments:
When I was still in private practice in Michigan, I remember being at Munson Medical Center to depose a doctor on a personal injury case I was defending. After the deposition, I had some time to kill during lunch and before I needed to head back to Grand Rapids.
While meandering about in TC, I came upon the old State Hospital - long before renovation, and maybe before the concept of renovation had begun. I fell head over heels in love with the old buildings; their peaks, the spires, the paths and walkways grown over with ivy and myrtle - almost as if nature was trying to reclaim it in a gentle, loving way. Looking up at all those weary, checkered panes of glass, I wondered what they had been witness to and the secrets they held. I'm so glad someone saw fit to save it and continue the usefulness of such a beautiful place in a productive way. It would have been such a shame to see it demolished for a strip mall or cookie cutter subdivision.
The solstice has arrived. Hope you have a beautiful summer on the peninsula.
Lisa
David and I were fortunate enough to have a private tour back when most of the building was still hard-hat territory. David and Minnie knew each other from MSU days, so I could lag behind with my camera and shoot to my heart's content. I have a small album from that day but only, unfortunately, one copy of each photograph--no CD, no negatives! But yes, it took a man with a vision to make it happen.
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