At long last, a return to trout! 
I love these little swimmers. The selective satin finish and the blaze of 23K gold down the lateral line of these fish forms give the motif some really lovely yet delicate dimension. I just listed a batch in the Etsy shop and they were snapped up quickly but I’ll list a few more tomorrow for anyone who is interested.
It’s been snowing and sleeting and raining here but cold enough for the ground to stay frozen so water is standing on the roads and trails. It’s such a mess. Poor Penelope never thinks to go around these road swamps when we’re out gallivanting. Maybe her brains are frozen…or perhaps she is boldness incarnate! Boldness! Thy name is Teenie Weenie!
The house renovation plods on. Here’s a glimpse at the kitchen though I believe all the drywall is up now and there’s nothing to give a girl hope that the end is near like fresh drywall, taped and textured and awaiting paint!
The beams you see running through the ceiling will be covered in custom built fir casings to match the rest of the exposed cross ties in the house and the tile is pulled and being replaced with hardwood to also match the rest of the house. The inset lighting is in and brilliant — everything is on dimmer switches and really nicely spaced out. We wound up going to a custom cabinet maker in the city for our new cabinets — they’ll be walnut with a really lovely quartz counter top, slide in stove range and a huge farm sink in which one could take a bath.
Our renovation schedule is insane and we had to cancel our trip home to Canada for Christmas (which I am exceedingly sad about). On December 29th all the hardwood floors we have installed (this is in progress currently) will be finished and sealed just in time for the new cabinets and counters to be installed on the 3rd of January so that we can move in on the 9th and 10th…painting is happening sometime in there, as well, and I have to get the studio packed away and shuffled into its new space, thank God this is the last time I will have to do this for a long while. I can’t stand moving the studio. It’s no small torture.
Why the insane schedule you ask? Well, the strawbale house just sold! We’ve got to get the heck out of dodge! I’ll be honest, the strawbale house was shown a few times which was quite disruptive for me since I work from home. I’m glad that’s all over (and that’s no offense to the realtors who were showing it, they are really lovely people). Sadly, the strawbale house will become a vacation home. I say sadly because I really feel this structure is terribly unique and it needs someone living in it full time, taking care of it, loving it, keeping nature from moving in and taking over. It needs landscaping, trees planted, noxious weeds eliminated, tender loving care of the grounds. I would have loved to see it go to an artist…it’s so well suited for hermity living and the river is such an inspiration and a constant source of beauty…it’s such a quiet, calm space. Rob tells me I have to be ok with it. And I suppose I do have to be ok with it. I’ve cherished living here though, it’s been more than an interim home for me, it’s been a sanctuary…and I guess I would want the next person who lives in it to have the same sense of wonder and that we have had while living in this home.
So long, strawbale house. It’s been swell.
As I read about the strawbale house my mind turned inside out: I was thinking about of how we think of houses as having specific characters (some of which attract and comfort, others which don’t)…and it came to me that houses may regard their inhabitants as home, and count on a right match to become what they’re capable of. So I understand the sadness. We want our houses to have good homes.
Meanwhile, your house looks like it’s being born out of the mist! Am curious to see what your and Robert’s minds and hands will make of it.
XO
Dorothy
Doro! SPOT ON!!!
Oh, I hope there will be more trout! They are utterly gorgeous. Will stalk the shop today…
Best of luck letting your old house go and moving into the new.
J.
I’m slowly tickling them forth…
Those houses that we loved we want them to be loved and taken care even more…vacation rental….too many people will go to really take care of it but yes, you have to let go, you will keep it in your mind the way it was and I think that you are going to be soooooo busy with your new home and that one, that one, is going to be so beautiful and sooooo loved!!!!!I am so happy for you that you are going to move into YOUR house, with the energy you have you will be busy non stop working on it……I love the trout, very very pretty.
It’s really true.
I think this is why I was so thrilled when our friends bought our Pocatello house from us — it stayed in the family, they take dear care of the place and I get to return to it often! I was just there for a cup of tea a week and a half ago…it’s so special to be able to go “home” to that home.
And I agree — eyes forward now to the new place coming and the glorious living that will occur there.
How lovely you sold the straw bale house, I think you should post some pictures of it as a warm farewell ( and we would love to see it one last time) Good Luck Jillian, renovating is so tedious but fun!