Hodge Podge Post: I stalk old school houses, worksite update, and Happy Mother’s Day!

Antique Fair with the Fam Makes for a Wild Day!
I may have mentioned on Facebook how much I enjoy the Washington County Antique Fair and Flea Market. I’ve already marked my calendar for the next installment, August 4-5. It was even better this year because sissy Sarah made it out for a visit from Boston! So what did I buy? Nothing (I’m saving all my $$ for the school house)! well…six cider donuts. Gramp and Em were on the lookout for school house related items like a desk, bell, or maybe a clock. Halfway through the day we realized the historic school house was open and then I was on a research mission!

Gramp and Em are all business at the antique fair! They left me in their dust!

Creeping on the School House at the Fair
I love the Washington County Fair…like really love it…I’ve made it the last three years… we even timed a visit one year when we still lived in NC to coincide with fair week! When I said this to Gramp he replied “really? I mean it’s okay and all….” I was vaguely aware of the little school house that sits on the fair grounds but hadn’t paid it much attention…until now!

The Perkin’s Hollow Schoolhouse (including the outhouse) was moved from Salem, NY to the fairgrounds in 1977. It retains so many historic features that it makes it a great reference for us as we plan our restoration. The blackboard in the photo below is literally just that, a board painted black!

I love the bell on top!

it still has the plaster and lath walls, bead board, and original clock

the coal stove kept it nice and toasty…hopefully!

The Creeping Continues
In the school house there were binders with photos and maps of many of the one room schools in the area, including Salem, Jackson, Cambridge, and Greenwich. Norma Skellie and Ruth Brown compiled the information and photos in 2003. Jackpot! It looks like there were at least fifteen rural schools in the Greenwich District.

It was so cool to flip though and see photos of all the schools

here’s the photos from the binder of our school house in 2003!

Now I’ve Upgraded to Stalking
This inspired me to do a little visiting myself. For locals, we all drive by these school houses every day but I couldn’t resist stopping and taking a closer look!

Bald Mountain Schoolhouse District #4

I think this one might be further gone than ours, it has the same hole in the roof!

Worksite Update
Gramp’s still in the addition removing shiplap. When I say we have shiplap for days I’m not kidding. The partition wall has it on both sides and if your look up it’s even on the ceiling. Gramp is determined to save as much of it as possible, which slows down demo a bit, but I totally agree with him.we have shiplap for days! here you see Gramp’s high-tech tools for demo

Gramp continues to talk windows! I may ask him to do a little mini-post about his window project. So far Aubuchon has been awesome and reglazed about four of the sashes for us. Gramp spent the better part of last Sunday removing a top sash, which was more complicated for reasons that I kind of stopped listening to. I know that’s bad but I wake up to texts at 7 a.m. about windows!

Gramp is obsessed with the old windows…six sashes done, twelve to go!

Now that it’s really spring, I’ve turned my attention to our yard…or what I hope will some day pass for a yard! We did a little property walk and came up with an initial game plan to get the yard back in shape. We’re thinking of planning a yard work day soon and inviting (demanding) my siblings to help and any friends that want to chip it. I can promise food and fun!

now that spring has (I think) sprung, we’re turning our attention to the yard

Happy Mother’s Day!
We’re super busy packing up our house in Argyle and getting ready to move into the village of Greenwich. Still, we want to take a moment to recognize all the moms out there! We’ll be at brunch at Gramp and Em’s house this Sunday. Em promised mimosas! Cheers to all the moms! You rock, every day!

Philip and I on my first Mother’s Day as a mom! May 2016

Gramp with his mom circa 1961