#126: Paul’s Boutique

Sundays in the country wouldn’t be the same without seasonal visits with Paul.

Paul doesn’t have a television, a cell phone, or a computer.  Paul has an antique barn.  He’s open every Sunday off of a sleepy stretch of road in Putnam Valley, NY, and shares a corner with the local general store and fire house.  Some of our favorite items in the house have come from Paul over the years.  His specialty is old wood furniture and pieces reworked from some of that gorgeous old wood.

Dad actually walked away with the scythe leaning against the barn door, inexplicably excited to put it to use.  He doesn’t believe in power tools.

My last visit with Paul was especially bountiful.  The bounty:

A guy named Wiltrud’s old leather and silver flask.  The flask is stamped Mark Cross England.  Mark Cross was a leather goods manufacturer that opened its doors in 1845 and remained operational in some way, shape or form through the 1990’s.  I imagine this piece is from the first part of the 20th century, not quite sure when.

I thought I might put my juice in here but on second thought I think it’ll become part of the display in the boudoir.  Also, don’t ask me how much I paid for this.

OK fine, it was $5.

A 1920’s handmade quilt.  The handiwork and brilliance of the faded (is that an oxymoron?) red patches steals my heart.

I like to imagine who might have stitched this with love, and where the farmhouse was that it might have laid in.

(‘Reminds me of this! from one of my favorite and greatest albums of all time, and in a bit of honor to the reissue coming to us this Tuesday with previously unreleased material.)

“It might be twice as much anywhere else,” Paul said.  Don’t ask me how much I paid for it.  OK fine, it was $35.

Country livin’.  It’s getting harder and harder to come back to the City in time for work on Monday.