skip to main |
skip to sidebar
On Saturday I took a drive up to the Montague Bookmill, a used bookstore housed in an 1842 gristmill on the banks of the Sawmill River in Western Massachusetts. The grounds are also home to a variety of businesses such as a cafe, restaurant, antique shop, artist's studio, and record store.
Our first stop at the mill was at The Lady Killigrew Cafe, where this delicious iced coffee (and grilled nutella and peanut butter sandwich) was consumed outside at a table overlooking the river. (Dave had the regular coffee and grilled cheese with tomato.)
Our view from the table. You can see some of the indoor seating in those windows. Not sure which would have been nicer. While I do like sitting outside, I was visited at length by a bee that might have been in love with my chair.
A closer look at the falls, which it seems the employees of the bookstore have been known to raft down on hot days.
The view from a second-story window in the bookstore, where there are many chairs and tables inviting you to sit down for awhile and read.
Some old typewriters sitting above the staircase.
The view from outside. 
The stairs up to Rick Dodge's antiques, where there were many beautiful things that were mostly out of our price range (i.e. a $750 vase).The verdict is that I like the idea of this place more than the place itself. I did buy some books but the ones I picked up were more or less the only ones I wanted (no having to decide between too many amazing choices). Not that this means it is not a good store, just not one catering to my taste. I did like my sandwich, and it was a beautiful view, so I just might stop back again someday after all.
After leaving the mill we drove down to Northampton, a town we enjoy visiting. Every time I go there I think how nice it would be to live there, until I see all of the tie-dyed shirts (read: too many hippies!).Above you see the railroad bridge and the faded lettering of the "Boston & Maine RR". One of the last times I was in town I tried exploring the tracks and was accosted by a bicycle cop, who told me it was "an arrestable offense."
Someone left behind this Cadbury egg for others to enjoy.
We took a walk along a path behind an apartment complex, where all of the streetlamps were decorated with this drippy silver paint.
We went into the Thornes Marketplace to use the photobooth but found it was only taking quarters for the moment, and I did not feel like scrounging up three dollars worth. I did go into the Acme Surplus Store, which offers up a weird variety of art, hardware, and kitchen supplies. Note the doll parts. (Not pictured is a display of children's gas masks.)In addition, delicious Mexican food was consumed and great books were purchased at my new favorite store in Northampton, Metropolitan Books and Records. Everything was crowded into two cramped rooms, there were no gorgeous views, no comfy chairs, but there was much more for sale that I was interested in. They had the odd price scheme of "half off the penciled in price." I suppose there's a psychology behind the appearance of offering a discount, but why not just price it at what you want to sell it for? Either way, no real complaints, just sayin.
Even after the excitement of the estate sale on Saturday, I was not quite feeling satisfied, so I woke up early on Sunday too (8:30--a little later at least) and headed out to the Elephant's Trunk flea market. About halfway through the flea, I spotted a Bertoia chair in the distance. It was white with black legs and the white part was kind of yellowed (though not rusty, which was a plus). But the dealer wanted $100 for it and he kind of rubbed me the wrong way--first he said "It's a Bertoia" in a tone of voice that implied that he didn't think I had any idea of what I was looking at. For $100 I want a chair that isn't all discolored and gross-looking, and I definitely don't want to be giving my $100 to a jerk.
I instead came home with this beautiful teak midcentury chair (sold to me by a much nicer lady)--not that I have anywhere to put it. 
Other than the fact that it needs a new cushion, it is in really great shape. The wood is in beautiful condition, and the construction feels solid.
It had been placed out without the cushion, and I can see why. Even if the fabric weren't completely separated from the cushion I would be looking to reupholster it because it is totally hideous. Now I just have to figure out what kind of fabric will perfectly complement it. The dealer suggested black leather, which I'm not so sure about.
I also picked up this glass dome. I don't know why, but I've been wanting one of these for awhile for displaying things. I like the cabinet of curiosities aesthetic. It would also make a pretty nifty terrarium.
I have been wanting to check out Mount Beacon for months now, but keep having to postpone due to rain or other things coming up. I finally made it there on Saturday--of course, while it was a sunny day when I left the house, it started to rain as soon as I arrived in Beacon and did not stop until I had reached the top of the mountain...but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Here is the view from the bottom. Since hiking the trail, I've learned that it played an important factor in the Revolutionary War, when George Washington's troops set signal fires to communicate vital information about British troop movements. Which is pretty interesting, but the aspect that has so attracted me to this site is that from 1902 to 1978 it was home to the Mount Beacon Incline Railway. Traveling 2,200 feet of trackway to 1,540 feet above sea-level, it was the steepest railway in existence during the time of its operation. And so you can probably imagine that it was a pretty intense hike to the top.
Here we are at the bottom at the ruins of the station house.
The beginning of the train tracks, or what is left of them.
At this point there are stairs taking you up the first part of your ascension. But this is just the beginning. After the stairs end there is nearly a mile of trail--not a long hike, but an incredibly steep one. I didn't take any pictures as I was more concerned about making it to the top in one piece.
A beautiful sight after an exhausting hike--the top of Mount Beacon.
The remains of the powerhouse and machinery, which were destroyed by fire in 1983, along with the entire railroad.
I can't fathom how they got this stuff up here more than 100 years ago, when they were relying on mules to carry everything up (and the poor mules could only handle 24 bricks at a time).
The view from the top. I believe the is the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge in the distance. You can just make out the site of Dia Beacon (or so I think).
I'm not sure if this is part of the ruins of the casino (yes, there was a casino up there) or Beaconcrest Hotel. There was also a complex of vacation cottages somewhere around here.
After the rains, a temporary pond has sprung up in the woods.
Apparently the trails continue on for another 8 miles to connect to the Hudson Highlands. But we instead opted to take the steep trek back down to our car.
I used the embroidery hoop I got from the estate sale a few weeks ago and stitched the title of a song by one of my favorite bands, Half Japanese. I suppose they make an unlikely pair, but I wanted to try embroidering words, and they've got some pretty great titles and lines in their songs. (I also considered "You cannot graduate from my school of love" but the prospect of stitching a brain was irresistible, and I think I didn't do half bad with executing all the wrinkles.) I used a satin stitch for the heart, and created a wavy border using the chain stitch (I've been trying to practice a variety of types of stitches).
I'll probably hang it on the wall but for now I like it propped up on the letterpress tray. Who knows, maybe I'll leave it there.
Posts
