Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Don't Lose That Number...

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The last time I was back in Pennsylvania, the place where I was born, I came across this firewood dealer by the side of the road up in the north central part of that large state. In a rain storm. Something about that truck and the green paint on it just grabbed me. Wherever you may be, if winter is coming on fast, I hope you have a fireplace and a good store of wood laid in for the cold months ahead. I wish we had a fireplace, or even a wood burning stove, but we don't. Have to rely on natural gas from Russia. As long as they leave the lines open. Some of my best memories from childhood are from being around the fireplace in my grandparents' living room in New Jersey, which had a brick hearth that seemed big to me back then. Their house got sold years ago after they passed on, it's a dilapidated wreck of a place today. In any case, stay warm. And if you need any wood delivered, just call 923-0408.
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And if you'd like to sit down in the Sinnemahoning Tavern for a frosted mug of Peter Straub's Special Dark beer, by their fireplace, and shoot the breeze for a while, in the shadow of the forests where the bull elk roam, well, I'm game...
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16 comments:

Alyson | New England Living said...

Great images, as always! I do look forward to winter and gathering around a fire.

Owen said...

Hi Alyson... well, hopefully there is still some Autumn to be enjoyed before the winter gets here for real... and a Happy Thanksgiving to you, a little early...

Lynne with an e said...

We have a woodstove, only it's in the basement, which is good for throwing heat to the upper regions of the house through vents cut in the floors, but not so hot (ha ha) to sit around and enjoy in the basement itself, esp. as there's no window to view the fire.

My grandparents had a fireplace at their house, which I loved. At Christmas they'd buy those special "logs" that would burn rainbow colours in the flames. I could watch those for (what seemed like) hours.

Good paint job on that truck. Nice contrast against the glum sort of weather and scenery. I didn't know that elk favour dark beer. I hope the patrons of the Sinnemahoning Tavern don't mistake Mr. Elk's antlers for a hat rack!

Lynne with an e said...

PS. Of course:
http://youtu.be/IocHM0n75DI

English Rider said...

I'd be interested to hear the back-story of yon tavern. We could regroup there one day, with a bit of advance planning. Your photo books were out this weekend, in the hands of a designer from Manhattan and an old friend from LeBlanc.

Anonymous said...

One can smell the fires burning while working through the streets during evening hours over here. There are a few municipalities who offer 50 per cent discount for locals upon buying fire wood.
"In laws" have a fireplace and often we leave the child to enjoy it, while we are off working.
Please have you all a good Wednesday.

Owen said...

Dearest Lynne,
Where to start... maybe watching those many-colored logs burning was a start on your art, firing up your visual imagination at an early age ?

As for hat racks, I didn't actually go in to the Sinnemahoning Tavern, just did a drive by, but I would be willing to bet that there are some antlers on the walls in there that serve as hat racks, mug racks, gun racks, and whatever racks, I'm not going to wrack my brain trying to rack up a hat trick of antler tracks...

And mmmm, mmmm, that is a fine version of Rikki, for unknown reasons that was one of my favorite tunes way back there in the depths of the '70s, it was way up there on my list, way up... and yes, I had it in mind when I quipped off the title to this little ode to backwoods Pennsylvania...

You know what they say about Pennsylvania ? Pittsburgh at one end, Philadelphia at the other end, and in between : Alabama

Well, I wouldn't go that far. There are some beautiful places in central PA. And Edward Abbey came from around Home, PA. A real home boy, as they say...

What to do about that wood stove down in the basement ? Maybe just build a bonfire in the living room ? :-) Or put up a tee pee in the yard with a smoke vent for the fire inside ? Or go to a friend's house with a fireplace ? Sending warm thoughts your way, any way ...

Owen said...

Hi E.R.,
I hope you are having a wonderful time with any old friends from le White spaces who may be hanging around out there in sunny California... and am thrilled to hear the books are getting handled. One never knows by what channels energy will flow, maybe a New York publisher will hear about them one day, and decide there is something worth pursuing there... or not... :-) (another one of my favorite pieces of music is Life and Life Only from Al Stewart... can be heard here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh3O1xA4f5g

Please do pass my greetings on to B & P... hope you are staying out of trouble...

Owen said...

Tag Robert, may you and child and other half and in laws stay warm around the fireplace... much better than the fire from petrol bombs on the barricades. Take good care...

Gwen Buchanan said...

I'll sit by the fire. Good story telling.

Red Nomad OZ said...

Summer is all that's coming on fast down here in OZ! But ... I won't let that stop me from partaking in a glass of that beer!!

Nathalie said...

Dans la maison où j'habite maintenant il y a des radiateurs électriques mais on se chauffe surtout au bois : cheminée ouverte dans la cuisine, poëles à bois dans le salon/bureau : j'adore !

Nathalie said...

Et comme je suis frileuse, on a fait rentrer 10 stères de bois (dix mètres-cubes)fin octobre. :une belle réserve de bois !

Nathalie said...

PS - love that sign, home of the frosted mug!

Karine A said...

tu as raison, il n'y a rien de plus chaleureux qu'un feu de bois, dans tous les sens du terme ! Nous avons un poèle danois, qui a un rendement extraordinaire, nous chauffons toute la maison !Et c'est agréable (on voit le feu) et très économique.
Comment vas-tu?

Leslie D. said...

Pennsylvania..did you grow up there? I'm with you when it comes to grass roots signs. Something about the hand hewn sincerity. In the case of the tavern sign reminds me of the artistry that once went into even the most every day utilitarian objects.