How we got from there to here, continued...

Hello again from Tim. If you've been following my postings on our Blog, you know that I've been telling you about the people, places and things that have led Patti and I to start Brickhouse Craft Shop and the ways in which they have influenced the style and mood of our Shop. In my last Blog I said I would share some experiences from our time in New York state. Patti and I lived in New York prior to moving to Texas in 1993. We moved back to New York again in 1998.

The first house we bought in New York in 1984 and the house we bought in Texas in 1993 were both built for us and so they were brand new. We knew when we moved back to New York in 1998 that we wanted to find an older house with a bit more charm and character. And we wanted to live in Dutchess County - this part of New York had beautiful countryside with a lot of nice farms and properties and lots of little towns with cool shops and restaurants (yeah - we like a good meal.)

Well, we found an older house alright - an 1865 Eye Brow Colonial in a small little town called Salt Point, which is close to Rhinebeck, Hyde Park, Millbrook and a few other neat little towns. It is also close to the New England states, where we discovered many places we liked to visit from time to time.

In my last Blog, I asked if anyone had ever heard of Yankee Magazine. Sherie from Bittersweet Primitives did. Sherie was born in Gardner, Massachusetts. Although we've not been to that part of Massachusetts, we did visit the western part of that state frequently.

For those of you who don't know, Yankee Magazine is devoted to all things New England. By the time Patti and I left New York for Pennsylvania in 2004, we could turn to many of the pages in a Yankee Magazine and say 'been there, done that.'

Actually one of the first experiences in New York that had an impact on us happened when we lived there prior to moving to Texas in 1993. We were returning from a Fall Foliage Day at a nearby Ski Resort. We had a nice day and were enjoying a leisurely drive home when we noticed a cool looking store - a Craft Shop. We decided to stop and have a look. As soon as we walked into the store we heard music. We'd never heard it before but we both liked it. We asked the person behind the counter about it and they gave us the name of the artist and the album (remember albums?). Our next stop was at a local mall where we bought the album. Even now, years later, when Patti and I hear this music, it takes us back to that day and the fun we had. (Patti here...Tim we need to mention the name of the "album"...It was DEEP BREAKFAST by Ray Lynch...ok on with the rest of the story!)

After moving to Salt Point, we took advantage of the many points of interest both locally and in the New England states. This whole part of the country had a lot of Primitive influence.

Two of the neatest places we discovered were Country Stores. The Schultzville General Store was about 20 minutes from our house and was one of those stores that had been there forever and whose outside was plastered with posters for the local church Spaghetti Supper, the Firehouse Fish Fry, the local plumber's business card and a reward for a lost cat. Go inside (don't mind the squeaky floors) and grab a cup of coffee, a muffin and the morning paper. You really didn't need the paper - the folks inside had already started discussing the news. By the time you finished your coffee and muffin you were fully informed and up to date on all the local and national news. The Cable company will be running the new cable through town next month - not next week. The President is going to veto that new bill. Take the poster down for the lost cat - Mrs. Miller found her in her flower bed. And - oh yeah - it's going to rain tonight.

We discovered Bangall Country Store when we were looking for a church we wanted to visit. This store had also been there forever. We started attending the church and Bangall Country Store became a regular part of the trip. The floors squeaked, the door squeaked - this place was old. Maybe that's why we liked it - it was like an old friend who you were comfortable with. Besides, they made a good breakfast and the atmosphere was way better than an IHOP or Denny's. They would bring your breakfast to your table and then let you enjoy it at your own pace. You decided when you were finished and then went to the counter and paid your bill. They weren't worried about turning tables. If you enjoyed your meal they were happy and that was all that mattered.

Maybe a few more stops in New York and then on to New England. I'll bet many of you have heard of Route 66. What about Route 7 anywhere between Danbury, Connecticut and Burlington, Vermont?