Back From Maine.

Hey Folks, Got back Sunday from our week in Maine. Some of the same sites as last year, as well as many new one. This year we spent a day in North Conway NH. walking around poking in some of the shops. The 5 & 10 cent store is a step back in time. This shop has plenty of small household and gift deadstock items waiting to be picked up. I grabbed a couple Wiffle Ball sets and extra balls for this summer as they are near impossible to find here in Canada.

From NH it was a week in Freeport, Maine. Day trips galore, from shopping and getting injured at Liberty Tools, to hiking to the top and around Bradbury Mt. On average we were out the door 7am, and back at the hotel by 6. Busy days. On Wed we crused into Portland to take in some sights and sea breeze, Portland Dry Goods was fantastic, super nice fellows working there. Prices were great...Danner Stumptown for under $200...say what! We talked for a good chunk of time, one highlight was about the different names for Salvation army thrift stores people use. Here in Canada we grew up calling them Sally-Ann's, and in Portland apparently they call the Sal-Van's.  We ate at a recommended restaurant called Duckfat. The duck fat fried fries were down right amazing, Highly recommended if you are in the area.

Also this year we ventured a couple hours West to Boston. Going from Freeport's small to Boston's crazy was quite a change. Not to mention it was the Red Socks Home opener, the Boston Marathon was coming the following Monday, and the Bruins were playing in the playoffs.  A big thanks to James @10Engines for helping me set up the day while on the move.  He helped guide us in the directions to some of the great stores Boston has to offer. The first store we hit up was Ball & Buck. Wickedly Great shop, nicely selected items for sure. We had a great time talking with the store owner Matt. It was definitely hard to step away and move on,  l grabbed myself a TOPO Designs daypack, some Juniper Ridge Incense, and Military Can opener and a couple other goodies from Matt and finally pulled myself away!

We then headed to Hilton's Tent City. All I can say is Wow!. That is a digging mans store, as you never know what you might unearth there.  As we walked in we were greeted by Javier, who took the next half hour to show us around and some of the rare items on the shelf. It was amazing seeing the old deadstock of items like US made wool lined Woolrich Parkas!?! Come on! I was digging the heavy Carhartt Logger pants with Suspender Buttons...$39, none in my size!. After leaving the store, James emailed and mentioned to check out his special nook of the store where he has a items tucked away. Sorry bro...its still there for you! Next we headed to Bobby's from Boston, Javier just gave us the general area it was and the rest was up to us. We did find it, Great pieces and prices. Unfortunately again none in my size.

The last key destination was Wilderness Workshop. As we meandered over to the store poking in and out of shops and looking at the beautiful brownstones and historical landmarks you can't help to be amazed at the beauty that is Boston. So many intresting building and designs. Wilderness Workshop was nice, unfortunately the basement is a fairly dark atmosphere and the club beat coming from upstairs was little much and took away from the "Wilderness Feel" I was hoping to get. WW had some great items like Archival Clothing's Rucksacks and flap Musettes as well as some nice Yuketen mocs. By the time we got back from Boston, it was 8 pm and we were extremely tired and hit the sac like a bag of bricks!

On Saturday we drove to St. Albans,VT for our last night. Along the way we stopped at as many yard sales and Antique shops as we could. The drive should take about 5.5 hours. It took us almost 9 in total. Below are some of my great finds from our trip to Maine and the surrounding area and back. See you next year Maine!

Scratch Awl.  Paid $1.

Small Rucksack unknown make.  Paid $2.

Military Side bag dated 1955.  Paid $2 with the other bag.

Approx 5'x3' 48 Star Cotton sewn American Flag.  Paid $2.

Flag close up.

Mash bag. $4.

Schrader Valve Balloon Tire Gauge dated 1923 w/ leather case. Paid $1

Kybo Coffee Can..Yup the coffee can where scouting might
have gotten its name for a toilet. $ Free.

A Visit to L.L. Bean in 1936

Check out this short home movie from Archie Stewart of Newburgh, New York. It was released by Northeast Historic Film. Although it is a very short film, there is a great shot of L.L. Bean's store front. It amazing to see the size, compared to the massiveness of the store today, which is pretty much a city block. I love how the car is bogged down on one side, and Archie questioning how they will even be able to stuff more "goods" into it. Regular olde gear-heads eh! 

Enjoying The Outdoors - Part Nine.

Enjoying The Outdoors - Part Eight.

Enjoying The Outdoors - Part Seven.

Written on Back: Winter in the Klondike.

Enjoying The Outdoors - Part Six - One Man's Cabin.

Here is a series of photos of mine, all of some families cabin. I'll take one!

"Jack Black: The Lumberjack".

Working the woods is a hard, hard life,

and the days are long and cold.

They shave your pay day to day,

and a young man quickly grows old.

You come to town to have some fun,

you wind up flat on the floor.

Sure a man must be blind to make up his mind,

to go back to the woods once more.

When I came down to Bangor town,

I was looking for some fun.

I spent a year and a half in the woods,

and the river drive was done.

And as I walked up Hancock Street,

the fair Miss I did see.

And I said "I'm Jack Black The Lumberjack,

will you come along with me."

Oh, we wined and dined and all was fine,

and the evening quickly sped.

We went down to the depot house,

upstairs to go to bed.

Said she "Jack Black you lumberjack,

I've taken a fancy to you".

"You can stay and play till the break of day,

I will be your sweetheart true."

When I awoke next morning,

I was all alone in bed.

My watch was new and my money was too,'

and with them both she fled.

And as I walked back Hancock Street,

the taps they all did roar.

"There goes Jack Black the poor lumberjack,

headed back to the woods once more."

As I went down Exchange Street,

I met with Captain Brown.

I asked him if he'd take me on,

and he looked at me with a frown.

Said He last time that you was paid off,

with me you jogged no skol.

But I'll take a chance and here's your advance,

and it's back to the woods once more.

We went up to the Chamberlain Lake,

where icy breezes blow.

You work in the cold, you work in the snow,

and its twenty-six below.

The camps unclean, the boss is mean,

and the lonely night goes roar.

Oh t'was then that I said, that I wish I was dead,

and back in the woods no more.

This song is from "In The Blood" By Sumner Mckane. It is quite a beautiful story telling folk song from Loggers during the turn of the century. I wonder if it was a common song that crews would hum while out in the field?  I have grabbed the audio and put it to images, so you can sing along with the actual tune.

Megafaun - "Real Slow"

This tune has been on repeat this whole Christmas season, possible the only thing making it bearable. Having the flu over the holidays is not going in my book of "Awesome Things To Do Over Christmas".

Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Recorded in 1965 by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas has become one of the greatest all time selling Christmas albums. In my home, the season begins with a play-through of the entire album while putting up the tree. I dare you to listen to the instrumental "Christmas Time is here" during a snowfall, and not instantly get into the Holiday spirit. I grabbed a reissued vinyl copy from Urban Outfitters last year at the end of the season for $3. If you like fantastic jazz music and Christmas Carols, you best be getting it before Old St. Nick come down your chimney.

Winslow Homer.

Winslow Homer born 1836. was an American landscape painter as well as a printmaker. He is considered one of the foremost painters in 19th century America and a preeminent figure in American art. I stumbled across these great outdoors-men pictures while looking for some images of canoe art.
Largely self-taught, Homer began his career working as a commercial illustrator. Then in 1861 he was sent to the front of the Civil War in Virginia as an artist-correspondent for the new illustrated journal, Harper's Weekly.  His long career took him to France, England, and finally back to the USA, where he lived in New York, and finally settling in Prout's Neck, Maine. I could go on and on about his history, but the Metropolitan Museum of Art does a fine job of that.  So please just sit back and enjoy these amazing watercolours.

Damn Yak Report On Archival Clothing.

 

Hey Friends. Head on over to Archival Clothing and take a read on a report I was asked by Co-Writer Lesli Larson to write. Its regarding a late 50's Filson Forestry Cloth Cruiser.  I was stumped when I purchased it, as to the fabric type, and Lesli was super kind to help me sort that out.  Take a read !

In The Blood.

Check out this Doc "In The Blood" by Sumner McKane. Putting together audio interviews, film, and photographs, Sumner paints an amazing picture of Maine lumber life during the late 19th century. I love listening to the accounts of these people, always happy to re-tell their stories. Pick up the DVD, take a watch and see if you can easily say "Gosh, what a tough day at work!". Check out some other clips below!

All Hallows’ Eve.