wreaths are hung

I don't do a LOT of seasonal decorating, but one thing I really like to see is a wreath on the front door! It's just so much more, um, festive now that the wreaths are hung here On Olive Street!

It just so happens that Quinn's Tree Farm is open every weekend now through Christmas. You can find your dream pre-cut tree, pick & cut your own tree, or you can even have one delivered! They even may drop off your wreath... or you can have one shipped.

https://www.quinnstreefarm.com/onlinestore

a pennyfarthing goes a long way

So as if I had nothing more productive to do with my time, while I was sitting here with my cup of tea I began to think maybe the "On Olive Street" project needs a new logo. 

The olive tree graphic was nice enough, and in marketing it's called associative-something probably... but other than the symbolic olive tree my son has growing in a large pot (a housewarming gift when he first moved to Olive Street in 2019) there are no olive trees on Olive Street. 

Olive Street, in case you missed that earlier post, is named after William Hayden's daughter, of course, Olive.  Olive, in case you don't remember, was postmisstress of the Madison Centre Post Office for ten years.  Sadly I have not been able to find photos of her as postmisstress or the Post Office here in Lakewood... so if you find any, please share!  In trying to find something to honor Olive, and a connection to this little community in the late 1800s - early 1900s, a discovery was made that in some places (indeed, my fact checking about Maine fell a little short, but I'm willing to forge on anyway) the mail was delivered by penny-farthing.  

Though it may be very, very unlikely that Olive Hayden did much of  delivering the mail this way, the idea of smartly dressed people riding their penny-farthings to and fro upon these paths through the neighborhood, gives the project an aire of fun and whimsy.

And, if you saw Tucker Atwood whizzing by this past summer, you know that bicycles are still a thing On Olive Street. 

hues of calm

Took a minute or two, or maybe lost myself for a half an hour or so, just staring at the beautiful autumn colors again, and listening to the calm on Olive Street today after a bit of rain... which seems to make everything more vibrant. The brook was singing it's song. The occasional leaf fell through tree branches. A slight chill in the air.  It was good for my soul. 

It could be good for your soul too.
 

unfinished

Showing the flowers last gasp of autumn colors perhaps. Could be. Acrylic painting tucked in the corner, unfinished, untitled, in the little studio room at the cottage.

Some works of art, in any medium, are simply like that. Put on pause. You have to set them aside for a while and come back to them again later. Don't over-think, don't crowd the colors. Step back, take a breath. There's no rush.

winter container gardening

Current project: winter container gardening. Did you know that there are several woodsy perennials and shrubs that you can root ball and lovingly swaddle in burlap that will wait the winter out with you? I suspected as much, but am doing the research and the work and am (as ever) making plans for some temporary landscaping on Olive Street for the snowy times

ready for her close up

Now appearing at the Sugar Tree cottage....

Hand sewn linen figure over wire formed arms, vibrant hand painted features, intricate gown. Artist unknown.

An antique store find, she drew me in, as something about her just seems so familar. 

wonderful rain

The fantastic rain has grown Hayden Brook beautifully! Not a very artful video, but I just had to share its incredible flow beneath the bridge at the Sugar Tree and onward to the lake  

 

near season's end

As the Lakewood Theater (and the Lakewood Inn Restaurant) nears the end of their season, it is bittersweet. I will miss the plays, the actors, the atmosphere. 

It also signifies that soon the summer residents will slowly go back to their homes, and Olive Street will become quieter; and that I do look forward to. Autumn on Olive, sitting on my porch watching the leaves fall and float down the brook. Then Winter on Olive, the snow covering my bridge...  

MJ is back!

MJ Clifford (with Willow) has returned to be our guests again at the Sugar Tree cottage! The art room has once more been converted into a cozy little space, as we welcome MJ for her time on stage in Lakewood Theater's season closer  Who's in Bed with the Butler?

The production runs September 9th - 18th (with no performances on Monday or Tuesday) and as before mentioned, also stars our honorary Olive Street guy, Jacob Coombs. 

Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here, at the box office during open hours, or by calling 474- 7176

social media

In the effort to get the word out about our little project here and all the wonderful things happening at Lakewood Theater & Restaurant, there will now be a new (re-fashioned) facebook group page for On Olive Street updates and information. Please share! 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/onolivestreet