Antique hunt getting ready for summer at the shop; a haunting little painting from 110 years ago

The eerie embrace of spring popular and pine in The Bog

A strange and haunting 1904 oil on cloth probably Canadian by F. M. McMillan

A DAY ON THE ROAD - A DAY IN THE CITY - A DAY IN THE COUNTRY - IT'S FINALLY SPRING

THOSE OLD TIME ROAD TRIPS MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A ROOKIE DEALER AGAIN

     SUZANNE ACTUALLY SUGGESTED, THAT I NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE TODAY. OF COURSE, I THINK SHE WAS REFERRING TO "MY" HEADING OUTSIDE, TO MAKE OUR HOMESTEAD LOOK MORE ATTRACTIVE WITH RAKE AND SHOVEL. OF COURSE, PLAYING ALL THE RIGHT CARDS, TO MAKE ME FEEL BAD, SHE REMARKED, ON MY WAY OUT THE DOOR, THAT OUR HOUSE LOOKED MORE LIKE A LOGGER'S SHANTY. I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS RUSTIC, AND COUNTRY CHIC. SHE IS NOT AMUSED. I TELL HER THAT THE LILACS ARE BUDDING AND PRETTY SOON, THEY WILL WREATH OUR LITTLE URBAN CABIN WITH GREEN AND LILAC, AND MAKE US FORGET THAT WE SHOULD RE-STAIN THE SIDING, AND BUY A REAL LAWNMOWER.
     AS I'VE BEEN INVESTING A LOT OF TIME RECENTLY, TRYING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ONGOING CRISIS IN THE UKRAINE, I HAVE BEEN WORRYING SUZANNE. WHEN SHE CAN HEAR MY TAPPING ON THIS KEYBOARD, IN THE KITCHEN, HERE AT HOME, OVER AND ABOVE THE STEAMING TEA KETTLE, AND SOME BOILING VEGETABLES, IT'S TIME, IN HER MIND, TO INSIST I GO OUTSIDE TO PLAY. JUST LIKE DEAR OLD MOM, WHEN SHE USED TO OPEN THE DOOR ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, WHEN WE LIVED IN BURLINGTON, MAKE A MOTION WITH BOTH HER ARMS, TOWARD THE EXIT, AND I'D TRUNDLE MERRILY DOWN TO THE RAVINE, WHERE RAMBLE CREEK TUMBLED DOWN TO THE LAKESHORE IN MINOR RAPIDS. THIS MORNING, I JUST YELLED BACK, FROM THE STEP, THAT I'D MEET HER AND ANDREW IN THE VAN. SO MUCH FOR HER PLANS TO EMPLOY ME AS PROPERTY HANDIMAN. "WE'VE GOT A SHOP TO RUN, DEAR, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY ELVES WORKING FOR US, WHO WILL BRING US OUR INVENTORY." NOT REALLY A COMPELLING ARGUMENT, BUT IT IS THE TRUTH AFTERALL. THIS IS ALWAYS A WICKED TIME FOR ANTIQUE DEALERS, TRYING TO BUILD THEIR SHOP INVENTORIES, IN TIME, FOR THE BUSY SUMMER SEASON, WHICH FOR US, IS ONLY A FEW WEEK'S AWAY. WHEN IT COMES, BY GOLLY, IT IS WITH A BUSINESS CRUNCH. A KIND OF CHOKE-HOLD, WHEN IT BECOMES UNLIKELY, TO HAVE A BREAK IN THE ACTION. EVEN A WASHROOM BREAK. SUMMER IN MUSKOKA IS FABULOUS, BUSINESS WISE, BUT SOMETIMES, IT DOES BECOME OVERWHELMING, UNLESS YOU HAVE A LARGE STAFF. WE DON'T. WE KEEP IT SIMPLE, AND AFFORDABLE, AND THAT SEASONAL SUCCESS, ALLOWS US TO REMAIN FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, WHEN SALES EVENTUALLY SLOW TO A TRICKLE. AT THE PEAK, IT'S SO MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET OUT ON THESE CROSS COUNTRY JAUNTS, WHICH I FIND SO ETHEREAL AND STORIED.
    SO FAR, IT HAS BEEN A VERY ACTIVE SPRING, DESPITE INCLEMENT WEATHER. WE'RE KIND OF SURPRISED BY THIS, BUT WE'RE NOT COMPLAINING. BUT WITH NEW COMPETITION COMING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT HAS FORCED US TO HUNT A LITTLE HARDER, LONGER, AND BETTER, TO KEEP OUR EDGE. BETWEEN US, WE'VE GOT ABOUT A CENTURY'S WORTH OF EXPERIENCE IN THE COLLECTING FIELD, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EMPLOY IT ALL, TO KEEP UP WITH THE NEW FOLKS ON THE BLOCK.

     THERE'S LOTS OF WORK TO DO HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW. I THINK IF I HAD STARTED TODAY, I WOULD BE FINISHED YARDWORK BY THE FIRST OF JUNE. BY THE FIRST OF MAY, I WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE THE FRONT YARD RAKED. SUZANNE HAS JUST GONE OUT, LOOKING FOR THE RAKE, SO YOU NEVER KNOW. SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE "RAKER" IN THE FAMILY. I DETEST RAKING. OOPS, SUZANNE JUST STORMED THROUGH THE DOOR, TWICE IN TWO MINUTES, LOOKING FOR A KNIFE, SO THAT SHE CAN CUT OFF THE REIMS OF DUCT-TAPE THAT I WRAPPED AROUND THE SHAFT OF THE RAKE, TO CONNECT IT TO A AN EXTENSION ALUMINUM POLE, FOR PULLING THE SNOW OFF THE ROOF. IT WORKED GREAT, BUT I KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME. I WAS SUPPOSED TO DISCONNECT THE TWO PIECES LAST WEEKEND, BUT MINDLESSLY PROCRASTINATED FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. IT WAS A PERFECT DAY FOR YARD WORK, WHICH IS WHY I LOADED THE FAMILY INTO THE VAN INSTEAD, FIRST THING THIS MORNING; AND THEN HIT THE OPEN ROAD. IT WAS FANTASTIC. IT BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES OF OUR FORMER ROUND THE LAKE ADVENTURES, OF ABOUT A DECADE AGO, DOWN TO SUTTON AND JACKSON'S POINT. WE'D ALWAYS STOP IN ORILLIA FIRST, AND THEN ON TO BEAVERTON, WHERE WE COULD FIND FOUR OR FIVE PLACES TO HUNT ANTIQUES, AND COLLECTABLES. OUR OLD FRIEND DREW, HAD TWO ANTIQUE MALLS, IN BEAVERTON, FROM WHEN WE STARTED TO VISIT; ONE BEING DOWNTOWN, AND THE OTHER BEING ON THE HIGHWAY, IN THE FORMER OFFICE OF THE ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE. THERE WAS A FLEA MARKET THERE WE LOVED TO VISIT, AND THERE USED TO BE A SUNDAY "BOOT" (SECOND HAND) SALE IN ONE OF THE GROCERY STORE PARKING LOTS. ON DAYS LIKE THIS, WE'D FIND OURSELVES WITH LOCALLY PURCHASED SANDWICHES AND PIZZA, AND PICNIC ON EITHER THE LAKESHORE, OR BY THE CREEK, WHERE THERE WAS A SKATEBOARD PARK. IT WAS A BUSY LITTLE PARK, WITH A NICE PIONEER MUSEUM, AND IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASANT RESPITE BETWEEN SHOPPING GIGS.
    AS I'VE SAID, AND WRITTEN MANY TIMES BEFORE, THE WAY WE'VE HANDLED THE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTABLE PROFESSION, HAS NEVER BEEN WITHOUT CREATURE RECREATIONS. WE NEVER GO ON AN ANTIQUE HUNT, WITHOUT CELEBRATING THE ONTARIO COUNTRYSIDE. MAYBE THIS IS WHY WE THINK DIFFERENTLY OF OUR ENTERPRISE. NATURE AND HISTORY GO TOGETHER, AND WE HOPE THIS IS REFLECTED IN OUR GRAVENHURST SHOP. ALTHOUGH OUR REGIONAL TRAVELS DON'T REPRESENT THOUSANDS OF MILES, WE CAN SAY THAT OUR HUNT AND GATHER REGION, IS AS FAR NORTH AS BURK'S FALLS, WEST TO MAGNETAWAN, EAST INTO ALGONQUIN PARK, SOUTH TO COOKSTOWN, WITH STOPS IN THESE AREAS, INCLUDING HUNTSVILLE, ROSSEAU, PORT CARLING, BALA, BRACEBRIDGE, ORILLIA, BARRIE, BEAVERTON, SUTTON, JACKSON'S POINT, AND QUEENSVILLE. THE DRIVE IS MAGNIFICENT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, AS EVERYTHING IS STARTING TO BUD IN THE FULL SUNLIGHT. WE CAME HOME FROM ORILLIA THIS AFTERNOON, THROUGH RAMA, AND ENJOYED A POP STOP IN THE VILLAGE OF WASHAGO, ANOTHER FUN LITTLE BURG, WHERE WE USED TO VISIT WEEKLY, IN SEASON, WHEN KAY'S COLLECTION WAS OPEN, IN THE OLD BLACKSMITH SHOP. THEN WE USED TO ENJOY AN ICE CREAM TREAT AT THE OLD MILL, AS WE SAT DOWN AT THE RIVER'S EDGE TO WATCH THE EMERALD WATER, RUN THROUGH THE OLD MILL BUILDING. I PENNED A LOT OF SHORT STORIES, SITTING ON THE BENCH, AT WATERSIDE. IT WAS AMAZING. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE PLACES ARE NO LONGER OPEN, BUT WE HAVE OUR MEMORIES. AS I INCH TOWARD SENIOR CITIZENSHIP, I SPEND MUCH MORE TIME RECALLING EVENTS, THAN PARTICIPATING IN NEW ONES. I TIRE EASY THESE DAYS. I'M KILLING MYSELF SLOWLY HUNCHED OVER THIS INFERNAL CONTRAPTION, WITH A KEYBOARD. IT MOCKS ME, AND STEALS MY COPY WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT!
     IT WAS A WONDERFULLY FRUITFUL DAY FOR COLLECTING. ROBERT HAD TO WORK IN THE RECORDING STUDIO TODAY, SO HE MISSED OUT ON THESE BIG FINDS. IT ALMOST MADE HIM CRY, WHEN ANDREW TEXTED HIM ABOUT FINDING A PROMO PRESSING OF AN LP, BY THE "UGLY DUCKLINGS," ONE OF CANADA'S MOST SOUGHT AFTER AND PRICEY RECORDS FROM THE 1960'S. ANDREW WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE FOUR GUITARS, INCLUDING A HARD TO FIND "NORMAN", WHICH HE PLAYED ALL THE WAY HOME. WE LIKED WHAT HE WAS PLAYING, SO INSTEAD OF GETTING BACK ONTO HIGHWAY 11, WE DECIDED TO DETOUR OURSELVES THROUGH COOPER'S FALLS, TOWARD BARKWAY, AND BACK HOME. NOTHING LIKE A MUSICAL RIDE. SUZANNE FOUND SOME SEWING COLLECTABLES, AND COOKBOOKS, SHE NEEDS FOR HER LITTLE LIBRARY; PLUS WE FOUND A GOOD CONDITION VICTORIAN ERA TOP HAT, THAT FITS ME, AND A STELLAR LITTLE LANDSCAPE FROM CAROUSEL COLLECTABLES, IN ORILLIA, ALWAYS A MANDATORY STOP ON OUR MOTORING ADVENTURES.
     I AM A FICKLE CHARACTER, WHEN I'M HUNTING FOR INTERESTING PIECES OF ART. I CAN BE MOVED BY THE SPIRITS. IN TWO VISITS TO THEIR SHOP, I'VE FOUND TWO WELL EXECUTED PAINTINGS; THE LAST TIME IT WAS A WATERCOLOR FROM NORTHERN ONTARIO, WHICH CAME HOME WITH US, AND TODAY, IT WAS AN UNUSUAL, HAUNTING, COMPELLING OIL ON CLOTH, PAINTED BY "F.M. MCMILLAN," AND DATED 1904. IT HAS BEEN VARNISHED, SOMETIME IN ITS PAST. THE FRAME IS PARTICULARLY FASCINATING, WITH A RICH VENEER. WHILE IT HAS SOME DAMAGE, TO THE VENEER, IT SUITS PERFECTLY, THIS DARK, SOMBRE LANDSCAPE, THAT MOST DEFINITELY TELLS A STORY, IMPORTANT AT THE TIME TO F.M. MCMILLAN. THE FACT THE MIDDLE OF THE PAINTING HAS NO OTHER LANDMARK THAN HORIZON TREES, IT GIVES THE PAINTING A SENSE OF DISTANCE, THAT WHILE SEEMINGLY UNREMARKABLE, SUGGESTS AN HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE IMAGE. IT WAS A PLACE FAMILIAR TO THE ARTIST, AND IT WAS PROBABLY NEVER OFFERED FOR SALE. IT HAS HAD A ROUGH LIFE, WITH SURFACE WEAR ON BOTH THE FRAME AND THE ART SURFACE, BUT NOTHING DETRACTS FROM ITS SPLENDID, HISTORIC AND EERIE GLOOM. IT'S A SIMPLE COUNTRY ART PIECE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE A CANADIAN SCENE. IT IS A VERY SEASONAL PIECE, WHICH TO ME, LOOKS SOMEWHAT LIKE LATE AUGUST, EARLY SEPTEMBER, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A LANDSCAPE FROM ONTARIO.
    HONESTLY, IT'S THE KIND OF PAINTING THAT I'D LIKE TO PEN A SHORT STORY ABOUT; AND MAYBE I SHALL IN THE COMING WEEKS. BUT I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING; I WAS ONLY IN THE CAROUSEL COLLECTABLES SHOP, LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES, WHEN IT CAUGHT MY EYE. IT ALMOST PULLED MY EYE OUT OF ITS SOCKET. I DON'T CHALLENGE SENSATIONS LIKE THIS. I GO IN THAT GENERAL DIRECTION, AND AS HISTORY SERVES, I'M USUALLY INTRODUCED TO SOMETHING THAT MESHES WITH MY INTEREST IN ART AND HISTORY. TWO COMPELLING REASONS TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. I HAVE A RULE. IF IT REACHES OUT AND COMMANDS ME TO COME CLOSER, THERE'S USUALLY A REASON. WHEN I TALK ABOUT ENCHANTED PIECES? CASE IN POINT! I CAN WALK BY THOUSANDS OF ART PIECES, AND ENJOY THE VIEW, BUT COME AWAY WITHOUT FINDING EVEN ONE THAT COMPELS ME TO BRING IT HOME. THIS ONE, BY MCMILLAN, GRABBED ME RIGHT BY THE OLD HEARTSTRING, AND USUALLY, I WELCOME THE INTRUSION ON MY WALK-ABOUT. I HAVE A LITTLE TRICK OF THE TRADE, I USE ON SUCH OCCASIONS, BUT DON'T LAUGH (AND IT PROBABLY WON'T WORK FOR YOU ANYWAY). YOU SEE, I MAKE THE SOUND OF THE WIND. I DON'T SING A SONG, OR MUTTER A FEW LINES OF VERSE. I MAKE THE WHOOSHING SOUND OF THE WIND, AS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HEARD BY THE ARTIST, WHEN HE WAS MAKING THE ORIGINAL SKETCH FOR THIS PAINTING. IF IT IS ONE THAT I WILL BUY, THE SOUND OF THE WIND WILL MAKE IT COME ALIVE FOR ME; AS IF THE STORY IS BEING WRITTEN ITSELF BY SENSORY PERCEPTION. THIS PROBABLY READS LIKE THE RAMBLING OF A CRAZY-MAN, BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN LET DOWN YET, USING THIS TECHNIQUE. SO I'M GOING TO SPEND THE EVENING STARING AT THIS LITTLE GEM, THAT WHILE A FAIRLY BASIC PERIOD PAINTING, IT IS MOST DEFINITELY WHAT I CONSIDERED "STORIED," MEANING, THE ARTIST HAD A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT REASON FOR PAINTING THIS SCENE, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH VOID OF ANYTHING DRAMATIC. NO HOMESTEAD IN THE CLEARING. NO HORSE AND WAGON COMING THROUGH THE FIELD. NO LIVESTOCK. NO BARN OR RAIL FENCE TO BE SENE. I HAVE A HUNCH THE SMALL CLUSTER OF THREE TREES, WAS RELEVANT TO THE ARTIST. I HAVE SEEN THESE BEFORE, WHERE THERE ARE ACTUALLY GRAVEMARKERS, ONLY PARTIALLY VISIBLE ABOVE THE GRASS AND ROCKS. WHILE I HAVEN'T FOUND THE TOMBSTONE YET, I'VE GOT SOME STUDY TIME TO INVEST THIS EVENING.
     WE ALSO PICKED UP A GREAT STEAMER TRUNK, THAT WAS SHIPPED MUCH, MUCH EARLIER IN THE 1900'S, ON THE CUNARD PASSENGER SHIP "SAXONIA," FROM LIVERPOOL TO MONTREAL; THE TRUNK BEING OWNED BY A CHAP NAMED HITCHINGS. THE LABEL IS STILL IN PASTED ON THE INSIDE. THE FUNKY PART, IS THAT IT WAS REFINISHED PROBABLY IN THE 1970'S, WITH A FIBREGLASS DESIGN WHICH MAKES IT LOOK PRETTY NEAT. WE SELL A LOT OF OLD STEAMER TRUNKS AND CHESTS, AND THEY ARE VERY SOUGHT AFTER, IF THE PRICE COMES IN AT UNDER A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS. CEDAR BOXES ARE ALSO VERY DESIRED THESE DAYS, AFTER YEARS OF BEING CONSIDERED TO HEAVY AND LARGE FOR THE CONTEMPORARY BEDROOMS. TODAY, FOLKS ARE FINDING ROOM FOR THEM. THESE TRUNKS AND CHESTS HOLD A HUGE QUANTITY OF HOUSEHOLD MATERIALS, FROM BEDDING, PILLOWS AND QUILTS, TO SILVER, CHINA, AND A LOT OF DOCUMENTS IF YOU HAVE KNOW WHERE ELSE TO HOUSE THEM SAFELY. I USED TO STRIP THEM DOWN AND REFINISH THE WOOD, INSIDE AND OUT, BUT THEN I FOUND OUT, IT WAS MUCH BETTER, TO LET THE NEW OWNER DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES, HOW THEY WANT THEM RECONDITIONED. THE GREAT PART ABOUT THIS, IS THAT WE CAN KEEP THE PRICES DOWN. REFINISHING WAS ALWAYS A BEASTLY TASK, SO SELLING THEM IN "AS IS, AND AS FOUND," CONDITION, WORKS QUITE WELL.
     WE'RE IN A BIT OF A PANIC ACTUALLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF INVENTORY TO GET SHOP-READY, AND BECAUSE OF MY PASSION FOR GAD-ABOUTS, A PRETTY FAIR WHACK OF TIME HAS BEEN LOST. SUZANNE REMINDS ME OF THIS CONSTANTLY. YET, AS I REMIND ALL MY FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU CAN'T RUN AN ANTIQUE SHOP WITHOUT A COMPANION ADVENTURE. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO DO, SETTLING INSTEAD, TO BUY OVER THE COUNTER ONLY. I JUST COULDN'T BE IN THIS PROFESSION WITHOUT TRAVEL, AND THE ENJOYABLE RECREATION WE FIND ALONG OUR ROUTE. THIS WAY, IT IS A HERITAGE EXPERIENCE, EACH AND EVERY TIME. OH, THE STORIES WE COULD TELL, ASBOUT HOW WE FOUND THE PIECES OF OUR COLLECTION. WE THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO KNOW; TELLING THEM WHERE WE FOUND THE ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES THAT FASCINATED THEM.
     MORE ANTIQUE TALES OF WOE, ADVENTURE, AND EXCITEMENT YET TO COME THIS WEEK.