PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS -- who,where and what direction to take this week?

Taking a look back and up.  This directs the present moment towards the original owners, Kate and James Mason. (May 23, 2016 post under Big House).  As I wander through the Big House as it is being "lightened" from toxic materials and layers of constructed skin, what gets revealed are the bones of  it's origin.  The wonder here is, what did this house look like when the Mason's lived there?  

Floor boards tell that there must have been a fire place in a room and holes in the lath say "oh here was a vent that most likely provided heat for another room, because  it must have been connected to that chimney."  It's an unfolding story based on architecture and construction: 1898 to this moment in time.

As the posts evolve there seems to be a developing connectivity  to the other headings so it flows back and forth like my family, affectionately called the Fellini's;  just like those crazy Fellini movies.  It's easy to imagine the families of this place were no different.

Honouring the chimney:  Huff and puff...

after looking up!! how about a "look out"... 

For more developments best to head to the BIG HOUSE heading for "but wait, there's more".

COMMUNITY -- war of the roses, peonies, irises, tulips...

Now that things are underway at the Big House we've gone from the waiting game to full throttle.  Lucky I come from a generation that can run with their hair on fire .  Admittedly, a strong man or woman would have come in handy while literally sharing the plants in the garden over the last few days.  There are some pretty deep roots on this property.  

Here's a little visual for your viewing pleasure while listening  -- 

While digging things up I had the opportunity to get to know a few more of my neighbours, Yeah!!  I learnt, from an avid gardener, that the roses are most likely Queen Anne or Queen Elizabeth and he told me the best way to prune them -- think I actually got a few right.  Apparently you look for a bud on the cane and cut back above the bud.  Also I learnt that the Chinese ladies in the neighbourhood used to exchange cuttings so many of the roses are crossed with these cuttings.  This can result with two different rose branches growing from the same base.  

Another neighbour mentioned that roses from this house had been distributed in the hood a number of years back and several neighbours  were lucky to get them.   So much for my idea of sharing the garden, like I was a first ehe?   This neighbourly exchanged caused me to remember that I saw a rose garden in the back of the house from Esther Rausenberg's photography.  (nov. 14th 2016 post under the Big House)  Now I know where some of those plants landed giving me a deeper appreciation for my next walk when looking around the hood. 

I also learnt I have a neighbour who's an electrician, a chef, a gardener, a photographer, an educator, a film maker, a contractor, an owner of chickens...  Things just keep growing!

On your marks, get set, go!...Art, Progress, Community and People Places and Things!

April showers bring May flowers, so they say.  Here's to hoping showers are done and things will bloom and blossom on this Project at a steady eddy pace.  This week should be interesting with  the timelapse camera set up and ready to shoot the Progress!  

Thinking about the next year as I'm told we'll be lucky if things are finished in a year -- believe it or not this is "normal".  As we roll out the building, transformation and breathing love into an existing structure and structures to come it's time to give thought as to how sharing the process will unfold.  

FOUR HEADINGS  have come to mind as a focus of the weekly posts and last week when I looked at the beautiful abstactions the Big House had created over the years ART came to mind.  Of course the changes that will take place brought PROGRESS to the space.  COMMUNITY is an ever present heading whenever I think of Strathcona; the heart of the Project. The final heading is closely related to community as PEOPLE, PLACES, and THINGS are where so many riches come into play.

Progress and a hole is what is being posted this week.  Here are 5 photos that focus on holes that are part of the Big House -- one is still closed and the others have been opened.  Looking at these images, seeing where the holes are now makes one wonder what were they a part of? what was the functional purpose of placing this hole in the wall?  what was it's significance and when was it no longer required, and why?  

Five holes (4 above and 1 below) are all connected to a chimney that has not been functioning for years.  Change in the name of progress caused them to get sealed up behind plaster walls and layers of paint.  Preparing for more change they have become exposed again and brought to light to be captured in a moment to view and ponder.

We all know progress is about moving forward : the process of improving or developing something over a period of time.  It's heartwarming to take that moment to look closely at how that has taken place in this specific space and think about the holes to come.

Regaining steam!

Things are starting to role out at the BIG HOUSE!  Yeah and jumping for joy, mind you I'm not getting too far off the ground in my jump (smile).  I imagine my jumping elevation will grow with time and the further we get into the Project.

The abatement process has started, which means the ending, reduction or lessening of something.  In real terms it's the lightening of the building by taking out everything dirty.  It also means it costs a lot of money to clean up the mess of those before us and the bad things that were approved but no longer are deemed good.  Kind of makes you think what does that mean about what we're deeming good now that won't be seen as good down the road, right?  

Regardless, the men working in the house now are lovely and I'm happy to get to know Danny and his team of clean men!  I'm thankful for their services and lightening up this old house.  

As I enter the Big House, how can I miss the amazing front deck, when I look down at my shoes it's only to notice the great things that come with decay and many many many... years of wear and tear.  Looking into the front door, now with the great detailed rosette corners and mouldings gone, it draws my eye to the room beyond and the floor stripped of it's wild colored lino flooring.  The close up of the kitchen stripped of attachments reveals a work of art created by the place -- look at those layers and shades with exquisite texture and detail of lives that have breathed in a space.  When the ceiling fell down I was astonished at how beautiful the abstraction.

What is garbage to someone finds a place in another's eye and heart.