What started as a simple family hike turned into a fascinating story about a family named Heublein. I knew we were hiking to see a castle home on Talcott Mountain, known as the Hubelien Tower. We can see it in the distance from our home.
What I didn’t expect was the story that goes along with it. (Now if you’re just interested in the pictures, skip ahead.)
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While on vacation at Cape Cod this summer, we visited Provincetown (a.k.a. P-Town) at the very tip of the Cape. Talk about eye candy! So many beautiful and creative expressions at every turn. But, in reality, I was there in my role as “mom” so I didn’t get a chance to leisurely stroll through the galleries and shops. {sigh}
However, while we walked along the pier waiting for our whale watching boat, I enjoyed three lovely yet very different pieces of art. Each inspirational in a different way.
First, I was I was very taken with Norma Holt, who just celebrated her 90th birthday last year. She is a local photographer whose black and white portraits of Portuguese women whose families were part of the town’s fishing industry are mounted on the Fishermen’s Wharf building at the end of the pier. You just can’t miss it. They’re from her collection “They Also Faced the Sea”.
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Have you ever drooled over kitchens used in commercials? Well, I finally got my chance to see the process in action. My two girls and I were asked to be in a milk commercial that was shot locally. The spot would be shot in a large, lovely kitchen in town. So of course, I couldn’t wait to see it.
My girls and I show up, and to my surprise, I couldn’t really see the kitchen at all! There was so much video equipment in the room, and most decorative accessories were moved out of the way to not compete with the focus of the shot.
[click to continue…]
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Have you ever seen a picture that you loved, even if you didn’t know why? I came across this picture when writing a previous blog post about retro kitchen appliances.
Then one day, while driving errands, I saw this fan outside a junk shop:
I pulled over, told the kids not to touch anything breakable, and bought the fan from a rather grumpy guy for $18. Not a great deal, I’m sure. But well worth it to me simply because I liked it. I like the color, the deco styling, and hey…it even works!
I became curious about this little fan. So I did a bit of digging, and found that it came from a company called Superior Electric Products Corporation. They were best known for their brand “Superlectric.” Not a high-end brand. They sold a lot of box fans through Sears in their day.
The company was founded in 1922 by a man named Edmund Lawrence Haas. He moved the company to Cape Girardeau in 1938 due to labor troubles. In 1946, Haas sold the company to his son-in-law so he could retire. The son-in-law ran the company until his retirement in 1968 when he sold it to United Industry Syndicate of New York. It ran until 1982.
So, I figure this fan is circa 1960’s. I know it was before 1968 by the sticker on the bottom, but not much before because wires on the screen are closer together than some of the older fans (less of a finger-slicer!). So it looks like my fan and I are of similar vintage. lol
Here it is in my office. Even though the weather has turned cool and I don’t really need to run a fan, I keep it there because, quite frankly, it makes me smile. 
Hmmmm, now that I think about it…that file cabinet is rather vintage as well. Maybe I’ll spice it up with some bold spray paint. What do you think?
Where do you find inspiration?
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Summer came and went quickly this year! But we were able to squeak in a week at Cape Cod before school started. As it was our first trip to the Cape, I was very excited to view the lovely homes on Cape Cod. Especially since I grew up in one during my early years. I was not disappointed.
While the homes ranged in size and complexity, there were commonalities that inspired me to learn a bit more about this popular style and its history. The original Cape Cod style was originated by early settlers’ need for efficient and affordable housing that could withstand harsh the New England weather.
Early Cape Cod homes were typically one story cottages with steep roofs with side gables and small roof overhang, a central fireplace and little ornamentation. They tended to be symmetrical in appearance with the door in the center. More of a cottage, really.
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Color Trends for 2012: Balance to Preservation 
Painting Stairs: DIY FAQs and Tips 
Ideas for that awkward space above your kitchen cabinets 
Sliding Barn Doors: Beyond the Farm 
Painting Wood Floors 
Color Trends for 2011 
Picking the Right Front Door Color: Before and After Case Studies 
A Color Story: By Decade 
Designing Trendy Tween Rooms for Girls 
Gender Neutral Kids Rooms 
My New-ish Kitchen 
Decorating Blues! 
Decorating with empty picture frames 
My Laundry Closet Needs a Makeover 
Bold and Beautiful Kitchen Appliances 
Easy Shrimp Appetizers – 2 ways 
Purple Bedroom to Ooh La La on a Budget 
2012 Color of the Year! 
Hot Color Trends for Cold Weather 
Laundry Space from Drab to Fab 
YHOB
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~Susan Jensen Smith
