Transient Beauty

A week or so ago, as we climbed the first slope of the ridge on our trail toward home, we stopped to admire a cluster of mushrooms growing out of a broken birch stump. The next time we passed, they were gone.

A cluster of mushrooms on a birch stump

(Photo: Michelle Zeiger).

I’ve always felt that beauty is enhanced by transcience. Some things in life—arrangements of cut flowers, balloons (except for those horrid mylar balloons—they last forever!) and, perhaps most of all, cute mushrooms—all fade and die in a very short time. They are best admired while they last, then allowed to go, leaving behind a pleasant memory. Much like live music, much like seasons, much like people.

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Kitchen Counter Complete

A fewdays ago we finished the kitchen countertop. We’ve been enjoying the new surface and its trim for a while, but the finishing touch, a rail along the back of the counter, had to wait for a couple of coats of stain and sealant before it could be put in place.

new counter top

The finished counter top. Just add clutter . . . (Photo: Mark Zeiger).

The rail comes from a baby crib that came with the property. We’ve found many uses for the crib components, especially this particular piece. It will now keep soap dishes and other objects from taking unplanned dives off the back of the counter.

From start to finish, this certainly took longer than we anticipated, but because everything needs to stand up to the damp, we wanted to make sure the sealants had properly cured. We’re already finding that the improved work surface is well worth the wait.

 

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