I had a lovely stay,
but why did the guest-house sway?
Oh, it was the wine.
Marcus Ranum
My third visit to the coal stove sink made another favorable impression on me despite the high expectations. My first observation was how the name of this abode (Coal Stove Sink) fits like a glove now that it is established. The glove is fitting in more ways than one given the winter weather of 7 degrees last night but I was nice and cozy thanks to the piano. What does the piano have to do with heat in the winter you ask? Well if it wasn’t for the piano in the Coal Stove Sink, the thermostat might be set significantly lower. As it was, the warmth was welcomed following a late night climb from the main house up the crunchy grass (crunchy due to the deep frost). I was able to sleep late and enjoy the sounds of early morning in my nice warm bed.
Polyphonic shaving. Maybe it's best to stay fuzzy.
I did note that this is the second time I had to shave using the sink and run into the bathroom to check out my face in the mirror before running back to the sink to rinse my razor. However this minor inconvenience is insignificant in the scheme of my visit since I’m not sure anyone really cares whether I shave or not.
I would not hesitate to visit in the winter again given this pleasant experience. The animals remain active outside and the sounds are much better than the sounds of surburbia or an urban hotel. It remains a truly unique experience which is all the more reason that the name [CSS] fits like a glove.
Many visitors to Coal Stove Sink know how I feel about plastic showers. My no longer secret travel blog noplasticshowers.com makes my position clear.
Late last year, certain posters to this blog took us to task for our very own home shower situation. At first we tried to ignore the issue, hoping that the mushrooms we fed our guest might kick in. But the more we thought about it, the more we realized that we needed to remedy the situation. Thus I am happy to present the new glass door recently installed downstairs. Take that you Belgian!
 No longer a non-plastic shower curtain. Instead a glass door. |
 Shiny. |
No plastic showers in 2012!
Though we never did find Aubrey, Rhine and I were able to create some music again in the guesthouse. We’ve been doing this since 2003, starting out with 8 track analog recorders and moving on to studio-quality computer recording. The rum has remained extra old.
Our sixth CD luminous was released today.
It was a busy year at Coal Stove Sink. We had plenty of guests, both personal friends and professional friends (some both). I think an index or sorts may be in order just so I can remind myself of all the good times. Here’s who visited us on the business side of the friend front in 2011:
Adam Stubblefield
Charlie Miller
John Steven and Devon
Matt Green
Rajiv Sinha
Jason Witty
Florence Mottay
Marco Morana
Jacob West (posting should be done “momentarily”)
Jennifer Stitt
Markus Jacobssen (first entry)
Jim Routh
Ben Jun
Brian Chess (during the BSIMM3 Summit)
Matias Madou
Nate Fick and Kristin Lord (for dinner)
Jason Hills and Hayley Feldman-Hills
And from the dear old friends and family list (and some of the business people really belong here too):
Steve Wassel and Celeste
Rhine Singleton, when we recorded luminous
Bill and Emily Shepherdson
Doug Blank and Laura Blankenship
Uncle Chris
The Elder Mariner
We loved having you all visit and we hope you come back in 2012.
Snow on the rope bridge in early 2010. Merry solstice all.
It took a number of months to get plans finalized to visit the Coal Stove Sink (and its owners, of course). We were thrilled to get the invitation. The experience could not have come at a better time. We were more than ready for an opportunity to leave city life and experience some rural living.
A serious accident on our only route out of the city forced us to arrive much later than anticipated. At the end of the 4+ hour drive came a few miles of pitch-black, winding back roads. After one of us (ahem, the female among us) freaked out that we were going the wrong way, we successfully pulled into the driveway over the bridge and were greeted by some very friendly farm dogs. Our hosts graciously waited until our 9PM arrival to start a delectable dinner of quail, polenta, and brussels sprouts in a hollandaise with an excellently paired red wine. Dinner was followed up by a palate-pleasing journey into mixology, including a test-tube lesson on brandy [actually, that was bourbon]. The drinks were second only to the stories and conversation. There was a dash of business talk in there… just the right amount.
Time flew by and it was time for us to turn in for the night (what? 4 AM already?). We walked up a small hill into darkness, and there it was: a cozy, welcoming guest house, complete with a piano and the Coal Stove Sink! We settled in quickly and buried ourselves under the covers, looking forward to the sight that the morning light would bring. We were not disappointed…
We were awakened by a crisp, beautiful blue sky and an eye-popping view of the property. We headed out to find our host splitting wood. He took a break to treat us to what might be the freshest eggs we have ever had along with expertly-crafted, dry cappuccinos. After breakfast, we spent some time assisting with the log splitting then took a self-guided tour of the property. We visited the chicken coop, the barn complete with goats, took a peek into the apothecary, crossed the rope bridge, and enjoyed the company of the farm dogs and cat.
As much as we wanted to continue to enjoy the farm and its relaxing setting, we sadly had to get going on our drive back to the city life. The owners of the Coal Stove Sink are remarkable hosts and we hope to return the favor when they find themselves in our “neck of the woods.” We had a wonderful stay and cannot thank them enough.
Contrary to what the hornet people say, the apothecary shed is not a meth lab. Though come to think of it, that might make it more profitable.
The Apothecary Shed has its own blog.
I’ve never seen bigger hornets. They were the size of walnuts. They were so big, I wondered if I’d ever actually seen hornets before. Happily, there seemed to be a big dog phenomenon in effect: the hornets were calm and didn’t seem particularly interested in the people in their midst. A few came in to sleep with me in the guest house. I left them alone, they left me alone. They did wake me up in the morning wanting to be let out. More like dogs than any insect I’ve encountered before.
Major building news. They’ve cleaned up the small shed that used to hold miscellaneous gardening equipment and other tools. New deck too and picnic table too! They call it the “apothecary shed.” I think that might be an old-fashioned way of saying “meth lab,” but I really wouldn’t know. In any case, it’s cute and nicely done. The photo below has the shed in front, with the guest house behind to the left and just the smallest slice of barn behind to the right. Some inside shots below that.
A most fantastic visit.
The backdrop: weeks of transition, busy-ness, and parenting challenges. I arrived to enjoy some amazing cheese, wonderful dinner, and conversation.
Awoke to visit a throng of happy animals before my gracious host served me ham and eggs grown on the farm. Later that day, we took a break and sat on rocks in the river. It was just as my host had advertised. At some point, the stress just oozed out of me. Wonderful.
The only way the transformation could have become even more apparant was to transition from the Virginia countryside to driving the sprawl of New Jersey. Oh wait, I did that.
My short stay was truly fantastic. The first thing that amazed me was the self-sustainability. When I arrived, we went out and picked stuff to eat. While there are mushrooms in my garden, I never ever tried to eat one. At this location, they just do it. So now I’m wondering if all previous blog posters are still alive. Did they really post anonymously, or is someone trying to hide traces?
I always wanted to learn the basics of rum. The host gave me a solid introduction (with tasting) to get me started. I’m ready to try this out at home. I’m not sure if my girlfriend/wife/… (also known as se**ot) will be happy with my new interest.
At home, I’m trying to hold off on having dogs by claiming my dislike for them. In reality, I really really like them. It’s fun to wake up in the morning and be surrounded by super friendly dogs and cats.
I found one odd thing in the house. I bumped in to a plastic shower … ow yes … that will hurt the hosts’ reputation. I was so shocked that I forgot to take a picture.
By reading all the blog posts, you get an idea of what to expect. Reality is even so much better! If you can find the place and the hosts, you have to check it out.
Thank you very much for this great stay!
Matias
Coal Stove Sink 