The next time you’re looking for something interesting and inspiring to do, consider visiting an antiques shop or gallery. It’s a great way to discover and appreciate one-of-a-kind pieces while learning about the history, craftsmanship, and stories behind them.
My operations director, Matt Krack, enjoys antiquing in his free time. Recently, while driving through Maine, he stopped at The York Antiques Gallery, a multi-dealer shop featuring an eclectic collection of 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century furniture and decorative arts. With more than 30 booths and display cases, the gallery is filled with fascinating pieces to explore, learn about, and perhaps even take home.
Enjoy these photos.
The York Antiques Gallery is located on scenic Route One in York, Maine, in the southern part of the state. The gallery contains a large inventory of items from everyday household objects to rare and ornate pieces. Dealers from New England and other areas are always changing and updating their displays.
Many of the pieces are decorative. This is a vintage wooden rooster.
And here is a vintage metal horse, covered in a nice patina, the green film on the surface produced by oxidation over time.
Some pieces are more functional. These are vintage curtain tiebacks or pullbacks – decorative accessories that gather and hold curtains away from the window frame, allowing more light inside.
Old cookie cutters are always an interesting find. Cookie cutters date back to the 1800s and can come in interesting and whimsical shapes.
Matt also admired these books on Maine – a nice and well cared for collection. Collecting old state books — antique, vintage, or rare — offers a unique blend of historical value, personal connection, and aesthetic appeal.
This is a 1930s Yellow Ware Pitcher. Yellow Ware is a type of highly-fired earthenware pottery made from a rich yellow clay body with a clear glaze that gives it its distinctive warm golden-yellow color. It was produced in both England and North America and became a popular style of pottery in its time. I have a very large collection of Yellow Ware.
This is a Treenware Cream Skimmer. Treen, literally “of a tree” is a generic name for small handmade functional household objects made of wood. A cream skimmer is a tool used to separate cream from milk by lifting or skimming the fat layer that rises to the top. This one dates back to the 18th or 19th century.
The bowl is Lusterware, or Lustreware. This is a type of pottery or porcelain that features a metallic glaze, giving the effect of iridescence. The ball inside is a hollow glass float, which was used to keep fishing nets afloat.
Another type of pottery is called Faience. This pottery is a type of glazed ceramic known for its bright, glassy surface, originating from both ancient Egyptian quartz-paste ceramics and later European tin-glazed earthenware. The word “faience” comes from Faenza, an Italian town famous for tin-glazed pottery, and the French term “faïence” became widely used across Europe.
On this wall is an interesting diamond-shape basket. Walking through an antiques shop gives visitors a glimpse of what was handmade or popularly used during a certain time.
Here is a charming painting of an old barn in winter.
And here is a Folk Art painting of a dog eyeing a rat or mouse in its cage. This is signed by artist A.E. Boulanger, a 19th century painter known for creating small-scale handcrafted works of oil on canvas.
Silhouette prints featured a style of black-and-white profile portraits that originated in the 18th and 19th centuries. These prints were often used as a form of identification or as decorative art in the home. They are typically hand-cut paper profiles, sometimes reverse-painted or framed in ornate wood, and often depicted individuals, couples, or scenes.
These are considered “smalls” or small and often charming vintage or antique items. These “smalls” are mourning brooches – commemorative pieces worn to honor and remember a deceased loved one.
This likely came from an old hardware store. It is a vintage storage unit for screws and nails.
Do you collect Steiff animals? Steiff is a German heritage brand renowned for high-quality stuffed animals and plush toys, famous for its craftsmanship. This is a tiny Steiff owl.
Handmade wood carvings are also often found in antique shops and galleries. This one reads “A Souvenir of the Land of Evangeline” which refers to the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1847 poem, Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie.
Do you have andirons in your fireplace? Andirons are metal supports, usually used in pairs to hold firewood raised and in place, allowing air circulation and preventing logs from rolling out.
After some time browsing through the many interesting vintage and antique items, Matt went home with a collection of flower paintings by a 12 year old girl in the 1800s. Antiquing is a mix of luck, skill, and timing, and the “finds” can vary widely, but it’s a wonderful way to learn. And as I always say, one should “learn something new every day.”
Aside from their beauty and intoxicating fragrance, roses have the wonderful ability to continue blooming throughout the summer.
I've adored roses for more than 30 years and have grown them in many different places here at my farm. Earlier this year, I designed my biggest rose garden yet - behind my chicken coops. The bed was previously planted with gorgeous lilacs as well as roses, but it was in need of an overhaul to revitalize the space and add some new young plants. I planted more than 140 new roses to add to the existing rose bushes. The roses bloomed this season, and were recently pruned and groomed.
Enjoy these photos.
In order to grow beautiful, healthy roses, they must get an abundance of sunshine. This garden bed is perfect. My roses also get nutrient rich soil, lots of food, and regular maintenance through the year.
Last spring, I completely transformed this garden. All the old lilacs were pulled out and new, young, vibrant roses were planted. Here is one side shortly after planting was complete. Among the varieties recently planted here – Parfuma® Earth Angel™ ‘KORgeowim,’ Bolero™ ‘Meidelweis,’ Raspberry Cupcake™ ‘KORcarmsis,’ Parfuma® Bliss ‘KORmarzau,’ Michelangelo™ ‘Meitelov,’ Sunbelt® Savannah,™ Romantica® Moonlight ‘Meikaquinz,’ Princesse Charlene de Monaco® ‘Meidysouk,’ Dee-Lish® ‘Meiclusif,’ and Top Cream™ ‘Meiroguste.’
The two beds are surrounded by young boxwood.
These boxwood shrubs were nurtured from cuttings right here at the farm. Eventually, they will grow into a nice formal hedge.
In just a couple of months, both the roses and the boxwood have grown so nicely.
Some of the existing roses were transplanted years ago from the gardens at Lily Pond, my former home in East Hampton, New York.
A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae. There are more than a hundred species and thousands of named cultivars.
I always knew I wanted many different roses in all sorts of petal formations. Double blooms consist of 16 to 25 overlapping petals in three or more rows.
Roses come in many different colors, such as pink, peach, white, red, magenta, yellow, copper, vermilion, purple, and apricot.
Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses to climbers that can reach several feet in height.
Many roses are loved by bees, depending on the variety, bloom structure, and how much nectar and pollen they produce. Open, single or semi-double blooms that expose the pollen-rich stamens are some of their favorites.
When watering, give roses the equivalent of one-inch of rainfall per week during the growing season. Water at the soil level to avoid getting the foliage wet. Wet leaves encourage diseases such as black spot and powdery mildew.
Rose leaves are borne alternately on the stem. In most species, they are about two to five inches long, pinnate, with at least three leaflets and basal stipules. The leaflets also usually have a serrated margin.
And remember, rose stems are often armed with sharp prickles, not thorns. A prickle can be easily broken off the plant because it is really a feature of the outer layers rather than part of the wood, like a thorn.
And depending on the variety, some can have more prickles than others.
There are different pruning strategies for different times of the year, but overall the goals are the same – to keep the plants looking fresh and open, promote new growth and re-flowering, and to improve the overall health of the plant.
Deadheading is one of the easiest forms of pruning – as blooms fade, cut off below the spent blossoms and above the first set of full, healthy leaves. Make any cut at a 45-degree angle just above an outward-facing bud. This angle helps water run off the stem while encouraging strong, outward growth.
New leaves are similar in shape to older foliage, even if slightly redder or thinner. The red/purple tint is normal and comes from anthocyanins, which protect tender tissue from getting any sun damage.
Depending on the variety, climate, and care they receive, roses can bloom from late spring through autumn. Here’s the bud of a new flower just waiting to open.
And always use nutrient-rich compost, composted manure, and other organic and natural fertilizers. I am a voracious feeder of all my plants. Good, thoughtful maintenance in the garden will always be well worth the effort.
This morning, why not have a delicious steamed egg for breakfast?
So many of my readers and viewers ask me how to make the perfect steamed egg - when the white of the egg is firm, and the yolk is silky, creamy, and liquid gold. Steamed eggs, soft-boiled eggs, and hard-boiled eggs are all great with toast, or as an addition to salads, or even alone as a quick snack. My eggs are as fresh as can be - they come straight from my chicken coops every day. Eggs are also very nutritious. A large egg contains about six-grams of protein, plus other nutrients, including vitamin D and choline. And, best of all, making the perfect egg is so easy.
Here are some photos and my step-by-step method for steamed eggs, enjoy.
As many of you know, I’ve long enjoyed raising chickens. I began raising chickens many years ago, primarily for their delicious fresh eggs. And I use a lot of them. Aside from enjoying one or two myself on any given day, I share them with my daughter and grandchildren, I cook flavorful dishes such as frittatas for guests and my crew at the farm, and I use many eggs for various cooking shoots. Here is a bowl of fresh eggs on my kitchen counter. When hens lay eggs, they have a natural coating called the “bloom” that helps keep out bacteria. Washing eggs can drive some bacteria in through the pores of the shell, so I don’t wash them before cooking. I always just wipe them with a warm damp cloth to get rid of any dirt and place them in this giant bowl.
I have about 200-chickens down in my poultry yard. They’re all beautiful birds. I I’ve grown fond of caring for them, and learning about their many different breeds and varieties.
Here’s a hen sitting in her nesting box – I wonder if she’s sitting on an egg? In general, hens become mature enough to lay eggs around six months of age, though this varies slightly by breed. Healthy hens are able to lay an egg about once a day.
To steam the perfect egg, one needs a saucepan with a lid and a steamer.
These stainless steel expandable steamer baskets are easy to find.
Just fill the pot to the bottom of the steamer basket – about an inch-and-a-half.
Then place the saucepan on the stove and turn it on high to boil.
While waiting, select your eggs. I chose six large eggs. I do not refrigerate my eggs. Freshly laid eggs can be left at room temperature for at least a month.
The water is just about boiling. A covered pot boils faster than an uncovered one because the cooling presence of the room’s atmosphere is greatly diminished. And notice, the lid is askew on top of the pot – just so it doesn’t boil-over.
I’m using a large spoon to carefully move the eggs into the pot.
I keep a crock near my stove filled with tasting spoons – large spoons intended to lift out about a 1/2 tablespoon of liquid from a pan or pot for sampling. I also keep some tasting forks close at hand.
Place the eggs carefully into the steamer – six is enough for one layer of eggs in this pot. Try not to stack the eggs if possible.
Set the timer to four-and-a-half minutes.
Place the lid properly on the pot and wait.
Remove the eggs as soon as the timer goes off. Remember, these are large eggs, but depending on the size of the eggs and how one likes them, this time may need some adjusting.
To serve eggs in their shells, I use the edge of a serrated knife to cut off the top.
Look at that beautiful gold color – it’s perfect. Egg yolks range in color from pale yellow to deep orange. The color of an egg’s yolk depends upon the hen’s diet. The darker color of a yolk indicates the hen is fed foods high in carotenoids or antioxidants, which are natural pigments found in greens. My chickens are fed the best scraps including organic vegetables from my gardens.
Add a little salt and pepper and it’s ready to eat.
To serve out of the shell, hold the egg over a small bowl, tap around center with a knife, gently pull the shell apart, and then scoop out the egg with a small spoon.
Here’s another egg with its creamy egg yolk pouring out into the bowl – made to perfection. Minutes really make a difference, but after doing this a few times, one will find their perfectly cooked egg.
Here are the two eggs in the bowl. Again, I added just a little salt and pepper to taste.
Steamed eggs for breakfast – so easy to make and so flavorful and healthy too. Don’t you just want one now? Enjoy.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
