Her Old Piano

We’ve just driven into town, there’s a piano on the kerb outside our hotel.  A note scrawled on yellow paper, propped against the open lid –

Unusual sight.  Unprotected piano outside Europa Inn, St. Andrews-by-the-sea, New Brunswick

Signed: Simone Ritter .  Work in progress, she says,  stay tuned …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piano  won’t stay tuned for long, squatting outside in the elements …

Intrigued, curious.

Who’s the lady?  What’s her plan?

We check into Europa Inn, Husband and I.  Two nights.  Delightful auberge in sleepy, small town seaside setting, old fashioned European charm.

Serenity by the sea.  Yep. That’s what I’d call it.

Europa Inn: flights of backstairs and balconies full of pink petunias

       

 

 

 

 

Old-world nostalgia and a plethora of      prewar/war-time memorabilia …

Old iron safe (from town’s namesake church) in quiet backroom of Inn

Europa Inn.  Famous for signature  eight-course dinner banquet by Chef Markus Ritter. Must-do tourist experience in New Brunswick,  as per travel guide 

 

Did the road trip instead!

On summer road trip with husband.

Spectacular paintings jostle for elbow room on walls.  Struck by joie de vivre, bright light and vibrant energy in them.

Signed:  Simone Ritter.

Simone Ritter, Artist

Simone Ritter, Artist

Breakfast- a mouthwatering masterpiece.  Friendly host, proud hubby, Chef Markus Ritter, gives glowing account of talented wife’s hobby-turned-profession.  

Simone Ritter Art …   

Simone Ritter’s  artwork (on display for sale) lines the walls of Europa’s dining room

Leave two days later.  Weather’s changed, sporadic showers.  Piano clothed in plastic protection.

A raincoat for poor piano on the morning of our departure .

 

 

 

 

 

Never encountered Simone in person. Forgot to ask about the piano. Wish I had.  Kept wondering …

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My mind is an interesting place I’ve been told.  

This is my mind, where nothing is impossible!

“It’s about perspective,” I reply,

She’s too small or the chair’s too big? (Moncton, New Brunswick, 2015)

It’s how one views things …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

– “being able to see where there’s nothing to see.”

When waters swirl sixty feet deep, who’d imagine the possibility of a stroll on the ocean floor?

Chocolate waters around Flower Pot rocks. (High tide, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick)

Hard to believe … a walk on the ocean floor?

Husand (left) standing where waters stood sixty feet high

Walking the ocean floor. Sixty-foot high waters have receded. 

Husband standing under centre of arch.  (Check first photo.  This archway was completely submerged)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A parable?  Sort of.

Waters did recede, in spite of what we saw when we first arrived …

Which is the definition of faith.  Sort of.

Hebrews 11: 11  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see … 

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Seeing beyond the physical reality –

Which brings me back to when eye sees what doesn’t yet exist –

Like knowing when garbage is more than garbage …

 

 

 

 

 

For example –

(1) Old washbasin – just  an unusual lily pond-in-waiting –

Didn’t throw out the sink. (After fall bathroom renovations)  Hurry up, summer!

Won’t look like this one, tho’!

 

For sure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  An ordinary bottle  … a prospective tree ornament, of course!

Colourful chopstick, shiny marbles and sea shells and … voila! (In my summer garden)

(3)  The old kitchen sink – a perfect container for growing swamp plants 

After kitchen renovations (In my summer garden)

 

 

(4)  That tired saucepan – an eccentric hanging container for a flowering summer plant

Rope to hang  it with and hurrah for blooming beauty-to-be!

Mr. Pot Man (Clay pots are not just for planting in)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(5)  Ancient pots and pans make whimsical garden ornaments

Kitchen Corner (In my summer garden)

Not just a bundle of old twigs (neighbour’s garden)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daughters issue dire edict when ensuite toilet is replaced: “No planting flowers in it, Mom. Not going in our garden.”

I give my word!

See a bath tub tossed out on sidewalk recently, imagination bubbles over.  So tempted. Wish I could carry it home.  

Threw the old one out!  (There’s a limit to creative art …  even I have my standards!)

Kerb-side tub.  It looked like this .. would have made a gorgeous garden planter – sigh! (Bed and Breakfast, Annapolis Royale, Nova Scotia)

Which brings me all the way back to Simone’s piano.

A year and a half’s gone by.  Often wondered about it.  Have to know …

Find Simone Ritter on Facebook and shoot off private message. She sends picture of finished work with a note –

Simone writes: It was popular with the passers by during the summer months, even in the unfinished stages.  Unfortunately a storm came through and ripped the plastic off the piano.  The heavy rains made the wood swell and then it could not be played anymore …

…  her handiwork

Ta da!

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely breathtaking …

Gorgeous explosion of creativity.  Well done, Simone!

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It’s  all about  knowing how to look –

… in the most unexpected places

Husband with tour map 

 

Living in the possibility of the moment –

Picture of a woman taking a picture of her shadow.  (Happened to look out of high-rise window and captured the moment)

And honing the inner vision –                                       

Me reflected in neighbour’s glass door, seen through glass pane of laundry room door

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So how do you see what you see?

A hug or a serpent? (Neighbour’s front yard)

Dead wood or sculpture?

Just a car or dawn-in-the-windows? (On the driveway)

Stars in my eyes. (Reflection in family room mirror)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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And that’s Life According To Me, a deliriously expectant resident of  La La Land!

Love living there …

More than content to be one of the Fools Who Dream 

Because, ultimately, it’s about the final, impossibly possible picture –

Life’s glorious gifts, hidden in plain sight –

… just waiting to be unwrapped

Of course I do !

Unimagined sweetness –

… and eaten up in a single go!  (Guilty. When Rosalyn brought dessert)

… just begging to be tasted

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Finally a thaw in the air.  Milder days ahead. 

So thankful.        

Until next time,

 

PS:  Meet the Ritters of Europa Inn –

Ritter family. Chef Markus, artist Simone and kids, Saint Andrews-by-the-sea, New Brunswick

And Puppy has the last word –

I do!