There are various telephone poles around this little river town, and they all wear the history of their secondary usage with pride: Lost Kitten, Backhoe for Sale, Firewood, Church Supper, Brush Hogging…

Okay, I’ve seen stranger cloud formations, but after days and days of rain and gray skies, these puffy whites caught my attention. In our house, we call these Simpson Clouds…after the opening segment of the show.

Just a couple of shots of what is  actually a city of fencing. Roll upon roll, row upon row, of wire fencing in every possible configuration. My camera died halfway through. Lesson learned.

Mark Keoppen is a builder in upstate NY. He and his wife Wendy Townsend, a writer, live in a restored barn that Mark spent 10 years building with his own hands. Their home gives meaning to the idea of a structure being more than just the sum of its four walls. This place is literally transcendent. Their aesthetic is both minimal and lush — there is nothing extraneous in evidence. It seems to me that everything they bring into their lives has some purpose or deep significance. And the place itself is firmly rooted in its physical surroundings. That said, when I walked in the other day, I glanced to my left and saw these giant paintbrushes leaning up against a ledge in the entryway. My heart leaped at the sight of them. These aren’t just for decoration. Mark will, in all likelihood, use them. But in the meantime, they will continue to grace our presence.

If you are looking for something fun and different to do this weekend, that doesn’t involve the subway, then might I suggest heading up to the lovely and hoppin’ little town of Callicoon…on the Delaware River. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the annual tractor parade, in which anywhere from 200 to 300, mostly vintage, tractors form a procession down the narrow main street for all to see. And cheer. The totally charming clip (to give you a sense of what you could be missing) is from an early parade and was filmed by the talented photographer, Charles Maraia, in homage to John Deere. But rest assured, there will be Fords, Farmalls, Olivers, Cases, Minneapolis Molines — you name it, they will be there — in all their shiny colorful glory! In the morning, there is a firemen’s pancake breakfast. There is a chicken barbecue after the parade which benefits the local youth center. And consider doing your shopping at the fabulous Sullivan County Farmers’ Market that runs from 11 til 2 right behind Main Street.