Lazy Girl: Scenes from the Summer of '22 - Episode 1

Orient: Dreamscape by the Sea

As in summer's past, I am in Orient, New York. I rented a 1700s-era cottage owned by Nancy Newman, the third-generation of her family to own this historic house. 

The history of the cottage is inextricably entwined with one of New York's treasured shops. Nancy's grandfather, Henry Shaw Newman, purchased the Old Print Shop in New York City in 1928. He was an expert on prints, maps and American Art, and in particular, Currier & Ives. Her father, Kenneth M. Newman, began to work at the Old Print Shop in 1949. He was an expert on American 19th century prints, especially those of John James Audubon. 

I pose with a print of an Arctic Tern in Nancy's parlor.

Nancy has lovingly maintained the house with attention to authentic details. There is original hardware on cabinet doors, a corner cupboard and a steep staircase with quirky, irregularly sized steps.

The staircase leads to the upstairs bedrooms.

There are two bedrooms on the second floor.

A charming mirror adorned with a picture of the 

Golden-Winged Woodpecker

greets visitors in the front entranceway.

Nancy Newman's house in the village of Orient, New York.

The corner cupboard with Nancy's collection of glass and china.

 My dress is by Lisa Corti.

I set up my studio in this room for painting and drawing.

A bouquet on the kitchen table.

The cottage is situated on beautiful grounds with a view across a wide field to the causeway and Long Island Sound beyond. I am five minutes on my bike from Latham's farm stand for vegetables, fruit and flowers.

Riding to Latham's on my Trek Townie to buy gladiolus and dalias.

Purple thistles and blue chicory in the meadow behind the cottage.

I love to walk to the edge of the meadow and feel the breeze. Sometimes I startle a bunny, or hear a cricket or see a monarch butterfly. There are many monarchs in the yard because of the milkweed and butterfly bushes in the garden. Red-headed finches fly down from the apple tree to the bird bath for a drink on a hot day.

A monarch butterfly wing found by my niece and displayed

 in my sister Jeanne's tray of nature curiosities.

In the gazebo. Hat by Lola with my own 

artificial fruit trim.

The gazebo provides a lovely place for a glass of rosé with neighbors.

For things to do, there's the Oysterponds Historical Society's Village House with period rooms and exhibitions. My favorite is the exhibit called "small" which culled little treasures from among the OHS's 60,000 objects.

1881 painting on a clam shell.

I had to do my own version.

My visitors and I practically lived in the screened in porch.

Sunflowers and shells.

Spectacular sunsets seen from the screened-in porch.

I have been transformed into a dream-being by the dreamy cottage.

Hopefully I will be my city self when I return to NYC!

Thank you, Nancy Newman, for a wonderful stay.

A bientôt!