We pass quickly through the Artisan Shop. The woman late middle aged that sold us our tickets (and still wears her hair long) shows us the hand-crafted plates, cups, etc. Frankie declares himself out of the market. She offers him chocolate for $.05.

snake-printed plates holding an owl-print pillow

The Pleissing gallery features a re-creation of his Manchester, Vermont studio and the artist’s work. Various portraits hang on easels in the comfortable Bungalow space. A fireplace is set on the far wall. But of most interest to Mira? A multi-colored chair from Portugal.

landscape portraits Frankie’s attentive eye on one

The Horseshoe annex holds so many carriages and sleighs. From public and school bus models to coaches for ferrying hotel guests from railroad or steamer to resort.

The Horseshoe Barn holds even more.

royal coaches hearing the neighing of a team

We spend too long in the print shop. Even when the woman ran the press, Frankie dropped his eyes to the dusty floor

In the weaver shop, Mira told us her aunt Alize owned the same kind of loom.

iron-barred jail my singing “nobody knows” my release

So many hats. So many quilts. Bethlehem stars from Amish and Pennsylvania anonymous. The wood-crafted toys of the past stand in the next gallery, possessing all the charm mass produced ones of today lack. But we almost get lost in the variety collections in said unit. So many doll’s eyes.

whirlwind tour images of Elektra Web’s luxury six room

Of all the American Masters we see in the Webb gallery, Frankie places his arms around only one. It’s a view of the Hudson River from Dobbs Ferry. We see Hook Mountain, where we’ve walked the riverside path along the water.

embrace a taste of home aroma of Hudson air

The impressionists present as emergent mysteries. We see their work as though through water. I view Monet’s Parliament and feel everything slip away like so much sediment in the sea.

rushing by Masters the intro to the exhibit left unread

The railroad luxury car proves to be that—a luxury. It includes a sitting car, velvet-walled and carpeted staterooms with private baths, a dining car with white-table cloths. It’s a yacht on wheels.

station house finding Rockland County on a map

The miniature parade in the Circus house runs the entire length of the horseshoe-shaped building. Featuring figurines from every conceivable circus parade, and each made to exquisite detail, the exhibit took twenty-five years to make.

circus posters carousel animals nearly forgotten

The red barn, near the entrance: more carriages, five maps, one for each of Vermont’s largest cities. Somehow, we see everything that takes two days to see in one.

garden walk we pose for one more picture

Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN

first published in Image Curve, July 4, 2019