One of a kind railings.

I came up with different patterns on each balcony while still sticking to the basic layout that is common in the Swiss Alps where we hiked.  I used cedar, as it is fairly durable out in the weather. 

 We went and found a few leaves from the nearby trees, in this case it is from a black oak and a tulip poplar.  One of the more interesting things about any art involving nature, is that it forces you to look at things closer.  Each leaf, even from the same branch of a tree can vary quite a bit.  Often the leaf, if held up to the light, will reveal the same branch pattern as the tree, a small fractal version of the tree encoded in each leaf.   This is the railing on the private deck for the Hummingbird room.  It leads to a small rose garden with view over Three Ridges Mountain and the George Washington National Forest.

 The cantilevered balcony on the Poplar Room overlooking Main Street.  The poplar leaf is in the center, the top row is sassafras and a row of white oak leaves below.

 Below is a Italian inspired railing on the deck behind the Bakery.  It is a perfect place to greet the morning with a cup of coffee and listen to the birds sing. Above in the distance is Wintergreen.  The ski slopes are on the other side of this ridge.

 Below is the railing from the front porch.  It is in a more classical French medieval style with fur-d-leis and diamonds. 

 Finally, a Dutch inspired fields of tulips railing.

Town Clock

Well it is about time, we finally installed the clock in the tower.  After looking at hundreds of clock designs, we went with the German theme of the Zodiac symbols and a metallic sky blue finish that changes from light blue to dark blue depending on the light.  If you note the Roman numerals on the clock faces in Europe usually have an error, at least according to the Roman numbering rules.

If you look closely you can find the number four is done as IIII and not the standard IV.  There are a dozen or so reported reasons for this, but the one I go with has to do with casting the numbers.  If you count out the number of X and V and I, there are even numbers this way, 4 X and 4 V and then 10 of the I.  It could be a casting of half this used, where as the other way would create odd numbers of V and I and require a single larger casting.  Another theory is of various kings preferring this way,  though it could be simply to make the numbers more readable as they flip upside down.  While we take time for granted now, the idea of everyone in a town being more or less on the same schedule was rather a big deal in Medieval times.  Still each town figured its own time for noon, making the town clock the important place for town unity.  It was not until the rail roads made time from one town to the next important for train schedules, that the idea of a national time with time zones was developed.

 

At night the clock is back lit from the town room through the clock face and the Zodiac symbols.  The clock reflects in these two windows if you stand in just the right spot. 

 From inside the tower room, the clock is actually a window.  The clock faces West and in the Winter time the setting sun will cast the clock image on to the opposite wall.  The setting sun will cast unusual shadows down the entire Main Street.  At night, the lights on the street create a number of funny shadows and reflections.

The Dragon's den at Fenton Inn.

A bay window looking out on the peaceful Main Street. But who knows what might be around the corner on the other side of the moat.

  Here is another example of copper work on the bakery window, through which you can barely see the leg of a handmade table. Below we see a pair of grey squirrels snacking on an acorn.

On the side portion of the Inn we find a dragon attempting to escape from it's underground lair.
 

There are several arched doorways in the building, including the dragons den. Beside it, there is an archway with a drawbridge gate held up by chains. It's images like this that blend the local trees and wildlife with the mythology and style of old world Europe.

Maybe there are crocodiles hiding in that moat?

We are finishing up the massage room this week. Here is a sneak peak at the floor mural.