Trains, Medieval Art, REI & The LOVE Project

Today Paul and I went to Nashville to the Model Train Show, then we swung by the FRIST to see the Medieval Treasures Exhibit and finally ended up at one of out favorite Nashville stops - REI! Paul was a bit disappointed with the train show since they only had 2 vendors - lots of booths - but no one selling the fancy DCC engines and cars. They only had catalogs - which was lousy - because the whole reason we'd waited to go to the show was so we could see the items in person and not pay shipping fees. So, no DCC engine for the HO scale model we're planning on building. We did find several nice building kits for the industrial switching layout - and a cool gas station - a mobile home, an airstream and a citrus packing plant (I'm going to do an orange grove somewhere on the layout) one box car and a few small tools to help us in the building.

The DCC engine Paul in planning on buying.

The really snazzy Lionel booth.

Paul on Broadway Street in Nashville.

The FRIST Medieval Exhibit was phenomenal. I've seen my fair share of reliquaries for a while - which I'm really surprised aren't still in churches somewhere. There were wooden carvings, and ivory boxes and oil lamps, jewelry, several iconic images, an altar section depecting several stations of the cross. My favorite part was being able to stare long and hard at the Illuminated pages and several whole books of the most gorgeously gilt texts and pictures. It made my jaw drop - literally. They had a Book of Hours from Charles the Noble King of Navarre, ca. 1404 that was just... wow... words literally fail me in trying to describe it. And all I saw was the two pages upon which it was opened. I think my brain would combust if I had the chance to turn each page.

We stopped by REI and Paul got me a new left handed QAS, (for my new frog) and a few other supplies for caving and camping then we toodled on home. All-in-all - quite a LOVEly day indeed.

So this being the day of commercial LOVE (Buy a card! Send her flowers! Stuff your face with chocolate!!) I thought I'd do a little gentle reminding. Love without a price tag or any expectations. I had letterpress printed LOVE cards and bookmarks several days ago from a design my dad and I drew. I felt like I need to share so I did a little covert art installation at 7 locations in Hunstville and Nashville, posting them up in prominent places. Here are a few that I managed to snap photos of before I left them to the fates:

At the train show.

In a parking garage elevator.

At the post office.

Headed out the door of McAlisters.

A Happy Valentine's Day to You!