Appreciating and Elevating the Everyday

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • December 15, 2012

As the curator of a historic house museum that dates to 1790, I have a deep appreciation, enthusiasm, and affection for historic architecture and objects from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and earlier. I grew up surrounded by antiques and old houses. I was brought up to appreciate their simplicity, beauty, and utilitarianism. And this in turn, became a part of my occupation and what I surround myself with not just at work but in my personal life as well.


But, I also have a deep appreciation for everything from Philip Johnson’s Glass House and Le Corbusier’s work to Mies van der Rohe, Frank Loyd Wright and McKim, Mead and White designs. I appreciate the Art Deco style, pieces from the early twentieth century, and items designed in the 1950s and 1960s. I find the everyday item, whether it be a mixing bowl, hammer, a simple nail, a door knob, or even a pottery shard beautiful. There is beauty in each of these pieces – they were made for a purpose, designed by an individual, used by many. Many people have touched that door knob as they have gained access to the interior of a house, the bowl has been used to make breads or cakes, the hammer has been owned by and used by my great grandfather and now I use it. The nail I uncovered in the Mitchell House yard or the pottery shard are items once used by the family. It may no longer be useful but it is beautiful in its simplicity, for what it was once used for, and for what it tells us about the past.


We need to look at items from the past − even if their original intended use is outdated and they are not useful for that purpose now − such as the items pictured here. I came across several of these when visiting an antiques show with my parents and it took me a minute to realize what they were. Now, what a beautiful way to appreciate the craftsmanship and design that went into these. Yes, they may still be utilized if one is restoring an old car, but displayed like this in a wrought iron stand allows a person to better appreciate what today is typically a piece of plastic and which (in my opinion) very little imagination has gone into designing. Some of the same companies that designed these lens covers for headlights also made glassware – as in dishes, glasses, and vases. Yes, that is what these are: headlight lens covers.

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By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • June 3, 2025
We have finally gotten out of significant drought status into mild drought. I would say we had nothing to do with it, but with climate change, we do. However, I appreciate Mother Nature’s recent gifts though these days they come hard, fast, and extreme. I always say that the May rains create a “whoomph factor.” With each rain, it seems the leaves grow over night to a new stage, of the underbrush does, of the plants in your garden. Its several “whoomphs” over the month as it rains. One “whoomph” brought about the Pink Lady Slippers. They seem a bit early this year – I usually look for them in early June – but on a walk the other morning at 6AM with our Siberian Husky, I decided to look at two places – one along the street behind where an old pine tree, now dead and gone, was located, and along our driveway in the scrub oak. And low and behold, they were there – one at the pine tree stump and two in our driveway. These are endangered in many places, including here on island. These are all plants that Maria Mitchell would have found in abundance depending on where she was walking on the island. Unfortunately with overdevelopment and someone thinking, “Oh what a lovely flower, I will take it home,” and over mowing along roads, these are quickly disappearing along with other plants like the Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, Pearly Everlasting, Sea Lavender – the list goes on and its depressing. So please, make yourself aware, and try and find ways to avoid mowing or digging these up. Mow AROUND them instead. Leave their areas undisturbed. They are not just lovely to look at; they are important parts of our ecosystem.  JNLF

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The Ancient Vine

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • May 27, 2025
This is what our landscaper for MMA calls it. “The ancient vine.” He tells the people who work for him not to touch the “ancient vine.” I have probably made him – and all of them – terrified of it. I am even terrified of it to some degree. I refer to the grape vine behind the Mitchell House this is supposed to be Peleg Mitchell Junior’s grape vine – Maria Mitchell’s uncle who inhabited the house from about 1836 to his death in 1882. It has two trunks but one died several years ago. Because of that, each year I try to root shoots. It’s fairly easy to do – when you cut back the vine in late fall/early winter. I have had success but not success protecting the shoots I baby all winter from bunnies and other critters try as I might. I started doing this when the one trunk died – I was PANICKED! The landscaper stays away because I have told him if anyone is going to accidentally harm or worse yet, kill, this grape vine it would be me so I only have myself to blame. So each November/December – once ALL the leaves have fallen off – I climb my ladder and quietly, carefully, and fearfully cut back the stems typically to two buds. I have been somewhat successful in spurring grape production – and these grapes attract some amazing birds in the fall. It takes me some time – and I pretty much hyperventilate the entire time – and then, I stare at it all winter. Passing under it multiple times a day to reach my office. Hoping, and yes, praying, it will come out in the spring. It’s a late budder so just recently the buds started to show themselves – thank goodness! – and I was rewarded today (May 5, 2025) with this wonderful hot pink color on the edges of the leaves as they are uncurling. JNLF
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