Eyes on the Land

Oil on linen panel, "Visual Journal:Johnson Farm," by Susan Abbott

Collage suspended in front of a quilt, by Bonnie Acker

Detail of Bonnie Acker's piece.

On Sunday evening, Batman and I drove through snow squalls to Shelburne Museum for the Vermont Land Trust's Annual Celebration.  A collaboration between the museum, the land trust, some of the folks who have actually conserved their land and a handful of talented local artists, The Eyes on the Land exhibit was filled with gorgeous work inspired by a sense of place. We were lucky to have time after the land trust's annual meeting to wander the gallery filled with rural gems. 

Still fully entrenched in our house reno project, I long for days when we can enjoy the fruits of all this labor. Days when mugs of hot tea and scraps of fabric and paper are scattered across my cutting table and I have uninterrupted time to get back to projects, one or two inspired by this beautiful exhibit in Shelburne.

As the siding goes up the creative days I long for are feeling closer. Patience. Patience.

(Latest home reno update here).

"flurries in the higher elevations"

These photos were taken in the span of fifteen minutes, while the sunshine and snow squalls flirted with one another. The last of the wedding wildflowers and the foliage are taking turns knocking my socks off. 

There has been much hard work this week...more and more soul satisfying sweat equity, sore muscles and deep sleep.

The foliage season was dry and slow to start, but after some rain it exploded with color. I needed to take some time today to walk with my camera. To see the melancholy magic of the season. There is no richer time of year for me, deep with sentiment, memories and a turning inward.

I love Vermont. She and I are made for each other.

pressing cider and painting planks, lots of planks

We are in the midst of a very productive three day weekend. We're continuing site cleanup, yard work and painting countless 12 foot planks of siding. On Saturday, we headed to our neighbors down the road for a late afternoon work break. Laura and Nora are the proud owners of a brand new barn where they will shelter...GOATS! It is a absolutely beautiful post and beam building.

They built the sweet hay bale house themselves, which you can see over Batman's shoulder in this picture. Laura and Nora host an annual neighborhood cider pressing party and this was the first year we managed to join them. Folks from all over the neighborhood bring apples from their trees and take turns at the press. The little motor was added to a vintage chopper and the pressing is done with the hand crank.

Here you can see Batman rocking the chopper...without chopping his fingers! Fabulous potluck food and lots of friendly chatting finished out the afternoon. 

And this is the gorgeous, fresh pressed cider we came home with. Someone had made fun labels, "Rural Revolution Farm", for all the jugs, jars and bottles that left the homestead.

If you haven't seen the latest house reno blogpost, pop on over to see what color we chose for the exterior! Speaking of which, I'm off to paint the next batch of planks. Meanwhile, the spray foam insulation guys finally arrived.

The leaves are turning with enthusiasm up here in rural Vermont, though not yet peak. What's been going on at your place? 

triptych 25

• casting on with "earth and snow" worsted from Blue Heron Farm Wool.
• a bit of vintage flooring that turned up in the demo. 
• today's lovely, gentle, rainy vista.

The Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival, a bit of gardening, some priming/painting of siding and a 35th graduate school reunion for Batman filled our weekend. It's hard not to hear a whooshing sound in my ears as the days slip by in this golden light. 

It's all so temporary, so fleeting.

So precious.

xo

"Love is the strongest force the world possesses."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Happy birthday to one of the princes of peace.

this evening...

Oh, October, you are my very favorite.

xo