10 little bits

1. this one. little wilma. oh my. she is the frosting on the cake of life right now.
2. a black bear cub. he wandered out of the balsam orchard and into the meadow a few nights ago. he was shy and headed right back into the shelter of the trees. but now we look for him every evening.
3. the blessed rain that finally came. we need more, but this helped.
4. kohlrabi in the csa. made slaw. recipe here. sooo good.
5. the vermont quilt festival and "Life's Work:Ruth B. McDowell". my favorite quilter. we had a lovely conversation, just the two of us. starstruck. see her work here.
6. the ninth anniversary (pinch me! it's still real!) of finding our "bit of earth" here in the green mountains of vermont (and batman's birthday, too).
7. this wonderful short film. to help you keep faith in us crazy human beings.
8. an organized studio. and a list of inspirations. next in the queue? these.
9. rhubarb.
10. our weekend project. the room of requirement. can't wait to share it with you.

What are you up to, dear readers? Tell me about your "little bits"!

xo

triptych 33

• the sweetest little nest, made with bits of birchbark, perhaps that of a warbling vireo?
• the blueberries coming on strong.
• wilma. we adopted her on saturday from the central vermont humane society. we are smitten.

This is Will Alderfer. On Tuesday, my cousin and I drove down to Will's studio at The Cotton Mill in Brattleboro, VT on a very romantic mission. (You can read about his beautiful work here.  Did you notice where he went to college?) We delivered a little pouch with a pair of family earrings in it. Will's going to make them into something else, for someone very special for a very special reason. That's all I'm free to say right now. :-)

This is Ted and Bob and Derek. They are haying under a bright blue sky just over the ridge from us. To supplement our little gardens here, we signed up for a half share of the CSA at Anchor Light Farm. To read about this lovely spot, click here. (If you read the "about us" section, you'll see that Derek interned for three years at Sunrise Farm. I tell you, sometimes life is full of twists and turns that come full circle. Here's how we are connected.)

So, dear readers...I share these little bits with you because it's been an especially rough news week. Interacting with good people, who do good work just seems to help. Gathering kindred spirits both near and far, reaching out to connect with folks we miss, sending bits of love out across the miles...

Affirming light and love.

Shining it into dark hearts.

Isn't that what we are called to do?

It is a serious thing

Just to be alive

On this fresh morning

In this broken world.

-Mary Oliver

(With thanks to our Hannah, for sending this verse in a text message yesterday.)

(I realized, in a conversation of consequence last week, that poetry is my scripture.)

Love vs. fear.

Our human struggle.

When we actively choose love and turn our backs on fear

we add to the light that our broken world so desperately needs.

We listened to this On Being episode yesterday

morning, before we heard the dreadful news from Florida.

I invite you to brew some tea, 

find a comfortable place to sit and listen.

(I send my love to our Lindsey, 

who is celebrating her birthday today.

Her steadfast and shining light helps 

keep hope alive in my heart )

xo

*sigh*

Come on home Bernie.

Rest your courageous soul here in 

the restorative Green Mountains.

Thank you for speaking truth to power.

#feelthebern

xo

Liberty's "josephine's garden" in vermont

Sometimes Gretta is my fabric "supplier", operating out in the "real world". She found this gorgeous Liberty of London print at NYC's Mood fabric store and I ordered a yard from her. Inspired by Lotta Jansdotter's book Everyday Style, Gretta and I have both tried making her triangle scarves. Shown with a whimsical pom pom trim in the book, I tried stitching mine with a tiny pink ric-rac. I was not very happy with the results, so I took a deep breath and bravely trimmed off the edges and instead...I hand-stitched a rolled hem, using this tutorial. So much better!

Now I can wear a buttercup and red clover meadow around my neck whenever I want! #Ilovermont