good riddance august

don't let the door hit you in the butt on your way out.

(what a cluster cuss of things to deal with--
and poor texas!!!!)

looking forward to a completely fresh outlook...

and better luck... in september.

see you on the flip side, dear readers.

xo

triptych 40

• roasting cherry tomatoes. how to here.
• makeshift design wall in the breezeway. 
• better get your sweatshirt, the temperature is dropping. :-)

near the end of august

fleeting.

here.

now.

noticing.

appreciating.

persisting

tansy, ready to bloom.

(for the dye pot later this summer.)

i invite you to watch this amazing animation on the

secret life of flowers. 

it's just under 4 minutes long and absolutely gorgeous.

i found it via one of my favorite blogs,

tiny happy.

this too, posted on the day of the eclipse,

from the american friends service committee.

respite.

sanctuary.

peace.

xo

eclipsed

the colander technique of eclipse viewing,

one minute before peak here in vermont.

the 2024 eclipse will go right over our house.

:-)

i've been working on coming out from under the rock i've been hiding under. thank you for your sweet comments, notes and phone calls.  

august,

you threw us a curve ball.

on top of all the shit*y news in the world,

you took our beloved "abi tim".

i will never forgive you.

comforting myself amidst the simplest of things.

my dear father-in-law died early yesterday morning.

he had lost consciousness by the time batman got to his side.

hearing is often the last sense to go.

i hope he heard all the murmured, loving words. 
(can we ever say "i love you" too many times?)

rest in peace you gem of a man.

xo

huh.

i'd forgotten how much energy is released by tidying up and organizing a workspace.

my sewing studio stands ready for a renewed commitment to making.

where are you in your creative journeys, dear readers?

how is the ebb and flow of your work these days?

what makes you hum...in the garden, the kitchen, your desk, your studio?

i'll be away from this space for a few days.

be well.

xo

rambles

This summer, Batman and I joined the 251 Club of Vermont. We had been meaning to do it for ages, and in our post wedding relaxation mode, we did a bit of research, sent in the application and now we are official members.

Here's the original idea...

I propose to organize a 251 Club to be made up of Vermonters and others who can show that they have visited, not merely driven through, the 251 towns in the state. —Dr. Arthur Wallace Peach (1886-1956)

 You can read more about the club and its many members and their adventures on the website here.

Lately, Batman and I have been spending a bit of our Sundays exploring new territory in Vermont. Today, we drove up and over the Brandon Gap. Vermont's Long Trail winds its way through the mountains here, and crosses the road at the Gap. Photos above show Mt Horrid, where the trail goes up these cliffs. This is one of the few places in Vermont that provide habitat for Peregrin Falcons. In fact, many places to observe the birds are closed to protect the nesting birds. It was very windy and a chilly 57 degrees up at the Gap, and we were lucky to see a few from the road, wheeling on the breezes.

Another place we stopped along the way was Salisbury where we found this beautiful building. An honor roll is posted on the front of the building, listing the names of those who have fallen in service to the nation.

The Palladian windows surely are beautiful, but I'm really curious about the funky little peaks at the top of the building. I wonder if they are original...

Let me know if you'd like to see more snippets from our 251 ramblings. We sure are having fun finding places we have never been before.

Later today we pulled the garlic from the garden, Batman mowed the lawns and picked more blueberries and I finally finished doing a huge reorganization of my sewing studio. My "to do"list has been refreshed and I have a brand new iron. 

August...watch out!

I'll slay you yet.

august light

i try to keep my word.

but i missed a few days of august loveliness.

maybe i let you down.

i didn't mean to...

i'll press onward.

tonight the light is gorgeous.

after a few toasty days, this morning we awoke to overcast

skies and a few showers.

now the breeze is cool and the sun is setting.

do you see those amber waves across the road?

yesterday i realized we've crossed over the peak of summer.

the sun is our shepherd,

guiding us through the seasons so faithfully.

trouble with a capital "t"

hello again august.

in an effort to take some of the sting out of your 

reign this month,

i've decided not to take you too seriously.

i bought something today that will help distract me from your

heaviness.

++++++++++++++++

 i've seen letter boards all over the internet lately.

(they must be "trendy"?)

letterfolk's IG feed is fun.

they sell very spiffy products, 

but i found this letter board on super sale at a big box store.

(not my usual shopping style)

yup.

i think batman and i are in proper trouble now... 

wrestling (as usual) with august

Oh, August, here you are again...my least favorite month. At least you have arrived in a well-behaved manner...not too hot, not too humid. But I will keep an eye on you. 

In an effort to resist your usual effect on me (that would be a slothful mind and lazy body) I pledge to post summertime loveliness here at sew and sow life every day in August.  

I may take a few days off next week for something special, but otherwise I'll do my best to bring you, dear readers, a few ways to resist the summer blues. 

I'll start my August promise off with snail mail and a book.

Did you know that 2017 marks the centenary of the birth of Andrew Wyeth? These handsome postage stamps (above) were issued to mark the occasion. Wyeth is on my top ten list of favorite artists and so I have hoarded a few sheets of these beauties to use for special snail mail. (I'll be happy to send a bit of snail mail with a Wyeth stamp on the envelope to the first person to leave a comment below).

Our book club is reading A Piece of the World for discussion this month.  A novel inspired by Wyeth's painting Christina's World, and written by Christina Baker Kline, you can read about it here. 

"See" you tomorrow.

xo