critters in the kitchen!

Our windowsill menagerie was getting a bit cobwebby,

so the critters had a bubble bath this morning.

They all ended up looking so fresh and chipper, I thought a

family portrait would make a fine header for August.

Our kitchen here at our "bit of earth" is on the small side. 

Clementine boxes are one of my "go to" storage solutions.

Perched above a windowsill, the tea towels and berry boxes

wait for their chance to pitch in to the hustle and bustle around here.

The wooden gizmo came back from Mexico with Hannah,

it's used to make divine hot chocolate.

Do you save rubber bands?

Ours collect on a nail until they migrate to a drawer.

(Would our grandmothers be horrified to learn that these days
folks actually pay money for balls made of rubber bands?)

Happy weekend, dear readers!

i was away and now i'm back

I went down to CT for a few days to help

Hannah move into her apartment.

We scrubbed, vacuumed and measured.

We shopped, hauled and lifted.

We sweated, hydrated and took breaks.

We cussed and tried to figure out how to cut a hole in her

stairway without anyone noticing.

(We didn't.)

A few evenings this week Batman and his toolbox

will be helping with furniture assembly.

I am happy that she has a cute little vintage 

firehouse on her block.

And that her neighbor downstairs has lived

there for years.

She can walk to the laundromat and one of the

funkiest, yummiest restaurants in the area.

Work is about a seven minute drive 

and she can get to our house in 17. 

Back in VT today,

I found a few ripe sungolds,

ready for lunch tomorrow.

The nasturtiums and marigolds are 

hitting their stride.

I have fabric from IKEA to sew into curtains 

for Hannah's place

and reading to catch up on.

And today is the last day of July.

(Thank goodness).

Time is flying!

the simplest of pleasures

picking blueberries

braiding garlic

Sometimes, reaping what we sow is not a bad thing, eh?

birthdays near and far

Some birthday stitching for my cousin, Kristen.

To celebrate her day, six of us enjoyed a Sunday Farm Supper 

at Ariel's in Brookfield, VT.

Appetizer, entree and dessert,

all food sourced from farms within 10 miles of the restaurant.

Exquisitely Vermont.

Happy birthday to my youngest brother, Nelson, today.

I miss him, because he lives on the other side of the continent.

This fun Vimeo helped me feel a bit closer to him,
(do you have relatives that you miss?)
especially when the first slide he showed was of LEGO's
(the Lowry toy of choice)

He spoke at the Portland Art Museum
as part of the Portland/Creative Mornings series,
the importance of Arts+Tech
a themed month presentation in partnership with
the Rhode Island School of Design.

The piece is about 30 minutes long,
fascinating and entertaining.
(Just like Nelson)
xo

regaining perspective

reading, taking walks, chickens, slowing down, silence,

immersing oneself in projects, counting blessings, prayer,

lounging in a hammock, and children...hugging them, playing with them.

i knew i could count on you, dear readers.

sometimes i need reminding, and i thank-you for this.

i finished reading rehearsing with gods last week

and i recommend it to you.

the essays are both thought-provoking and affirming

and the black and white photos of puppets 

are deeply spiritual and haunting and joyous,

all at the same time.

the last section of the book is on hope.

peter schumann, the genius behind

bread and puppet theatre called

ernst bloch's the principle of hope

"the most important book ever written".

from rehearsing with gods...

"And so we are deeply imbedded with hope, 

hope that fills a fruitful gap between 

the structure of the world

and human consciousness, hope that leads us to

search out and develop the possibilities of the universe".

Now that's something to work on!

sanctuary from the news

From the art and antiques fair...found this morning, one thousand origami paper cranes, framed under glass. Serendipitous balm for my frayed soul (terrorism does not seem to have a nationality or religion, perhaps it is a reflection of the anguish and insanity in the heart of our human family?).

In the mail...a thoughtful, handcrafted note, packet of spinach seeds and bar of handmade Gardener's Soap (Mari Botanicals) from my sweet blogging friend, Sharon. Sharon and I are both working on rural dreams...she's a few steps ahead of me, and I love to see her progress. She is one of my favorite cheerleaders. :-)  

In the garden...the 2012 garlic harvest. Enough to make braids for loved ones near and far.

In the house...uncomplicated, simple corners---laundry drying on the line---tea brewing in a mason jar in the sun---the smell of freshly mown hay---the welcome chill that creeps in the open windows at night.

In the window...Henry and his pal Javier, on woodchuck patrol.

In my reading...check out the next book here. 

I am so glad we do not have TV reception up here on the ridge. I haven't even been listening to the radio as much, becoming distressed when I do. Where do you find refuge, dear readers, from the ravages of modern life? Please leave a comment. I will appreciate reading what you have to say. Thanks! xo 

plink plunk

Despite the heat, there was much adventuring from our "bit of earth" this weekend! The place was just as I love to imagine it...a gathering place for friends and family and a jumping off place for everyone, too. 

Lindsey, on my/her rehabbed vintage 10 speed, and her buddy Emily on her even more vintage Robin Hood 3 speed English bike did the 25 mile loop of the Islands Bike Tour. Hannah and Gretta lent support with the chase car (the Batmobile). They came home in the late afternoon with bags of local, fresh produce and a bottle from Snow Farm Winery. We enjoyed a fabulous supper...couldn't decide which was better...the food or the company. 

On Sunday morning we enjoyed buttermilk pancakes sprinkled with the first of our very own blueberries. I took Gretta back to camp, Batman and Hannah went for a paddle in the canoe and the two biker girls stretched their weary legs with a walk on the road. By late Sunday afternoon the house regained it's post-weekend quietness. That emptiness makes me sad and content at the same time. 

In the early evening, Hannah and I drove up and over the Rochester Gap, to the Big Town Gallery where we heard Tracy K Smith, the 2012 Pulitzer Prize winner for poetry read from her newest collection, Life on Mars. We were nestled in the gallery, set up with ancient wooden folding chairs, and a gentle drizzle coming down outside. What a blessing it was to sit quietly and let Tracy's lyrical words soak into us. Her work is brilliant, honest and deeply human. For me, poetry is magically different than any other form of written word, and I find deep comfort in it...even the tough stuff.

There had been a bit of overnight rain up here, but not nearly enough. I woke to this view this morning, with the mists nestled in the valleys. When we bought the place five years ago, the man we bought it from said, "It's beautiful up here every day of the year".  That's turned out to be the absolute truth.

As I walked out into the wet morning to pick some berries for my breakfast, I was reminded of Blueberries for Sal, one of the best books ever. The water dripping off the metal roof of the shed, the morning song of the birds, the smell of freshly mown hay and the plink plunk of the blueberries dropping into the bowl reminded me of how perfect the present moment can be. Sometimes it is all we need.