Opportunities

Why is this photo on my blog? Read on...

The story has a few beginnings really but I'll pick one for today. A few weeks ago while attending my spinning guild meeting at historic Slater Mill, I was milling around( pun unintended) and checking out a display of fiber equipment. There was a wonderful old Leclerc Tissart Tapestry loom and in passing said to another weaver friend, "Boy, do I want one of those". Then we went on our way, her to teach a dye workshop and I to my meeting.



Fast forward a few weeks and I settled down one night after a busy day and was reading a newsletter from the weavers guild I belong to. At the top of page 5 was the classifieds...and the first entry read: Tissart Tapestry Loom: 60 inches with new aprons, rods, and new reeds to anyone interested for free... Well, two weeks later and it now sits beside me. I followed the assembly instructions but the diagrams aren't the best. I think I have it right but I have a question or two. I have tried tapestry on my floor looms and want to do more but knew immediately I needed a vertical loom, so as not to be hunched over and I didn't want to have to hold on to a frame loom. Did I ever think I would have this opportunity? No, not at all. Loom buying, of any kind, is not in my budget...So I consider this quite the gift on so many levels. I love to draw and paint but always kind of wondered where am I going with all of that? So it appears I am on a journey of sorts. I am excited and energized. There has been a reason why I own and have read books about tapestry weaving on a regular basis for years. I subscribe to a tapestry list and just soak up the information and some of my favorite blogs are tapestry blogs. It is funny how things just kind of present themselves and it is up to us to respond or not. I am happy to say I responded. But that is not the end of the story.

The day before I was to pick up the loom was my birthday. During the party my son, who owns a pick up offered as part of my birthday gift to take me for the loom. Great! I do forget sometimes that he really is fun to do these things with. He understands my spontaneity and goes with my flow. The woman who kindly gave me my loom asked if I would like to look at a loom she had bought for her church a while back for the kids to learn on...the church desperately wanted it moved as they had other plans for the space. So we followed her to the church. There was a 45" Hollandia...I just stood with my mouth hanging open... My son said, Mom, I am here with a truck, you are a weaver, we are taking the loom today. At this point I was numb. The owner of the loom and the church sexton were happy, I was overwhelmed with an embarrassment of riches...So everything was packed by the weaver's son and off we went. But before going home the weaver's son said, I am taking you for a birthday lunch. So off to a restaurant with seats near the windows, where the truck is parked to have a much needed lunch.



This past few days have been spent with moving furniture and looms around and assembling and researching and I can be caught with a big ol' grin and even tears in my eyes, thinking what's up with all of this...on the other hand, it has been pretty comedic trying to fit these wonderful additions to my home and life. It is also a feeling of affirmation. Still sorting through it all.



So as this plays out I hope to write about it.

And just for good measure, a sleeping hounds photo...what a life to just crash a few times a day, warm, cozy, full and loved. What's better than that?



Have a great day and thanks for reading.

Winter Solstice

Just for the sake of posting I found a poem that kind of speaks to the matter at hand, winter...cold, dark winter. Today is the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter. I have done some very interesting reading today on the subject as it happens to be my favorite season so I thought I would herald it in with a little research.


Winter: A Dirge



Robert Burns said that Winter was his favourite season - "partly owing to my misfortunes giving my mind a melancholy cast." Indeed, it was after such a period of misfortune that he composed this melancholy song. It was written to the tune "MacPherson's Rant".

Winter: A Dirge
The wintry west extends his blast,
And hail and rain does blaw;
Or the stormy north sends driving forth
The blinding sleet and snaw:
Wild-tumbling brown, the burn comes down,
And roars frae bank to brae:
And bird and beast in covert rest,
And pass the heartless day.

The sweeping blast, the sky o'ercast,
The joyless winter day
Let others fear, to me more dear
Than all the pride of May:
The tempest's howl, it soothes my soul,
My griefs it seems to join;
The leafless trees my fancy please,
Their fate resembles mine!

Thou Pow'r Supreme, whose mighty scheme
These woes of mine fulfil.
Here, firm I rest, they must be best,
Because they are Thy will!
Then all I want (O do Thou grant
This one request of mine!):
Since to enjoy Thou dost deny,
Assist me to resign.

Meaning of unusual words:
brae=slope

And for those of you who would rather listen to it, just hit the link.




I am knitting feverishly and have much to get done.I finished the Fuzzy Feet Slippers yesterday, working on some gloves now. There is some weaving to finish...Never really got to the decorating because over a month ago, my husband decided to do some work in the kitchen and it just has made a mess of everything, so if I have to try to figure out where one more thing goes...well, you know. Oh yes, bless him, he chose the holidays to do this stuff...



Anyway, Happy Solstice...be warm and cozy and watch for the light to return with each passing day. Be encouraged. Thanks for reading.
Peace.

Snow Days

We had our first snow storm of the season today and I am enjoying the aftermath...reminds me why I love New England. I love the changing of the seasons as well as the weather in any given day. I like weather, interesting, stormy weather...I think it is cleansing as well as invigorating. There is something so beautiful about night, after the snow has stopped. For as long as I can remember I always ran outside as soon as the storm ended. Usually it was evening. I would look around with the same wonder that I feel tonight. Check on everything, throw myself down and just lay in the soft wetness and sometimes make "angels". Good memories...far too few of them. Tonight,the yard is awash with reflected light from the snow, which makes everything beautiful. A different world. The trees first caught my eye as I looked out my window into the darkness and realized that it was not dark at all...I was by now out the door with a beagle and a camera. Just walking around the yard and enjoying the moment, the cold, and the silence. Then the night sky and its many shades were next to wonder at, where was all the color coming from... I could see color variations in the night sky...breath taking. I tried to capture it with my little point and shoot camera but was unsuccessful.
The quiet, the silence of snow...it is like everything has stopped, and for a short time it has.
Thanks for reading
Peace

Few Words...

I have not felt like writing, or maybe I just didn't feel I had anything to say. Maybe a little of both. My house is quiet, a blessing...All I can hear is the rain, pouring, hard hitting rain. I really like the sound.

As I sit and think about it a little I do have something to write about. The charcoal below was done by my grandson. He is applying to colleges at present as he graduates high school this spring. Now that, in and of itself, is hard to believe. The other day he applied to art school ... We have some great schools here in New England. He has a portfolio to finish by February 1. I am very excited and happy for him. I love that he and I can talk art and that he believes I may know something...A year ago he did not know what charcoal was. I showed him some of mine, gave him charcoal and paper for his birthday last summer. His teacher (he is in honors art in school) got him started with them and now it is his favorite medium.



Have a great day and thanks for reading.

We Are The Ones Song by will.i.am - Obama

Please vote tomorrow. And yes , please consider voting for Barack Obama.

Weary Days

Maggie is getting around better now that she is finished the Lyme medication. Begging, running to the door hoping who ever is there will have a cookie or anything...but all is not well. She had another seizure, that is two since February. But in both cases she was very anxious or upset? In February she was afraid of my daughters baby (60 lbs) English Bulldog, took a seizure. Then, other night I ran out to bring her in before a rather large skunk decided to lift it's tail. I scared her I guess but telling her loudly to stop and come. So I guess I have to give my commands in my gentle voice. Who knew...

I have been weaving but my heart is not in it. This has been a hard summer. I can't even believe it is over and it is the middle of October. My daughter's illness was a blow to the system I'll tell you. Then my dog became ill. That hurt emotionally and financially. Then one of my sons moved back home for a while. I can barely find the time or muster the energy to write in this blog. But I am going to try to pick it back up again, even if I post a photo. So I am trying to challenge myself.

The only thing that I seem to turn to are my paints and camera. I have been picking up here and there water soluble oils. They are a little different. Still figuring out how they work. The mixing with water or other mediums kind of confuse me, but I am working on it. This was kind of fun, a use up whats on the palette painting. I did it on 6"x6"gessoed board. Thanks to some great tutorials I bought Masonite and had it cut and gessoed away. I call it Harvest Moon.

Plus still doing watercolor studies. I am thinking if I post things, I will be motivated to continue to paint or draw, both of which I have always loved to do but for various reasons always got put on the back of the proverbial burner. I never let myself take it seriously. Someone told me that at the end of ones life, one doesn't really think about all one has accomplished, but rather what has not been accomplished. I joined a small group of friends, who are artists, to do The Artist Way together over the next 12 weeks or so. I read the book on my own a couple of years ago, now it's time to be accountable and do it with others. It has been encouraging and affirming time together. We are painters, stain glass artist, photographer...I hope it morphs into a support group. We will see.



This past week end had been a busy one, WaterFires, Art Festivals, Enjoying the beautiful fall leaves, apple picking and pie making. But I'll leave that for another day. But here is a shot of our wonderful WaterFires in the middle of downtown Providence.


Thank you for still reading and have a great day.

Sunflowers and A Sick Pup...

My Grand-daughter found and joined a Photography Meet-Up. She does not drive so I guess she joined hoping I would be interested as I have the wheels...The first meet-up was a trip to Sawmill Farm to visit their field of sunflowers at 5:00, as well as other things. It was great fun and I got some great photos of sunflowers. They are so graceful. They gave us full run of the farm in regards to our photo taking. Our next Meet-Up will be to take photos of the barns of Glocester, a rural area in our state. The organizer of the group does the advance work so that we have permission to visit the various places. It is planned that we will meet at a specified spot at which point we will either car pool or caravan to the various barns. It is a great time of year for this excursion.


This is Maggie's chair. I gave up a long time ago. She lets us sit with her, she actually likes when someone visits her in "her" chair. Anyway I was walking by her and there was this poor pathetic pup just watching every move I made. She had to return to the vet the other day as she still was having trouble getting around. She was unable to get on her chair or off the deck to check out the yard and what ever else she does out there. She usually was in and out annoyingly all day, but she no longer had the energy or the legs for it. She was still limping and her back legs were weak. She was wobbling. Pretty upsetting. So of course I had been doing research and I was very concerned. I should not research...The vet was also concerned and somewhat mystified. In any case, Maggie is now being treated for Lyme disease on the off shot that her original Lyme test was a false negative. She is on the three week regimen of antibiotics and anti- inflammatory medicine. While on the anti-inflammatory she can move with ease, but she stays pretty quiet which is what the vet wants, no walks, no playing, just "chair rest".

Two days later my next door neighbor came to tell me her Beagle had been diagnosed with Lyme disease and he too is pretty sick. His appears to have settled in his neck and he can barely move. So they are both down. The vets have told us it, the deer tic, is also carried by squirrels and mice...That's nice, I have a full community of squirrels outside and probably mice as well.

In Maggie's case, I hope it is Lyme, in fact, what she has, otherwise I don't know what to think. But for now I am going to be positive and just love on her and give her her little peanut butter cocktails twice a day with meds hidden inside. Poor 12 year old Amy gets all excited when the peanut butter gets broken out. She comes running and now we give her a little peanut butter as well, hers straight up. Oh well, if a little peanut butter is going to make her happy.
Thanks for reading and have a great day.