Lovely World

away

I will be away from this space until the first week of July. I am traveling out west to Yellowstone National Park and the Salmon River in Idaho.

Take care for now.

♡ Maribeth

green

It is all green here. We are settling into summer. The first round of lettuce and radishes are just about done. The peas and string beans will be harvested in a couple of weeks. One more day of walking the kids to the school bus stop. I have been enjoying these walks, the morning air so full of life. We have a very long driveway, so there is always something interesting to see along the way. My son and I saw a coyote on the driveway a few weeks ago.

Here are some lovely things for you:

♥ Maissa Toulet

♥ Chinelos de Trapo (don't you want a pair?)

♥ Kettle's Yard (let's go here)

♥ Sonia Delaunay at the Cooper Hewitt (too good)

♥ Sally Nencini

Bye for now.

i am here

I have been so busy, here and there. Here is a brief glimpse of me, look quick before I'm off to something else!

I keep looking at my feet in this photo. I have been attending yoga class regularly and often find myself focused on the contact between my feet and the floor. I really like this grounding. It is a point of mindfulness.

I put a few birds in my etsy shop earlier today. Please take a look if you like. Lovely World Handmade.

Hope all is well. ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

friday regroup

I bought some hand-printed fabric from Bookhou. It is a very nice quality. I am making some storage containers with it. I made one this morning based on a pattern in Bookhou's b.a.h. Magazine. I used a medium interface, and lined it with white linen. It stands up and holds its structure well. These are very easy to make. I hadn't sewn in forever, and was very happy as I cut up fabric and sewed it together.

This is the state of my inspiration bulletin board. It has looked like this for a few weeks. I think it represents the break I have been taking from the intensity of creative work. It is a deep breath, a clearing of the head, a blank slate, a regrouping, a look in other directions. It is possibility. (You can see a lovely ceramic heart my son made me hanging on the board.)

I got an ipod touch. I am just beginning to load it up with music and podcasts and all the other amusements that seem possible with this small device. Here is some music I have been listening to lately:

* The new The Decemberists CD (I started to write album - but I guess that isn't really the right word - although it appears that you can purchase this in vinyl)

* The Smiths Best of 1. I do have some old The Smiths albums. I began listening to them back in the 1980s when we didn't have CDs.

 

Happy weekend to you.

storms

We have had turbulent weather lately. Lots of rainy storms. Last night a big one blew through. I had never heard such strange howling of the wind. I sat up watching the trees sway in the flashes of light from the electrical storm. We had trees down over the driveway this morning. Lots to clean up.

As I was walking around town this morning I came upon this sad bird's nest. It had obviously blown out of the tree during the storm. Poor little birds must wonder where their nest and lovely eggs went.

The storms have washed out quite a few of the girls' softball practices and games. I have to admit that I have enjoyed watching the games that have been played. I also enjoy watching my daughter learn something new.

The Green River runs through the length of our town. Here is a view I had of it today. It flows into the Hoosic River, which then dumps right into the Hudson River. The water has been running high all spring. This has been a boon to kayakers and other boaters.

Lastly is a photo of a shelf on my work table. (The photo on the middle shelf is of my parents, me, and two of my siblings. We are all just a year apart in age.) I have been so engrossed in activity that I have had very little quiet time working there. I awoke at 5AM this morning, restless, so I was able to creep quietly to my work room to paint before anyone woke up and demanded my attention.

Have a nice long weekend. We have some travel and some celebrations ahead of us.

of birds and david bowie

I bought this book, "Birds that Hunt and are Hunted," at the library book sale last month. I liked that it was a book about birds, although the title is a little creepy.

The 48 illustrations are photographs of birds on a painted background. I think some of the photographs are hand painted as well. It was published in 1902.

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On a completely different note, here is a video of David Bowie's "Modern Love." I saw his "Serious Moonlight" tour with a friend when I was in high school. We were so excited we could barely contain ourselves. As I watched this video, it reminded me that back in the 1980s we had no cell phones, iphones, ipods, digital cameras, or video cameras. But, we did have big hair and interesting clothes. (If this doesn't play right here- just click the link to youtube)

 

the long view outside

I'm spending very little time online lately. Instead, I'm finding myself outside as much as possible. Gardening, hiking, watching softball practice and games. This has been a good break away from screens for me. When I'm outside, I see the long distance, the big picture. When online, I can develop tunnel vision. Does anyone else feel that way too?

The top photo is my lawn. I love that it is an incredibly weedy lawn because we get blankets of dandelions, violets, thyme, and moss.

The two middle photos are of a recent hike on Pine Cobble. The top of the Cobble is a jumble of stone. I love the cairns that have been built out of this jumble. Nature's altars.

The bottom photo is of the little parade that opened the Little League season. My daughter marched with the band. I realize that I am thankful to live in a town that closes a main street so that baseball players and the school band can march to the ball park.

reader

I bought this early reader at the library book sale a few weeks ago. It is a graphically-striking mid 20th century Russian or other slavic language book. Perhaps one of you dear readers recognizes the language?

I spent time thoroughly cleaning my work room over the weekend. It was very satisfying to clear the decks for new ideas.

Have a nice Tuesday. The sun is shining here, and we finally have a decent canopy of foliage developing on the trees. This is my favorite time of year.

twist

I have a table at the Twist Craft Fair this Friday and Saturday. Twist is held at the Northampton Center for the Arts in downtown Northampton, MA. I enjoyed the fair when I participated last November, and look forward to seeing the other crafters who will be there this weekend. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by!

Thanks to all who left such thoughtful comments on my last post. I really appreciate them!

poppytalk white

Friday is the final day of spring color week at Poppytalk. White!

In particular, I was happy to revisit these photos of the goose egg and cotton boll that my friend gave me for my last birthday.

I hope you have a nice weekend. I'll be here to post my calendar and book on Sunday.