Today the Desert

Tomorrow the Sea

Returned

Vacation was hurry up, slow down, hurry up again
But there were moments of sweet happiness and for that I am grateful.
Here is a few snaps from this week.


Sisters


Family



Flower girl



Models



Grandpa's workshop



Monkeys in the trees



Parties



Double vision



Dessert



Varallo's for Juno

Simple

All day we stalled.
I stalled over dishes, laundry,
My attitude
They stalled with bike rides, Netflix & Legos
& we barely navigated the day
Around us
But finally at 5
We piled into the car
& drove to where the frogs reside
Net & buckets in hand
we meandered around the ponds
In our boots
Sitting in the sun, pealing oranges
Watching snapping turtles
Pop their heads into the afternoon light.

It was there that we left our frustrations,
Mine at the foot of a tree in the elbow of a pond,
Taking deep breaths
& quietly charged anew.

Picnic

Sewed my heart out last week getting ready for Picnic.


& it was so worth it. Not only did i happily sell a bunch I was visited by many frIends from near & far. So grateful to be a part of the picnic festival this year!


My side of the "booth"



Martha & I


Heathers amazing folding vintage hat. Seriously folds like a fan and slips in your purse. Loved it!


Ida Pearl modeling a bonnet.


Chris favorite vintage bicycle.

All in a row

We are soaking up the last bits of August. Picnic, beaches, bike rides....oh my.
This morning I find myself in the park, yawning as I push swings. Gearing myself up for a bike ride home. Reminding myself its only 10am. It might be the case that summer is wearing me out.

Back Porch Studio

I set up on the back porch this afternoon to get down to some sewing. I have a craft faire this weekend & I am short on stock. It was so pleasant to be outside, watching the kids play whilst doing my work. Nothing sweeter!

My new-to-me machine keeps unfolding its grandeur. New tricks & tweaks are showing me how beautiful it handles. I have found a gem for sure. & I do believe I will keep stumbling upon them the more I experiment.

For those curious it's a Nelco LaBelle Xonic, Made in Japan.

Hero

We set out early,
Milo found a yard sale in the neighborhood
And we all went.

Among many fun things they had
A bread machine, stellar art supplies & books
I stumbled on a sewing machine

You see,
My machine,
I have treasured.
A gift from Pat, whose no longer
With us
& being sentimental & all
The machine is important to me.
I learned to sew,
& create like I have never done.

But the machine has
Been worse for the wear,
The handle for the presser foot recently broke
And every time I sew
I am jabbed in the fingers by jagged metal.

Its crossed my mind
Perhaps a new one?

& low
There was one.
Undervalued by its owner
I got it for a song....
& with a bit of tweaking
By my hero above....
I was sewing by the evening.
How sweat it is.....

Afternoon Office

Backyard Harvest

Mint, pole beans, pepper, squash, broccoli, oh my!




Wounded butterfly on Milo's pole beans

Anger, part one

He melted down on the beach
Literally his mind steaming,
Face blotched and red,
Smoke pouring from the holes he bore in me with his eyes.

Each crash of the waves echoed
His smashing of rocks & boards on the sand.

He was letting me know, I don't like it. Not.at.all.

It was the beach. A new one to us. He hadn't realized when we left, we were headed elsewhere.

We paid the price, he & I
Doing an angry opera on the beach
Flaming mad at one another,
We scowled and screamed,

He climbed the rocks
Swinging a bit if rope like a whip
Letting his exhausting anger go

I let mine wash away through my feet,
Pour out of me like a sieve

I finally found him
Lying on the trunk
Of a tree, gazing out at the
ocean,
I wrapped my arms around him and the trunk, told him we could leave now.

Defeated, he consented.

Bonnets

As of late my life is filled with bonnets.....
I consider this a good thing.
Also unrelated, a skunk has taken up residence in our yard. This makes for interesting night time yard visits. I have spotted his furry self ambling about quite a few times. Chris even met him at by the compost this evening.
I wonder what it means to have a skunk appear in your life....

Setting the tone

In an effort to be calmer,
With my life
With my children
I decided to set the tone.
Lay out our day like an eight course meal.
With much silliness & little surprises at every turn.

It went well.

Collections

Letting Go

Yesterday we had target practice.
Retrieving the bow & arrows from the basement &
Making a target.
It felt direct, to gather
Frustrations and pull each arrow back with intention
& to let go.

Letting go of all our
Anger,
With one swoop
My anger is gone,
Dinging the side of our makeshift target,
Therapy indeed.

::plip::

In the grand tradition of foraging in Maine during the exquisite summer months, we went blueberry picking up in Hollis.
Plip is the sound the blueberries made in our emptied yogurt containers. Just as Sal & her Mama went picking on Blueberry Hill with their tin pails in the story book "Blueberries for Sal" we all three had our yogurt pals and instead of Kerplink, Kerplank, Kerplunk....we had a bit of a short plip, plip, plip and then as the bottom of the pail filled it was quite silent.


It was my first time blueberry picking. We had met some friends initially at a great patch and the children played together, but it grew hot quickly andeming beneath the tall shady pines.
The kids enjoyed the swimming & not long after our friend led us back to the blueberry patch and we quietly entered the woods, just the four ofii


It was lovely and quiet there. We picked another quart full and feasted together. We speculated on what we would do with our berries. Maybe pie? Blueberry pancakes? Perhaps smoothies.


We wrapped up & tucked our forray in the cooler bag to keep. I hope the future will mbring more picking & excitement for us all.