Gathering light in august, a triptych

Clear, blue skies.

A patch of sunshine for Corazón.

Cascading blooms.

(Theo and his mama and papa are here for a bit…back with more, and a slew of links, near the end of the week)

Gathering light in august: a series

Hello friends!

After a busy few weeks, our second batch of family has headed back to Detroit. As I sort sheets and towels for the laundry, I’ve been trying to recenter myself and get ready for the last of the summer visitors, due to arrive from Ohio this weekend.

In the midst of the boisterousness of having grandchildren in the house and the quieter evenings with adults gathered around the living room, I’ve somehow been on my own quiet journey.

For multiple days in the past few weeks we have been under air quality alerts due to the smoke from wildfires burning unabated in Canada. The sky was heavy with the smell of the burning forests and the thickness of the air. I worried about our lungs and the lungs of the birds and animals that share our space anywhere the sky is grim. The sun glowed a menacing orange as it headed toward the horizon each evening. The moon, which was becoming full and then full, burned orange as well. It felt apocalyptic. Even as we waded in the kiddie pool, even as we read books—curled up in one another’s arms, even as we made Duplo towers and even as we made blueberry pancakes with freshly picked berries…we felt the oppression of the air.

After a very wet spring, we are now verging on drought here. The gardens are thirsty. We water from the rain barrel, but we need to use the house hose as well. Grasses are turning golden before their usual time, the day lily blooms are all spent, dust is kicking up as folks drive along our dirt road.

I am trying to find my way out of this existential ennui.

So, for the rest of August I will show up more often here at my “sewandsowlife”. My mission is to gather LIGHT. For myself and for you, dear readers.

This quiet, meditative, lovely, quiet book may be the saving of me this August. Inspired by much of what I read, I wandered out for a quiet stroll more than once. Looking. Watching. Noticing.

(Our book group, gathered on Friday evening, gave the book high marks, and credited it with being a fine distraction from the real world. Our conversation over dinner lingered into the twilight and as we walked to our cars the noises of goats and chickens settling for the night sent us off into the evening…appreciating the respite of time with thoughtful friends.)

I grew up next door to my paternal grandparents and as a kid, I loved sitting under my gram’s huge dogwood tree. Its branches drooped nearly to the ground, creating a shelter to read under. Batman and I planted a “pagoda dogwood” outside our kitchen window, the only variety that seemed Vermont winter hardy. It has been growing spectacularly. In the early summer it is covered in clusters of tiny white blossoms. Now the berries are ripe and the robins have already discovered their tastiness.

I found a yellow jacket nest, hollowed out of the lawn, close to the house. I am very curious to know how they managed to dig such a hole! They are demons of the late summer, aggressive and mean.

And on the very same day, I spotted a honeybee landing on the goldenrod, which carpets the meadow with its signature yellow.

The garlic is drying on the front porch and the crabapples are blushing up on the tree planted for its excellence in making jelly.

What signs are you spotting, dearest readers, of a season shifting gears? Of a world rolling along despite all the crap we can throw at it? Of an encroaching darkness that we can push back with our strong muscle of hope?

I’ll be back with more LIGHT in the next few days.

Until then, remember that we are all connected…by hope, by love, by light. Carry on.

XOXOXO

Equilibrium

ANOTHER SNAFU!!!

BECAUSE I SOMETIMES HAVE TROUBLE WITH TECHNOLOGY, MY NEWEST POST IS ACTUALLY after THIS ONE.

I’M NOT A TECHY PERSON NOR DO I ASPIRE TO BE ONE.

TAKE ME AS I AM…SCOLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST TO FIND MY NEW ONE. thanks

Foggy mornings and stunning sunsets. Hot humid days, broken by thunderstorms that remind us of why sweatshirts still hang on the Shaker pegs by the front door.

Birdsong, insect thrums, hay wagons rumbling along the road.

Baskets of veggies and fresh bread (see below) and samosas for lunch…gathered while chatting with the farmers and vendors about the weather, garden pests, and local news. The Montpelier’s Farmers Market is full of fun. Leashed dogs are welcome and on Saturday I met a very sweet bulldog named “Potato”. :-)

We recently re-opened the kitchen in the playhouse and it’s ready for a string of visitors to our “bit of earth” . Built with recycled wood and stocked with treasures from the thrift store, this kitchen specializes in local “potions” made from whatever can be foraged from the meadow and woods. There was some concern from a recent visitor that there was no oven, so we’ll have to get to work on that…

Little Freya (above) has upended our routine in a most delightful way. She and her mama and papa were with us for nearly a week. That wee rocking chair in the background? It was mine when I was a kid, and then my two brothers rocked in it too. Then each of our four kids took their turn. The puzzles? Our kids did them over and over again when they were little. Ah, generations…

One of my favorite poems (by about just that, here.

I’ve been waking up, making a cup of tea and tuning into the Tour De France for a bit. Each morning I watch the gorgeous landscapes and Medieval villages and the terribly fit men create a blur of beauty. When the coverage switches to the view from the helicopters overhead I cannot help but think that the peloton looks like a murmuration along the roads, weaving and swooping as the race goes on.

Other times I take my tea out to the yard and deadhead the daylillies as they droop, thanking them for their short dash of brilliance.

There has been berry picking. Blueberries at a local pick-your-own and raspberries at our friends down the road, with the added bonus of visiting the goats. Batman made galettes two nights in a row.

As we watch our own gardens grow, I said goodbye to the very last onion from our 2024 garden. It had weathered our root cellar, but did not make it into the chili. I thanked it for its tenacity and then added it to the compost to bring it full circle to next summer’s garden.

I have paused work on Flora’s quilt, but I did take an adventure to find fabric for the border, binding and backing. I will fold that into another blog post. To get your sewing/knitting fix, I recommend a visit to Tiny Happy, Melissa’s blog from New Zealand. I’ve followed her for years and find her spot to be an oasis on the internet. Do you know Not a Primary Color? Sienna is an amazing creator, and she “documents her makes and her process” on the blog. Such an inspiration!

Our book group just wrapped up Vermont writer Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel Spent. I enjoyed the antics of the cats and goats more than those of the characters. She included many clever Vermont inside jokes that made me chuckle. Enough said.

Our book for August has been on my “want to read list” since it was published. Raising Hare, by Chloe Dalton is a beauty of a book.

And I share a sadness here today, too. I will miss a shining light has left this world in the essence of poet Andrea Gibson. Two of my favorite pieces of her work are here and here. A lovely NYT piece can be found here.

And a wee bit of happiness…our sweet and wacky Corazón celebrated her “Gotcha Day” yesterday, marking seven years since we found her at the Central Vermont Humane Society. Ever the sweetheart, she is a beloved part of our family. Mouser, snuggler, inCORAgible…we cannot imagine life without her.

Much like the rest of us, she is working on maintaining equilibrium. Finding an even keel in choppy waters is our task at hand, friends. I love knowing that you are out there, all across the internet, holding hands, taking deep breaths, and not backing down! Wherever you find your strength, fuel it! You are not alone! There is still light in this world! Reflect it, be it!

Much love, K

Refueling

Along the ridge and then by the wooded side of the road…Queen Anne’s Lace rules the byways of Vermont this time of year. She’s joined by Black Eyed Susans, echinacea, bee balm, clover (Vermont’s state flower), “ditch lilies” and chicory. Bees buzz amidst their color and birds sing out “it’s summertime, it’s summertime!”

Stopping along the road, pausing to notice…it’s such an easy reset. (Did you notice the cool shadows of the Queen Anne’s stems on the road?)

This past Sunday was Beatrix Potter’s birthday. A fave of mine since childhood, I was delighted when Batman and our four young kids sent me off to the Lake District with my BFF Franny for my 40th birthday. We went in the spring of 1996 and stayed at Highfield House Country Hotel and Restaurant in Hawkshead Hill, Ambleside, Cumbria. The hills were carpeted with daffodils and the bleating lambs woke us in the morning. We visited the Beatrix Potter Gallery and saw some of her gorgeous watercolors, on display under special lighting. We took a 6.5 mile hike accompanied by National Park guide Beverly Maggs.

We wandered many of the paths that Beatrix did, and ended up at her home Hill Top Farm.

This is a goofy picture of me, but I did feel like a delighted pilgrim, standing on the doorstep of Beatrix’s home.

Do you recognize the doorway of the stone house? Take a peek at Beatrix’s book, The Pie and the Pattypan. :-) It was such fun to stop along the tour as our guide pulled out tiny book after tiny book, opening it and showing us Beatrix’s illustration from our exact spot.

There are now so many books about Beatrix Potter, check your library, Goodreads or Better World Books for ideas. Beatrix is a fascinating woman, especially for her time in history. Her artwork as a naturalist goes well beyond her beloved children’s books. And her work with animal husbandry and land preservation are why parts of England are as beautiful as they are today.

If you are a fan of Beatrix too and have not yet watched Miss Potter, starring Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor and Lloyd Owen, do it ASAP. :-)

I returned from our trip restored and ready to step back into my busy life.

Anyhow…as the days of summer roll along, I hope you are able to make time to wander a bit…be it in the country or the city or somewhere in between. Walking, rolling in a wheelchair, riding a bike, driving in a car, riding the subway…when you have a chance to stop…just do it! Breathe, soak in whatever beauty you can find.

Restoration friends. It’s hard to stay afloat without it.

xo

All I’ve got are distractions, friends.

Well hello friends.

Jeepers. What a mess. I’ve postponed showing up here because I don’t really know what to say.

Again I’m comforted by words from Virginia at Gather Here. “…I have learned that despair is not an option. And hope is a discipline. Being in community is building resilience and experiencing interdependence.”

That’s it, friends. In a nutshell.

I’m guessing that many of you who come here are looking for a break from the heaviness of life these days. So let’s push aside the grim darkness for a bit (we know it’s there) and simply move on to catching our breath. Pausing. Finding spaciousness. Refueling.

Tidying up…our house, our yard, our gardens…sometimes it helps me feel more centered and grounded. It helps me feel like I’m in control of something. So, Batman and I spent the 4th up here on the hill, weeding, mulching and mowing. Laundry floated on the clothesline. It was very satisfying. Friends came over to sit around our fire pit and we toasted democracy. Under duress, but still an inspiration. We watched the sunset, we listened to the birds say goodnight, we laughed, we sighed. We appreciated being in this place, with peace all around us and the comfort of community.

Yesterday we weeded some more (because there are weeds 24/7) and Batman cut the garlic scapes. I cut some lavender and marveled at the way the stems sang so beautifully with the California poppies. That color combo knocks my socks off.

Here’s a sneak peek at squares I’ve been working on for Freya’s birthday quilt. It’s been SO MUCH FUN to work from my stash. Stitched with instructions from Sara’s sew along, I’m taking time to trim seams as I go and I am loving the results. Excellent matching of seams and consistent sizing of squares. Slowing down and doing things with care has been a pleasure. Really focusing can move me into flow.

Our little library is working on gaining certification from the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, and last weekend we hosted a “sustainability celebration” highlighting what we’ve accomplished so far. A few of us set up a mending and patchwork station to demo those skills. I brought a few items I made with repurposed stuff for “show and tell”.

(You may have seen some of these items in older blog posts.) A drawstring rice bag (using KZSteven’s pattern) made with an actual fabric rice bag. A rope bowl, dyed with marigolds and tabbed with a bit of leather from the factory floor at the Vermont Glove Company. A canvas tote, made with repurposed handles from a bird seed bag. A potholder, made with bits of ticking, worn tea towels and napkins. Have you repurposed stuff? Drop a comment below and tell us about it. Little, intentional actions add up, friends.

Wilma cannot seem to get close enough to my sewing machine and I sew on despite her pushiness. Corazón likes to curl up in any container, anywhere. Their company is such a balm for my soul. Cora hops up in my arms several times a day and nudges my face with a huge purr. Then she settles down, tucked under my chin and forces me to stop what I’m doing, relax and just breathe. It’s the best kind of CAT scan.

We had another overnight trip to Portland, ME to meet up with Doug and Ra and we took the mail boat out onto Casco Bay on a gorgeous, sunny day. Wind, sea air, sunshine, a nifty picnic and birdwatching…another refill of the spiritual tank! We enjoyed a great dinner at Ocotillo and breakfast at Becky’s Diner (a local favorite). We don’t eat out much in Vermont, so these meals cooked and served and cleaned up by others is a treat. On our morning walk to Becky’s, we saw lots of sidewalk poetry and I’ve shared one here. Such a delight to find these little truths along the way.

And will you look at this! I’ve been keeping up a practice of writing to politicians…to thank them or encourage them to change their ways. Our junior senator, Peter Welch, wrote me this note. I’ve done some research, and I believe it was written in the Senator’s own hand, not an aide’s. I gotta tell you, being a Vermonter is really special.

Where am I finding joy? In snail mail. Watching the swallows flit around the birdhouse, feeding their babies. Sitting on a friend’s deck in the evening with a bunch of fun people, watching the river meander its course and munching on a potluck spread of amazing hors d’oeuvres. Seeing pictures of the grandkids, playing in water to keep their cool on a hot summer day in Detroit. Eating salad from the hoop house. Playing Mahjong with pals on the screened porch, where nothing else matters but friendship. Discussing Miss Benson’s Beetle with our book group and eating a tropical pot luck supper together. Working on tough things with others who give a damn. Watching the Tigers on TV with Batman, even though I can barely follow the game. *yawn*. The things we do for love. :-)

How about you, dearest ones? Are you able to find joy? Are you able to refill your tank? Drop a note below, and let us know how you are doing.

Love, light and hope to each of you, beloveds.

Time out

Hello friends! I had some trouble getting this posted. Maybe this will work?

Just popping in to remind us that celebration does not require a party store or an invitation. Catching my breath after a challenging week, I dipped into ancient traditions and took a time out to wander the meadow with my gathering basket. Happy Midsommar to those of you north of the equator! Enjoy the light!

The 100 day stitch book 2025

(Forgive me dearest readers, I tried to edit this post a bit and ended up changing the format. I don’t know how to get it back to normal…I hope you’ll enjoy it in any case. )

Hello friends. Last year’s stitch book was such fun. And this year’s felt so much more challenging for me. I honestly feel like our world is being turned upside down over and over again and it’s freaking disconcerting! So, this book took longer than 100 days. The work stretched out to accommodate my restlessness, my lack of focus, my ennui. The book feels a bit choppy and not cohesive as a body of work. But it’s done and I’m happy about that. (You’ll notice a few themes from last year reflected in this year’s book.)

+++you can find all the info about the project at Ann Wood’s website here. Ann is such an inspiring stitcher!+++

As I began the work, I had been looking a book inspired by Pete Seeger’s song Oh, Had I a Golden Thread. The book, written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Nikki McKlure pays tribute to a man who changed the world with song. In contrast, there’s a man who is changing the world with an obsession with gold. The tackier, the better. As I stitched this book, I held that sharp contrast close to my heart and imagined all of us bound by golden thread, one to another, making us stronger and braver.

This (above) is the front cover of my 2025 book. A dove, the sun (dyed with homegrown tansy) and some sturdy trees.

Stitched with bits from my stash, including fabric dyed with fresh indigo, acorns and birch catkins.

More scraps. Left, Liberty of London floral with reverse appliquéd hankie and some vintage buttons. Right, linen and cotton.

Left, cotton dyed with madder root from our gardens, shibori resist. Right, commercial fabrics and brown swatch dyed with Black Hopi Sunflower on cotton. I’ll let you interpret this juxtaposition…

Left, background of page, tansy dyed. Various commercial fabrics and golden beads. Right, background of page, madder root dyed. Many little bits of treasured garment scraps.

Left, tansy dyed background, with appliquéd radishes from Anne Butera’s Spoonflower shop. Right, screen printed and beaded patch crafted by my daughter Gretta.

Left, fresh indigo dyed linen, with scraps from various projects. Right, three fresh indigo dyed patches (different batches, different years) and vintage buttons.

On the right, a page inspired by my daughter Hannah. Background page is dyed, using clothespins to create resist.

Left, page using scraps from my son Stewart’s college quilt. Right, page made with scraps from my daughter Lindsey’s college quilt. They overlapped at Earlham College by two years, and I love that these two pages share a spread in the book.

Oh, indigo. How I love thee. Left, raw silk dyed...turquoise…with fresh indigo from our gardens. Reverse appliqué. Right, Black Hopi Sunflower dyed background. Fresh indigo leaf pigment transferred using Japanese method of Tataki zomé.

Back cover. Leaf carved and printed with a bit of linoleum. Wooden buttons from my stash.

AND NOW FOR A SPECIAL TREAT! Some of my readers have generously shared photos of the work on their books. I am so grateful for their willingness to send their photos along so that we can all see the variety of ways to approach this project.

Kathleen Doenier sent her pics all the way from Wisconsin. I love the way she used frayed edges for waves! And such genius to use pinking shears to do some of the cutting. And I love the way the birds are mirror images, but not exactly. So creative!

My friend Ellen lives just over the ridge from me. I love how she used reverse appliqué to create portals…for ants and for a pastoral view. The moon and stars over the little red farmhouse…so quintessentially Vermont!

Thank you to both Kathleen and Ellen for allowing me to share their work here!

I’d like to welcome my friend dawn as my newest subscriber. A former colleague, dawn has moved away from the area, and I’m so glad she found us here.

Much to catch you up on, friends, but I wanted to get this post out to you today. I’ll be back soon. Keep on stitching, reading, speaking up, pushing back and all the other things that bring you joy, courage and hope!

with so much love and light, me.