thank you, Mother Nature

Batman was so excited to put the snow plow attachment on his tractor.

The dye plant end of the garden is done for the season. Good luck finding a spot to sit on the garden bench. :-)

Some of the birches, out at the end of our driveway.

This is the soft, gentle beauty I’ve been waiting for. And now it is snowing again. I know not everyone is a fan of snow, or winter, for that matter. But I am. Right down to my bones.

And how perfect that this snowfall arrived just before the solstice, preparing us to pause and be fully present in the depths of darkness. We’re perched, on the edge of the of the shortest day of the year and the longest night. Time for bundling up and venturing out into the crispiest of air, the muffled sounds, the magical beauty all around. And once the shoveling, or snowshoeing or just walking on the road is done, there’s the pleasure of chilly fingers wrapped around a hot mug of cocoa.

Sometimes this kind of snow comes with challenges, and some folks in Vermont are sadly still without power. We lose our landline, cellphone service and wi-fi internet when the power goes down, but we remain grateful that we decided (and were able) to have a generator installed here on the hill.

A neighbor brought me a bundle of fresh cut holly from her yard down in town. I paired it with balsams from our yard for a festive greeting by the front door.

I took this photo late yesterday afternoon, when the storm was lifting.

Since I’ve been sharing good news with you lately, here’s a story that bears witness to what brave hearts can accomplish. Pioneering Vermonters (some of our favorites) were invited to the White House to celebrate the signing of the Respect For Marriage Act.

If you’re looking for a delicious, midwinter supper this Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken with Apricots, Olives and Almonds will do the trick!

I’ll be back for the solstice, until then, dearest readers, keep looking for the Light!

hand pies and hope

On Friday evening, our book group gathered here at our bit of earth. As hostess, I was responsible for the main course (because we have a pot luck supper after our discussion.) I decided to make very festive savory hand pies. The cookbook from Sister Pie has a fabulous recipe for delicata squash, caramelized onion, fresh sage and goat cheese hand pies. The recipe is not for the faint of heart, as things need to be made in several stages, over several days, but, dang, they are so GOOD.

Batman was kind enough to make the dough for the crust and he tucked it into the fridge while I was out and about in the world on Thursday morning. He texted me the picture, above, of his “helper” Corazón.

On Friday morning, Batman rolled out the dough and cut the 4” rounds…all 48 of them! (We doubled the recipe.) I put the filling together, using sage, delicata and onions from our bit of earth. I used goat cheese from Vermont Creamery. All of the parts and pieces were set out on the three season porch to chill for a few hours.

After some last minute consultation with our daughter Lindsey (she worked at Sister Pie for a bit, thus our undying love for the place) we made an assembly line to put them together and bake them. It was so fun to pull them out of the oven and marvel at their beauty! Golden crust and steaming veggies inside. Perfection.

There were enough to send some home with folks after book group. :-)

In keeping with December’s theme of light and hope and love…here are some links to stories that may warm your hearts, dearest readers.

Don’t even get me started about this country’s “penal system”. This story, via CNN, A portrait of America's prison arts programs, reports on how photographer Peter Mert has documented California’s Arts in Corrections program. A light in the darkness if ever there was one.

In another bit of serendipity, I found some information about Freedom Reads via Anna Brones 24 Days of Making, Doing, and Being. Their mission statement…

Our Mission

Freedom Reads is a first-of-its-kind organization that empowers people through literature to confront what prison does to the spirit. With the Freedom Library and with our literary programs, Freedom Reads supports the efforts of people in prison to imagine new possibilities for their lives. Freedom begins with a book.

As public libraries and access to books becomes more and more important to democracy, Freedom Reads is on my list of causes to support as we review our annual giving.

There have been two recent land acquisitions in Vermont that have my heart singing as well. My beloved Bread and Puppet Theater has just expanded their resources, ensuring a bright future. You can read about it here. I had blogged about Bread and Puppet several times on my old blog, you can see some pictures here.

We are cheering some good news that affects us right here in our neighborhood. Nearly 7,400 acres of working forest have been conserved by a group of public and private partners. You can read about it here. This news brings attention to all the important ways that keeping big tracts of land intact can impact headwaters, biodiversity and recreational space, along with sustainable timber management.

SO FRIENDS…make yummy food in this magical month of light. And keep your eyes open for GOOD NEWS. I am convinced that there is so much good news out in the world that needs to be lifted up. We are parched for it. Each time we learn about how compassion, cooperation and love can overcome the gloom and doom in the world, I say let’s celebrate it!

Sending you virtual hugs, dearest readers. xo

advent for anyone

at the top of the stairs.

Batman added battery operated lights to our annual peace wreath. He makes one each year and it’s my favorite bit of holiday decorating. You can see our twig pile in the background, where we toss downed branches from windy nights. We’ll set it ablaze on the solstice.

This afternoon I pulled out the box of December goodies, made special by sentiment.

My Mumsie stitched this for me when I was a young mom, inspired by an illustration by Trina Schart Hyman, one of my favorite artists. Trina won a Caldecott Medal and lived about an hour south of us, just over the border in New Hampshire. Her attention to detail in nature, while creating magical pictures for kids books still enchants me. My Mumsie’s work has a few moth holes in it, but that makes it all the more dear to me. On the left, you can see her tiny stitches…including French knots for the holly berries,

Dearest readers…first off, I would like to thank you for your kind comments on my last post. I love to read your thoughts and I appreciate the links you share here. Virtual hugs all around. :-)

Advent season is full of tradition and religious significance for many. I am delighted to use advent with a lower case “a”, meaning a “coming into being or use”. And I love to use this season to welcome LIGHT, LOVE and HOPE into the darkest days of the year. For me, anticipating the solstice brings the magic into these December days. So, I have been poking around for kindred spirits. Erin Boyle, of Reading My Tea Leaves, has a beautifully simple aesthetic. She has been writing a bit about keeping things gentle and easy for the holiday season. This post about a children’s book advent calendar is beautiful, with lots of helpful links included. I love, love, love that she encourages the maker to include books from the library in the mix. I also found a link to artist Anna Brones via Erin. Anna has offered an online 24 Days of Making, Doing and Being…Digital Advent Calendar 2022. I checked it out and signed up (for $10.00) right away. The lovey part is, if you sign up after December 1st (which I did), Anna provides access to the archives of days you missed. Anna’s daily email has become something I look forward to with delight.

(Spoiler alert for Lindsey and Gretta!) Batman and I have been putting together little waxed paper bags of goodies for Maggie and Flora. We will number them and send them off so that our two oldest grandkids will have something special to open each morning as the days get darker and darker. What fun its been to collect things and package them up for the girls. xo

So, I guess I’m inviting you, dearest ones, to join me in embracing the season of light. Maybe you celebrate Christmas, maybe it’s Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa or the Solstice, or you’ve already enjoyed Diwali. However you celebrate, friends, please…open the doors wide. Make room for advent season…the coming into being of light and love and hope.

about December...

Machine quilting a donation quilt while listening to the Love Actually soundtrack.

Well, hello friends. After a bit of a hiatus, I’ve wandered back over here to this space. HAPPY DECEMBER to you all! I found a quote by Carl Sagan that has inspired me to kick off a month filled with blog posts about LIGHT AND LOVE.

For small creatures such as we the vastness of the universe is bearable only through love.

So let’s start with some listening. I had pledged to make two quilts in 2022 for donation via our Vermont Modern Quilt Guild. While working on the second one, which I’ll need to turn in this coming Sunday, I took our little portable speaker down to my sewing studio and cranked up the soundtrack to Love Actually. I know this film may be a “love it or hate it” situation, but I am a sucker for an annual viewing. In any case, the soundtrack is fun and helped me stitch away an afternoon. I found it on Spotify, but there are any number of places to listen (including cd’s)! And, the quilt is finished and rolling around in the washing machine as I type. Will post pics later this month.

Sewing a new patch on my very mended jeans, while watching Sasia’s TEDx Talk.

A few months ago I joined The Mending Space, an online community, available by subscription, with Katrina Rodabaugh. It has been a game changer for me, and someday I’ll write about the richness there. But in the meantime, I’ll share a listen I found via Katrina. Do you know of Stasia Savasuk? She is a style guru, and of course I rolled my eyes when I heard this (my uniform is jeans and flannel shirts). But then I watched her TEDx talk and now I am much more open minded, and curious to learn more. (I took a fun bandana out of a drawer and wrapped it around my neck the other day and felt kinda sassy.) Her message is all about LOVE.

Knitting a cowl while listening to podcasts.

I had read of a new essay by Robin Wall Kimmerer on several of my fave online sources, so I settled in to listen to it on Saturday. I ended up listening to it again with Batman on Sunday morning, because I knew he would love it too, and because I wanted to absorb its richness again. You can find it via Emergence Magazine, here. You may have to scroll down a bit to find her essay, The Serviceberry:An Economy of Abundance. In a very special time of synchronicity, we watched a murmuration of cedar waxwings out in our meadow, just a few days before listening to the podcast. And her essay will fill you with hope and inspiration.

Paper white narcissus bulbs, getting ready to bloom in midwinter.

I must sneak in a bit of special love here. One of my very best college buddies and her husband were visiting with family north of us, and they ducked out for the better part of a day to visit us at our bit of earth. We had not seen one another in years and years. Sometimes conversations with our oldest and best buddies can restore our faith and hope in the world. Old photos, sharing memories, updates and so much warmth…better than most anything else for kicking off a joyful holiday season. Thank you, Martha and Marce, for making the trek.

Batman has been making wreaths from our balsams for friends and family. He’s getting to be a pro, (even though he does not charge for them…because we like to support the “gift economy”) :-)

I finally figured out that any of us can hop into advent season whenever we want, and in whatever way we please. In its most generous iteration, advent season makes room for anyone searching for light and love. So, I’ll be back tomorrow to share a bunch of advent loveliness with you. Until then, xoxoxoxox

to Detroit and back again

Found on a sidewalk at Eastern Market, Detroit. Just like that, right there. Inspiration, underfoot.

Last week we left Vermont and drove and drove and drove, and then we pulled up in front of our daughter Lindsey’s house in the dark, and climbed out to warm hugs and baby snuggles. On Saturday, all four kids, their partners and our five grandchildren, gathered in Lindsey’s living room in Detroit. Maurice Sendak would have been delighted to see our wild rumpus! We celebrated Maggies’ fifth birthday, complete with a handmade (by her papa) piñata. There were hugs, good food, cake, “pass the babies” and thoughtful presents gifted. Laughing, singing, spilling, napping, saying reluctant good byes…it was all folded into a magical day. It was impossible to get a group photo, and so a collage may be the best solution to capturing the energy and love caught up in that space. On my “to do”list.

We managed a few smaller gatherings while we were there, so that we could have quieter time with one another, but spent most of our time helping out with big sister Flora and wee Matilda. I have memories of that special time tucked away close to my heart.

We got out and about a few times…to the new Nature Center at Belle Ilse, to Avalon Bakery (can you imagine shortcake cookies with orange zest and sprinkled with sugar and cardamom?) and Sister Pie (including their 10th anniversary celebration!) We brought a bunch of goodies back to our neighbors, who cared for Wilma and Corazón while we were away. Lindsey and I also ducked out to Page’s, an independent bookstore, where Pip the cat is the one true boss. I bought a copy of Hester there and I’m loving it, check it out…you might, too. Our quick trip to Eastern Market was filled with inspiration, as usual…gorgeous stems of Brussel sprouts, cabbages piled high, bags and bags of local apples, many varieties of squash, and evergreen garlands (already!) and wreathes and Amish baked goods and Detroit tee shirts and the beignet truck, all while the cold wind blew and the snow flurries danced.

We did some cooking…this soup is fabulous! And we ate some great take out cuisine, which we just don’t have much of in rural Vermont. :-)

We took one look at the forecast for our drive home and adjusted our route…we usually go via Buffalo. We left Detroit yesterday at 5 AM and rolled into our driveway here at 8 PM…tired, but safe. Thank goodness for Libby, the app that allowed us to listen to free audio books!

Our first snow of the season fell while we were away and I was sorry to miss its magic. It’s a cue for me to pot up our paper white narcissus bulbs for wintertime forcing. One of our Christmas cactus is in full bloom in the front windows. There has been a shift in seasons, for sure.

I grew up near Plymouth, MA and loved the story of the first Thanksgiving, but now I am older and wiser and don’t have the same cozy feelings about the day. Batman and I will gather here, with Wilma and Cora waiting under the table for tidbits. Before dinner, we’ll hold hands in silence as is our custom, with heads bowed and we will hold close the thoughts of all that is dear to us in those moments. And we will think too, about the ways we might help right the wrongs that swirl around us.

Dearest ones, I remain grateful for your presence here…thank you for stopping by and for your goodwill. May you find some peace and comfort in the upcoming days. Unplug if you can and exhale. Just be.

xoxo

P.S. Next week I’ll get back to sewing!

another quilt collaboration

Gretta, Lindsey and I collaborated on another quilt…this one for little Freya, who was born in July. Once again, we relied on the USPS to get our bits back and forth to one another. Thank goodness for the postal service. I send them good thoughts every single day.

We used scraps from the quilt we made for Hannah and Loren’s wedding (above). We found a colorful llama novelty print that pulled all the colors together, and chose a solid pink for the columns. Machine quilted in Detroit by a friend of LIndsey’s, this crib sized quilt is just right for stroller cruises, playtime and just plain snuggling. Sweet Nutmeg enjoys the quilts while keeping an eye on Freya at the same time.

I heard the other day that my 6”x6” September Meadow has sold over in Middlebury. :-)

And when we woke up this morning, we had lots of good election news here in Vermont, and the “red tide” that was threatening our nation seems to have lost some of its strength. My favorite story of the day was that of Maxwell Frost, the first member of Gen Z to be elected to Congress. Thank goodness the youth are finally on the horizon, spurred on with new and urgent energy to demand change and to be the disrupters we so desperately need.

The eclipse the other day was gobbled up by heavy clouds here in Vermont, with just a peek or two at the spectacular Blood Moon, but is was still oddly quiet and eery. Did you see it where you are?

My list of things to finish this afternoon is long, and the sun is already perched, ready to drop behind the mountains soon, so I will sign off. I’ll be taking a wee break from the blog for a bit…let me know what you might like to read more of when I come back to this space.

Stay well and strong, dearest ones, and hang on to hope and all the light you can find. xo

early November on the hill

The tamaracks are finally changing color. Called akemantak by the Algonquins, the species name translates “wood used for snowshoes”. We have several in the neighborhood, and the needles dropped by the trees in the fall make the softest carpet where they fall.

As I drive along the road, I notice wasps nests in the bare trees and on Saturday we spotted a bald eagle perched atop a pine tree on the way to town. At night Orion has stepped back into plain sight in the sky above the mountains. He is one of my faves. :-)

If you are able, don’t forget to look for the lunar eclipse tomorrow morning! We are hoping the “blood moon” will be spectacular here, where there is very little light pollution. Check out all the ways an eclipse “disrupts” life here.

The weather around here has been disconcertingly mild, with highs in the low 70’s over the weekend. In November. In Vermont. Yikes.

These temperatures have allowed Batman and I to do a few more of our outdoor chores without the usual gloves and jackets of November. Today after lunch, we pulled on boots and walked the property, screwdrivers in hand. We cleaned out each of our 9 nesting boxes, each one made of an assortment of wood scraps, salvaged wire and repurposed posts. To read about whether to clean a box or not, look here. It’s fascinating to see how the nests are built inside the boxes. Some have twigs as a base, with soft grasses woven on top. Some have bits of birchbark or bits of string added to the cavity. There are teeny tiny feathers that float out of the debris as it falls from the box. While we were trekking across the meadow, the strong winds that have been blowing for days picked up a pile of fallen leaves and swirled them into a mini wind spout of golden bits. It was ethereal.

There are still a few greens growing in the hoop house. The nesting box on the post here is usually occupied by bluebirds all summer long. We also had a chance to put up the snow fencing along the blueberry patch.

The garlic has been planted and mulched and the leeks and chard came in to the kitchen yesterday.

The California poppies continue their brave vigilance and I love to watch them quiver in the wind and challenge the decay around them with their brilliant color!

These random rock piles have been tucked into the underbrush along the road since before we bought the place. Gathered and piled up, I wonder at their companionship. Each rock stacked or leaning on its neighbor, nestled with moss and lichen. As the midterm elections loom, I take comfort in their ease. I am staying away from polls and opinion pieces. I don’t care about what the “experts” prognosticate. I have filled out my ballot and look forward to dropping it into the slot at our town hall tomorrow. After that, it’s watch and wait. I hope you will vote too, if you are able. We will need to bring our best selves into whatever comes next. I will have a small pebble in my pocket no matter what happens.

A bit of quilting in my next post. Until then, dearest readers, stay the course. Vote. Hope. And don’t forget to breathe deeply. The present moment is a very special place to be.

P.S.Happy birthday #5 to Maggie!

for tonight

Halloween brings me deep and wonderful memories of my dad. This was his favorite time of year. We listened to this as we ate supper before heading out to trick or treat. May your evening be lit by candles and may your spirit be moved by memories. xo

stick season

Our lovely foliage season has come to an end. Any of the trees that had thoughts of prolonging their beauty were surreptitiously stripped of their leaves in an overnight windstorm. The view along the ridge went from spectacular to more muted, just like that! The next morning, the road crew installed the “whips”, or markers that guide the snowplows in white out conditions along the ridge.

The tenacious lilacs and oaks are some of the last to let go, and the squirrels are madly gathering acorns, chattering at the cats through the windows.

The Braintree Meeting House has been safely closed up and shuttered for the winter.

The milkweed pods have opened and their downy seed parachutes are sparking all over the meadows along the road. Dried ferns, grasses and wildflower heads create a different kind of beauty in the ditches.

Late afternoon sunshine filters through the forest and it is more beautiful than any stained glass you could find in a cathedral.

The sunsets…oh my, oh my…the sunsets.

It’s really about the light this time of year…How can we not detect the “thinning of the veil” between the real world and the world of the unknown? As the season shifts and so many cultures recognize the magic, can you sense it? I think of all of my beloveds who have passed from this world before me. I will light a candle and I’ll gather photos of those who have gone before me. I will write their names on paper, I will hold them close to my heart, I will remember them with love. I will thank them for the legacies they have left to me. Halloween. Samhain, el Día de los Muertos, All Soul’s Day…

Here’s a sneak peek at a piece I’m working on. I’m calling it “memory” and I’ve used fabric dyed by hand. Blue from indigo grown here in our gardens, mustard gold from dried marigolds sent to me by my cousin Kristen, who grew them in her gardens in New Mexico. A bit of an homage to the strands of marigolds that play such a beautiful part in the altars put together for Day of the Dead .

Some of the wild, heirloom apple trees are holding onto their fruit. The flock of wild turkeys continue their daily loop of the neighborhood, gorging on the fruit as it falls to the ground, a few apples at a time.

I’ve been brewing different teas as the season moves ahead…Black Currant Tea, Kukicha Twig Tea and Mineral Magic Tea (grown and blended not far from us.) Reading more often, under a down comforter, stretched out on the couch, after my early morning meditations. My friend Anne over at My Giant Strawberry recommended The Olive Farm and I read it in a flash…the next few in the series are on order from Thrift Books. Casting on a cowl, for the chilly days ahead. Thinking about washing the inside of the windows, after Batman washed some of them from outside. Making a list for the last outdoor Farmers Market up in Montpelier tomorrow. Noticing the sliver of a moon, hanging over the mountains across the way.

Focusing on the present moment. Breathing in deeply, filling my lungs with gratitude, exhaling slowly. Yes. This is the way forward.

What’s up with you, dearest reader? What are you noticing about the seasonal shifts? xo

a most extraordinary october

on the way to town.

turning left out of our driveway.

october blue.

a sentinel.

near peak colors, in the morning fog. first frost on the ground.

the hunter moon at our “bit of earth”.

small treasures.

on the road.

stormy day on the ridge.

corazón and wilma, rediscovering snuggles by the radiator.

old hay wagons at the neighbors.

spinach and other dark greens taking their place front and center in the kitchen.

free carpeting.

Friends, I am still feeling very pell mell!

October has been filled with joyous family news and fun. Sweet Matilda Catherine arrived safely in Detroit, to join her big sister Flora. We look forward to meeting her in November. My Mumsie celebrated her 90th birthday in Massachusetts. And wee Theo and his mama and papa came to visit us in Vermont! We even managed to get down to visit my Mumsie with Theo in tow. The grin on her face when we put her very first great grandson into her lap was something I will remember forever. So much love!

And my six week creative adventure, which I will write more about when it’s done, has really challenged me to make space for dreams. Even amidst such full days, I’ve had to show up for this commitment I made to myself. I really have been burning the candle at both ends. And the silver lining in all of this is that it's been “crowding out” time spent fretting about the news and all the things I have no control of.

We’ve been moving through the days of October and the subtle changes we see in the landscape as the foliage goes from peak to past peak and now into “stick season”. So much beauty as the light slants and becomes more gentle. The robins and jays have been feasting on the last of the crabapples, the wild turkeys have grazed in the apple orchard, and our neighbors down the road are in the midst of goat breeding season (kidding season in the spring will be such fun!) We’re taking down the screens, washing windows, putting the gardens to bed, getting the root cellar sorted…the human version of hibernation, I guess.

I do so wonder what you have been up to, dearest ones. Are you cooking into the season of soups and stews? Are you lighting candles at dinnertime as the sun sets earlier? Have you pulled out cozy bed linens? Or maybe like Kate over at Fox Lane, you are gearing up for growing things and opening windows!

Do, please, drop a note in the comments to let us know what is bringing you happiness these days. Finding happiness and joy these days seems countercultural. I say, bring it on! When we share lovely stories we cultivate courage and connection.

xo