a solstice patchwork

To give thanks is to have the courage to get up in the morning. -Martin Bell

Our annual peace wreath, made by Batman with balsam greens from our bit of earth.

The stillness and the peace of now enfold you in perfect gentleness. -A Course in Miracles

Wilma and Corazón, soaking in the sunshine and gossiping.

Friendship needs no words-it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness. -Dag Hammarskjöld

Hold every moment sacred…give each its true and due fulfillment. -Thomas Mann

I cannot cause light; the best I can do is try to put myself in the path of its beams. -Annie Dillard

Our annual candlelight vigil to mark National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on the longest night of the year. #Capstone Community Action.

The light you send to others will come back to you multiplied. -Sanya Rowan

Inspired by the work of Kye+Hardy, I made a star with hand dyed solids and some sweet florals this afternoon.

You see many stars at night in the sky but find them not when the sun rises; can you say that there are no stars in the heaven of day? -Ramakrishna

May we find renewal and hope as we slide with our celestial allies into lighter, longer days, dearest ones. xo

"booking it" to Scotland

Friends, it’s a very wet, rainy, gloomy day here in Vermont and snowmelt is adding to the volume of water soaking the area. There is flooding happening all over again. So far, not as severe as July’s storm, but….yikes! We don’t need this.

So, I am revisiting our trip to Scotland in September, and thought you might enjoy a bit more, too?

This is a shot of the wee spot Batman and I slept for three nights on the narrowboat. Two narrow beds in a narrow space. Those legs are Batman’s, as he navigated with the tiller at the back of the boat.

This past summer I read The Narrowboat Summer, by Anne Youngston. The book was recommended to me by reader Gail N. before we had planned our trip. Once our plans firmed up, it was such fun to read a bit of fiction that introduced me to life along the canals of Scotland. I so appreciate recommendations you share here on the blog, friends (more on that later.)

I also read Findings, by Kathleen Jamie, an award winning poet. Written in prose, she describes the landscape and nature of Scotland beautifully. Her book made me yearn for travel to Scotland, weeks before we departed.

On the Highlands leg of our trip, one day Batman and I walked from our self catering cottage to the train station in Aviemore and travelled to Inverness for the day.

One of the places we visited there was Leakey’s Bookshop, a family-run bookshop filled with maps, prints and second hand books. Notice the huge woodburning stove in the center of the store! The wooden floors creaked, there was a scent of old paper in the air and conversations were hushed.

We also visited the Scottish Kiltmaker Visitor Centre that day. It was an odd, outdated little place, but there was some very interesting info on how kilts are put together (see above).

The next day, a few of us toured Johnston’s of Elgin, a certified B Corporation, where fine cashmere and merino fabrics are manufactured. Their website is gorgeous and tells the story of an enduring fixture in an ancient town. We enjoyed the tour, and wandering around the factory shop, but I needed smelling salts when I looked at the price tags! :-)

Top left: bales of wool. Middle top: gossamer wool. Top right: vintage machines, still doing the job.

Bottom left: more modern machines. Bottom middle: a bin full of a tartan “recipe”. Bottom right: teasel plants used to card wool, even in the present day.

A neighbor (who is a weaver) has lent me the book on tartans, the Fabric of Scotland was a giveaway at the end of the factory tour. Such fun to leaf through them and learn more about fabric and history and handcraft in Scotland!

Once back in Vermont, I read two light works of fiction set in Scotland. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, written by Sangu Mandanna was recommended to me by Lindsey and Hannah, who read it with their bookclub in Detroit. I also read The Bookstore of Second Chances, by Jackie Fraser. Both books were fun, quick reads and distracted me from what has been happening in the real world.

It was such fun to dream of traveling to Scotland, then to read about it to actually prepare for the trip (hello travel guides from the library!) and then to follow up on the trip with light fiction. Have you done anything similar? Drop a comment below and tell us about your reading adventures.

And friends, how about another round of book recommendations? As we look ahead to the new year, do you have any “don’t miss this book” ideas? Drop a few in the comments below…

Last, but not least, we went to dinner with neighbors for potato latkes and Hunukkah celebrations the other night. They are big readers and I couldn’t resist making a few more fabric bookmarks as wee gifts, along with some gelt. xo

Hope all is well with you as we slide into the very darkest of days of the year. xo

some light for you today

On Sunday afternoon we drove down to Norwich, VT for some live and festive music. We fell under the spell of Windborne, an acappella group. From their website:

But there’s another, crucial dimension to Windborne that guides and roots their artistry. They are adherents to folk music’s longtime alliance with social activism, labor and civil rights, and other movements that champion the oppressed, the poor, and the disenfranchised. Their songs burst with lyrics that, while penned decades or centuries ago, still ring true in modern times, and Windborne’s dynamic harmonies breathe new life into these songs. 

Two hours slipped by as Windborne sang, and Batman and I agreed that we need to get out more often! Do check them out via their website. They are offering a Livestream concert, Music of Midwinter, on Sunday December 17, 6:30 ET, tickets can be found here.

Everything is on fire,

but everyone I love is doing beautiful things

and trying to make life worth living,

and I know I don’t have to believe in everything,

but I believe in that.

-Nikita Gill (British-Indian poet, playwright, writer and illustrator)

I’ve spent some lovely, snowy afternoons in my studio, working on holiday gifts and listening to words that fill me up. (I do not listen to the news in my studio, it is counterproductive.) One of my dear friends shared this story with me, and when I started to listen I realized I had heard it before. Recorded six years ago, it seems more poignant than ever, “Gate 4-A by Naomi Shihab Nye”.

I’ll be back soon with a few more pics from Scotland and some book talk. Sometimes we all need a bit of distraction…

simple and calm...and some gratitude and a winner

On Sunday morning, Batman and I pulled on our boots, bundled up and set out for a pot luck brunch at a neighbor’s. We carried umbrellas because there were thick, messy snow blobs starting to fall. Batman carried a balsam wreath he had made for our hosts. My basket was filled with a bowl of fruit salad and my trusty wool slippers to wear once I shed my mucky boots. There was something about the silence and the muted view that created a bit of magic on the road. I felt like we were walking into a Trina Schart Hyman illustration. These moments when we are aware of transcendent beauty have become more precious the older I get. I wish you had been with us, friends.

As we tumbled into our neighbor’s mudroom, the scents of yummy food led us into the kitchen. The windows were foggy with humidity and tea and coffee were offered right away. Other folks arrived, the wood stove crackled and the conversation rose and fell around the table. And the food! Oh, the food! As time passed, the snow got thicker and thicker in the sky. By the time we cleared the table and headed for home we decided to make a quick trip down to town for a few groceries, before road conditions got too bad.

On the way down the hill, I snapped this picture of snow falling on the rows of the leftovers from the corn harvest. This image has fascinated me for years, the contrast of light and dark, the imperfect symmetry, it’s a stark beauty. And I think of all the corn, stored in barns, for winter feed.

The next morning we woke up to these gorgeous colors and textures. This gentle landscape, with freshly fallen snow, is a reminder to me. Soaking it in is my favorite way to slide into the holiday season. Calmly. Simply. With gratitude for this place.

We’ve finally put the bird feeders up, the paper white bulbs have come up from the root cellar and some of the holiday textiles have found their way into the kitchen. Soups on the stove. Simple gestures as we move through these December days.

And I have finally found my way back into my studio, with multiple projects under the needle. Hooray! I had quite a dry spell and it had me a bit puzzled. But all is good now. :-)

Here’s a sneak peek for one wee project. 100% leftover scraps. Improv. Fun.

AND THANK YOU, FRIENDS, FOR ALL OF YOUR SWEET COMMENTS AND EMAILS. I’ve said it before, I do so wish we could all just gather around our dining room table here in Vermont. We could drink tea, introduce ourselves to one another and do a bit of handwork. Creating and growing friendships, making beautiful things with our hands, having good conversations about ways to change our neighborhoods, and in turn, the world…gosh. What a lovely thing that would be.

In lieu of that, know that I appreciate it whenever you stop by here. None of us are alone. There are good people all around us. xo

P.S. KIM, I pulled your name, so I’ll be happy to send the fabric bookmark off to you as soon as you send me your snail mail address. xo

Detroit, a giveaway and some big curiosity

6:27 AM, leaving our ridge in Vermont on November 20th

5:39 PM, approaching the Detroit metro area that same day.

We drove through Canada this time, passports in hand, and saved a bit of time. We watched the mists at Niagara as we crossed the Rainbow Bridge, two days before it showed up in the news. :-(

Batman and Maggie, walking in the woods.

A bunch of kids and their spouses, five grandkids, two strollers, a wagon and a pup and her person. Walking along the Dequindre Cut in Detroit.

It was a huge treat to go with Lindsey to help out at Sister Pie, at pick time for pre-orders (there were multiple time slots for pick ups!). Lisa and her team baked 900 pies and countless cookies and treats in the three days before Thanksgiving. It was such a fun few hours, where everyone walking in had a smile on their face, anticipating the yumminess that was in store for them.

Hannah, Batman and I had lunch together one day and went to Pewabic Pottery to have a look around. What gorgeous hand crafted tiles! Founded in 1903, the pottery was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991.

Now that Hannah and Lindsey are neighbors, six blocks from one another, Batman and I were hosted by Lindsey for the first half of our visit and by Hannah for the second half. We were lucky to have time with Gretta and her family midweek and then all four kids, their partners and our grandkids had Friday together. What a wild rumpus!

The week was filled with reading, reading, reading, playing, crafting, walking, laughing, dancing, napping. Watching the little cousins play together was, gulp, almost more than my heart could handle. And there was a bit of shopping, including a trip to Eastern Market, one of my fave Detroit destinations. Batman made a stop at Carhartt, a Detroit clothing brand that translates well to the Vermont rural scene.

The magic of roads and the interstate highway system and our well maintained Subaru (and carefully packed snacks) are nothing I take lightly. That practical combo allows us to connect our wee homestead in Vermont to our beloved family in the Midwest. I do not take any of it for granted.

I are do hope that each of you had a chance for some fun with those you love these past few weeks.

Can you guess what this is?

A super cute, easy sew bookmark!

I’ve been writing this blog since January 2009. Yikes! It has changed over the years, for sure, just as I have. I’m not so sure I’ve done a great job of writing about sewing and sowing lately. But this afternoon, I stitched a fabric bookmark, using this tutorial, and I’m hoping to get into my studio more often this month.

My blog topics have rambled all over the place these past 14 years. I have such curiosity…what would you like to see more of, dearest readers? If you would be so kind as to leave a comment below, letting me know what brings you here, what you especially enjoy, maybe even what you don’t like! Your feedback will help me focus my writing this winter. I’ll drop your names in a basket and pull one random name out next Tuesday, December 5th at noon EST. The little fabric bookmark will find its way through the postal system to the winner’s mailbox.

I’d also be happy to hear from you via email, if you’re a bit shy about leaving comments here. Or you can use the “contact us” form, here.

In any case, happy December, friends! This is the month of coziness, sparking lights, and hope. xo

hi

magic underfoot. gingko leaves and cobblestones.

sunrise, yesterday, here at our “bit of earth”.

candlelight at supper. to gather ourselves, settle ourselves and name gratitudes. the exhale before we pick up our forks.

our devoted girls. wilma and corazón.

All I have for you today are a few links for you to explore.

We listened to this piece while taking a wee road trip. It’s a real treat, because Krista Tippet is being interviewed, a reversal for her, as she is most often the interviewer. Dan Harris of the Ten Percent Happier podcast followed up with Krista on a TED Talk she had recently delivered. The podcast is called Three Skills for Staying Calm, Sane and Open in a Chaotic World. I may listen to it again, it was filled with gems and I want to really absorb them.

Here’s a quick listen, about the Lewiston, ME high school soccer team. It may give you the warm fuzzies.

scavenged beauty from the gardens and the meadow. an autumn “hello” by the front door.

Take care, dearest ones. Know that I am grateful for each time you show up here, leave a comment or drop a “like”. Thank you. I’ll be back in a bit with a giveaway, some big curiosity and more “devotion to little things”.

devotion to little things :: pausing

Lichen and crusty snow on a crabapple branch.

Crabapples and ice and Falu siding.

This is why I don’t tidy up my flower garden in the fall.

Our first snow of the season. Good morning!

The only way to describe the state of affairs around here is “suspended animation” or “on pause”. I cooked the wrong ratio of oats to water yesterday, and ended up with a bit of a mess. I can’t seem to get through my email in an organized fashion. I doze off at random times, many times a day. But that’s OK, ‘cause I am recovering slowly. I am devoted to pausing, not “pushing through”, or “bucking up”. Are there ways you can pause in the midst of these turbulent times? My favorite ways to pause…looking up at the sky, relaxing shoulders, inhaling deeply, brewing some tea, taking a walk, reading poetry, mending, getting a CAT scan from Wilma or Cora…

I don’t have any nifty projects to share with you, or much to say. I thought I’d share some gems I’ve found on the occasions when I am focused enough to navigate the internet.

Do you listen to unsung hero on NPR? I heard this episode this morning and wanted to share it with you. The little things. The little things that can change lives. xo

Hannah Nunn really does a nice job of making me smile. Right around the time I posted about my acorns, she wrote this lovely piece.

If you have enjoyed Wintering or Enchantment by Katherine May, I recommend her recent piece on Substack, How to Feel Grounded, Finding Calm in Dark Times.

When we change the clocks the twinkle lights over the kitchen sink get plugged in at breakfast and stay on through supper. Because I am devoted to little sparkly bits of hope.

Sending love and hope and comfort to all of you, dearest readers. xo

devotion to little things :: mending our bodies and souls

A tiny Liberty of London patch on my grandmother’s dresser sleeve.

Hydrate.

Rest.

Repeat.

After giving Covid the slip for the last three and half years, it finally grabbed me by the ankles and dragged me in to bed. I’ve been in a fog here on the hill for two weeks. It seems like it’s been a good time to be away from much of the news and the outside world.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I’ve been rethinking how to put my life back together once I’m up and about. Mending my immune system, mending my spirit, mending a tiny corner of the world…

How have you been, friends? I have missed you.

xo

devotion to little things::acorns

Silk, cotton, linen.

Gathering acorns, thanking the tree they fell from, creating a dye pot and simmering cloth…connecting Mother Nature with my studio and my hands…a weekend spent in meditation. Using the cloth I had dyed and some old calicos from my stash, I cut little circles, ran a running stitch around the edges, drew up the gathers and stuffed a bit of batting into each pouch. I tucked the raw edges into an acorn cap rimmed with glue…and VOILÁ…make believe acorns.

I have some acorns soaking in water, to see if any of them will split and sprout. If I have success, I’ll have a wee oak tree growing on the kitchen windowsill. If that’s not a bit of hope, I’m not sure what is. :-)

Do you remember David M Bird’s work? His acorn critters are some of my favorite whimsies.

And my dear friend Anne has posted a tutorial on how to paint acorns that’s just lovely.

The colors in Vermont are fading fast, but the beeches still sing in the woods.

Batman brush hogged the meadow a while back, and the gardens are mostly put to bed. Batman spread goat compost (from our neighbors down the road) on the beds and in the hoop house. The leeks and sage and parsley are hanging on. The sky has been heavy with mist and rain and we are snug inside.

I hope you are able to find a little thing or two in your neighborhood, to tuck in your pocket, to draw a picture of, to share with a friend…something that might ground you for a moment or two…to bring you into the present moment.

Be gentle with yourselves and those around you, friends. These are times when love and light are more important than ever. xo

a little grandchild and her little birthday quilt

Tilly and her birthday quilt!

Look at that gorgeous honeycomb quilting!

Our youngest grandchild, Matilda, turned one this week. Her mama, her Auntie Gretta and I started working on her birthday quilt last February. Lindsey collected fabrics from her stash and from a Dear Stella series. She had some ideas about a piecework pattern and Gretta drafted it for us, with each of us piecing a third of the quilt top. Lindsey and Gretta sent their sections to me in Vermont (thank you USPS) and I stitched them together with mine. When I went out to visit family in Detroit in April I took the quilt top with me. We three shopped for a backing at Ann Arbor Sewing Center. Then Lindsey made a roll of binding, made the backing, found some batting and dropped everything off at Amy’s place, for some long arm quilting. Lindsey and Amy decided that a honeycomb pattern would be just right. The quilt found its way back to Vermont this summer, when Lindsey and her family came to visit and we sat around on the three season porch and sewed the binding on together.

On the design wall in my studio in Vermont

Lindsey, Gretta and I have collaborated on quilts before and it’s such a lovely way to stay connected to my girls who live far away from Vermont. We enjoy making quilts to celebrate special occasions, knowing that they will keep loved ones cozy for years and years to come.

And there’s not a lot of room for melancholy when you have a needle and thread in your hands. Come to think of it, a need and thread are little things, too.

:-)

P.S. Lindsey took most of these photos and gave me permission to share them here with you.

P.P.S. I am finally responding to your kind comments on my last post.