January days on the hill

A bit before the holidays, Batman and I spent a few days in Portland, ME with my brother Doug, his wife Ra, and my cousin Nate and his wife Mary. We rambled around the city, ate great food and saw some live music. We also did a bit of shopping in independent stores, looking for items from local artisans. On our way out of town, Batman and I ducked into Taproot Magazine and Market. The magazine is edited by Amanda Soule, and she curates the shop as well. They’ve hit some bumps in the road recently, so we wanted to support their effort to spotlight makers, doers and dreamers. Batman and I fell in love with this print by Addie Best, and knew it would play nicely with our EXTEND poster by Nicki McClure. The text also rang true as another mantra for 2024!

This heirloom cactus has a lovely story behind it….

January 5 7:33 AM

New Year’s Day, 3:15 PM

another view, that same day.

January has been a mix of weird weather around here so far. This week saw lots of snow and high winds. Now it’s raining on top of 12” of snow. Yuck. (The snowplow is grinding along the road as I type). But look at all this beautiful light on the hills across the way. When I’m shoveling the deck, I lean on the handle of the shovel and take some deep breaths and soak in the beauty. When I do my morning meditation, I get up and look out the window before I brew my tea. When I go down to town to do errands, I pull over at the meetinghouse to check out the view from a different perspective. One of the ways I’m girding myself for 2024 is by noticing light and smiles and generosity and all the other things that push back against the darkness. I’m reminding myself that finding happiness and joy in life are an important part of resilience.

There’s nothing like a snow day to pull me into the kitchen. Batman and I made a meal to take over to some neighbors who need a lot of support right now. As I prepped to bake a batch of cornbread, I loved the quiet light that filtered through the curtain. Right outside the window, birds were flocking at the feeders and life just felt so cozy. Where does lovely light puddle in your home?

Our book group met last night to discuss The Marriage Portrait, and, wow, did we have a discussion! Let me know if you read it and what you thought about it. As is our custom, we gathered around the table afterwards to enjoy a pot luck meal inspired by the book. Set in Italy, the book reminded me of a goal we had when we visited Tuscany, pre-Covid. Our dearest friend Dolo, who we were traveling with, wanted to eat gelato every day. So we did! Of course, I took gelato to book group, and I baked some polenta cookies too. You can find the recipe here. Next time I will skip the vanilla, and substitute instead one of our favorite ingredients, Fiori di Sicilia, from King Arthur Baking. It is pricey, but a little goes a long way. I used certified organic cornmeal (for both the cornbread and the cookies) that I bought last time I was at Eastern Market in Detroit. I was chatting with the vendor from Hampshire Farms and he told me the grain had been ground the day before! I popped it into the freezer when I got home to Vermont ‘cause those whole grains need TLC to keep from going rancid.

The other book I’ve been reading is Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser, by Lewis Richmond. It’s not knocking my socks off, but, gosh, it does offer some food for thought.

And to wrap things up here, I’ll share a little project I’m getting myself ready for. Ann Wood has organized the 2024 100 day stitch book challenge. It is free, although she invites folks to join her stitch club with a membership. And being one to tweak language that bothers me, I am looking at this project as more of an invitation rather than a “challenge”. Ann will be stitching for 15 minutes each day, from January 19th -April 27th, and invites us to join her. That seems like a doable practice to me. What intrigues me is how the book will be put together at the end of the challenge. I’ve made fabric books before, but this technique is new to me. Can’t wait to get underway!

I’ve started to pull fabrics (above) and plan out some initial ideas for page spreads.

Are any of you stitchers intrigued?

Dearest readers I’m so glad you’re here, reading along as I write. I love knowing you are out in the wider world, shining your light, doing good things, and holding love and hope close to your hearts. xo

devotion to little things:: stamps and some thoughts on 2024

I stitched this pillow for our oldest grandchild for Christmas this year. You may recall that Maggie is a snail mail devotee. You can read about other snail mail related gifts I’ve sewn for her here

It was such fun to pull scraps from my fabric stash…can you find Lowly Worm, a wheelbarrowing gnome, and envelope fabric from the original snail pouch made in September 2020?

And now for some thoughts on 2024. I have a hunch that this upcoming year may ask a lot of us. I’m guessing if we are a thoughtful, reasonable people it may be a rough ride. I’m going to try to show up here at sewandsowlife with all the faith and hope and light and calm that I can muster to help us cope with whatever comes our way.

One of the things I am going to do this week is head down to my local post office and buy some postcard stamps. Those small, sticky things will have some heavy lifting to do…they are going to carry my voice to congress folks, senators, local reps and the millionaires and billionaires who are messing with democracy. I invite you to join me. Dearest readers, let’s cause a ruckus in 2024!

the in-between days

Ra, Doug and Batman, walking on the beach near Green Harbor, MA. It was foggy on Boxing Day.

One of my very favorite places.

Anna Brones recently wrote about the Swedish word mellandagarna, the in-between days, describing the days between the winter solstice through the new year. Her piece on Substack, The Midwinter Season of Creativity is just lovely. Many thoughtful people have written about taking a break from the rush at this time of year…even pausing the urge to step enthusiastically into the new year.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

-Ferris Bueller

Dearest friends, I hope the next few days offer you time to pause, to relax and to breathe into the present moment. It’s the best place to be. xo

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

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