Another Repeat!

Well, we do some of the same things year after year. Most of the time I take pictures. The boys with wet socks are a little bigger this year. The cranberries as usual are hard to pick but well worth it. -Polly

Halloween Blogoversary

Happy Halloween!The ghost cookies are complete.
Or are they feet? Anyway, take a look back at one year ago . This blog is one year old today. Happy Halloween again to you, Happy Blogoversary to me. - Polly

Dog Training

Our girl dog is settling in very well with us. In this picture she is standing steady waiting to be called over by Mr. Moss. One of the adults in our family knows a lot about dog training, and has been reading up on the subject. That person is not me, but when I was asked to help with a training session I agreed. My job would be to "hold the rope in the field". I prepared myself by donning a raincoat and the clogs that I wear most days. These being the wooden type of shoe that can sometimes pass as heels with the earthy set. When we arrived at the field, I learned that my job was indeed to hold the rope. I was to hold the rope while doing an experienced hunting dog impression running back and forth across the field and into the marsh. As commands were shouted out, I was to respond and help our dog learn to respond properly. One of us did very well. For our next training session I will try to be better prepared. I don't need to worry about wearing those unsuitable shoes though. My dog partner ate them this morning. -Polly

Beans

"When I get those beans threshed and winnowed and sacked

there'll be pretty near a bushel of beans. When I get those few

hills of corn cut, husked, and stored down cellar in a teacup,

we'll have quite a harvest."-Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Long Winter

New Old Chairs

I have a new chair. Actually I have two new chairs that are just like this one. When I was small, these chairs were in my Great Grandmother's house. My brother and I would sit on them at Christmastime when the adults were chatting in the kitchen. For many years they have been in my Aunt's house. She was ready to part with them and now they have come to be mine. I have been thinking about that old house where we spent Holidays. Things have changed since that long ago time when I was a child. The internet now has made my interest an easy one to research. It turns out that the old house is for sale, and I can see pictures of the inside of it! This exterior shot is not my photo, I took the picture from the realtors site. What new fangled things will they think of next? -Polly

Loving Fall, Rain and All

I hope you are enjoying Fall as much as we are. -Polly

RISD Alumni Fall Art Sale

On Saturday I attended the RISD Alumni Fall Art Sale. Just like the Spring sale, the tent was needed. It was a great day though. I sold a ton of scarves. Forty two scarves in fact! The sale date coincides conveniently with the alumni and parent weekend. One of my favorite things about this Fall event is talking to the parents of new students. Some are comfortable asking what it is like to live as an artist. Others, are not sure they want to ask, but the question is there on their faces. "Can you make a living doing this? Will my child end up selling wares on the street?" Fun! The other nice thing about Saturday was visiting with my lovely sister in law and her wonderful Beau. After visiting with me they helped break down and carry things away! The third wonderful thing about Saturday was that I sold a scarf to one of my all time favorite teachers. My elementary school art teacher who is also a RISD grad. Kind of a banner day. Now I have a great deal of work to do before the Holiday sale. - Polly

Catching Up

Printing bags and ironing scarves today!

Trying to catch up after a long week and a half of croup and colds, vaporizers and soup. -Polly

Halloween

Now that it is late September, Halloween is upon us. Our boys adore Halloween in a way that I cannot really understand. I do remember liking jack o lanterns and costumes very much. For weeks now the stores have been full of headless zombie decorations and injured monster statuettes. The boys and I don't always agree on which decorations are nicest. Their enthusiasm is fun though. -Polly

Oh My! I just learned how to listen to my local

police scanner online. -Polly

This is some of what Mr. Moss has been up to lately. We are working on putting a new website together for his business, and there are a lot of interesting pictures to work with. -Polly

A Colorful Weekend

This most recent batch of silk scarves spent a short time on the line this weekend. I took this picture just after they had finished drying, and just before they escaped from the line and fluttered about in several directions. This little colorful patch is just outside our front door, and it has been lovely to see all summer. It is the direct result of well directed fretting. In the spring I volunteered to continue serving on the board at my children's school. I did not know that another well meaning parent also would volunteer for the position. A ballot was made up, and sent home with all the parents. I was so embarrassed that I dug up a goodly portion of the front lawn. A few packets of seeds, and some divisions from a generous person's garden (Thanks Mom) remedied the situation nicely. -Polly

Lunch

I told myself that I would not do this. Maybe just this once if I keep it brief. Packed lunches on display! Here they are! Take a quick look, I promise not to make a habit of it. Appetising though right? -Polly

September time

Since school started, I have been trying to use my time wisely. Mostly, I have been wandering about feeling odd and unsure of what I should do first. So far, I have chosen to devote myself to some organizing, some laundry, some more organizing, and a lot of elderberries.

A lot of elderberries. -Polly

Empty Nest

The first day of school has come and gone. The first day of Kindergarten even. These little boys put on their matching shoes and their heavy backpacks, then went off to start a new year. I have a little more time and a lot more quiet. I have some big plans for this year, but I am off to a slow start. The quiet feels a little empty, and so does my head. But, the sun is shining, I have a long list to attend to, an unbelievably lively dog, and just a few short hours until school pick up time. - Polly

My new friend Mina

We have a new dog! She is a full grown speedy speedy German Shorthaired Pointer. She is getting to know us, and we are getting to know her. So far, we really like what we are learning about her. She is so fast a runner, that this is a typical view of her as she blasts by. -Polly

Running

Running



Pointing

RISD Alumni Fall Art Sale

The gallery and listing for the Fall RISD Alumni Sale has been put together. God willing and the Creek don't rise, I will be there that day. The image on the right of the sale postcard is Randall Darwall's work. I helped do production weaving for him many years ago. Wonderful weaving, wonderful person. -Polly

Market Scarves

This weekend I set up a little loom to demonstrate weaving at the local farmers market. The weather was nice, but the beaches were closed due to hurricane Bill's agitating effect on the surf. A lot of people came by to see what I was doing. This is always fun because I forget how confusing a loom looks if you are not familiar with them. I worked on these simple striped scarves so it would be easy to find my place after I stopped to chat. I am happy with the stripes, but the selvages are very uneven. Too much chatting I suppose. I will turn them into something, but I have not decided what yet. -Polly

Farmers Market

This is where I plan to spend my Saturday morning.

Ruth Ann will be joining me. I need to remember to bring a modest garment for Ruth. In fact, I better go pack that up right now. I hope you have a great weekend. -Polly

More Yard Construction

A fort has been constructed in our yard. After visiting a bigger boy's impressive fort, our resident 5 year old felt he needed one of his own.

This fire ring came to us courtesy of our city water department. A water pipe broke underneath the street causing a massive sink hole. During the repair project, this piece of pipe was trimmed off, tossed into our yard and forgotten. When the project was over and it was clear that this item was left for us to clean up, we rolled it over and put it to use.

Lovely on a summer evening. -Polly

The Two Weekend Shed. A Play in 4 Acts

Act I. A tree falls.

Act II. In which much measuring occurs, and posts are placed.


Act III. In which Polly learns to use a nail gun, and all family cast members
experience anxiety and concern.


Act IV. In which the capable husband safely packs away the power tools, the
shed is introduced, and family harmony is restored. - Polly

Merino Samples

This is the first sample that I wove to try this lovely thin merino yarn. I wanted to see the color gradation over a length of cloth, so the sample is as long as a scarf. The top picture is the cloth as it came off the loom. The lower picture is the cloth washed and fulled some. The hand is just right as it is, but I find the 16/2 green warp to be too overpowering. Next I will try a warp of 20/2 instead. - Polly

My Co-Pilots

Have you seen that bumper sticker that reads "God is my co pilot"? How about "Dog is my co pilot"? Well, I have both - not the bumper stickers, the co-pilots. This here is our dashboard bobble dog. His nose was chewed off and spit out by a toddler some time ago. His head bobble function has been broken for several years. At one time I could ask "Are we going the right way?", and bobble dog would solemnly nod. Bobble dog was always right because when I did take a wrong turn I was blissfully unaware and it did not occur to me to ask. Makes sense right?
- Polly

A Mixed Bag

I have a mixed bag of projects underway this week. My favorite involves this yarn. These skeins are all from one color way! It came to me from Heritage Yarns .

These red critters are quilted pillow shams. For some reason, my local thrift stores often have lots of these. Last week I came home with three others. These red ones I plan to cut up and reassemble. The other ones I am hesitating to cut, but we will see.

And... The terrariums are multiplying. I am not sure how these will fit in the window when I bring my wimpy plants in for the winter. I will need to find a place though, I just love the green stillness of these. -Polly

A Movie in a Theater with Popcorn

A five year old's first movie. A complete success. -Polly

Another terrarium

I have been working on terrariums again because I just can't help myself. I love the ways these look. The mushrooms are made of polymer clay. I believe that they look like the "small brown mushroom" that mushroom experts hear a lot about. As in "My friend just ate a small brown mushroom is that alright?" Not edible, just lovely. -Polly

A Spa Vacation

My computer is back from it's spa vacation! It's masseuse told me that it has grown elderly. Well, I guess that happens. -Polly