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

Birdhouses

Birdhouses before the partyDuring
After

Trickery afoot

I made a scarecrow for my garden out of a thrift store dress and hat. We have a neighbor that is a very enthusiastic bird feeder, and the birds congregate heavily near my beans. I thought that this might help. What I noticed was a lot of whispering and giggling among the men folk in the family. Later on I discovered what they were up to. A strategically placed Halloween mask. -Polly

Bad News

Well, the weekend away happened. As I hoped, there was some reading and a little knitting. But, something terrible also happened. We lost our little pup. The country vet tried to help. The city vet tried to help. In the end, he just could not stay with us. I can't believe it. I can't stand it. But, that is what happened. -Polly

Weekend Plans

I am hoping that these things will receive some of my attention this weekend. I know in my heart that I will be mostly doling out snacks, rummaging through laundry, and refereeing dogs and boys, but this is still my hope.  I hope you have a great weekend. -Polly

Puppy Love

So, the puppy is still here, and he is getting bigger. We still think he is charming. I took some pictures of him when he first arrived. I particularly liked this one of him exploring the garden. That was just the beginning. He has since proven himself to be a truly expert and tireless plant demolisher.

Picture this coming at you if you are a tender lily.

Here he is doing what he is meant to do. That interesting object is a packet of grouse feathers. When it is dangled and swung from a fishing pole, he points at it steadily. Good Dog! -Polly

Grandmas and Grandpas and The Fourth of July

Today is the fourth of July! This morning the sun finally came out and lit up my glass bear. I live in the house that my Grandmother grew up in. Though much has changed, this bear is still in the same window where it was when I visited Grandma here. Remembering her on the Fourth of July reminds me of my favorite part of one of my favorite books.

A final memory.

Fire Balloons.

You rarely see them these days, though in some countries, I hear they are still made and filled with warm breath from a small straw fire hung beneath. But in 1925 Illinois, we still had them, and one of the last memories I have of my grandfather is the last hour of a Forth of July night forth-eight years ago when Grandpa and I walked out on the lawn and lit a small fire and filled the pear-shaped red-white-and-blue-striped paper balloon with hot air, and held the flickering bright-angel presence in our hands a final moment in front of a porch lined with uncles and aunts and cousins and mothers and fathers, and then, very softly, let the thing that was life and light and mystery go out of our fingers up on the summer air and away over the beginning-to-sleep houses, among the stars, as fragile, as wondrous, as vulnerable, as lovely as life itself.

Ray Bradbury - Dandelion Wine 1975 All last week my boys practiced their parade form. As they hoped, the real parade today was very loud with fire trucks and small town wonderfulness. After lunch, their Grandmother sent them searching in the yard for a treasure box she had hidden. It is a big job to fill their heads with sweet memories, but someone has to do it. Happy Fourth, -Polly