Thursday, April 10, 2014

a mouse story

when you teach at the morgan
they ask you to supply a sample
something for their table that exemplifies 
your work or what the workshop
will offer.

fair enough.
 so when i went into my library to get a stamp
to mail my bit to aimee 
at the morgan.
this is what accosted my eyes at 6:45 a.m.
 this is my stationary drawer
about 12 x 16
it had been 
apparently
 appropriated for a nest
 while i was away.
i open this drawer quite frequently, 
since stamps live here
as well as envelopes.
 i was puzzled by the bright threads
until i examined the rug in my kitchen
woven by the amazing susanne arens
and much used and loved by me.
and now nibbled by a mouse momma to be
 she also shredded only handmade paper bits
from my stash.
the favorite was from 
the yahoo papermakers
stationary swatch swap from long ago.
this was how the fringe looked after the last wash 
(i had cut it down over the years
from a generous six to three inches).
sigh.
farmhouse living is definitely
NOT for the faint of heart.

20 comments:

  1. oh, VELMA!!!! you have a very strong heart. me, not so much. :) i was feeling guilty about asking you to help with the sample and now this!!

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  2. I wonder how you can use mrs mouse's nest? Or will you leave it for the babies?

    I live in a country house. My husband uses peanut butter to catch the mice.

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  3. Miz Mouse has very good taste. A designer mouse. Where will the wedding breakfast be?

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  4. aimee, the sample will only be a day or so late. i had some cleaning to do!
    judy, i never invite the mice, lord what would then happen! i, too use peanut butter.
    alice, it was so pretty in its not-finished state, and totally feces free. (thank goodness!)

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  5. Love this story and post, Velma!

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  6. Too bad about your paper samples and rug! I know the feeling... woodland cabins are not for the faint of heart, either, especially if there is no cat!! The mice had a convention going on in the pantry until I discovered the bait. I cleaned the whole thing the other day. Then they had another convention and pooped everywhere to protest. Cleaned that, and now they have given up in there cause there everything is in glass. But, I discovered a beloved ANCIENT Benneton gnawed wool and cashmere scarf from when I studied in Florence my junior year abroad. I bought it in 1984 and it was great until this week!!

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  7. Quite the artful meece, if I might say ... reminds me of jude's thread nest or maybe a collage of materials from Abigail Doan ... all so pretty. Tis rural here, too, with our own set of fringe-pilferers but your nest beats all, Velma ;>]]

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  8. gwen, thanks, i bet you would have made a lovely drawing of this nest!
    valerie, such ill-mannered mice in your place. they should know better--maybe this hard winter has them at wit's end?
    sweetpea, it was very pretty, but so very destructive. a reminder to me, as always, about attachment.

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  9. momma mouse has a taste for colour!

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  10. jean, she was back today! moved the trap (!) and nosed around a bit.

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  11. soulo is chewing on my carpets

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  12. jude, naughty boy that one…i saw the mouse last night…

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  13. V- both a bitter and sweet moment - to see treasures shredded but to see the beauty of the nest created and the very good taste of the mouse. Sad for you but what an amazing effort by the mouse. Recover well. B

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  14. sounds as though you need a feline...

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  15. barry, yes, i admire like hell this effort, but…
    india, i'm VERY allergic.

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  16. Poor you! All that work, turned into litter....say hi to Aimee for me. Wish I was going too.

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  17. ah Velma! what about a carpet snake aka diamond back python, they love eating mice!
    your drawere reminds me of living in the bush last century (love saying that) and finding a mouse nest with tiny pink babies between the 3rd and 4th blanket eeek! eeeek !! Eeeek!!!I always shake out the bedding when I change my sheets these days!
    always gotta keep movin' things around even in the inner city!

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  18. anne marie, i will!
    mc, time to refresh the trapline.

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  19. felines aren't always the answer! My cat Poppy is a prodigious hunter, but brings live mice in as presents for me! Into the bedroom; under the bed; at 4am! I'm running round trying to drop a towel on them and put them outside. Sometimes she grabs them, and I chase her downstairs telling her to take them out. Where she kills them. I, like you, cant live with mice in my house.

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  20. jan, mice are NOT welcome in my house. period.

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