paper weekend

 this old fabric was a dress.

my dress, actually a jumper. 

i wore it my first year back to work full time in 1994.

that year i worked at st lawrence university bookstore,

 staying until i realized i needed

a somewhat larger income.

so i went to grad school to become a teacher.

this dress was a favorite, simple, cotton, comfortable.

i once slid down a very steep stairwell at the bookstore.

it had a wooden slatted slide rigged for the days that boxes needed 

to be stored in the basement,

pushed down the slide to storage and

where the framing room was (my job).

jenny challenged me to slide, and i did. in this dress. she still tells the story.

this weekend it became a nice edition of paper.

 it was an expensive garment for me

 the tag says c p shades

it's quite blue after beating, 

but this sheet doesn't show up the color well.

the blue is like the blue below

and the pale yellow paper is milkweed fluff-seed fiber

another gift from gin petty.

a few precious sheets.

there looks to be severe cockling, but it's not that bad

the bright sun brings out the ripples.

the gold is more like this,

rich, buttery, with a wonderful rattle.

the blue edition is still drying,

a nice, soft cotton rag paper.

 thursday morning it was snowing hard

snowed all day, too.

 quite beautiful, cold,

but today it's in the 40's and the snow is melting away

 i didn't realize that porcupine has been eating red pine

 this winter, 

leaving a small urine spot

 and a happy trail

behind the paper mill and into the woods.

 at zone 4 the print studio next door has this posted

 i like it alot.

and i'm still messing with this image

and i ran a piece of linen paper through the printer with it.

it's not a success at all, but i really like it,

even in the bright sunlight early this morning.
~~~ 
sunday morning paper results:
three stages of paper
1. very thready with a soft hand
2. pulp beaten longer (15 minutes more) with a bit of the old pulp mixed in
3. full beaten, soft hand, but more paperish

(handmade, handspun) paper on (handmade) paper

this is the first one

lokta on flax

it reminds me of what jude hill calls a long cloth

an accordion 

and then more have followed

inspired by off-cuts of beautiful handmade papers

and bowls and houses

and landskeins

encolsures for long books can be lovely, too
as well as essential to their protection.

a harvest that continues to become

books and book objects.
a half dozen here.

a valentine came from catherine michaelis
may day press

the event of the week

(besides the *procedures*)

was meeting a bald eagle

on the roadside in the snow

head turned, 

those strong eyes are looking straight at me.

the camera gave out and the phone had to suffice,

there's a barred owl that likes hunting at the place i call home

i just missed seeing it again today.

three things i like, winter count

sighted at upstate medical center on tuesday.

 sighted in russell, tuesday

 sighted daily, my kitchen

for a few days i was really tired

all day long.

today's better.

grousing around

a ruffed grouse near home eating,

known as "budding"

feasting on highly nutritious hardwood (not sure which tree)

buds. grouse was serious about this, ignoring me in my car far below.

i've been struggling with traveling this year,

in spite of a huge desire to travel and teach,

meet new people and hug old friends.

i love the being there:

Australia, (hand papermaking and shifu and books)

Maine, (Book Arts Bazaar in Portland)

Washington, DC, (GBW contact printing)
Michigan, OxBow and PBI (the Paper and Book Intensive)

Victoria, BC (Shifu and stuff)

Seattle/Olympia (Shifu and stuff and handmadepaper)

Portland (ian)

New Hampshire, Long Ridge Farm (handpapermaking).

i know so many of my friends struggle with juggling travel and work.

traveling means you make rich connections 

which, for me, is HUGE.

So, Australia, where I will be teaching in several venues,

including the Grampians, Cape Otway, Geelong, and Melbourne.

Washington DC, hosted by the venerable Guild of Bookworkers

Victoria, British Comumbia, teaching at ANWG weaver's conference 

called Treadle Lightly,

where I will meet the amazing Jean and Bryan.

 Seattle and another venerable group the BAG (Book Arts Guild) 

and Olympia to do a round-table with the PSBA (Puget Sound Book Arts)

and maybe visit my beautiful son ian in Portland,

 wrapping up the wild first half of the year

at Long Ridge Farm in New Hampshire, making paper.

~~~

 i've been looking for some images that relieve me from the winter

and politics

and i came upon my friend Drew Matott

pressing a post of paper with high school students in Europe.

yes, a people press!

~~~

at HOME the beaver continue their work

which has to be interrupted or the lake drainage

will change.

(which makes me wonder what it was like before)

 lake water plays with vision

 and trees appear.

so much of my work involves fresh water

and plants

 aimee sent me this beautiful envelope made from paper made by her students
learning pulp painting

 st lawrence county is a land of rivers and lakes, here is

the road i drive to home from my house 

secret north country

such a very familiar landscape, 

my home. 

i'm not traveling to CODEX

where an amazing assortment of book arts folks will be this week

showing and selling their work

(though my November, A Map will be there along with Caliban Press).

represent!!

and a favorite maker

Shanna Leino, will sell her tools

and these 

amazing pieces that I found today on her Facebook 
CODEX announcement.
can you believe how cool these are?!

 i'm at home consuming clear liquids

prepping for the ostomy day tomorrow,

there's nothing to worry about

(except it's worrisome).

~~~

 planning and prepping and making delicious things

books and shifu and stuff

to take with me to Australia 

and everywhere else.

oh, and more news:

I completed my income taxes and filed, and

brought in paper for teaching and abaca for oz!

not one mention of politics this time!

too tired to make hot links now--will try to do it later...