autumn stuff

see the geese?

and here i'm wearing hannah's beautiful sweater

(knitted twice)

she says i have to smile more

hannah visited for a few days,

after a marathon and a job interview

and a long drive

first to montpelier

then to the north country.

 she's addicted to yarn,

wool mostly.

she remembers fondly my little flock

of mostly brown sheep.

 after hannah went home

i used slu's paper mill

(zone 4 paper)

where i beat thistledown fiber first

and then linen canvas.

the linen clogged the beater

and while fixing melissa found this,

 large helping of old, 

oniionized pulp.

 yuck, 

thick and light

a map of sorts of who'd been there.

 i brought home thistledown sheets

and put them into a jerry-rigged drying stack

 on the counter the thistledown 

(and that's all there is, no formation aid)

and here it is,

layered on fall prints

 and i finished off yesterday what i began 

on wednesday

 this edition of paper is exactly like it was when i made it 

without a beater, using only a blender.

a two sided sheet,

 extremely textured.

a decorative sheet, but pretty satisfying to use

north country fiber.

finish line

 the week that was winter break

flew and plodded along 

 with icy marvels 

and deep cold.

the birches drooped

and the fence lines made new patterns.

 just over a week until i leave for australia!

more about that in a day or so.

good news graced the inbox

my two books available above on this site

(see the bar with the shop label?)

Poor (Wo)man's Asparagus and November, A Map

were just purchased for the poetry collection

at the University of Buffalo (Lockwood Library).

i am dancing to think that my poem/books are there.

 i loved the woven ice as the sun began to sink

 and saw scarlet and purple and greens in the dazzle

as i get my stuff together for the trip

to australia

i've spotted above this summer prunus print on arches

 and below 

four hosta papers

colored with north country ochres

i also realized this terrible headache

and weariness is

a sinus infection

so i got myself to the after hours clinic today

and am taking a killer antibiotic.

the wonderful doctor had an auspicious name: wendy.

there was a wonderful visit from hannah this week

who modeled a unicorn head

at brewer bookstore.

i had a wonderful and wonderfully long chat with an artist 

about some new teaching locally.

and more news is coming,

i promise.

field notes

 this summer i have met

a handful, a rather large handful,

of marvelous people

 one of these

 therese

 sent me a wonderful momento

that includes dear aimee, too

 a gifted vellum piece

that will become another of the hortus siccus books

 beckons

 and while walking

three bees

involved in something i don't understand

 a road killed flicker

beautiful,

i moved off the road.

 a failed family

at the new place

 morning dew/fog

 another one soaking up heat from the tarmac, 

but i moved 

so it would be chilly in the cool wet grass

but alive

 late august morning

 such beauty

 leaves gathered here

sugar maple sustains in so many ways

and this small leaf

both showing 

autumn's touch.

labor day weekend. 

hannah's birthday.

the end of summer.

in maine

 this is where i'm writing this morning 

i'm in northeast harbor, maine

in the maine studies room

in the village library.

 a fresh breeze coming in that bank of windows

  the collection here is all about maine

there are a few secrets

rarities that need special permission

 a book by someone who

i remember from ages past

 and a few titles i'd like to get to know

 bad beaver tales, indeed

 boats and ships appear everywhere

 and history is palpable

 hannah is archivist at this public library

when she's not hiking

 showing me amazing rocky places

 she knows the park* well, now

 and has favorite quiet, 

almost hidden 

places to look long

when she's not

 at work

 this library is beautiful

and new

with profound respect for place 

and books

and bookish things

 with all kinds of art

 and even a few ancient 

beautiful things

 these ships are "woolies"

made from yarn scraps 

 they're all over this library

 the archive has many treasures

 all about this place

 this treasure i love,

a painted interior door

of a safe

in the archive room

 and down the street

there is a funny funny fellow

lest we take ourselves

too seriously

this little maine interlude

is special, because in a week i will be

back at work

teaching in a different program and school.

*Acadia National Park

Mount Desert Island, Maine