now, listen...

posting two days in a row, 

this time to let you all know that the amazing morning voice 

of north country public radio, 

todd moe, 

interviewed me, and made little papers with me here at home,

and has posted that interview and a video plus some photos on NCPR's site. 

here: interview with TODD

todd was one of the adult students 

in our Book Arts class at St Lawrence University last fall. 

here he his enjoying some of the SLU

special collections treasures

in the owen d young library.

physik

the phrase i woke up thinking of this morning

was this:

"it's not enough to physik a jay bird"

something my folks used to say.

they had many lovely mountain sayings that i've mostly forgotten.

i found several of the tiny things that were in the soil of this pot

shells, pebbles

knocked onto the porch one day.

and on another day i also found this one's

been in the poor old hibiscus.

my jaybird must be looking for a physik.

as i continue making paper from what's been given me,

small batches that keep me happy

and prompt book ideas,

from rag:

white-cotton/linen shirt

lavender-patagonia hemp skirt

and

green-cotton off cuts in many green tones from st armand 

and an accordion booklet beginning here is now complete.

flax paper

tow linen threads (20)

a few tiny greasy yellow beads

 how many times (at least 10) do i have to rinse

black walnut dyed cotton woven tape

before i can let it dry?

 and here it is on a lokta shifu square

 on the walk hunting season has begun

which makes me pay attention.

 this large doe isn't too worried. yet.

milkweed pods are splitting

after the first hard frost this week.

 red maples dance

but autumn color is late and subdued

in this strange long warm autumn.

the ticks became active after the frost.

the traffic on my walk 

 expells exhaust that doesn't make me choke.

 i need to get 

my milkweed harvest stripped and cooked

soon.

this is last years harvest

perfect for a mouse or a bird's nest.

that big bag of stalks that's waiting needs my attention

before it's so retted that 

only the birds will use it

though that is a noble use.

on this walk i was happily reminded to get to that chore soon.

shifu and healing

the summer 2017 issue is out

 and i am so happy to be part of it.

paper as textile,

paper as practicing empathy.

seldom have i been so proud of my work

not because it's so grand but to be part of this issue

in the papermaking community

astonishes

and delights me, too.

 my article is about my observations of how shifu

facilitates healing

 and there's a sweet sample of humble lokta

paper and kami-ito.

which Mina and friends put together for the issue.

 there's work here that is new to me

 and my dear friend aimee's work as well

 a lace bark cap here

 and julie's work 

(which I have seen, yes, but have never met her)

 two samples in this issue

plus full color!

 when i finally climb down off cloud nine

 i will take some time

read this one in depth.

and enjoy.

 in other news here

i had a lovely mile or so walk last night

 and i felt terrific.

 i saw my first goldenrod in bloom

which means the summer really has turned

 and sunset creeps into the long days now.

change is coming.

margaret and milkweed

milkweed is blossoming in some places here at home,

this one hasn't quite, yet.

in the pacific northwest

i travelled from Victoria BC to Seattle and then Tacoma.

part of that trip was by a big ferry.

 and once in seattle I had a wee time out, 

in a lovely hotel that took very good care of me for two nights.

i found this place, 

where I was served a chocolate by a well-dressed staffer,

on a tiny paper server thingie.

 then Kate took me home 

where i spent time sleeping in a lovely quiet house in a beautiful garden.

what could be better than 

hanging out with good people, a poet and a conservator, both printers,

in their beautiful home?

 one evening, between workshop days,

we had a little supper party

with Joan and Margaret visiting.

 joan is larger than life wonderful

and margaret, a name i'd heard for years...

 they were both my students,

but more,

margaret brought her shifu

 which she modeled

and then put this coat on me.
i wore indigo shifu.
it was warm and perfect

and this bundle of cloths
shifu all
i held in my arms and didn't want to return.
it was a precious gift
to hold Mrs Sakurai's work for a while.

Margaret's beautiful hands
and the bundle

 it was a blessing

and margaret herself...she's a horse girl!

i thought i'd gotten my horse late in life 

my 30's, but margaret, she was in her 70's!

and then the final day.

 happy kami-ito spinning

 student work

 Hazel and Gabby

both were once mere phantoms of the ethers,

now real and beautiful

and hugely imaginative and hard working.

 some brought nifty lights to help out

 patricia grass,

another famous name came with her shifu covered book of tea

 and Linda came with washi...

and then there was

 kami-ito knit

(this precious gift is now in my teaching collection)

 and knit recycled cashmere

 prep

 a little indigo ink stick work

 joan, the amazing

 indigo ink on mitsumata

gabby

shifu dancing

 a good how to present your work!

 and then i went to tacoma and stayed with Lucia

saw Catherine and ate her good soup, 

talked to the PSBA

and had several meals in the presence of this great one.

 there is good to look at art in the airports

where i spent a lot of time on wednesday

after lucia dropped me off.

i headed home finally at 11:30 on the red-eye

arrived in ottawa 7-ish.

drove home, and relaxed.

 i didn't take many pictures really,

none of the papermaking at Debbie's home 

with Lucia and two very friendly cute pups.

and to all of you, my old and new friends and my one-time students,

a HUGE thank you.

really.

i felt so welcomed so treasured even.

i still feel surrounded by caring.

today, pre-op, thursday, ovarectomy.

recovery then, maybe, some papermaking!