humans persist

 roxanne was a high energy

positive

inquisitive

and experimental 

table mate. she worked in hot pink

to push herself.

 dorothy considering our

"blind" stitching

 out my window

at the place i was staying

appaloosa sky

 considering kantha

 batik discharge

 kami-ito

spun by therese

brought for me to see

 her sweet spindle

 something holy

 something old

 something borrowed and blue

 betsy's marks are formed

of fire and light

 graphic delight

 workshop hands

made things with string

dorothy made string

to document place

 and i kept sky watching

while filling up my car, 

for example

 patterning under my feet.

 a simple 

little structure

suitable for kids and smaller sampling

sorts of books,

textile sensibility/

some of our small books

with that nifty easy binding

betsy's little book

on a spiraled pie basket

that held betsy's wool,

beautiful!

so, this kind of class makes you think and try things unlike

the same old same old

but the women students were grand in this group.

hearts of diamonds and rust,

caring

meeting and knowing one another,

in 5 days you can dig

a bit deeper, 

in your own work and support each other.

we all wanted to keep going.

we will,

just not at longridge farm

or with dorothy caldwell,

both of whom we will miss most dreadfully.

i am making marks with a certain 

kind 

of

difference, now.

a few more

 stitches

 now 

on paper

 dyed lokta

 on disheveled 

bleached abaca

 some little lines

dashes and dashes

 some knots or not

on that linen sleeve.

the paper is a page from a book of thoughts.

the cloth has yet

to become its own story.

a long way still to go.

a little stitching

on claudia's sleeve

 couldn't keep the line straight

 it ran off and became a landscape

 and then kept undulating

 and then exposed a watcher

a very unhappy, silent watcher

noticing

once school begins

i get quite a bit quieter

and the (art/soul/heart) work slows

touches of color appear

but i am still noticing

the marsh down the road 

is refreshed by rain, but still 

quite thirsty

 i just love this silk

stitching with it on my paper

 around and around and in and out

 one lovely page spread

and this little shibori message

may become a text block in the book, too

today's clouds 

illuminated by autumn

settling in.

stitching and school

a few stitches of silk and paper

 on paper

at home last night

i stitched 

paper thread and silk 

dyed

on wake robin papers

and our school year opening meeting

i spotted a kangaroo. a touch of oz 

in the north country

a good beginning

a little humor

gifts and work

 nature has been generous with gifts

while i was reading on the porch

i noticed a movement

and a graceful, leggy visitor came along.

i was able to sneak off for the camera,

and caught her on the other side of the house.

this morning's visitor(s)

however, 

were NOT welcome

two little brown bats

playing tag in my bedroom.

up at 3:30, tending to bats.

not fun.

 i have been working

 stitching 

on silk and 

on cotton

 and when i need diversion

 i "knit"

the thing is well over a meter now.

~~~

and one more of nature's gifts:

a tiny warrior

who couldn't outrun a car.