humans at it again

last day of high school classes

was monday.

afterwards, i got in the subaru

to drive to vermont to stay here

and go to long ridge farm.

 good eating and shopping here

 community art

 ~a community

at work~

 a wall in front of the coop

 and some humans came along

to longridge farm

where i return this year

as a student

 of dorothy caldwell

we made marks in many ways on the first day

 looks like starling flight

 roxanne is my amazing table partner

she (of the white coat 

which i did not touch

because i had india ink on my hands) pictured below

 some odd brushes were made

 which made interesting marks

ink on paper

(i remember the brushes i made 

out of turkey beards and sticks

in oz in february)

 i was compelled to pour water over my marks

 others were more reserved 

(but not really, look closely!)

here's roxanne's amazing coat

today we looked at yesterday's work

pages

 kantha

 today we made marks with thread 

after looking at kanthas

i like these fish

 one woman's marks

 this composition was

on betsy and nancy's table.

the contrast between working in black and white

and the riot of green and 

flowers

in the great northern woods

is huge!

it is very good to be away and here, 

working and learning.

mid june reporting

 there are two doors now

 and this is the mudroom/entryway

 a large garden shed

built with trusses salvaged

from the house re-build

and roofing from his old milk house

 we've found turtle alley

a place where the road

skirts a large marsh

and turtles use this spot

 to lay eggs

all patterning thanks to turtles 

 some of these turtles are quite large

and there is some record of agitation

 and annihilation

i saw one huge raccoon

happily feeding at the end of the strip.

not too bothered by me, but it did

eventually

slip off. 

 the juneberry is shedding 

a few leaves

and is producing the first bird food 

at the new place;

also strawberries, 

the amish have them coming on.

out the window by the beaver dam

a whitetail nibbles

new water plants

 a fertile crescent

 these drifts of pale yellow

 are pollen

so many trees are flowering

and the northern forest

is rich. 

this was my desk thursday

royalty visited,

or was it lori

the best teacher assistant in the world

who brought me a little bit of spring

for joy and then for printing.

monday after school

i leave for a workshop 

with dorothy caldwell.

i am so happy!

before solstice gifts

friendly birds brought

a gift to my ditch

wild columbine

over at the new place:

a door

cedar on the outside

yellow birch on the interior

hand carved handles

the stairs,

also yellow birch,

are in

and back at home

i gathered a basket

of yard gifts

lupine, lilac, buttercup, hawkweed, rosa rugosa, iris, fern

hortus siccus

to make several long sheets

the top of the pot looked like this

nothing is wasted

gabby made herself a journal

(see how she played with the corner treatments)

for her work this summer

studying with the amazing 

don glaiser and suzanne moore.

big celebration

upper and lower lakes

on sunday morning

i picked rich up at 6.

i was early. 

he was earlier.

just before we turned into the spot

five sandhill cranes flew over.

new to me.

exquisite, he said they're likely here now

they've been moving east.

 we took an easy hike out

to the observation tower

past a termite mound

and early morning birds and mosquitoes everywhere,

rich set up the scope and proceeded to teach me all about the birds

who have familiar voices 

and flicks of colors

but he taught me to see more

 he carted in binoculars, scope and camera.

i had my little red canon.

 a beaver dam

around this were nesting loons 

and some big fish, eating

and occasionally slapping on the surface

showing off fins.

 the loons were calling 

their great calls

paired up 

and one on a nest

 a sundog danced

a blessing on our time together.

 abundance

 abundance

 rich is as close to a brother as i will ever have.

a nephew, seven years younger.

he runs the natural history center in bar harbor, maine.

and has, 

i am amazed to say

my father's hands.

 on our walk back to the car,

the light having changed many times,
settling into day,

the termite mound had become someone's

breakfast.

 later, we celebrated my sister's 70th birthday!

my sister is rich's mom.

another sister made the trek

from florida to the north country.

all to celebrate this special day.

 there we were,

friends,

 relatives.

as close to a brother as i will ever have

someone who knows the earth 

a bit differently than me,

nevertheless, my friend,

giving me the gift of seeing tiny birds close and quiet and 

amazing.

thank you.
and 

happy birthday, claudia!

~~~

it rained a couple of days back 

in the sunshine the raindrops were diamonds 

and a dragonfly lit on my

broken screen

riding out the storm.

so many dragonflies this spring!

~~~

emily martin's fun mail art project

mine is at the bottom, fourth column, 

my purple shifu postcard.
~~~

the black squirrel has found a friend
there were shenanigans at the base of
grandmother maple.
(the black is actually a gray squirrel.)
there may be more
soon.