Sentimental Journey

Crispin Weinberg, JERRY KAPLAN, moi
with Sophia Willie
with Jack Delong
with Betsy Lake (and we both grew up in Needham!)

Sorry for all the photos of Yours Truly, but these are my dear colleagues and friends whom I haven't seen in years. Sunday night we celebrated Jerry's 80th birthday en masse, over one hundred of us. Jerry is beloved by us all, a true mensch, and there were many tears shed. The years that we all were together in Coolidge Corner, teaching at the Edward Devotion School were the glory years. Amen.

City Weekend

I like this male model dismembered best of all.

Mackie has been lying around enduring the heat.

CSR found these yoga chimes (?) in the park. We haven't figured out their use yet. I suggested I bring them home to T for consultation but she wasn't buying it.

Day Before Boston Departure

S/he's working overtime in our second story eaves nest. When I am working in my studio just below her home (see below) I can hear the sweetest sounds of her wings swishing and her claws gently tapping the landing spot. I don't hear vociferous young and I hope everything is alright in there. S/he is madly scooping up worms and going back and forth. Does anyone know if the female robin does most of the spring work? We DO see two adults in collaboration.

All the little Bodhi butts have their labels attached for their show in Boston Thursday night. The first one in the saffron robe stays home because he was my first ever and I'm keeping him. STILL haven't decided if #16 is finished or not.

Rodney Yee is such a nice addition to my mornings. I have had dvd - A.M. Yoga - for more than a year and haven't used it because of needing to change settings on the t.v. and set up in a spot I'd have to adapt, etc. etc. (whine, procrastinate, whine) Finally I had the epiphany that I could use it on my laptop on the floor and move it however I wanted and just Insert and Press Go. Voila! I'm doing it every day that I don't have my formal group yoga class.

Big Bodhi-softa

From antique French wool, woven on a linen warp, this Bodha-softa is the biggest one I've made yet. The fabric is scratchy, primitive, farm-ish. I chose a linen twine to sew his features and haven't decided yet whether he is 100% finished. It's always good to let it sit for awhile. Which he is doing, as you can see.

Back to Buddhaville

I'm working with antique wool/linen fabric purchased as a scrap at Marston House. It's from an old mill and has the same appearance as the ones made currently at Brahms Mount. It should be quite a challenge to sew and cut, and an interesting final work. I love the texture and sheen, the heft, the antique quality. Each buddha has its own specially designed pattern and this one should be larger than any previous ones.

First Pick!

T is so happy when his garden is producing (and so am I!). He proudly presented me with his first broccoli bouquet at lunch time today.

Broccoli Bouquet

T is so happy when his garden is producing (and so am I!). He proudly presented me with his first broccoli bouquet at lunch time today.


And in case you're wondering how the patio turned out, here it is. I'll be adding shrubs and perennials on its border and along the path to the lake.

Broccoli Bouquet

T is so happy when his garden is producing (and so am I!). He proudly presented me with his first broccoli bouquet at lunch time today.

Broccoli Bouquet

T is so happy when his garden is producing (and so am I!). He proudly presented me with his first broccoli bouquet at lunch time today.

Subdudes!

Sally, Jon, T and I went to hear the Subdudes last night in Boothbay. I'd never heard them before but everyone else was wildly enthusiastic. AWESOME group! The evening included lobster rolls at Red's which are the best in Maine with NO mayo, NONE. It/mayo comes on the side or melted butter, your choice. Limonada is another matter. J thinks it comes from powder, not exactly Mexican style.

Fieldstone Gardens

Margaret, Beth and I went to Fieldstone Gardens in Vassalboro for our first summer venture. We packed a smorgasbord of a picnic and set out early. FG specializes in native plants hardy to zone 4 and mail order plants. Their catalogue is terrific, but visiting in person is enlightening and inspirational. It's beautifully landscaped and everyone there is helpful and friendly. Emma offered to help me with my strawberry shortcake.

Marston House

Marston House is my favorite shop in Maine. I've been going there for years and am always excited to see what Sharon has brought back from her winter in France. Her inventory makes me sigh with sensual delight. All of our porch tables and chairs come from late nineteenth century Paris, via husband Paul and her. This year, I found some intriguing farm fabrics for buddha dolls.

She has an impeccable eye for whimsical primitives, textiles, cermaics, tools, just the creme de la creme of antiques. Her dyed linens are saturated with the colors of Southern France and would transform any table on which they were placed. My friend, CSR might well covet these marigold monogrammed napkins.

Sharon and Paul are warm, gracious and friendly. They also run a bed and breakfast which I've always secretly wanted to patronize. I highly recommend a visit in Wiscasset if you have the chance.

The Pleasure of Peonies

I can't help it. I know that peonies are over-photographed and sensual beyond all ration. I can't get enough of my six plants. I sneak out to the garden all day and whiff into their enveloping scent, touch their delicate edges, rhapsodize on their ruffles, and drown in their passionate colors. I'm not alone as I stand and wait my turn, after the ants, bees and other insects which I can't identify.

Sittin' Pretty in Wellfleet, MA

These six Bodha-Softas are at FARM gallery in Wellfleet. Their gorgeous tags were made by my dear friend, Jan. Thank you, thank you, Jan, and for getting them all set up and connected.

Monday's Eye

Splurging and impulse buying is something I try to control and am fairly successful. (Do not consult my husband who has a different perspective.) However I was immediately taken with a new periodical called UPPERCASE out of Canada. I can't remember where I saw it, but maybe on Camilla Engman's blog. As a matter of fact they've published one of her books, which I also bought, not impulsively at all. The focus seems to be on graphic arts, my latest passion besides Buddha. I'll report more after I've delved inside. So far, my drool may ruin my initial investigation. No regrets here.


During my yoga class when I am supposed to be focusing (speak of) on the third eye, I spotted these animals in the oriental carpet and fell in love with their assymetry.

Damp and Dreary

This season seems to be following the pattern set last year of damp, buggy days with a few intermittent dry, sunny ones. The weekends seem particularly gray and so we do what we can to keep cheery. Gathering together, we had a group of nine to dinner, even though we shivered a bit on the screen porch as we ate our borsht, Thai summer rolls, grilled wild salmon and new-from-the-garden greens. It always helps to be convivial.

It also helps to have wool on the fingers. In order to participate in a new knitting group, I was driven to find a knitting project. Using up old grandchild knitting project odds and ends, drawing them together with some leftover mohair, I'm looking forward to completing this hottie cover for the cold nights and freezing feet.

Napping has also been one of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities. Okay, I also like them on weekdays too. I love facing my favorite painting which is the one thing I'd grab if the house were on fire.

Gwynth

My mother, Gwynth Lukens Woodbury, was born on this day in 1914. She was the youngest of ten children and her mother died when she was eight. Here she is with her six sisters, Viola, Frances, Dorothy, Norma, Florence and Thelma. She was the only blonde and favored by her oldest sister, Viola, who was left with the task of raising her.

Most of all she taught me to listen carefully and lovingly to others and to put relationships above all other activities in life. She had many friends and was always making more. When she visited me in my adult life, she always made friends with my neighbors, with taxi drivers and hairdressers. In her last year at a nursing home, she bonded quickly with her roommate and included her in all of our family visits. I am grateful to have been able to call her my mother.

#15, Bodha-Softa

He still needs his hands modeled. He's wearing a leaf-embroidered cashmere robe, thanks to Jan, for her sweater recycled.

Cashmere Hat #3

Hat got fiddled with quite a bit. I still am considering sewing chartreuse Xs across the fold, but dunno. T says it looks good the way it is. Any opinions out there?

Fiber Frolic Folk

Although it was a very rainy day, I set out with my companion to attend my first ever Fiber Frolic, on the Windsor fairgrounds. Who wouldn't love visiting some llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats and rabbits, all groomed for their big day with constant attention? Sorry there are no photos of the rabbits, especially the angoras. Wowzer.



Bill's sweater (from Hope Spinnery) was the most gorgeous piece of art I saw all day. He designed and knit it all himself and it is absolutely breathtaking. Those cuffs just blow me away, not to mention the contrast of positive and negative pattern on body and sleeves. And those saddle shoulders! Do you think I should make one for T? Luckily there is no pattern available!

Cashmere Hat #2

Still recycling those sweaters, including Larry's. T says this one looks like a runner's cap which means it's just right for me on those fall days in Maine. I like the way I can turn it to have any of four colors facing front, or a split of two.

Cashmere Hat #1

It's even sewed together with 100% cashmere yarn. Those little patches are the softest, thinnest pieces of suede imaginable, like glove leather. The body of the hat used to be my friend Larry's Burberry crewneck sweater. When he moved to Hawaii, Ethan inherited the sweater. After Ethan, it began new lives first as a bunny mifflette, then a Buddha soft sculpture and now a hat. There are still some pieces left for a future project. Thanks, Larry!

Toppling Cashmere Tower

The pieces of my cashmere tower are waiting for their next lives. I am missing oranges and think that must be a harder color to find. It seems that the whites and naturals are the softest of all, maybe because they haven't been subjected to dye baths or as much processing.







I've wanted to try making hats from cashmere scraps for a long time but have been reluctant to scissor up that first cut. Gulp. Now I've done it. Tapestry yarn will be used for exposed seams and now we'll just see how they all turn out. Stay tuned.