though i never saw a moose, i did see two bald eagles
it's been a long two weeks, many miles on my subaru, and a trip into the time warp of home town/family. i will tell you this: here in the north country the robins are still singing, and redwinged blackbirds, sparrows chirping and a multitude of other voices i know but don't identify. wendy waits for me at 7 when i can spring her from the kennel. i woke earlier than normal, eager to start the normalcy of living at home.
a gem in hardwick, vermont
i like this town
someone asked about pbi--i will give you the standard spiel: the paper and book intensive is a working sabbatical for practitioners of the paper and book art from librarians and conservators, to artists, from binders to papermakers. it is intense eight days of classes, plus a day of excursion/field trips and a pack/wrap-up/celebration day. you work with others passionate about paper and books, and take classes from the best in the field.
chela has an alchemical sign, and taught me the stationer's bindings i love.
jan's sketch book and finished 18th century french binding
papers made in katie macgregor's class
giselle's prints
david's print
i came home, hauled in my copious mail, paid bills, and went off to my sister's memorial service, five hours west of here on the niagara river. it's been over 20 years since i visited my home town. the bones of the escarpment are there, the river itself, the old, old houses i have always loved, the chapel of the presbyterian church--all there. everything has gotten gentrified. i doubt a working class person can afford to live in the village. needless to say we were definitely working class, just barely! my old house is small and the trees mom planted are big. i saw five of my sister's eight children, all grown up some with gray hair. one has three children, all artists, all lovely children. i am heartened to see the creative gene burgeoning, also in my niece's daughters, the sweet and the surly one. they are all lovely children, and i have great hopes for the future.my traveling companion and sister claudia and i stayed in a bed and breakfast that once was the nun's residence. and, great news, coppins' service station is still there, complete with the mobil oil horse! also vincenzo's pizza! we remaining three sisters sat in the humid, hot sun in deep emerald fur covered seats (i kid you not) while the holy guy read a wildly inaccurate summation of my sister's life. what he got right was that she loved her eight kids.
a link to some more pbi stuff: melissa, jeff
my son ian spent some time with painter nate praska. go over to facebook (you don't have to play stupid games or even pay attention) and check out the mutuality. ian and nate.
oh, and it's deliciously cool here today. YAY!