todd pattison is the president of the new england branch of the guild of bookworkers.

he is one of those people who is delightfully surprising.

last year i received in the mail a small book he made

with my contact printed paper as cover.

lizard spine, maybe?

filled with katie macgregor's light blue handmade papers.

an absolute surprise, i might add.

i did a happy dance.

it's one of those things i tootled out to show

hannah and nicole

who came by on saturday

after i met them friday

at caliban press

where they are slu students, employees of caliban

learning the letterpress trade

with mark mcmurray

hannah bravely asked me if she could see me working

something i always say no to

(but i said yes

thanks to fred, who has been plowing my driveway this winter

has had an effect on my doing unto others)

for a wee look at the doings in my dye kitchen.

the mill is closed down for the winter

so my wet studio is my kitchen right now.

and i tried printing on some old japanese papers

complete with worm holes...

in my kitchen sink

i wash my wool socks

my daughter hannah's knitting

and the dining table acts as the bottom plate

for pressing dyed papers.

the young women brought with them such positive energy

full of purpose.

it fed my soul somehow,

so it was a good two hours.

~~~

...and over at jasper's

church may indeed be in session.

though i've never spotted anyone there

during worship hours.