autumn stuff

see the geese?
and here i'm wearing hannah's beautiful sweater
(knitted twice)
she says i have to smile more
hannah visited for a few days,
after a marathon and a job interview
and a long drive
first to montpelier
then to the north country.
 she's addicted to yarn,
wool mostly.
she remembers fondly my little flock
of mostly brown sheep.
 after hannah went home
i used slu's paper mill
(zone 4 paper)
where i beat thistledown fiber first
and then linen canvas.
the linen clogged the beater
and while fixing melissa found this,
 large helping of old, 
oniionized pulp.
 yuck, 
thick and light
a map of sorts of who'd been there.
 i brought home thistledown sheets
and put them into a jerry-rigged drying stack
 on the counter the thistledown 
(and that's all there is, no formation aid)
and here it is,
layered on fall prints
 and i finished off yesterday what i began 
on wednesday
 this edition of paper is exactly like it was when i made it 
without a beater, using only a blender.
a two sided sheet,
 extremely textured.
a decorative sheet, but pretty satisfying to use
north country fiber.

finish line

 the week that was winter break
flew and plodded along 
 with icy marvels 
and deep cold.
the birches drooped
and the fence lines made new patterns.
 just over a week until i leave for australia!
more about that in a day or so.
good news graced the inbox
my two books available above on this site
(see the bar with the shop label?)
Poor (Wo)man's Asparagus and November, A Map
were just purchased for the poetry collection
at the University of Buffalo (Lockwood Library).
i am dancing to think that my poem/books are there.
 i loved the woven ice as the sun began to sink
 and saw scarlet and purple and greens in the dazzle
as i get my stuff together for the trip
to australia
i've spotted above this summer prunus print on arches
 and below 
four hosta papers
colored with north country ochres
i also realized this terrible headache
and weariness is
a sinus infection
so i got myself to the after hours clinic today
and am taking a killer antibiotic.
the wonderful doctor had an auspicious name: wendy.
there was a wonderful visit from hannah this week
who modeled a unicorn head
at brewer bookstore.
i had a wonderful and wonderfully long chat with an artist 
about some new teaching locally.
and more news is coming,
i promise.