The view from my window this morning. And, no that is not the sun - it's my flash. And yes, my windows are all leaking.

I title this picture:  "MOMMY, GET IT OFF ME!"

here it comes

The snow has started and oh so beautiful it is  . . .

Yesterday, I woke up to a sunny Portland, just a dusting of snow on the tops of cars.

My first stop was the Portland Museum of Art. They have a fab new exhibit called Gather up the Fragments, the Andrews Shaker Collection. Really well done and organized by the Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Mass. Supposed to be the most comprehensive collection of Shaker materials ever assembled and I believe it. No pictures allowed - sorry. The most interesting things were the "gift pictures." I didn't realize the Shakers had religious visions; they called them gifts and painted them. Totally cool. What I REALLY was there to see though were the Madeleine de Sinety photographs. Really outstanding and if you have the chance, you must go and see them. They are there until December something. This one, First Communion, graces the cover of the program. You can see more here if you like: http://www.madeleinedesinety.com/

So, what a difference a day makes. This is the scene I woke up to this morning in little Jefferson, Maine, and the one I prefer. I turned on the radio to hear the first bars of Handel's Messiah and ran out in the cold to take this picture of the sun on the opposite shore. There was even a loon out front. It doesn't get any better than this.

Guess where I am tonight

I've made my annual overnight pilgrimage to Portland on a cloudy day where the rain tonight is supposed to turn into a little snow. Woohoo! I'm so excited! Here is the view from my room at the Eastland Park Hotel. Love this funky old place right at the top of the Old Port. 

Went to the Top of the East for a glass of wine. Best bar in town with a panoramic view of Portland. Every time I come here though, it's completely socked in, I swear.  But, love to see the lights come on in the Port City. 

Check out the Eastland Park in her glory days:

Doesn't look a whole lot different now - more trees maybe. Off for Thai tonight . . .

So, the bandage came off last night and I started with the Vitamin E oil. Looks good, right? Still doesn't work too well but definitely on the mend. Yay

Had to share this picture I took when I was at the drugstore yesterday. Look at this cute little guy.

Sue and I went to Belfast yesterday because I decided I simply had to have more oilcloth before I headed south and the place to go is the fabulous YoMama'sHome. After lunch, we visited a new quilt shop called Fiddleheads. I was so impressed I forgot to even take any pictures. What a beautiful shop. It's in downtown Belfast and has a lovely selection of the usual upscale quilting cottons and some that were new to me, including a line called Art Gallery. Gorgeous - and nice to see something new.

And, here are the girls. All decked out for hunting season in an attempt to prevent some slack jawed yokel from shooting them. And, I mean that in the kindest possible way . . . 

Lastly, a shout out to my Dad this morning. Mom is winging her way to Turkey for a couple of weeks and Dad is batching it. Hope he doesn't starve . . . Hi Daddy!

Stitches out!

Stay tuned . . .

well, i should have known i wouldnt be able to control myself if i went to a quilt show. even if it was a little bitty show held at a firehouse. the backroad quilters guild - and backroads is a good description - in west gardner held a sweet little -as in tiny- quilt show and i made the trek there yesterday. that, combined with a trip to alewives, my fave quit shop, put me over the edge and i had to sew. HAD TO. as in compelled. HAD  TO. first of all, here are a few of the quilts from the show.

the guild must have made this for the firehouse 

i thought this was cute and original

and this french braid was very nice 

i had to do something i could handle one handed so rotary cutting was out. hmmmm so, after consulting a few patterns and books in my "studio," i cut a piece off my roll of oilcloth and voila. a cute little wallet was born. don't think i care too much for the pearl snaps. . . Anyhoo, here is is.

so, my hand is definitely feeling the use afterwards but stitches come out tomorrow - the ones in my hand, not the bag - so i'm feeling like it was ok. i mean, come on, no sewing for three weeks. that is just so not a reasonable expectation and i plan to inform the doctor of this fact - again.