Poetry in Motion

Happy 7th birthday to my eldest grand-niecie:  the FABULOUS Lucia!

this and that

My friend, Sue, and I took a trip to the teeming metropolis of Portland and made our usual shopping stops at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. I felt like Country Mouse in the big city.

This is the display outside of Whole Foods and will you just look at the displays in that store! Holy crapoli, it's amazingly beautiful! It's art! - I ain't never seen nothin' like it! (That's my inner country mouse talking.)

wow!

Also wanted to show you how angry the Lake is today. Blowing a gale and cold like you wouldn't believe. As you can see, I finally got my stuff put away. Now Chris has to come out in his chest waders and put the dock up. I don't know what he's going to do about the float. Should have taken it in when Barbie Dreamboat was in the water. It will be of entertainment value as I watch from my warm and toasty perch on the other side of the window . . . (sorry Chris).

And, here is my latest UFO.  I started it on my quilting cruise last spring and did not have much interest in it until I got quite rabid about finishing it the other day when I decided to add the palm tree to the landscape. Probably from thinking about going to the land of palm trees. Sewed and glued the shells on and used buttons for the coconuts. The palm tree is somehow not in perspective but what the heck. I like it. Especially the shimmery waves. It's the first time I've made a knife edge binding and just have to tack it down in the back.  What do you think?

And, here is Sophie begging for a real roar of a fire instead of this pitiful little flame.

I'm cold, mummy! When are we going to Florida?

Sunrise at my house

Such a beautiful time of year in Maine. It has gotten so cold I could see my breath this morning . . . in my LIVING ROOM!  Time to think about heading south.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRYNNE!

Today is my niece's birthday. Sweetest girl you will ever meet. I love her and miss her so much, all the way across the sea and then some . . .

How I spent my weekend and why my back is killing me

Sunday I went over to Carol and Bob's for lunch and to experience Bob's World Famous Seafood Chowder. Man, was it worth all the hype! Packed full of shrimp and scallops, fish, potatoes, it was delish! He even sent me home with a doggie bag so I had it for dinner and then lunch on Monday as well. Fabulous. I got to see Carol's quilt for Heather. She is amazingly precise and the quilt top is gorgeous, as you can see.

All those points! And every one perfect.

My co-workers and I are not often all in the same place so we had to document it. They are a bunch of smart and funny women and I feel privileged to know them.

while the cat is away . . . 

And lastly, I've been working on a few UFO's and I brought out my wonky nine-patch squares and laid them out. I need 34 more nine-patch - not a problem - and 30 more of the black batik squares. That IS a problem as I am out of that fabric and can't find anymore. Does anybody have any of this black batik that I can buy from you?? I'm desperate! 

I have been pushing the season and still have my kayak out, my chairs, my umbrella, everything and suddenly it is 40 degrees this morning and supposed to be in the 20's and 30's tonight and stay that way. Zoiks! My little heaters are working overtime. I will have to bundle up and get that stuff put away. It is just so pleasant to hunker down and sew by the window in my little cottage nestled in the fog, listening to MPBN and watching the Kingfisher fly by. (Although I haven't seen him this morning - I have seen the bald eagle twice so maybe that is why.) 

Life is good, isn't it?

This is a picture of Jeffrey Shamon and his wife, Shevaun. They are of our Keys Community. Jeffrey has a rare cancer on his spine and has the opportunity for treatment in Boston which carries an 80% success rate. If you can donate even a few dollars to help out, I know it will come back to you ten-fold. You can see more about Jeffrey and donate HERE.  Thank you!

Moonset over Barbie Dreamboat

Such a lovely surprise on a chilly morning to take my coffee to the window and be greeted with this beautiful picture. Today is Barbie Dreamboat's last day on the water for the season.

She spent yesterday doing some work in the neighborhood, helping to pull a neighbor's dock in for the season. What a gift to have her to look forward to next summer!

So, as I was writing, I saw a long skinny body swimming by, under my dock and up on to the shore. Hoped at first it was an otter but I believe it is a fisher cat. They are wicked mean animals, fast and vicious and can even take down a porcupine! Zoiks!

see him?

pumpkinfest 2013

I went down town and checked out a few of the pumpkins. These are just a small sampling. The first one was in front of About Face - Represent! Love those girls. Can you spot the problem with this pumpkin? Jumped right out at me.

creepy little sidewalk display

The last one here was in front of King Eiders Pub - shout out!! So, of course I had to go in for a few oysters and a Pumpkinhead Ale. They ARE the best oysters in the whole world, dontcha know. yum

And lastly, the view from my windows at sundown. The leaves are almost gone so my view is even wider. Beautiful. 

It's been a warm and lovely Fall. We're at peak color but the weather is supposed to change next week and we'll lose the leaves then. Time to put away the kayak and the chairs and umbrella, take out the dock. And, Miss Barbie Dreamboat . . . sob.

Well first of all, I think I am going to have to sell my house because I cannot get the smell of burnt popcorn out of it. I have opened the doors and run the fans (60 degrees outside), washed all of my linens, clothes, febrized the rugs, burnt candles and have a pot of cinnamon and cloves on the stove 24/7, all to no avail. Who knew popcorn could be so stinky? Oh, and I think I'll have to throw away my microwave. No amount of vinegar seems able to take the stink out of it. It's always something, isn't it? 

oy vey

So, I went to work yesterday even though my season is over because Pumpkinfest has taken over the town and yesterday's event was in the field right next door so we were busy. The event was the annual pumpkin drop and here is what it looked like when I got to work. No people yet but the crane is in place.

And, here we are with the giant pumpkin being hoisted above the crowd. There were the usual glitches and the first splat was about an hour behind schedule but was very satisfying nonetheless. I did not get a picture of the smack down because I was so caught up in the fun of it but here is a picture from last year.

woohoo!

here was our verson  :)

And, this is the pumpkin my friend, Lauren, carved. Looks like one of those miserable money grubbing fat cats in Washington, doesn't it?

Like most of the locals who don't have to be there, I will wait until tomorrow to go in to town and see all the pumpkins. By then, most of the tourists will have cleared out and there will be some elbow room for the rest of us.  

 And, here is my turkey feather bouquet in celebration of the season.

Full on fall at my house but my flowers are hanging in there - no frost yet.

Old doggie on a pretty porch

my road

Whipped up this little zippered pouch for my friend, Anne, and I liked it so much I made another one this morning. How cute is this? 

downward dog