The Last Swim of Summer

ought to be swum
without knowing it,
afternoon lost to
re-finding the rock
you can stand on
way out past the
raft, the flat one
that lines up four-
square with the door
of the boathouse.

Freestyle and back-
stroke and hours on
the dock nattering
on while the low sun
keeps setting fin-
gers and toes getting
number and number ...
how could we know
we were swimming the
last swim of summer?

by Jonathan Galassi

* * * 

We've had the most gorgeous summery weather for the last three days. Yesterday it got up into the 80's and Barbie Dreamboat was the place to be. Bob and Carole came over and Bob did the honors while Carole and I sat in the bow and drank Prosecco. As you can see, Lucy preferred Bob's company.

The colors aren't quite at peak but just look at how beautiful they are. And, I swear I have not retouched this photo!

I took a swim - actually more of a plunge - and the water has cooled off quite a bit but I was so grateful to have just one more. And who knows, maybe it wasn't the last swim of summer.

Look at this beautiful classroom at Cotton Weeds in Freeport. I drove the hour to get there yesterday morning to take a class on the Quick Curve Ruler. It was awesome. Nice women, good teacher in Joanne and here is one of the runners I started on.

After, I took myself for a late late lunch to Azure in Freeport. Service was sloooooooow but it was a pleasant place to sit and people watch. And there were a lot of them out on a sunny 80-degree day in Maine, The Way Life Should Be.

The weather has been downright balmy, especially for end of September in Maine! I took the opportunity to take Barbie Dreamboat out and my Lucy was beyond happy. Here she is in her favorite spot and below she eyes our approach to the cottage.

You can thank me later for not posting a picture of the disemboweled mouse I encountered on the walkway when going from my studio to the house yesterday afternoon. Zoiks! I do not know which one of the girls did it. Lucy used to be quite the mouser but she is half blind and slow with age. (although she did just start a course of anti-inflammatories hmmmm . . . ) Not being able to deal with disposing of the little corpse at the moment, I just dragged a piece of tarp over it. When I opened the door to go out a little later, imagine my surprise and horror to find it had been moved to the porch in front of the door. This is why I do not have a cat. What the heck! (And yes, it's still there with a bucket over it- burial scheduled for whenever someone comes by. Maybe the UPS man.)

I am grateful for all that I have

That is the centering thought for today as my guided meditation this morning was Gratitude. 

This is the view from my porch yesterday. Wind is gone and it is Indian Summer, supposed to be 80 by the weekend. Life is good isn't it?

I've been playing with my "pineapple trim tool" and listen up people: you really want 1 3/4 inch strips, NOT 1 5/8. Trust me on that. See all the scraps at the top of the picture? Those have been ripped out. Numerous times. The fabulous Florida Keys Quilters challenge this year is a black and white quilt with one color so I'm thinking about something along these lines. I kind of like it now that I have finally figured it out.
That's it for now.

Back into the sunshine and unseasonably warm in town but out on the Lake, it is blowing a gale. Miss Barbie Dreamboat held her own yesterday and I could see her solar lights winking at me all night as she bucked and rolled. The wind started up again this morning, sneaking through the cracks and howling like a banshee.

So, this morning, The Psychopath (and I think you know who I mean), was trying to get in the house and I was scared because the dogs were outside and I was threatening to call the cops if he didn't leave and then I woke up. When will I get that jerk out of my dreams?
I went to the doctor the other day and at the end of our visit she said, are you a little down? And after I stopped crying ten minutes later, I said no not really. Ha. Actually I said maybe I'm a little blue. She said a lot of people are coming in with the same complaint because the days are getting shorter. That's never bothered me before but I am looking forward to Florida now.
A bright spot last week was when my friend Lu showed up for a couple of days and we took a trip to the Common Ground Fair. And if you have never gone, you are missing out. It is put on by the Maine Organic Farmers and it is wonderful.

outhouse with screened doors and sawdust in lieu of
flushing (get it? lieu - loo? 

Lu (another Lu!) poses next to nursing mother cutout.
Lu said, looks like she's in pain.

Weirdo carving walking sticks while he pontificates.

Test your strength. We overheard two teenage boys
talking. "Is this the destroy your self esteem game?"

spinners

amazing fabulous border collies working the sheep

You should have seen me hula hooping. I was smokin' hot!
I've got to have one of these!

It's that time of year again. The leaves are changing color. Pumpkins and mums. And I actually wore my boots the other day. We've had a few days of fog and rain, perfect for staying inside and sewing. 

Playing with Denise Schmidt on a foggy day. 

My mantra:  All is well and I am content.

Happy Birthday, Anna

My beloved niecie, Anna, turns 20! She is the most beautiful person that I know, inside and out. (And where in the world does the time go?) 

I have been watching Fargo, the series and I watched the finale last night. Really? I thought at one point. Jeez (as they would say in well, Fargo) what the heck am I watching this for, living in the middle of nowhere all alone? Ooooh, but it was so exciting and scary.

We are in to the season of fog whisping off the Lake in the morning and crisp cold starry nights and the only sounds now are the August bugs and the loons, crazy sounding owls in the early hours. My neighbors have gone and the road belongs to me and the girls again. The days are so short. Fire in the fireplace, down comforter and flannel sheets and a little shiver up the spine. Couldn't be more perfect. 

Happy Sunday and Happy Birthday, Genevieve!

Shout out to my sweet and wonderful grand-niecie, Genevieve. Happy Birthday with lots of love!

little mermaid, Genevieve

Here is the twirl skirt I made for Genevieve's birthday. Super easy free pattern from  The Cottage Mama you can get HERE. I used Sarah Jane's Out to Sea fabric with mermaids.

And this is my fabulous grand niecie, Lucia. She is sporting a twirl skirt with horses on it (Sarah Jane's Wee Wander) that her loving Zia made for her. How cute is she?!

So, I took this picture this morning and if you can't tell what it is, that's because I have the zoom on and I'm taking it through my window. It is a float plane landing on the Lake across the water from me. Pretty cool, right?

As you can see, today is a very different picture from last night. This picture looks to be black and white but it's not. At one point, I heard myself say out loud, Hold on, Barbie Dreamboat! The thunder, lightning, rain and waves ushered in some beautiful sunny dry weather though (see above) but it was quite a storm and the girls were NOT amused.

 Lucy even climbed into bed with Sophie, which never happens.

Long suffering Why me? look from Sophie

And, I finished up Kate's big bags using yet another new oilcloth and I think they came out so cute. One more to finish up for Laurie. Just have to put a zipper in.

So, my friend Carole and I hit a few quilt shops in Chelsea and Hallowell yesterday and then made the trek to Augusta for lunch and the Pine Tree Quilt Guild monthly meeting. Maine has a state guild with chapters (which I think is kind of weird) and this was the state guild meeting. Actually we skipped the meeting and went for the program. Scarlett Rose was the featured speaker and we were mesmerized by her celtic quilts and slides of celtic quilts. Amazing! I forgot my camera but here are a few of her patterns and you can see more at her website, ScarlettRose.com.

Wow - is this true?