What I Did on my Summer Vacation

The season changed, it seemed like overnight, from summer to fall. This will take some getting used to. But, before I get my head completely caught in the clouds and leaves, let me show you what I made.

3 stages of chair (bentwood birch). Unfortunately my weekend class at Snowfarm – there wasn’t enough time or materials for us all to finish. So you can see what I brought home with me … and despaired. But, with Greg’s help, (climbing into all three birches in our backyard looking for the 10′ withes I would need, helping me drill and hammer, and mostly, keeping my sanity in check) look what we hath accomplished:

Isn’t it beautiful? Well … isn’t it ok that I find it beautiful?

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What’s Summer Without a Fair?

Have I mentioned it’s been a long, hot, humid summer? This made getting out to explore more difficult. As well, the summer is quiet here in 5 Colleges area, especially in Amherst (population ~5000 in summer, 22,000 during the school year). But with Labor Day comes the Harvest Fairs. Greg had been looking forward to this one all summer, held in Northampton.

I fell in love with the oxen.

Explore

Explore has become my theme for how to live in New England. For our second trip to Tanglewood, we decided to add on a day of New York exploring, so designed a trip that would take us over the border into the Catskills. This page is, indubitably, a challenge for you, the online reader, but I keep reminding myself my sketchbook is primarily a tool for me. In this case, a mile-by-mile travelogue of notes for my memory and use.

It does include our last visit to MassMoCA with Lisa and Dave as well. I love the image that Greg photographed of the three of us looking through that intense window of cold and light.

Summer’s Winding Down

I’m almost caught up with myself! This spread includes 2 trips to Tanglewood in one week, and now we feel comfortable with the venue. It is amazing – civilized, sophisticated, lovely, comfortable … all at once. The music – excellent. The grounds – picnickable. The drive there, easy. I might be getting used to this New England locale; could that be possible?

Summer in New England

Returning to Amherst after 2 weeks away, summer full on, corn truly high and sweet, peaches fully packed with juice, humidity steaming. Allowing ourselves to rest, we make more time for “explores.”

The Big River

It was unexpected that we travel back to Oregon this summer, but that’s what happened. And I’m glad for it; many surprises and a lot of hard work, and just a little bit of time to draw.

One of my very first drawing lessons included the idea that drawing creates memory; for me, this is a tenet of sketchbook life. I can feel the breeze off the Columbia even now.

A Meaningful Day

If you were to look back to a post, “And Then We Moved,” (August 1), you would see the view from our back yard to Emily’s house, in winter.