Getting Back into the Rhythm of Stitch

What a glorious Summer we had here in Nova Scotia

A Summer to remember

Everything grew and grew and grew

Wild apple trees drooped under the weight of apples the size of grapefruits.

Rusty Pups discovered they were delicious!

Bright, bold Dahlias grew as big as dinner plates 

Dancing through my flowerbed

They took my breath away

And were still going strong until Jack Frost put them to rest. this week.

Wanting to remember and celebrate this Summer

For me that is through stitch.

It will be a piece of joyful memories

Giant balls of colour and stitch.....

.... will dance across my piece with companions of every size.

And of course they will come to rest on the soil

which they will enrich in preparation for next years Summer.

The cycle of life.

I am content

I am joyful

I am dancing along with the dahlias in memory of this Summer past

and settling down to new stitchings with anticipation.

It is what I do.

When the Rusty Pups come and plonk themselves in front of me as I stitch....

,,,,and even shove their noses into my cloth as I stitch....

....informing me they feel neglected

So we stop for a cuddle

Or a walk

Or a meal.

They are very patient but there comes a time when they feel the need to interject!

I hope your companions of every kind allow you the time to create today!

Bits and Pieces from "In the Middle of the World"

I have been stuck for words

Not knowing what say about sharing this beautiful space

with my dear friend Judy Martin 

We are both inspired by the landscapes we live in

Hers on the shores of Manitoulin Island

Mine in the tangled woods around the Annapolis Basin in Nova Scotia.

My process has been for many years influences by these words from 

Peter London's book 'Drawing Closer to Nature'.

"Find a portion of the world that is close at hand and adopt it. Become acquainted with it. Draw closer to it by staying with it over a long course of time. In all seasons, all times of the day, all weathers, all circumstances of your own life. The more often you return to this chosen portion of Nature, the more finally you will be able to perceive its more delicate features, as well the slow-to-emerge patterns and rhythms."

Each piece is about how the natural world around me has touched me.

Every piece has a story connected to simple daily observations

of life in the woods and marshes and shorelines

around me. 

I understand the immensity of Judy's pieces

I have driven with her through the mighty rock cuts of northern Ontario

I have sat with her looking out over the endless horizons of Lake Huron.

Love this photo of pieces waiting their turn to be hung!

So many thanks to our young curator, Miranda Bouchard, who works so diligently on our behalf

and writes so beautifully about our work.

(You can see her curatorial statement in the MVTM link below)

So many thanks to Melanie and Michael at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

who have provided the best environment for our show

which will remain there until December 17th, 2021.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In the Middle of the World is Getting Closer and Closer

All rolled up and ready to go off to the 

The Middle of the World.

I was overwhelmed

had to sit down and wipe away the tears.

I am reluctant to let them go.

The pieces are the colours of Nova Scotia

from dye baths of local plants and trees.

There is a piece of me in every stitch.

Each stitch a reflection of my thoughts and feelings

 in that meditative rhythm of needle passing through cloth.

I feel I can say more with needle and thread than with words

Words are so black and white...they freak me out!

Stitching is where I can be truly me.

These pieces have been close to my heart for months

years even

and I want to keep them safe at home with me.

But then I remember part of the joy of creating

is sharing the work with others.

Birthday Celebration that Should Have Been

 

Happy Birthday Steven

On this day when you should have turned 49

My goodness me, that is nearly an old man!

You are loved

And missed so very much.

Summer....My Favourite Time of Year

It's been a glorious Summer

A time to dye

with Madder and Cutch and Myrobalan

A time for the garden to grow out of control

Full of abundant dye material

A time for my wild child to explore the dried out stream

But not too far my dear

There is a black bear cub and his Mom around!

We have managed to maintain our new civilized flowerbed

and the dahlias are still incredible.... 

....and so huge!

Even the Rusty Pups have enjoyed the abundance of flowers

and....

....basking in the Sun has been pure joy!

For those of you whose Summer is coming to an end

I hope it was glorious for you too.

There are some whose Summer is just beginning

and I envy you.

Summer....my favourite time of year.

Small Observations Walking With Rusty Pups

We walk before the Day Lillies awaken

We walk past tree stumps

reminding me of those years long ago

when people were talking about insects taking over the world!

Perhaps they will.

We walk past grasses arching gracefully 

from what used to be our veggie beds.

We've given up on veggies

now it is left to nature for the butterflies and bees.

And then of course

there is always the favourite huge stick of the day 

that has to accompany us around!

This hot sunshiny summer makes the stream 

a very inviting cooling spot for Rusty Pups

who often dive in and splash their way downstream

disrupting the quiet, still beauty of reflections!

To my surprise I discovered 

there are tiny rusty critters who live close to the stream!

Everything is attracted to our quieter Rusty Pup, Brandy!

Others like the horrible deerfly really bother her

But beautiful butterflies, not so much!

LET me go inside pleeeease.

Rusty Pup, Ginger, is not a fan of the heat

When we sit out on the front porch

She likes to go inside and lie under an open window.

Close enough to still feel part of the pack!

Sometimes the small observations of daily life

are the most important.

In The Middle Of The World

 

My pieces for

 In the Middle of the World

have been lying flat on two guest beds.

As I started checking if they all had sleeves and labels

they became a crumpled mess.

I loved the look of this messy pile of stitch and cloth

and had to record it here.

Stitches on linen and silk, velvet and damask

all dyed with plant materials.

For me sense of touch is very powerful.

It is the reason I work with cloth and thread in my hands.

Every type of cloth reacts differently

to needle and thread.

Every stitched mark enriches a seemingly mundane cloth

and reflects your own thoughts and feelings

of that day.

When you spend hours, days, months,

stitching large works

you can't help but leave within that cloth a piece of your soul.

I know that Judy Martin is also working on the finishing touches for 

In the Middle of the World

Opening October 2nd

at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

in Almonte, Ontario.

I know that our wonderful curator, Miranda Bouchard,

is working hard for us despite her responsibilities

at Thinking Rock Community Arts

and contributing so much to create a beautiful

and successful show.

I hope you have a day filled with the sense of touch!