You Bet I Put A Bird Or Two On It.

School is nearing an end.  While I've been trying to get everything together for my thesis show, I've also been learning my way through the screen print process.  I find this to be the most addictive of printmaking processes.  Layer and after you watch your image build up.  In my case, I started drawing birds.  I would do ten or more layers of hand drawn color separations until I was happy with my little friends.  When I pack up for the summer in a week or so, I'll be antsy to get back to screen printing.  It's funny, I put off taking this class because I was so focused on other mediums.  Who knew I'd love it so much?

Yard Pesto

Thinking of back home this week reminded me of one of the best parts!  My brother and sister-in-law-to-be have turned our parents' backyard into a wonderful garden-farm.  Along with the goats they grow a bunch of different edibles.  Before I left for France they harvested some garlic scapes.  A lot of garlic scapes.  My brother wanted to use them before they turned, so he got out the food processor and went to town.  The result, after combining the scapes with olive oil, almonds, salt, pepper, pea shoots, and lettuce, was a delicious garlic saturated spread.  You won't find a recipe here, since we aren't quite a follow-the-recipe type of people.  It was more a trial and error, see what we get, personal preference kind of development.  The whole entire house smelled of garlic.  It was fantastic.

Back Home

It's about the the halfway point for my summer spent in France, and I thought I'd look back home for a bit.  I've never been one to get homesick.  I've gone on extended trips and usually am so distracted by the fun and adventure that goes along with that kind of trip, and never have time to think twice about what I might miss.  I didn't think I'd be homesick on this trip, but I thought I'd keep some pictures of what I look at everyday at home as a reminder.  Just in case.  I look at these now and realize I am such an out of sight, out of mind type of person.  It's not that I don't miss the flowers in the butterfly garden, or the grill turning out delicious food nearly every night, the campfires, the woods, the wonderfully graying wood on the side of the house, the crazy goats, the neighbor horses, the homegrown food, the endless piles of firewood preparing for a winter that we actually get snow, or the ever present birds.  I do miss those things in a very distant way, I just am so focused on my surroundings and being in a new place that my mind never goes back home.  And I think that's okay.  I know home will always be there, but I don't need it, and that's a good feeling.

An Apple A Day

Do you ever hear the pitter-patter of little feet moseying down your hallways and into your rooms?  I'm not talking about pets, I'm not talking about kids... the other day my attention was drawn to the floor after hearing a similar pitter-patter, only to find a very calm squirrel checking things out.  I leaned forward, a move which sent him walking out of my room and back into the hallway, and I followed the little guy into the living room.  I went down to open the door, tried to position myself back behind him to encourage his relocation to the great outdoors, and bid him farewell.

I actually knew this little one had gotten into the house a few days before, but didn't think he was still around.  I wished him well and then went to the kitchen and saw that he had a little feast before he went.  He helped himself to the freshly stocked fruit bowl and left a wonderful arrangement of partially nibbled apples.

Anyway, today I woke up bright and early to ride my bicycle from Maine to Massachusetts with some of my favorite people.  It will be my first real ride since breaking my wrist down in Florida back in December (which landed me in surgery and then a series of 4 casts and a brace...).  Wish me luck!

From The Vault: Orchard Visits

Back in New Hampshire I have friends who keep a small apple orchard.  I have the privilege of visiting and hanging out with the apples.  I drew up some signs, labels, and logos for them when they first started at the orchard.  Last time I was there I got to try a batch of their homemade hard cider, which I love.  I also got to peak at the cider donut robot machine, and oh how I wish I could eat them all.

From The Vault: Baby Goats

Back in May my brother and sister-in-law-to-be brought two baby goats to live at my parents' house.  Hazel and Zedd are the bestest.  The twin kids came from Vermont and moved into our New Hampshire home to eat our yard, specifically the poison ivy.  They are the bestest.  Everyone should get goats.