Snuggle Time

Here's little Ruben,crouching in the dog bed, planning his next sneak attack on Pollyanna or Zinnia... when along comes Polly. She has taken over the role of Mother to Rubie, cleaning him, grooming him, and playing with him gently

He has decided he likes the fresh marrow bones i provide for the big dogs, and spends a lot of time working those sharp little teeth on the bones

Pollyanna sees this as a good time to do some cleanup detail on the pup

She cleans around his mouth, ears and chest

then works around to his eyes and the top of his head

She does this often with him...lays along side of him and puts her leg around him in a hug , just like Zinnia did to her when she was a small pup

The cleaner, new and improved Ruben!

Sunday Stroll

A few weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, Bill and i set out to check out a fairly new local Farmer's Market, in the town of Waterford, NY. It's just a hop, skip and jump from our little city.

I go to the Farmer's Market in Troy, NY almost every Saturday morning on my way in to help my daughter Katie at her shop, The Paper Sparrow. And this little Market had some of the same Farmer's stalls set up, as well as some new wares for us to look at.

Like the Market in Troy, this Farmer's Market is also set right along the Hudson river, but this one is overlooking the Erie Canal Locks. So not only did we have wonderful pottery and produce to peruse...

but also some pretty colorful boats and tug boats to check out

The morning started out chilly and overcast, but soon the clouds and fog burned off and the pale Fall sunlight warmed us all up.

Here's Bill talking to a fisherman

and then he sat and warmed himself in the sun while listening to some live music

There were little cafe tables set up and benches galore to sit on and just enjoy the river, and watch life go by

This little Market only ran for one more weekend and then it was done for the year. I'm so glad we stopped by and discovered how nice it was. We will definitely be back in the Spring!

But with the colors of Fall in the trees, it will be a while before we shop at the Market here again.

Self Portrait with Puppy

I took these pictures of me and my new puppy Ruben this afternoon... If we look a little sad and tired, it is because we had a rough day today. We learned that my little pup's sister Dorie had a life ending birth defect, and she had to be put down this morning... She was such a sweet little girl...My sister Kathy and i stayed with her until it was over...
Ruben (that's the new pup's name) has been crying a little more today and i think it is because he really misses her company. But his new friends Zinnia and Pollyanna are doing everything they can to keep him busy and happy. Happiness and tears....

Baby Shower

My Niece asked me to make her a gift for a new baby girl who is coming into the Family
After making the hat and booties, i thought we might be on a bit of a pink overload, so i knitted this little fuzzy blue teddy for her too...

I hope she likes him... he's so soft....

New Crafts....

It just hit me...the holiday season is JUST around the corner! So i have been busy!

I've been frustrated by the fact that my knitting still goes so slow, and by the fact that my wrists and arms seem to hurt more if i try to push for better production. SO i took the simple beginner pattern to make this sweater....

made out of a square panel for the back, two rectangle panels for the front and two more for the sleeves...

and made it in super fast double crochet!

and it came together in no time at all! And for some reason, crochet doesn't bother my wrists and arms at all! So now there is no reason why i cannot fill the Paper Sparrow and my Etsy shop (someday) with these cute little sweaters!

I am also cranking out more Mother Bears, and made my first Humpty Dumpty doll too. Very simple and soft for baby. Humpty has a friend with red pants and one with green pants coming together right now too. As a matter of fact there is a LOT more coming together, just awaiting seaming and embellishments. My kitchen table looks a lot like Santa's Workshop at any given time! Time to get ready for the big Holiday season!

An Amazing way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The Flux Art Show

I found the video above on YouTube last night. But the image below my friends, is what you see when you first walk into the Flux Art Show inside St Joseph's Church in downtown Albany NY. The church has been abandoned now for may years, but at one time was a much loved, and well used part of the community. It has been lovingly taken over temporarily by the artists and musicians working with Ken Jacobie, Samson Contompasis and his Marketplace Gallery. What an amazing experience this was for me and the friends who were with me...

The altar was ruined long ago and many of the pews were destroyed or removed over time. Parts of the ornate tile floor were dug up and missing, and some parts of the walls were bare right down to the laths. But this did nothing to diminish the beauty and sacred vibration that was resonating thru this building. The troupe of artists had gone in and cleaned and straightened the refuse that littered the floors, and actually used some of the refuse to create new art. The show opened on Friday evening, complete with local musicians performing and food brought in by local eateries. And the art exhibit was outstanding and eclectic as always.

We waited until Sunday afternoon...the first day the show was open during the daylight hours. I waited till then so that i could see the stained glass windows of this 150 plus year old church... Now, this is becoming a bad habit, but i was halfway between home and my friend's house before i realized that once again i had forgotten my camera. (I am going to have to start pinning that darn contraption to my bra strap every day) But thanks to my friend Kate and her trusty and truly amazing cell phone camera(i do covet that little machine Kate) we have these pictures to share with you so that you too can have a glimpse of a truly one of a kind art show experience...The fabric pyramid was an installation piece done by Sam Contompasis.

Many of the smaller pieces of art were held up by old doors and pews found scattered in the church. Other art pieces were free standing or leaning against walls

This large painting of one of the faces of the Archangels hanging from the ceiling was placed on a side altar with candles lit beneath it, and was painted by Alex Contompasis

This is the mirror image placed on the left side of the room under an ancient painting of Mary, surrounded by cherubs

Here is a picture of the carved angels and the ornate paint and woodwork on the ceilings

Another ancient painting above the altar of Jesus and the angels

Stained glass panel ceiling above the altar

This room was called the "Gnome" Room. Many designs were stencilled and painted right on the old flaking wall surfaces. I found it enchanting! (That's me in the picture hugging myself to conserve heat. It was like an icebox in the old stone church that i was told was never fully heated.

More of the Gnome Room

This was a very lovely installation piece done by Samson Contompasis, of his impression of "Heaven". The mound of sand under the hanging gauze, and the handful of sand trapped by the material is sand collected from many different beaches around the world that he has visited...

And next to it, was his brother Alex interpretation of "Hell". It was a wire armature covered with canvas pieces that the female form was sewing together, and the hand written sign below that asked "Do you love me now?"

We actually climbed a very narrow staircase to a room above the church hall, leading to the bell tower, and Kate took this picture from the overlook window.

Here is some of the ornate tile work on the altar floor

more tile work

The doorway leading up to the bell tower room... Originally this show was to end last night, BUT Sam told us as we were leaving that he had gotten permission to keep the show there and open thru this next week. So, if anyone out there is interested, the show will go on and you still have a chance to experience it for yourself. Believe me, it is time well spent. I definitely plan to return at least one more time...

Happy Birthday CuppyCake...

That's what your Grandfather called you the very first time he set eyes on you... My first born, and his first grandchild... I know it sounds silly but it seems like only yesterday you were sitting on Santa's knee (and didn't know that was your grandfather under that Santa suit! ;)

We have watched you grow over the years from a sweet little girl who loved Big Bird and Cookie Monster, to a beautiful, confident young woman who has always reached for her dreams, and worked hard to make them come true.

Happy Birthday to my first born... my Katie. Know that Dad and i are so proud of you and love you very much.

Rockin'

I love little children...

Being around them reminds me of how much joy they can find in the simple things in life

like rocking in a rocking chair...

When Lola was a little baby

i used to read to her and rock her to sleep in this rocker

Now, she is big enough to help me push it out into the living room and sit in it and rock all by herself

But she still likes Gumma to sit with her and read a book, and rock together....