Garden Inspiration

     

Garden shed at Airbnb in Abingdon

    Last month we took a weekend getaway to an Airbnb in Abingdon, Virginia. The two story "Carriage House", as it was called, sat behind the owner's historic house on Main Street. It was beautifully decorated, comfortable, and clean. It was also within walking distance to the head of the Virginia Creeper Trail and to several downtown restaurants and businesses which made it an ideal place to stay. The beautiful gardens surrounding the carriage house and the main house were a pleasant surprise and we found ourselves spending most of our time outdoors on the private patio. We learned from the owner their garden was to be on the Abingdon garden tour in two weeks time. It was a lovely, whimsical garden with wandering paths. We found benches placed in out of the way places and a gentle creek along the back edge of the yard. It was both well tended and accidental at the same time. For example, each planter was strategically placed but it was filled with a plant that looked a little wild like it had shown up all o its own. The wall fountain, a modern addition, looked like it had been there for ages. A small tool shed was built completely out of white paint chipped windows and an old wheelbarrow stood nearby overflowing with hens and chicks. It was easy to imagine this place in the French countryside somewhere and that we were much farther from home than merely an hour and a half drive.

Potting bench at Airbnb in Abingdon

 

 

    

   The biggest takeaway I got from this trip was the desire to go home and get into my garden and play in it. Margie's garden inspired me with new ideas like putting my hens and chicks in adorable little pots! I found myself saying, "Why didn't I think of that?!" when I saw a pepper plant in a pot with little petunias planted around it or a bed containing flower combinations I never would have thought to place together. It was timely that I had not yet planted my own garden so many of these ideas I could incorporate without spending any extra money. It was all the same type of stuff I would normally plant but somehow different. I did make one splurge and that was to buy a lovely cement planter that I call "Dancing Angels". One of the antique shops in Abingdon had a wonderful assortment of heavy cement planters and bird baths out behind the shop and that is where we picked up this planter. It will be eons before this planter ever wears out and it makes me smile every time I look at it. I also found some plants at a little health food co-op in downtown Abingdon that we walked past. I was excited to find two things I have wanted to plant for along time- a rhubarb plant and a fig tree.

     Gardening in general is never a cheap hobby but it is an extremely creative outlet and it pays back big in satisfaction over the long run. You definitely have to step back and look at it with a long eye, never becoming too discouraged with an annual failure. A tree or perennial might become diseased and die but you plant something else in its place and move on. It simply opens up new possibilities. If cucumbers won't grow in your soil, plant beets instead. Or, you could spend a gazillion dollars on good soil and grow the cucumbers; it's your garden so you can do whatever you want! I try not to calculate the true cost of my home grown tomatoes because it really makes no rational sense at all. Steve is not a gardener but he will dig a hole if I ask or put up electric wire around the vegetable garden for me. He does not always understand why I do the things I do, like pull up half the yarrow I put in just the year before (It's invasive.) or ask him if we can please (!) pull up the half dead bush because I can't stand to look at it one minute more. (We compromised and I pruned it way back.) I find that I have gained more pleasure from my garden this year than I have in quite a while. This is partially due to better health but the rest of it is to do with inspiration. A garden is also a source for healing, comfort, and respite. A garden, and nature in general, is a balm to the nervous system. It is worth its weight in gold for the calming effect it gives just by sitting in its beauty and taking a few deep breaths. I did not expect to find garden inspiration at our Abingdon getaway but I am happy for the way Margie shared her garden with us and for her son's lovely Airbnb. 

     I picked a few of my flowers today and placed them on the blanket chest in my bedroom just for me to enjoy. If I calculated the cost, they are probably my one hundred and fifty dollar flowers in a jelly jar. They are worth every penny for the joy they give me when I walk into the room.

The following are a few photos from our garden so far this year. I hope you are inspired! : )

Yarrow, miniature baby's breath, bee balm and annuals in the pot.

Steve built our shed and the raised beds years ago. A crab apple tree provides shade for white and pink astilbe, fern, hellebore, and two varieties of coral bells

A Carolina Jessamine grows up the pergola. The red plum tree on the right is only about twenty years old but it is reaching the end of its life span. I will be sad will be sad to let this tree go because it gives lovely shade in the afternoon.

Dancing Angels planter with double pink impatiens.

I copied Margie's pepper plant with flowers idea. I chose red flowers to reflect the heat of the cayenne pepper plant in there.

I found this wall planter for a bargain $10 at a Rutland, Vermont antique shop last week. It's new, but what a deal! I just planted it two days ago and I can't wait for the plants to fill out and spill over the top.

I lined most of our beds with salvaged bricks from a smokehouse that was demolished years ago on the property next door.

The garden paying us back in lettuce. The gathering basket was a gift from our daughter for my birthday a few years ago.

Northward Ho!

 

     We are back on Lake George in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains this week. The northern most part of the lake and mountains have a wildness about them that I love. The lake is shrouded in low clouds combined with a smoky haze from Canadian wildfires. The landscape looks prehistoric and mysterious this way. 

     I took my coffee down to the dock early this morning. The same mother duck with her six ducklings that I saw yesterday came paddling by. She gave them time to explore the rocks and then led them away. I gave them a smile of appreciation for their visit. A little while later, a beautiful blue heron landed on the dock. We held our breath in wonderment as it paused briefly, then took up wing and glided up and away. And then a flock of Canada geese came swooping down in V formation. As they landed, their legs unfolded to slow their landing on the water. They stayed in a group and paddled up the lake. We observe only a small bit of shore on this thirty-two mile long lake while we are here. I can only imagine the wildlife that visits its shores every day. 

     There is a lot we could see and do while we are here. There are boat rides, an entire village on the south end of the lake, forts and historical sites, outlet shopping, and souvenir shops. But mostly we do nothing. We sit and watch the changing surface of the water. We make plans and then scrap them because we are happier to do nothing. A good book solves any boredom issues and we talk about coming back next year. So much can happen in a year but it’s always nice to dream and plan. 

     

Exploring Patterns and Designers in Rug Hooking

      Our local rug hooking guild continues to grow much faster than we expected. A lot of this is thanks to our founder, Eleanor, who invites every woman she meets to become a hooker. Many come to visit our monthly guild meeting to see what it's all about and quite a few stay on and pick up the craft. Eleanor and I formed the group in 2019 with the thought that if twelve people showed up, we would deem it a success. We began with twenty and have more than double that number on our roster today. We call ourselves, "Blue Ridge Ruggers" and we are a happy, very creative bunch. 

     This year, we arranged our first teacher workshop. We brought in Cammie Bruce for a three day workshop and she was marvelous! Most teachers have to limit their class size so we used a lottery to choose which twenty members would to attend. Cammie is a dynamic, talented designer who works so well with students. She brought many of her patterns and a huge inventory of wool to stoke our creativity. I personally began working on one of Cammie's patterns called, "Grandma's Blue Pot". She helped me color plan the rug and it is my current work in progress. It is my first rug of Cammie's and in her primitive style of soft, medium value wools. The workshop was a great success. This was an encouragement for me to continue bringing more teachers to our group.

     Nearby, at Smith Mountain Lake, another local hooker has begun arranging teacher workshop retreats. Last fall she brought in Karen Whidden for a three day retreat at the 4H camp on the lake. I was happy to attend and brought a Trisha Travis pattern designed in the style of a vintage postcard. Tricia is also a new designer for me to hook and I enjoyed working on this pattern a lot. Our teacher, Karen, was very helpful with tips and comments although I had color planned this rug myself in keeping with the original design.

     Another new designer I met last year is named Katie Kriner. She published a book titled, "Rug Hooking With Wool Strips" that contains twenty patterns for enlarging. Her style is more contemporary and I find that her designs work well in my home. She has a brick and mortar shop in Pennsylvania called, "The Bee and the Bear" as well as an Etsy shop under the same name. I made her "Six Flowers" rug and an adorable pillow called, "Bird in Foliage". Both patterns were from her book. The wool used in both rugs were also from her shop and were all hand dyed by Katie and her team. I have them pictured in the room in which they were placed. I love antiques and old things, but I don't style my home in the primitive style. So, these rug styles have found a good place in my home. 

     I have a few more finished projects in rugs and cross stitch that I will post another time. Each one gives me much joy to create and some very lovely people to create with.

Still Learning About Everything

    

    Nothing much has changed around here. I am still hooking, stitching, sewing, gardening, reading, cooking, loving, fussing, etc., etc. There is still much to learn about everything. I took the time to be still last week and I learned some things and worked out some troubles. It was a wonderful thing and it felt really good to have benefited so greatly just by sitting idly on the porch, staring at the field. 

     This silent adventure started when I took out a piece of crewel work I began working on about thirty-eight years ago. The best that I can recall, I bought it around the time our first daughter was born. The piece was almost completely stitched except for a few bits here and there. I must have gotten too busy to finish it (ya think?!) and tucked it away. I decided I would finish it now for our granddaughter. I took it out to the screen porch and settled in for an afternoon of stitching. Steve was away so I had no need to cook dinner nor anywhere to go. Time was of no concern, the weather was perfectly mild and the only sounds I heard were the birds singing. A memory from childhood slowly came forward as I stitched and listened to the birds. I was nine years old, sitting on the back porch of my childhood home. Like today, I was listening to the birds singing while I stitched an embroidery onto a dresser scarf. The joy of summer vacation stretched before me like an eternity that day. I had no cares other than thoughts of swimming, playing, eating good summer time foods, and sleeping with the windows wide open to the sound of crickets at night. And, there would be no school for two and a half, whole months! In an effort to ward off any boredom that might occur during the long summer that year, my mother taught my sister and me how to embroider. She took us to the five-and-dime to choose a dresser scarf stamped with a design in blue ink and to pick out embroidery floss. I still recall the excitement of making those choices and the prospect that I would be creating something beautiful. Mom taught us the basic running stitch, the chain stitch, the lazy daisy, and the French knot. She told us that she had spent her childhood summers embroidering on her back porch with her sisters. I imagined my mother and my aunts as little girls doing the same thing as my sister and I, only a long time ago when the world was in black and white. We spent many days that long, hot summer stitching on the porch. I sat for hours on the floor with my back leaning against an old sofa, stitching away. I was so pleased when my first scarf was finished that I asked to buy another. We put those dresser scarves to good use, too. Once they were completed, they alternately graced our bedroom dresser throughout our childhood.

    It was a good memory; one that has stayed with me for days now. My thoughts while I was stitching were almost as carefree as my nine year old self's would have been way back during that summer in 1968. But this day, I paused from stitching and stared out into the field for a while. My mind was working something out. (Which, by the way, happens when you keep your hands idly busy like stitching, knitting, or pulling weeds.) It was something big and important between my mother and me and I slowly and gently realized that it didn't matter anymore. It should have never mattered. I took a moment to tell my mom in Heaven that it didn't matter anymore. She probably realized it herself already, being in Heaven with God and all. But I thought she should hear it from me. So, all is well and I am once again back on that summer filled porch in upstate New York stitching away the afternoon. I can imagine mom is singing in the kitchen and I'm pretty sure there will be something good for dinner. And for now, I have not a care in the world.

     I still have two of those dresser scarves I crudely embroidered some fifty-five years ago.They were well used and are still well loved.

 

 

 

The Queen of American Lakes; Lake George, NY

     

     In all of my American travels I have yet to find a lake I love more than Lake George. I suppose the nostalgia of spending childhood summers there camping and riding the lake steamboats may have something to do with it. But, in its own right, Lake George is a grand and beautiful lake. It is located in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. At thirty-two miles long, it is the largest of many lakes that dot the Adirondacks. Brant Lake, Loon Lake, Schroon Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, Lake Placid, Fourth Lake, Racquet Lake, are just a few of those cold mountain lakes. All were formed by the movement of glaciers and are fed by springs so the water is clear and cold. 

     Two hundred islands are scattered over Lake George. A handful of islands are privately owned and the rest are owned by the state of New York. They are maintained by the state for camping and day picnicking. For a small fee you can rent a spot with a boat dock, grill, and outhouse. Whether you want to spend one day or a week, it's a fun way to have your own little slice of piney heaven all to yourself.

    Much of Steve's family also summered in the Adirondacks. They spent their summers at Brant Lake and after I met Steve we spent many of our dating weekends at their place on Brant Lake. Steve taught me how to sail on the catamaran, paddle in a canoe, and water ski. (Steve was a pro at skiing and I could barely stand up.) One of Steve's brothers has continued the tradition of summers in the Adirondacks and still goes up regularly. This year, their youngest daughter planned her wedding to be on Lake George.

     The wedding was at The Barn at Lord Howe Valley in Ticonderoga, Lake George. It is a stunningly beautiful wedding venue nestled in a valley with a mountain backdrop. The timber frame barn soars to the roof like a cathedral. The young couple planned a fun wedding with lots of music, dancing, great food, and good memories. We enjoyed spending the day with our family in this happy setting.

     When we learned of the wedding plans last year we decided to find a house to rent for the week and make a vacation out of the trip. We found a lovely house on Lake George in Bolton Landing. W shared the week with my sister and brother-in-law. The water in Lake George this time of the year is a chilling fifty-four degrees. It was difficult to get in and swim but we had loads of fun nevertheless. My sister and I laugh a lot when we are together. She is a jokester and I enjoy making her laugh. We spent the week mostly just sitting on the dock watching the changing moods of the mountains and lake. We ate dinners out, took a few lake tours in my brother-in-law's boat, spent some time on an island, played games,browsed the little shops in Bolton Landing, and visited the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake. It was pure relaxation which was exactly what Steve needed from his overly busy work schedule. 

     We decided to rent the house again next year. With the same families returning for "their week" year after year, available weeks rarely become available. So we decided to keep our spot rather than lose it. I am already looking forward to going back. I doubt we'll see another rainbow off the dock like the one we saw below, but we took it as a sign that we should return.

Girls' Getaway Wintergreen Resort

    The introduction of Airbnb has opened up a new realm of traveling options these days. Decades ago, our options of overnight stays were confined to hotels, inns, and the standard bed and breakfasts. There may have been a hostel here and there, but they were not common in the US. So, if a town didn't have a hotel, inn, or traditional bed and breakfast, we were out of luck. Nowadays, we can travel to any destination we fancy and find a nice, clean place to stay. Over the past few years, we have stayed at several Airbnb's and they have all been exceptionally nice. For privacy, a unique experience, access to out-of-the-way places, and options for families to all stay together in one home, Airbnb's are great.  

The view from the neighborhood at Wintergreen Resort

     Last week, two friends and I rented an Airbnb in Wintergreen Resort, Virginia. This destination is only an hour and a half drive from home so it afforded us a three day getaway without needing to spend a lot of time in the car. We packed our rug hooking and cross stitch supplies and headed to the mountains. Our goal was to make some progress on our crafts away from the distractions of home and duties. We ended up having a lot of fun! The rental house was three stories large and we each had our own bedroom and bath. It offered all the amenities of home along with a huge deck where we could work outside in the sun and shade if we chose. We were renting the house off-season (it's a ski mountain) and we were splitting the cost three ways which made this a very affordable option. 

     I had never been to Wintergreen and I was struck by the beauty of our Appalachian mountains. I was in awe of the multitude of homes built right on the mountainside yet hidden by trees in an unobtrusive way. I enjoyed the serenity of the woods, watching and listening to the variety of birds, walking on a trail nearby, and stepping away from everyday chores. It was good to get away and explore some place new. It was equally good to go back home feeling refreshed and inspired. 

Our view for dinner at The Edge restaurant at Wintergreen.

The waterfall at Upper Shamokin Trail, a loop trail open to residents at Wintergreen Resort. We could hear the falls from our deck.

Current rug project approximately 2x3 feet in size. I hand-dyed the background wool for my interpretation of a punch needle pattern by Kathy Barrick. I wanted a very simple color palette for this rug.

Almost finished with this counted cross stitch pattern by Stacy Nash. Stitched with one strand of thread over two strands of 32ct. linen. The white thread of the house and fence show up brighter in person, thank goodness.

"Goodbye Reality, Hello Vegas"

 

     I found the quote for my title online and it reflects my Las Vegas sentiments precisely. Reflecting back on my week in Las Vegas leaves me with so much to contemplate. The environment is so foreign to my reality in every way, the geography, the opulence, the sadness of the human condition, the noise, the lights, the fun, that I still find it hard to wrap my mind around the place. Judging it by my own experience, I had a great time. I met nice people, the food was fantastic, I saw an exciting Cirque de Soleil show, I enjoyed the warm sunshine, and I didn't bet one penny. We stayed at the MGM resort and each day I went out exploring the area. Our room was nice and quiet but once one steps off the elevator to the main lobby and casino, it is an explosion of noise and music and people. How crowded this place is! I found the the array of humanity to be the most overwhelming. The scene from the cantina in "Star Wars; A New Hope" kept flashing through my mind. All the languages, styles, and craziness of humanity swirl about within a few square miles. 

    The week prior to our trip was filled with a visit from all our children and grandchildren. It was the annual, "Everyone Come Visit at the Same Time" week. We had two bonfires that week, ate lots of food, didn't break much of anything, managed to stay out of the poison ivy, and mostly laughed. The grandchildren are growing up but not so much that they didn't enjoy some Cotton Candy Explosion ice cream. (Violet is missing from the photo.) They also still enjoy the blow-up swimming pool. The weather was so hot for two days that we dragged it out and blew it up and the kids had a blast in the water. Chelsea found some good, local, family friendly hikes and I accompanied them on one hike to a wetland area and waterfall that isn't too far away from our house. We had all the woods to ourselves and it was lovely.

     Now that the house is empty again, I see all the signs that our little people left behind. There are hand prints on the windows, a Lego block under the chair, a carefully constructed fairy house, a collection of stones in the garden bed, chalk smudges on the wall, and crayon pictures hung on the fridge. I'm taking my time putting everything back in order. It's gardening time so I divide my day between inside chores and outdoor fun. These perfect, seventy degree days won't last long and I want to enjoy every moment. It's back to reality, which after Las Vegas, is pretty swell.