Storytelling in Maine




Toby went to our storytelling meeting last weekend, braving the ummarked windy roads south of Mt. Desert Island and the impending Hurricane Irene. He found this idyllic spot on Eggemogin Reach




and the group assembling on the porch, summoning the muses. Lyn demonstrates the way Toby sits in a chair as he listens to stories.



There was time for beach walks and swims in the cove in surprisingly warm water.




And the famously fabulous breakfasts that the group (mostly Lyn) puts together every time we meet.
Theo and Tulip stayed home, peacefully weathering the storm, while the surgery on Tulip's leg healed up.

Tamworth Artisans' Coop



I've joined this artisans' group from Chocorua, Tamworth and the area around. It's fun to have a place to show and sell my furniture and to get to know some of the local artists. Also many others as I work there from time to time--

Besides my furniture, there's pottery, jewelry, glass, carved granite, quilted pieces, and lots of other things including, as might be expected, many, many, exceedingly MANY painted and photographed images of Chocorua Mountain and Lake.




Last Saturday I brought Tulip in with me. She sniffed around, gazed at the chickens in the back yard, seemed bored. But at 4pm a bevy of little girls entered and, when they saw Tulip, sat on the floor, talked to her, patted her, loved her, told her about their cats. She was ecstatic--licking each of them on the face. I made no sales, but Tulip was happy.

There's something mysteriously magnetic between a dog and a child. Toby and I were down at Mass. General last week (he for a routine check-up). As I walked Tulip around outside the Yawkee Medical Pavilion, a little girl spotted her and said over and over to her mother: "Look, there's a dog!!"--the mom paid no attention. Then I watched the eyes of a boy in a wheel chair get larger and larger as he spied Tulip. He didn't say anything--he just watched. The grown-ups didn't notice her, for the most part, but the kids were awed.

Art Extraordinaire sur la Frigidaire!




By these talented young artists:



Madi (otherwise known as Maddie) Page, exuberant in her colorful, abstract style,




Max Paige (aka Page), ingeniously using miniature vehicles for brushes,




And Gwendolyn Wren,
creating vibrantly crisp, clean lines with the stroke of a hand.

Miscellany



A brave wood duck on the lawn outside the kitchen.




Theo on here way to the 100-plus year old Chocorua reading group (group's 100, not the people).




Flowers from Amy.



See that white box under the peak of the eave--that's how I can send a blog from here!!!




See that very small red balloon above the trees and to the left of center--that's Verizon testing out a new cell tower site. Theoretically, if we see the balloon, they can't build the tower.




Tulip slipped down part of the stairs yesterday--so we we made alternative first-floor sleeping arrangements for her and one of her devoted fans.

End of July Pictures

Here's an assortment of happenings from the last few weeks, but first



a sweet photo I found in my Picassa file from July 4th--Max getting both Fiona-time
and Jess-time.




A picnic on Page Hill with the Fischhoffs.




Tulip luxuriating in final pats from Maya.




Two huge granite slabs hidden under our front porch are on their way to become doorsteps outside the north room and the dining room doors.




Carol Phenix's oil painting of a dragon at the Chocorua Village Art Show this last weekend. One of Carol's dragons became the prototype for the stool I painted for Max--the stool that roams around the Burbank house helping small children reach high things.




Toby's cooking artistry--mounds of meringue on a key lime pie.

The Fischhoffs Arrive...




the weather cools, and we enjoy an "al fresco" dinner on the lawn.

Tulip is in 7th heaven with all the attention from Maya.




Yesterday, while the ditches kept being dug around our house, Thad found a moment to search for the Fischhoff clan atop Mt. Chocorua.




We saw them, photographed them (or tried to through the telescope), but couldn't signal with the mirror/sun method because it was too cloudy.

Blog Without Photos


A humungously hot day, one that had us driving from Barrington to Mass. General then on to Chocorua. Toby had a good checkup with his melanoma doctor--no worries. thank goodness. Walking to the car Tulip limped--the pavement was so hot she couldn't walk on it. Toby and Tulip found shade and I brought the car around and picked them up.

Driving to Chocorua--best place to be, in an air-conditioned car.

Thinking of Max at age 2--his birthday! What a sweet surprise he was, what a delicious person he is!

So glad we have Chocorua to retreat to. We took swims as soon as we got back, Tulip too.

Then a dinner on the porch, sun setting, no bugs, all cool from the water, Toby and I talking about art and Julian Freud and the book Rachel and David gave Toby for Christmas, "Proust was a Neuroscientist."

Me in just a black sleeveless jersey dress, Toby's orange tee shirt echoing the orange lilies all around. Food bought at "Chipotle" on the way up, a little wine--no cooking!

Wow, I thought, this is as good as it gets.