printing paper and books

todd pattison is the president of the new england branch of the guild of bookworkers.
he is one of those people who is delightfully surprising.
last year i received in the mail a small book he made
with my contact printed paper as cover.
lizard spine, maybe?
filled with katie macgregor's light blue handmade papers.
an absolute surprise, i might add. 
i did a happy dance.
it's one of those things i tootled out to show
hannah and nicole
who came by on saturday
 after i met them friday
at caliban press
 where they are slu students, employees of caliban
learning the letterpress trade
 with mark mcmurray
hannah bravely asked me if she could see me working
something i always say no to
(but i said yes
thanks to fred, who has been plowing my driveway this winter
has had an effect on my doing unto others)
for a wee look at the doings in my dye kitchen. 
 the mill is closed down for the winter
so my wet studio is my kitchen right now.
and i tried printing on some old japanese papers
complete with worm holes...
in my kitchen sink
 i wash my wool socks 
my daughter hannah's knitting
 and the dining table acts as the bottom plate 
for pressing dyed papers.
the young women brought with them such positive energy
full of purpose.
it fed my soul somehow,
so it was a good two hours.
~~~
...and over at jasper's
church may indeed be in session.
though i've never spotted anyone there
during worship hours.