it’s all done, the move, and i feel like i’ve never been so tired in all my life. i have bruises on bruises over all my skin, evidence of battling with boxes and furniture and looms and studio equipment. what a job, and then there was my oldfarmhouse, empty, waiting for the new phantom (because we are insulated from them by realtors and lawyers) owners. now i’m in the new place, but it seems like all the detritus of 33 years is being squeezed into 7 square feet! oy.

adjusting to change is challenging, adjusting to change at home is huge.

bette the beater (my old hollander beater made by Valley) was the last one to exit home—300+ pounds waiting for the Kubota forks to ease her out of the paper studio.

bette is currently at the new place on her very own concrete slab. the rest of the paper mill stuff is at school. all is chaotic but settling.

at the new place we see all kinds of wildlife, a bobcat the other day alongside the road-and just after that one trotted along so full of fierce predator life and just after vanishing in the tall weeds a bobolink on the other side, a bit of a joke: two bobs. enormous great blue heron, goslings with extended families, baltimore orioles, ruffed grouse, porcupines and turtles singing at night and morning, frogs and birds. so many turtles laying eggs in this wet, cool spring. the garden is waterlogged and not producing many edible plants. but a good spinach dish last night.

unpacking. unpacking, unpacking.

this is the old wall cupboard in my old dining room. you can see the black ash woodwork (with wainscoting), and the remarkable interior paintjob. i could never bear to paint it, it was so strange. now another family shall make that choice.