new eyes

neighbors
 large and small
a squirrel
 and a stray cat that liked my porch last fall
 and over this crazy political weekend
when it seemed anything could happen-then-
nearby in quebec city horrific news.
 we had new snow
which is such a releif.
today it's colder, feels again like winter again.
not like march.
my wheels from 1970 or so.
around the place
 sunday we walked in the woods at the place i call home 
marking trees
to harvest for timber and firewood 
and forest health.
 the forester was so helpful
we learned about canopy and sunlight
and winter tree i.d.
this man even helped us decide on which trees to keep
for seed, 
a concept i hadn't thought of.
 the solar panels have to be swept snow free

 this is the stream and ridge the panels face
 and the garden
right below
spinach and beets were harvested
and eaten!
 this week, before the last snow.
hard to believe.

january book arts doings

other news
small stuff:
to those of you who are so supportive
i've made a second special edition of the Little Shifu Book, 
because so many people have asked for it.
the cover is an original contact print on arches text wove
and inside there is a little shifu square
made with lokta kami-ito.
 it's available over on the new site via the button.
here's a photo taken mid-making.
also completed, 
 5 star books,
using up old prepped book parts...
one open to see the five pages
 and a long book from my stitchscape series,
number 3.
working on more, now, too.
all sewn with kami-ito on iowa or cave (flax) case paper 
or in this case 
st armand heavy weight.
 made with off-cuts from
the work of friends.
(most of them were recycled in my 
winter papermaking intensive)
 it's tall or long depending on your point of view.
 at the fold the earthskeins change inside to outside.
i do that sometimes. 
 and i threw in some leaves
and a quote from isaiah.
all are antidote to this 
horrible election.
 aimee taught me bookish corners
which i am practicing
and will continue to till they are in my toolbox
of a brain.
 here are some of the off cuts 
and one cave flax paper scrap that i printed.
 book parts and mind wanderings.
 here's a little double weave pocket with an indigo surprise.
shifu.
i'm thinking of making a home for it.
 here it comes
 and... ta DA!

 i'm just done with the editing of my article for handpapermaking magazine.
about shifu and healing
due out in the summer edition.
~~~
this thing looks to me like a mind map.
disconnected dots,
or connected thoughts.
the light factory
up behind the fenced in garden
here's home,
home on the ridge
where the deer and the mink sometimes play.
my old farmhouse was viewed by some amish shoppers yesterday.
it would be cool to have 
the old place go back to old ways.
we'll see.
outside the neighbor dogs are
all riled up. 
hard to tell the difference between them 
and their coyote cousins who are causing the ruckus.