Back in Vermont --July 22

Taking a trip to Ohio earlier in July, I attended a lecture on a topic dear to my heart: children and nature. Based on the book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, the powerpoint lecture emphasized all the areas time spent in nature nurtures: emotions, physical well being, spirituality, intelligence and self confidence. What could be more fun--all for free? Within the next few days, we took my five-year-old nephew Andrew to the Holden Arboretum to the "Wild Child" sections. He explored the pond area, falling in, and then we found the fort building area. We went right to work!

Back in Vermont on July 19th, I got busy with the antique booth and the lawn (fields?). The grass and gardens had run wild and the birds had left for fuller feeders. I am still trying to woo them back. After three days, the goldfinches have returned along with a few chickadees. When I saw a chipmunk jump up onto the round feeder, I knew why that seed had disappeared so fast. I wonder if birds are afraid of chipmunks? The hummies are back, too, and I will fill up their glass feeder tomorrow with the 1-4 sugar water. Meanwhile, they have enjoyed the red and pink bee balm nectar.
I looked forward to my date with the big John Deere tractor on Friday afternoon. The weather was hot but dry. I pulled out my numbered directions and reviewed them carefully after strapping on the seat belt. Where was the throttle, and what did that little diagram of a rectangle mean? I checked the handy direction booklet rolled up in its canister behind the seat. I figured it out and mowed for two hours. I have yet to figure out the most efficient way to mow this large area. I seemed to go around a lot of curves and unnecessary loop de loops. Once I relaxed and realized that I would not tip over, I began to smile. Fun. The fields look good, flat and green with some areas of desert. I call them EBG: Everything But Grass. Next time, I will put on the earphones to protect my ears and get my can of soda all set up in the cup holder. I did have my hat and sunglasses on. The weather had been dry, so the dust and dirt flew everywhere. Friday was the first of several two-shower days.

Little Red House and Gardens

The back of the house faces south with a grassy terrace, stonewall and porch. Ian and our sister- in-law Julie are sitting on the terrace ready for lunch. Near the old brick path, our old dog Barney is enjoying the back porch. Clematis climbs around the bedroom window. The pathway leading to another door is actually the "front" entry to the house just off the driveway that leads in from Gaskill Road.

Garden Tours in Vermont

Above is a pool with a wonderful garden nearby. Imagine floating on your back and looking into this garden!




On Sunday, June 29th, I toured four home gardens around the Westminster area.It was a fundraiser for their Westminster Cares program which ministers to the elderly in the area. My favorite garden was the series of gardens around Gordon Hayward's house. My mother had given me one of his books a few years ago when I moved into the Vermont House. When I asked Gordon how long he had been working on his gardens, he said 25 years. That gave me great hope! Mine are on their way and he is an inspiration. Here is Gordon signing books with visitors. No, I am not in the picture!

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

A productive, useful and fun seminar in Vermont.
I attended this class with 14 other adults at the Southern Vermont Arts Center. We listened to short lectures, watched demonstrations and then tried our hand at drawing our hands, perspectives, profiles of classmates and a final self portrait. Based on Dr. Betty Edwards' book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, the seminar was taught by the author's son Brian Bomeisler. "The skill of drawing is largely about relationships." We learned to work on the right side of the brain and get around the critic haranguing us from the left side.
Here are some good quotes about drawing:
Paul Klee noted that "a line is a dot that went
for a walk." More creators and more collectors need to be taken
on that walk. Edgar Degas noted, "Drawing is a species of
writing: it reveals, better than does painting, an artist's
true personality." A student who sees progress in drawing gains
the greatest self-esteem. For that reason alone artists ought
to be drawing like crazy. When Michelangelo died, a note for
one of his assistants was found on the studio floor: "Draw,
Antonio, draw. Draw and do not waste time."

PS: "Do not fail to draw something every day, for no matter how
little, it will do you a world of good." (Cennino Cennini) "You
can never do too much drawing." (Tintoretto) "There is nothing
so delightful as drawing." (Vincent Van Gogh) "You never
graduate from drawing." (John Sloan)