From the shearing of the goats and sheep to the final product, this is the story of wool. My daughter and I went to our first shearing event several years ago and it was beyond interesting. The way the animals sort of zone out while they’re being sheard to the softness and warmth of the lanolin drenched wool fresh off the sheep and goats. The last picture is of sweater my daughter made.
The shearing…
Roving to yarn to dyed yarn to sweater…
This month’s final assignment is to try creating a 3D image. Include elements in the foreground and background that work together to separate those two parts of the scene. My choices are from museums I have visited in the last year or so.
Metropolitan Museum of Art ~ New York City
Portland Maine Museum of Art ~ Portland, Maine
Albany Institute of History and Fine Art ~ Albany, New York. The exhibit was called ‘Well Dressed in Victorian Albany’.
https://nowathome.wordpress.com/2020/07/26/2020-photo-challenge-30/
What’s it like to finally meet someone you’ve admired for years, someone you have come close to meeting through mutual friends but didn’t for one reason or another, and so you resigned yourself to the fact that it would never happen! Carly Simon has always been an inspiration to me through her song lyrics and through her written words, and to meet her, although for only a few minutes…. well, it was down right awesome, nerve wracking and surreal and all I hoped it would be.
After 40 years of being a fan and admirer of Carly Simon – 5 concerts (MV with Harry Connick Jr, NJ art center, Lincoln Center, the Apollo and Joe’s Pub in NYC)…
After a lifetime of both of us having a connection to Martha’s Vineyard and never ever meeting each other it finally happened on Oct 24th here in NJ at Carly’s book signing for her new book ‘Touched By The Sun’ about her long time friend ship with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
How did this come to be after all these years? Carly has done signings of CD’s and books over the years in NYC but I’ve never been able to make them, but when it was announced she was going to be on this side of the Hudson River in New Jersey and not far from where I live, and an early evening appearance… we knew it had to be now or possibly never.
My daughter got off from work early and we left around 3 for the 6 o’clock signing. We got to Bookends in Ridgewood, NJ around 4. There were already maybe 7 people in line outside, we went into the book store to purchase our reserved copies of the book which were our tickets into the event, got a refreshment and then got in line which had swelled to about 12 people by then. I was so relieved to be near the front, and my daughter could relax knowing she had delivered me bright and early to the event. I tend to get anxious sometimes and this was absolutely one of those times. The final estimate was between 250-300 people. Around 5 they led us into the bookstore and downstairs into a large room where they had a sort of roped off maze of lanes which led up to the front of the room where there was a desk. My description is horrible but the concept was great as it kept everyone orderly and in order of how you first got in line. As in most cases when you’re in a line for awhile for something you begin chatting with those around you, some were sitting on the floor already reading Carly’s book, my daughter was knitting socks, everyone was friendly, happy and anxious for 6pm to roll around.
A little after 6 we were all led back upstairs where Carly was seated behind a desk waiting for her eager fans.
Carly looked gorgeous, she was charming, gracious and warm, she didn’t rush anyone and spoke to you like the two of you were the only ones in the room. I was afraid I would turn out to be one of those ‘gushy’ fans that says the same things she’s heard a zillion times so I practiced in my head what I wanted to say in the short amount of time I had. I did not gush, I did not blather, I did not forget my name, or hers, I was my version of cool.
I wonder if we were both thinking the same thing…
If you’re wondering why the pictures show the back of the jacket I have on, it’s from Carly’s tour in 1978 when her ‘Boys In The Trees’ album came out. I came into possession of the jacket through two mutual friends of mine and Carly’s and thought she might get a kick out of seeing it. She did.
Thank you Carly for all the years of your incredible music,your heart felt lyrics (there’s a Carly song for every emotion), and for books, you are truly an inspiration.
Date: June, 1993 –
Place: Martha’s Vineyard –
Occasion: A Taste of the Vineyard
25 years ago my daughter Deb and I decided to treat ourselves to A Taste of the Vineyard, we’d never gone before and it seemed like a fun and different thing to do. Off we went to the Vineyard for a glorious long weekend of eating, shopping and tasting. The weather turned brutally hot all along the Eastern seaboard, it verged on 100 degress which is unusual for mid June. A few hours before the Taste was to begin welcomed thunder storms rolled in and dropped the temps about 25 degrees. The evening was cool and clear and perfect.
We donned our new outfits and headed over to the grounds of the Preservation Trust which are located at the Dr Daniel Fisher house in Edgartown. The house is a beautiful Federal style home surrounded by lush gardens. It’s gorgeous.
We gingerly and hungrily entered the tents where all foods and drinks were on display. Lots of eager tasters were already there. We got our dishes and start wending through the crowds. We found seats and set about our tastings.
The tables were set with crisp white tablecloths.. in the middle of the tables were mounds of sand with seashells and rocks scattered about and a large hurricane lamp with candle sitting in the middle of the sand. Simple and tasteful, much like the occasion. The bite sized portions of appetizers and entrees were just satisfyingly enough. Had to leave room for the abundance of dessert samples after all.
But… the thing that mostly interested me was trying for the first time the Frozen Cappuccino from Espresso Love one of my most favorite places on MV. I returned to our table with my cup, eager to taste what smelled and looked delicious. I set it on the table… or at least I thought I had…
…but no, I had sort of placed it precariously near the edge and it landed in my daughters lap, almost the entire cup of cappuccino!!!!! On her new skirt !
**(The part of the original skirt is now being portrayed by a stand-in)
Deb loved the skirt and had hoped to wear many, many times. I felt awful, I still do… it was an accident. I mean after all I myself had gotten a drop or two on my new shoes. We cleaned her up as best we could and I believe she went and got me a second cup of frozen cappuccino. I set it down on the table and… it hit the rocks and there before our eyes it oozed from the rocks and sand onto the table cloth. It looked like the tide had come in… it wasn’t pretty and it was embarrassing.
Could it be that maybe the third time would work! I had to find out so off I went for the third cup of frozen cappuccino. I walked carefully back to the table, avoiding being bumped or nudged. I approached the table… Deb grimaced… I held the cup tightly in both hands… I bent to set it down… and… I did it, I made solid contact with table. I then raised the cup to my lips and actually got to taste the frozen cappuccino and I have to tell you… it was good, it was very very good, it was joy to my taste buds. I loved it and I still do, I try to have one at least once during every trip to MV. And of course I feel compelled to apologize each time to my daughter for her long lost beautiful skirt.
This blurry picture of the two of us was taken at the end of the evening. At least we’re laughing because no matter what, we always enjoy ourselves on the Vineyard.
(PS.. apology #107..I’m still sorry about the skirt)
With the Taste Of The Vineyard Gourmet Stroll coming up on June 18 and The Taste Of The Vineyard’s Patron Dinner & Auction on June 20, 2015, I’d like to tell my story about the one and only time I went to this lovely and delicious event 22 years ago in 1993.
My daughter Deb and I decided to treat ourselves to The Taste of the Vineyard, we’d never gone before and it seemed like a fun and different thing to do. Off we went to the Vineyard for a glorious long weekend of eating, shopping and tasting. The weather turned brutally hot all along the Eastern seaboard, it verged on 100 degress which is unusual for mid June. A few hours before the Taste was to begin welcomed thunder storms rolled in and dropped the temps about 25 degrees. The evening was cool and clear and perfect.
We donned our new outfits and headed over to the grounds of the Preservation Trust which are located at the Dr Daniel Fisher house in Edgartown. The house is a beautiful Federal style home surrounded by lush gardens. It’s gorgeous.
We gingerly and hungrily entered the tents where all foods and drinks were on display. Lots of eager tasters were already there. We got our dishes and start wending through the crowds. We found seats and set about our tastings.
The tables were set with crisp white tablecloths.. in the middle of the tables were mounds of sand with seashells and rocks scattered about and a large hurricane lamp with candle sitting in the middle of the sand. Simple and tasteful, much like the occasion. The bite sized portions of appetizers and entrees were just satisfyingly enough. Had to leave room for the abundance of dessert samples after all.
But… the thing that mostly interested me was trying for the first time the Frozen Cappuccino from Espresso Love one of my most favorite places on MV. I returned to our table with my cup, eager to taste what smelled and looked delicious. I set it on the table… or at least I thought I had… but no, I had sort of placed it precariously near the edge and it landed in my daughters lap, almost the entire cup of cappuccino!!!!! On her new skirt !
(The part of the original skirt is now being portrayed by a stand-in)
Deb loved the skirt and had hoped to wear many, many times. I felt awful, I still do… it was an accident. I mean after all I myself had gotten a drop or two on my new shoes. We cleaned her up as best we could and I believe she went and got me a second cup of frozen cappuccino. I set it down on the table and… it hit the rocks and there before our eyes it oozed from the rocks and sand onto the table cloth. It looked like the tide had come in… it wasn’t pretty and it was embarrassing. Could it be that maybe the third time would work! I had to find out so off I went for the third cup of frozen cappuccino. I walked carefully back to the table, avoiding being bumped or nudged. I approached the table… Deb grimaced… I held the cup tightly in both hands… I bent to set it down… and… I did it, I made solid contact with table. I then raised the cup to my lips and actually got to taste the frozen cappuccino and I have to tell you… it was good, it was very very good, it was joy to my taste buds. I loved it and I still do, I try to have one at least once during every trip to MV. And of course I feel compelled to apologize each time to my daughter for her long lost beautiful skirt.
This blurry picture of the two of us was taken at the end of the evening. At least we’re laughing because no matter what, we always enjoy ourselves on the Vineyard.
(PS.. apology #27..I’m still sorry about the skirt)
The mystery unfolds …
I spotted this t-shirt in the window of a store in Edgartown about 20 years ago. I liked the cartoon depictions of MV landmarks and also the cute characters enjoying themselves. It seemed like a perfect shirt… I wanted it badly but alas it was around 8pm on an early May evening and the store was closed up tight. I obsessed on this shirt all evening… I could see it in my minds eye… the Flying Horses, the cliffs at Gay Head, Martha’s Vineyard spelled out in semaphore flags, the airport, the lighthouses, the ferries, the gingerbread houses… just about everything was there.
The next morning we got to the store just as it was opening. But wait, the t-shirt was not in the window… where was it ? We dashed inside and I explained to the ladies there that I had seen a certain t-shirt in the window less then 12 hours before and now it wasn’t there. They looked perplexed ! Neither of them knew what t-shirt I was talking about, they’d never seen a t-shirt like that before and would certainly have remembered such a different sort of shirt. I wondered if I’d entered the Twilight Zone ! They reiterated that it couldn’t have possibly have been in their window… they closed the store up the night before and had been the only ones working in the store all day ! I know my dreams are vivid but I didn’t think I was that good.
Oh well, as long as we were there we decided to browse. With a sigh I headed off to half-heartily look around. Cute stuff but… hold on a second, something caught my eye. It wasn’t even with the other t-shirts, it was mingled in with, I don’t remember what, all I knew was that I had found IT. I grabbed my prize and ran to show it to the ladies. They were stunned, they had never seen that t-shirt before !!!! So, I ask you, was it in the window the night before… did someone move it out of the window and onto a rack without their knowledge… is this story made up and… does the t-shirt exist for certain !!! Stay tuned to find out !!!!
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Here’s the shirt today, June 7, 2015. Owner of shirt wants to remain anonymous as it seems whoever, or whatever moved it in the store still might want to get its hands/fingers/claws on it.
Since I mentioned t-shirts in my last post I thought I’d carry the subject through to this post. Almost all of us collect t-shirts and I’m no different except that almost all of mine are from the Vineyard. They’re a good way to not only have memories of places but have new clothing as well….. when it comes time to have to get rid of them I sometimes take pictures of the ones I know I can’t replace.
These three are from events that I went to.Illumination Night in Oak Bluffs which takes place this year on Wed, Aug 20, 2014. The Harry Connick Jr/Carly Simon concert at the Tabernacle on Sep 16, 1990. And also at the Tabernacle, the Boston Pops on Aug 4, 2001.
This grouping is of places on MV. The Flying Horses in Oak Bluffs.Espresso Love in Edgartown. Midnight Farm store in Vineyard Haven. The old Tivoli building in Oak Bluffs.
Black Dog t-shirts are very popular of course but this red BD shirt is from around 1987, which is before the well known image of the BD appeared.
Miscellaneous shirts including the Vineyardosaurus. A Chappy shirt because our dog is named Chappy. The “It’s A Vineyard Thing” shirt because well, with me everything becomes a Vineyard thing.
I like the MV map with all the towns shown on it. The black one because of the design and the word ‘Vineyard’ at the very end of the spiral.
As for the orange one… anyone know what the *a stands for ? For a long time you had to be in the ‘know’ to know it? Care to venture a guess ! 🙂
Unlike the above mentioned t-shirts, this t-shirt has a story. Okay, some of the others have stories too… but not quite like this one !
CLICK HEREto find out what is so eerie about this shirt !!!!!!
MV Obsession 