Mail Call!

I've had some wonderful mail over the past few months and I've been very delinquent in sharing it with all of you.

Even now, you won't see it all, because sometimes the camera is in a place that the art is not.

This photo shows items from several of you talented folks. In the upper left corner is a postcard from Nathalie, whose Ruby Floy Etsy shop is a delight!

On the right, a postcard from Janet, one of the most prolific painters I follow. She's always trying something new! (There SHOULD be an ATC from Janet here. Sorry... camera thing...)

Underneath Nathalie's card on the left is a July 4 ATC and inchie from Linda, another prolific creator! (And I have another Linda card, too, that -- well, you know...) I've never made inchies before, but I think Linda has convinced me!

All of those are sitting atop this book...

I won Sally Jean Alexander's inspirational book "Pretty Little Things" from Patty! And she included one of her zentangle horses, too. (If you haven't seen this book, you really must. Even if you don't solder (and it will make you want to), there is so darned much inspiration, so many ideas, that it's quite marvelous.

I can't begin to tell you everything in Dogwood's prize-winning package. It was like the craft fairy landed on my doorstep!

There is a wonderful cloth doll and all the bits and bobs (from yarn to angel wings and fabric) to dress her, glitter dots, tags, floss, more fabric, a wonderful wee notebook (now in my purse), a needlefelted flower and ATC, some stickers...well, you can see!

I really feel as though recently I have hit the jackpot, and I'm delighted to share these women's blogs with you -- talk about fun and inspiration!

Meanwhile, the winner of the drawing on Chopsticks and String was Vagabonde! Congratulations -- your book will be off to you soon! (Now on Chopsticks, my take on "Eat Pray Love" - The Movie.)

Part Two: Like Time Never Passed

I wish I had more of my childhood photos scanned. Some have been transferred over from faded photos to digital scans. But only a few of the ones I want today. I've been looking for photos of Jeri Aldrich and me from days long past.

When I was in sixth grade, my parents moved across town and we tried yet another church in our quest for a spiritual home. This time we landed at Plymouth Congregational Church in Lansing, Michigan. It was known for its beautiful Gothic-style architecture across from Lansing's capitol building and for its outstanding choir school.

You need to know something about Plymouth's choir school and its director, Richard Klausli, and his wife, Dorothy, who handled the children's choirs. First, it was good -- with more than 200 voices for the combined choir performances at Christmas and Easter.

And Dr. Klausli was somewhat ahead of his time. A professor at the university, he ran the choirs in the English choir school tradition. And he wasn't afraid to take chances on new music. In 1970 the choir did the oratorio "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice -- in partial costume. He told the choir that the duo had written another piece that was on the edge. He didn't know how it would fare, but it was called "Jesus Christ Superstar."

The choir school for my age group met on Thursdays after school. Mrs. Klausli (who could tame wild tigers with a steely stare -- just think what she could do with eight year-old boys or thirteen year-old girls!) ran the sessions with a heart of gold and an iron fist. Bonds were formed during choir school. And that's when I met Jeri.

For me, it was the closest bond of that era. I was a new kid in my sixth grade class, and yes, I had friends. But Jeri was different. You know how you sometimes just hit it off with someone? Well, we did. And when we found out we were going to the same junior high school, all the better!

We were in the school play. Went to the ninth grade dance together (because we didn't have boyfriends...truth be told.)

We played at each other's houses -- at the Aldrich house there was always a menagerie of animals, all of whom would sit for their suppers.

Jeri often came to the lake with me, and is the only person not family (including Rick) who calls me first by my family nickname. I wish I could find the photo of us with my cousins and their friends, happily posing on the dock after riding in the speed boat to the little burger place with pinball machines on the other side of the lake. Or one from the church retreat. But these bathing beauties will have to do.

We were sophomores in high school here. It was after this time we sort of lost touch, going to different schools.

She knew my parents (one of the few people remaining in my circle who did) and when my mom was dying, her mother was there every step of the way.

Now, I'm not a huge Facebooker. Part of my job includes monitoring and posting on various social media sites for the station, so I had to have an account. And of course, people find you. Eventually, you start finding people.

I found Jeri. Yes, we'd seen each other once several years ago in a crowded lobby of the symphony when she was visiting her parents; I knew she lived in Harbor Springs in Northern Michigan (but not where); that she had married, had children, later divorced. But we really hadn't been in sit-down-and-talk contact since that summer pictured above.

Well, over Labor Day weekend, I visited Jeri. We'd tried earlier -- it didn't fly because of her work schedule. But this time, it did.

And it was as though time had never passed.

I've had the experience meeting blog friends that it feels as though you already know each other, have forever.

But sometimes in meeting up again with someone from the past, there's that pause. What do I say? How much? Have they changed? Have I? Have we changed "together" even though we've been apart? How do you begin?

I'm pleased to report there was no "strangeness." No "stranger-ness," either. Just two good friends who both love to knit...

...who belong to book clubs and love their animals. (And really, who couldn't love a face like Dexter's?)

Friends who love to cook and shared soup and pasta salad that each had made.

And it was a perfectly wonderful.

On the End of Summer, Part One.

I find the end of summer to be somewhat melancholy. There's nothing I love more than a good warm day, lots of sun, and if I'm at the lake, all the better.

September seems to bring a return to routine. The visits to the lake -- while still on the agenda -- become fewer as obligations in town come to the forefront. So, I treasure that Labor Day weekend when I take some alone time and some Rick time at the lake.

My alone time was in synch with his several-day bike ride. I went north to do art, read, relax. And at the end of the day, I settled in to enjoy the dazzling September sunsets. (Well, there were two before the weather turned very bad!)

I started a painting on a large canvas (much to finish on that one) and worked up some other projects, including some matchboxes. This one was posted with a bit of jewelry inside as a long overdue birthday gift.

I started "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," our book club read (not purchased at this store, which as you can see was "shut.")

And I said a big "hurrah" when Gypsy brought in the fruits of his hunting labors...

...and then kicked it around.

Rick, meanwhile, rode like the wind... or, perhaps more applicable, in the wind. And rain. And I do mean rain.

But when we connected again for a party on the eve of the final day of his ride, and the next sunny morning when he took off, it was clear he was having a wonderful time.

On the way to pick him up, I kicked around Northern Michigan. Here are a few of the spots that caught my eye this year. The lighthouse in Boyne City...

...and another in Petoskey on Little Traverse Bay.

The Perry Davis Hotel, also in Petoskey, and decked out for Labor Day.

The Bay View area -- a charming neighborhood just outside of Petoskey with lots of Victorian houses and a small campus.

Beautiful Harbor Springs.

So many seagulls, all lovely.

But there was something even better that I celebrated on this wonderful holiday weekend. I'll tell you about that next time!

(Don't forget -- the deadline to enter my book giveaway on Chopsticks and String is Friday, September 10, at midnight! It's an entertaining caper book by Peter Mayle, set in France.)

Craft Camp!

It was time for our annual "Craft Camp" at the lake, when my pal Kate and I head north with boatloads of art supplies and just do art for two days! (This was about a week ago, but I'm way behind! This was the post I was trying to do at the lake when the library computer was acting weird!)

Kate was into polymer, making these amazing beads from sewing machine bobbins.

Polymer is something I've tried, like a lot, but don't seem to have the patience in which to excel! Kate, on the other hand, is a master!

I can't wait to see her finished projects!

I did tags.

Lots of tags.

I mean, lots!

I finished most of my tags for Karla's "Wizard of Oz" swap -- I'll show you those later! And a little teeny book.

But all work and no play makes Jeanie and Kate dull girls. So we did some relaxing...

And bird watching...

And Gypsy-watching. The picture of contentment.

Don't you wish you could relax like that?

(I'm getting caught up and will be visiting you soon! Thanks for coming, even when I haven't had time to stop by! Meanwhile, if you enjoy a good book, don't forget to enter my drawing on Chopsticks and String.)

Argh! Library Computers!

Greetings from the Lake. I'd love to show you photos of Craft Camp last week, but I'm working on the library computer and it won't let me edit/cut-paste, etc., so all the pix are at the top and not integrated and it looks bad indeed. (It also has lousy shift keys and periodically I go into my e.e. cummings mode.)

So, hang in there for a couple of days and when I'm home on Tuesday (or get to the cyber cafe with my own computer), I'll have pix of that, and later next week other things I've been working on.

And thank you for all the kind and lovely comments about my last post -- Rick's Uncle Gene. He has been as touched by them as I am.

The Gyp and I are having a grand time hanging out, despite weather which is rapidly going downhill. I've been painting and trying to finish some things I started last week. I might get to "Eat, Pray, Love" tonight, but it has had such lousy reviews and I really loved the book, so I'm on the fence. If it stays cold and rainy, I'll be there.

Even the Gypster has been busy with his usual northern activities -- sleeping and hunting. I'm rather hoping that tonight he'll catch the brothers, sisters or -- dare I say it -- mum of the little mousie he presented me with last night.

Tomorrow I'll meet up with Rick and friends for the almost-end-of-the-ride party as he nears completion on his 400-mile ride to the Mackinac Bridge and we'll hang out for a couple days after. Off to the store to buy ingredients for the potluck!

Meanwhile, stop by and enter my drawing on Chopsticks and String for Peter Mayle's book, "Anything Considered." I'll check in with you all next week and start to get back on a regular visiting schedule! Thanks for hanging in while I've been a tad erratic!

Celebrating Life

Our family -- and in this case, I mean Rick's family, though by now I consider them mine as well -- has gone through some significant losses this summer. This past weekend we went to Minnesota to say farewell to Rick's uncle Gene and to celebrate his life.

I didn't know Gene as well as some of the family -- they lived farther away and by the time I came into the picture, he was beginning to become more frail. I didn't have the opportunity to know the Gene that Rick and his brothers knew. (That's Gene below with his wife, Beth, and his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters.)

Until this weekend.

Rick was speaking on behalf of the family at the celebration, and over the past few weeks in preparation, he has shared with me many stories and the impact this man had on him. During the ceremonies, and after, as we shared memories, I learned even more.

Gene, who was married to Rick's Aunt Beth, was the first person not from Toledo the brothers had ever known. He was a "foreigner" (being from St. Louis) with new ideas and ways of thinking, and he expanded their universes in many ways.

But he was more than that. He was an astounding human being who (with Beth) adopted three children -- an adolescent and two infants. He provided a bone marrow transplant for his sister. He taught skiing to those with disabilities and he was an avid sailor who raced often. He was active in his church and his community. His life was rich and full and the fact that the church was so full was testament to how much he was loved.

And, the photo below shows -- without words -- how much he loved his granddaughters!

Times like this bring out so many emotions. At one point I said, "I wish Gene and Bob were here to see us all together having such a good time." (For you see, we are a fun group and between tears there was a lot of laughter this weekend, as there should be.) We lost Rick's uncle Bob in May.

And, when I saw the family photo on display at the funeral home, I thought, "Three are missing. Gene. Bob. Gene's daughter Andrea, whom we lost a year and a half ago."

But there are new faces in the picture yet to be taken. Gene has granddaughters now, and his daughter Sarah is a splendid mom who will not let them forget their family legacy.

And Bob has a wonderful son-in-law in Brian and grandchildren who came along after that family photo was taken.

The photo is representative of a "living" experience. We live. We step into the photo. Others move into the picture and one day will take our places. But if we do our jobs right, everyone will remember who was there in the first place.

And there are new experiences to be had. I thought it was no accident that after trying a long while, the fact that Sarah's youngest daughter finally could ride her two-wheeler for the first time unassisted.

Her dad said that unlike her older sister, she had been having a tough time getting it right without the trainers. As we sat on the deck, she rode on the grass below -- or tried, falling or stumbling then getting up and doing it again and again until she flew around in a circle.


She wasn't really unassisted. I am firmly convinced that an angel named Gene was wrapping his wings about her, guiding her gently, helping her along the way until she could fly.

Ride on, little one. Rick said the nieces and nephews stand on your grandpa's shoulders. One days, they'll stand on yours, your sister's and your cousin's.