What’s occupied my time these last crazy days of summer. “Patriotic WOOF” was a commission that last week went to its forever home in Missouri. If you notice, it’s an almost copy of my original OD green “WOOF.”
Hi, guys! Did you miss me? I hope so. Sorry about the longer than planned hiatus, but life’s been filled with crazy days here at High on Hooking. And they continue for another week. Sharon Smith of Off the Hook Wool Rugs comes into town today; she’s running a three-day workshop for the Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG). Meanwhile, if you’ve seen my personal Facebook or High on Hooking’s Instagram feed, you know that my 21-year old daughter, “the Kid,” suddenly got a full-time job up in Durango, Colorado, an absolutely fabulous mountain town about 3½ hours north of Albuquerque. Hence, she’s moving. We were up in Durango this past weekend securing an apartment. She’ll leave for real Sunday, her minivan stuffed with a bed and necessities. Tom and I will follow her up with packed car(s) Thursday.
You can see the crazy days? But I’ll be back in a week or two. So much to tell, especially regarding our river cruise vacation in Bordeaux last month. Good pics to share. And we’ll have photos of the Sharon Smith workshop too. So much going on… So little time…
The past week we’ve been eating out on the patio every night; it’s been that warm here in Albuquerque. Mid- to high- 80s. Lots of sun. And while I’ve felt a little left out of the New England autumnal loop – you know, turning leaves, sweater weather, stoking the fire-pit – I can’t say that I’m regretting this uncharacteristically lingering summer one bit. But it’s all about to change. Friday’s the day, apparently, that some rains come, and the temperature drops that 15 or so degrees that nature eventually demands.
Our living room looking out to the backyard. Eventually we’ll get things on the walls and such, once we take and inventory and see what’ll work in this style of house. Till then we’re happy to be comfy and settling in.
I’m good with that too. It’ll keep me in the house more, allow me to do some writing, start looking at the job situation here in town. Not that we haven’t been busy. Finally, I can say that most of the boxes have been emptied, and many of their contents have found a place in our new home. We have fully functional kitchens and bathrooms, something that’s an imperative to me. We’ve even managed to lay in some of my favorite seasonal decor: pumpkins!
There’s even a cute, little patio perfect for sharing a bottle of wine. We’re looking for a fire-pit now.
The neighborhood’s rather quiet, but a potluck’s been planned for Sunday afternoon in our little park down the street. We’re looking forward to getting to know people, breaking bread and sharing a glass or two. Most important to me is getting the scoop about Halloween. How many kids can I expect to come to the door? Lord knows I can’t to run out of candy my first time out in a new community.
Imagine the views…
We’re really hoping to start limiting the trips to Target, Lowes, and all the other big box stores that become a home away from one’s new home when you move. The bank account can’t take it any more. And we’d really like to reclaim that time for fun and exploration. To that effect, we did take some time Saturday and headed with the kid and the dog to hike up in Santa Fe. It was good to get out and remember why we relocated.
Mixed media mat in the making. T-shirts, wool yarn, and some gossamer fabrics to come.
Last update: I am indeed in the midst of a new mat. I’ve included a pic. I’ve finally started pulling my stash out of boxes and trying to arrange it for maximum efficiency and workability. I have no studio or room that can be dedicated to all things hooking, but I do have one hell of a master closet which holds my clothing and, on some kick-ass, built-in shelves, the bulk of my yarns and fabrics. So, with a little more time and arranging, I’ll make it work.
So to all my east coast friends, enjoy your picture-perfect fall days and leaf-peeping. I do miss this quintessential New England season. In fact, send me your photos. I can look at them while bask in this glorious last gasp of summer in New Mexico.
Okay, it’s a cactus, not a maple tree. But it’s still something to look at.
Balloons are dropping in all over the city this week.
First of all, let me apologize for the lack of hooking news and fun these past few weeks, but this moving thing is truly a pain in the patootie. There are still unpacked boxes not so stylishly decorating the house. We can’t find all our stuff…because it’s probably hiding in the aforementioned boxes. Lamps! I’d kill for more of my lamps. And don’t even start me on the need to get bookshelves. Then there’s the busy-work: finding doctors that we need asap; running to Lowes to buy a new dishwasher (the one that came with the house pools alarmingly when not in use); locating the local grocery stores; and our personal favorite, teaching the kid to drive. Today was my turn. She did okay, though we do apologize to the honking car next to us at that one light; she did swing r-e-a-l-ly wide to the right to make a left turn. She’ll do better next time; I promise. Not!
Damn little camera on my phone. You probably can’t see the hundreds of balloons at different levels participating in mass ascension. (Better photos after we head to the Fiesta field.) In the meantime, see the Rio Grande there – okay, not looking all that grand – some balloons swoop down from the sky and do a “splash and dash.” Very cool. I learned that term from one of the hookers in my guild; she and her husband work a balloon’s chase crew.
Not that there haven’t been the fun moments. Our hopes were great after that pre-fiesta balloon landed behind our house last week. Now we’re deep in Albuquerque’s famed Balloon Fiesta. We humped up the hill to the neighboring Catholic high school – which happens to have a great view – and watched the first “mass ascension.” (Okay, fellow Catholic peeps, the ballooning term “mass ascension” is nothing but a coincidence. Ironic though. Maybe they could’ve gone with “the Rapture,” but I digress.) Tom and I will head to the fiesta tomorrow in the early, early 50-degree morning. We’ll be right on the field, phones/cameras in hand. How I wish I had a really good camera…
And I have been hooking; most evenings, in fact. I finished hooking, though not blocking and such, my rug-sized New Mexico mat that will eventually grace the floor somewhere in the new house. Now I’m working on a table runner: t-shirts and some gossamer, chiffonny fabrics. Going for a different texture. I got to work on it at a hooking demonstration with my new Adobe Wool Arts guild just yesterday at the BioPark Botanic Gardens. I’d love to share some photos of this (insert long face here) – I even brought my phone.camera and planned on it – but we were so busy chatting with one another and visitors, that I plumb forgot…till we were packing up. Next time, I promise!
Georgia O’Keefe’s “Petunia No. 2,” 1924.
Another highlight this week: a visit to the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe. It’s taken me two vacations to the area and a final move to make it there, but Friday was the perfect time. Tom’s niece – an artsy type, too, with good taste – was in town and also wanted to see it. There was an American Modernist exhibit going on with O’Keefe’s and others’ work represented. Excellent! Oh, and the street food on Santa Fe’s plaza was fabulous.
So, while this moving thing’s a bitch, we managed to tame her for a bit and just enjoy the area. Hey, it’s why we moved here. So far, no regrets, and that’s all that matters.
PS – How do you other bloggers remind yourselves to take pics when you’re all agog listening to stories and looking at beautiful things? Tell me the secret!
My favorite piece, I think. (I reserve the right to change my mind, of course.) O’Keefe’s “Pond in the Woods,” 1922.
Boxes unpacked, packed, and in between fill the office.
Sorry to post and run, but have a gander at our “office.” We closed on the new house a week ago today and started moving in Thursday. Saturday night we finally managed to get the beds up and found some sheets so we could sleep here.
It’s still a mess, but at least it’s our mess now.
Not that it hasn’t been fun. Check out what dropped in behind our house just this morning!
The things that fall out of the sky here in New Mexico…
Saturday marks the start of Balloon Fiesta here in Albuquerque. During our morning walks, the dog and I have seen at least 15 balloons at a time dotting the sky. Every day more arrive from all over the world. We’re lucky; most fly close to the house, though not usually this close! More pics next week.
In the area? Make sure you stop by.
In the meantime, if you’re in the area anytime, stop by. As Tom Bodett of Motel 6 was fond of In saying, “We’ll leave the light on for you.” Maybe we’ll be done moving in too…
My thanks to ATHA’s Region 12 Adobe Wool Arts Guild here in Albuquerque! I attended my first meeting Wednesday last and was welcomed graciously. It was a pleasure hooking with others again even if I was actually sewing twill tape for the day – prepping one rug and finishing another.
Unfortunately, I left my phone at home that day, so I have no pics to share. My bad! But imagine my surprise when I returned home and took a look at my ATHA magazine that had just arrived, forwarded from my old address in Massachusetts. On page 48, there’s a photo of Dagmar and daughter Fiona Byrd. Gene Shepherd wrote a piece about how my new guild has been admitting youth members for over a year. Fiona’s been hooking for two years. She’s even won a blue ribbon at the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta. How great is that? For Fiona, for the art of hooking, and for Mom Dagmar, Dagmar who I’d met just that day and even sat next to.
Coincidences – or perhaps “synchronicity” is a more apt word – didn’t start there. A gentleman and his wife from Santa Fe showed up at the meeting bearing antique rugs. He was interested in restoration work or possibly selling them. My thoughts immediately went to Jessie Turbayne back in Massachusetts who hung with my old Charles River Guild. “I know someone back at home,” I offered tentatively. But being 2200 miles or so away… And just like that, someone asks, “Anyone know where Jessie Turbayne is?” Uh, yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. I passed her info on to the Santa Feans. Hopefully, she’ll be receiving an email and some pics soon.
So, I have high hopes for my hooking here in Albuquerque. The emotional pains of moving away from friends and family are somewhat ameliorated in this day of easy Internet contact. I can stay in touch with pretty much anyone with email or Facebook. But after almost two months here, I’m craving live-action friends and community. Last week was a good welcome and a perfect start.
Our new crib – come Wednesday. It needs some greening, flowers too, and definitely pumpkins, but all in good time.
This Wednesday brings us to our final moving hurdle; we close on our new house. The process of making it a home starts Thursday. I’ll be busy, but I’ll try to check in as often as I can. See High on Hooking’s Facebook page for updates. And if you have any tips (I’m talking to you, Deb!), please feel free to share them in the comments below.
