Category: wine

August 9, 2016

Taking stock

The rug I was working on as I moved last summer. "Welcome to New Mexico." — The rug I was working on during last summer’s exodus: “Welcome to New Mexico.” Since then I’ve been taking stock of our first year here.

Taking stock – that’s what I did with some of the time I took off from the blog these past couple of weeks (which passed by REALLY QUICKLY). July 30 held particular significance and not just because it was the day before my kid’s 19th birthday. This year it marked exactly one year since we rolled into the state of New Mexico to stay.

Wow! We can’t believe it either. At times it’s been tumultuous, there’s no denying that. The holidays, they were tough without family and friends. The kid crashing her car – no injuries other than to pride! – means that just like in high school, Tom’s stuck driving her back and forth to work till she saves for a new vehicle.

Big picture, though, the move’s been most everything we wanted.

Where Tynan and I walk in the Bosque along the Rio Grande. — Where Tynan and I walk in the Bosque along the west side of the Rio Grande. This is **city living Albuquerque style**.

CLIMATE:
Certainly, the weather’s wonderful: lots of sun, lots less winter (compared to New England). One day last January, we hiked in the snow on the east side of the Sandia Mountains then drove the 45 minutes to home where it was 55 degrees. No need for a stinkin’ snowblower here!

RUG HOOKING (this is a hooking blog):

You'll find many of AWAG ladies demonstrating rug hooking at Albuquerque's Biopark the first Tuesday of most every month. — You’ll find several of us AWAG’s ladies demonstrating rug hooking at Albuquerque’s Biopark the first Tuesday of most every month.

Who would’ve guessed that there’s such an active guild of hookers out here in Albuquerque? I’ve made some great friends this past year, even one, Melinda, who moved from New Hampshire about the same time I moved from Massachusetts. Now the two of us try to get a hooking afternoon in each week. Better yet, she and her husband are New England Patriots fans just like us. Tom and I are no longer alone in a sea of blue and orange Bronco fans.

"Desert Gone Wild" went to a good home just last week. — “Desert Gone Wild,” a table runner or wall hanging, went to a good home just last week.

As High on Hooking, I’ve managed to start selling pieces and been involved in not one, but two shows. The Adobe Wool Arts (ATHA) guild volunteered me as our representative to Albuquerque’s Fiber Arts Council which is currently planning next May’s Fiber Arts Fiesta. Then back in January, three of us headed down to Tuscon in Arizona for a hook-in with the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers. It was 80 degrees there! In January! I even managed a little sunburn!

You can't get much closer to a balloon without being in the basket. This one landed behind the house last fall. — You can’t get much closer to a balloon without being in the basket. This one landed right behind the house last fall.

HOUSING:
While we didn’t down-size like we planned (hey, with no cellar or attic, we realized we needed an extra room for the treadmill and bike), we found a great house close to the Rio Grande. That means the dog and I can head out to walk the scenic trails of the Bosque (the forest) whenever we wish. In summer this is best done in the early morning hours.) So far we’ve come across a snake, hawks and hummingbirds, lots of bunnies and geckos, two coyotes, and, just last week, a porcupine.

Tynan running free in the Bosque. Like, Just like New England, autumn is the best time to be in New Mexico. — Tynan running free in the Bosque. Just like New England, autumn is the best season to be in New Mexico.

PERSONAL:
I turned 52 this summer. Moving here signaled the start of the next half of my life. (You think I’m optimistic, but one of my grandmothers died as an active 93-year-old, and the other is still very much alive.) One reason we moved here — besides the BIG sky, the art scene, and there being less people — was for the outdoor lifestyle. We like to hike. Unfortunately, a couple of months before we left the east coast, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I won’t lie, it’s been a pain in my ass, amongst other places, but especially for my knees. That’s limited our hiking some. But I’m on a new med; here’s hoping it works without too many side effects (the scary kinds they recite to us in all the TV ads). And that the damn hot flashes stop soon. (I am 52.)

20160522_121931 — On the trail again at Tent Rocks.

Luckily, though, while my fingers have swollen some, they’ve suffered little pain. Maybe all the hooking keeps everything lubed up. Thank goodness. I know that most of you feel like I do: hooking is therapy. Without it, life would, to put it bluntly, suck.

Life here in Albuquerque definitely does NOT suck. There are all kinds of new experiences:

Wineries and old ruins and Indian pueblos and Petroglyph National Monument that puts volcanoes practically in our backyard!
Hot air balloons that float right over our house and sometimes land on the street right behind it!
Gardening in the desert – we’re not in Massachusetts any more where missing a day of watering isn’t be much of a problem. Worse, we pay for water here! But we’re learning all about drought-tolerant plants.
Meeting all kinds of fiber artists like weaver Donna Loraine Contractor.
Tapestry artist Donna Loraine Contractor in her booth at the 2015 Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival (Thanksgiving weekend). We met online well before I ever got here.
Cool nature stuff like Tent Rocks.
Attending rattlesnake aversion training with the dog. And a live rattlesnake!
Chiles, chiles, chiles!
Navajo woven rugs. Rugs hooked out of t-shirts by Guatemalan women and sold at Santa Fe’s International Folk Art Market.
Santa Fe and all it has to offer just an hour up the road.
Museums like the one dedicated to Georgia O’Keefe.
Mass Ascension at Balloon Fiesta!
New Mexico’s food scene rocks!

Tom posing in Tent Rock's curves. — Tom posing in Tent Rocks’ curves.

I could go on, but I won’t right now. There’s too much to do. Rugs don’t hook themselves. Plus, we have company coming early September through mid-October. I can play Julie McCoy to the relatives.

How’s your summer been going?

Mass ascension at Balloon Fiesta 2015. Have you ever seen so many balloons in one place? — Mass Ascension at Balloon Fiesta 2015. Have you ever seen so many balloons in one place?

"Welcome to New Mexico", 29.5"x20", $225, Recycled t-shirts — High on Hooking says “Welcome to New Mexico.” Stay for a while and see why we love it here.

March 9, 2016

Refilling the creativity tank

It happens: the creativity tank starts to run low and needs gassing up. After rushing to finish and then submit “Ribbons Over Albuquerque” last week, I had to come down, recharge, give my brain and swollen hands a rest. That’s not a bad thing; it opens me up to new experiences which is always a great thing for dreaming up new rugs and mats.

So, just what do I do when I’m not hooking but still want to keep the fires stoked?

I cook. Gluten-freedom has made that a little…interesting. But you can’t beat it for almost immediate gratification. And my family is oh, so appreciative.
Field trip! Last week Tom and I headed to
Flowers seen at Albuquerque’s Biopark last week.

Albuquerque’s Biopark Botanic Garden where I do rug hooking demos once a month. I’d never seen the rest of the park! Now we’ll go every season to see how it changes.
I take pictures of things I deem “interesting” as possible design candidates. If the pic sucks, just hit DELETE. Easy-peasy.
Never underestimate the joy in visiting a Penzeys spice store just to sniff the merchandise. Especially if it’s next door to a Michael’s. Just be careful around the Berbere Seasoning if you value the nerves and blood vessels in your nasal cavities.
I grab the dog and the husband and hit a trail. Or even a nearby sidewalk. You never know what you might see even in your own neighborhood. (Don’t forget the camera!)
I succumb to my magazine habit: Bon Appetit; Women’s Health; Su Casa, Sunset; Fiber Art Now; Rug Hooking; Cooking Light; National Geographic; Poets & Writers, and any rag I can pick up for free when leaving local establishments. Then I cut and paste into my journal or inspiration box. My grandmother taught me well.
Heeding the garden’s call! We’re still trying to figure out how we’ll handle
Hooking of a different kind.

this now that we live in the high desert and have much less land. But there will be flowers and tomatoes and herbs!
Crocheting simple things like scarves keeps my hands busy and lets me buy yarn. (As if I needed an excuse.)
And lastly, a trip to a local winery or distillery never hurts.

Keep me safe from alcoholism. Share how you recharge your creative battery when you’re not hooking.

January 27, 2016

Tucson hook-in report

Sadly, the Tuscon hook-in, 2016, has now come and gone. But what a great event the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers (OPRH) put on! The location, their hospitality, the silent auction… All guaranteed a fun time to be had by all.

Tucson. It’s a damned good thing that when we were scoping out southwest cities to move to, we visited during the worst weather time of year possible – July. We spent a week there way back in, maybe, 2000. The kid was pretty young. After spending most mornings doing some geographical and touristy investigations, we’d hang around the pool drinking Tom’s homemade margaritas (if you come visit us

Tucson sunset, Santa Catalina Mountains.

here in NM, he’ll make you one or five), the temperature climbing to at least 115. Occasionally, monsoon storms rained down just to inject a little humidity into the mix. Winter in Tucson is a different animal. We ate lunch outside at the hook-in. I got a sunburn and my freckles came out! It wasn’t quite like Jamaica in January; days started in the 40s. But they warmed up right quick.

The view from where we ate lunch at La Paloma Country Club. It was 80 degrees!

Location. La Paloma Country Club was a lovely venue for the event. Round tables for six to eight ensured conversation between all of us ladies and our gentleman, Russ. Vendor tables were centrally located for maximum exposure to wool, yarn, hooks, and other paraphernalia. As usual, coffee, tea, and pastries were provided during the morning. For lunch, we made our way down a sumptuous salad buffet that more than satisfied even those of us who were gluten free and/or vegan. A+ for the food.

Cathy Kelly selling her wares. (She's one of my guild members!) — Cathy Kelly selling her wares. (She’s one of my guild members!)

Fabulous portrait by Russ. — Fabulous portrait by Russ Nichols.

Show-and-tell. Tables lining one wall provided a perfect place to set out our mats for ogling. I’ve included some here for your pleasure. Later in the afternoon, our OPRH hosts had some of us stand up and talk about what we were working on. Yours truly, being the only one working, not with wool, but with old t-shirts, was one of the presenters. Folks were fascinated by the colors I can use and how heavy the cotton rugs tend to be. (I tend to pack them pretty tightly.)

Hooking straight onto a wool backing. By guild-mate Nancy Hart.

Close-up and personal to penguins in a rug by ____. — Close-up and personal to penguins in a rug by Julie Gibson.

Bag and pattern by _____. — Bag and pattern by Judith Maiewski.

Grenfell-style mat by Marja Walker. — Grenfell-style mat by Marja Walker

Silent auction. Little did I know this would be my favorite part of the whole day. The guild had put out a nice spread of items. Bids started at a dollar. I identified a number of things I wouldn’t have minded taking home. Then I saw them: not one, but two Anderson “Puncher” frames! Since trying one out at a punching workshop with Amy Oxford years ago, I’d had it on my mind. In fact, I was supposed to get one for my 50th birthday a year and a half ago; but by the time I finally got around to ordering one, I found that Mr. Anderson was no longer taking orders. That’s made me very sad. Not anymore! After an intense bidding war with “Claudia,” I scored the larger one. We packed that puppy into the car, and it’s now happily ensconced next to my fireplace.

Friends. Four of us from the Adobe Wool Arts guild attended the hook-in. Three of us road-tripped and stayed together. Of course, we all sat together Saturday. Nonetheless, I met

My fellow road-trippers Mary Schnitzler (l) and Cathy Kelly (r). They even indulged me on the way home, letting me commandeer the radio to listen to the Patriots-Denver game. (Not such a good outcome for us Pats' fans.) — My truly excellent, fellow road-trippers Mary Schnitzler (l) and Cathy Kelly (r). They indulged me on the way home, letting me commandeer the radio to listen to the Patriots-Denver game. (Not such a good outcome for us Pats’ fans.)

and chatted with plenty of new friends. And plenty of northeastern transplants. It was fun talking Connecticut (where I’m originally from), Massachusetts (where I lived the last 23 years), Rhode Island (where I went to school and then worked for many of those 23 years), and Maine, well, just because there are so many hookers there.

Tucson hookers Barb and Lynn sat at our table. Sorry; didn't get their last names. — Tucson hookers Barb and Lynn sat at our table. Sorry; didn’t get their last names.

If you’re out this way next year at this time, I urge you to visit Tucson and the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers. They’re a class act and they host a great hook-in.

Share your hook-in news. I know Eliot, Maine, is coming up. I was supposed to attend last year, but illness and snow thwarted me. There are events in Milford and North Attleboro, MA, coming up too. If only I was still living in Franklin…

(But then there’d be snow…)

Sunday morning. Good bye, Tucson. See you next January! — Sunday morning. So long, Tucson. See you next January!

January 20, 2016

Nature as inspiration

Tynan having a grand old time in the snowy Sandias. — Tynan having a grand, old time in the snowy Sandias.

New Mexico is a great place for nature. It was a big reason for moving to Albuquerque; that is, we wanted a more outdoor lifestyle than New England’s winters afforded us. (And I hated being cold for six to eight months straight.) Make no mistake, there is winter here. We’ve had snow a couple of times now, and morning temperatures are usually in the high teens to lower twenties. Makes for cold walks with the dog in the Bosque, the forest along the Rio Grande.

The Sandias as viewed from our neighborhood in the west of Albuquerque. Winter hiking and skiing are excellent on the other side. — The Sandias as viewed from our neighborhood on Albuquerque’s west side. Winter hiking and skiing are excellent on the other side.

Monday was a big, bodacious day in Albuquerque with lots of sunshine filling the sky. Tom and I packed the dog and some gear in the car and headed around to the other side of the Sandia Mountains. Winter abides more forcefully there. They even have a ski area. One of the last big storms dumped about 21 inches of the white stuff on the slopes. And on the trail we decided to hike.

I had considered bringing my snowshoes, but Tom needs new ones, so they stayed home. No worries. The trail is a popular one. Other “snowshoers” and hikers had blazed the way creating a nice hard-pack. Boots were fine. Of course, if you stepped off the trail, you dropped way down to at least your knees. And your boots filled with snow.

I spy a nature-inspired abstract mat here! — I spy a nature inspired abstract mat here! Check out all the bore holes.

I always take my camera (i.e., phone) with me when we go, hoping to find something nature-ific that might inspire a rug or four. We weren’t disappointed yesterday. Clearly, there’s been a fair amount of evergreen dieback in the forest in the Sandias which is actually part of the Cibola National Forest. But as the trees decay, they make for the most interesting subjects to study, if only aesthetically. I was quite taken with the one in the photos. It might have a future in fiber.

After our most pleasant of snowy, winter hikes (it was about 45 with the slightest breeze), we wound our way up to the Crest of the mountains. By car. Much colder with a wicked wind, from there we could look out over Albuquerque metro area and to other snow-covered mountains to the north, south, and west. Very impressive.

The view from Sandia Crest looking to the southwest. Our house is somewhere to the right.

Then it was goodbye to the snow and the cold. A quick 40- or so minute ride down the mountain and through the pass and we were home, on the city’s warmer west side. Tired, we opened a bottle of red wine and toasted our good fortune. Next week we’re off to the west (by only a couple of miles) to further explore Petroglyph National Monument.

I know that nature inspires many of you when you hook, paint, write, and make other forms of art. Please share some of those marvelous creations.

PS – I’m off this weekend to Tucson to attend the hook-in put on by the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers there. I’m told it’s an eight-hour drive. Four of us from the Adobe Wool Arts guild are going. Hope to have lots of pics for you next week. In the meantime I’m off to the liquor store for a bottle or two of chardonnay to share with the ladies.

December 30, 2015

Here’s to hooking in 2016!

Just stopping by to dash off wishes for a wonderful end to 2015 and a hopeful beginning to 2016. It’s been a busy hooking week, though, ironically, I don’t have much to show for it. You see, I have to get a rug started for the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Council‘s April show. I believe I mentioned this before. Crunch time is coming. The theme is “Colors of New Mexico.” Designing this thing is giving me angina. I swear, I think about it in the shower, at 2:00 a.m. when I should be sleeping, when my kid’s begging me to go to the movies. I’m pretty sure I know where I’ll go with it now, but it’s still making me drink.

Behind schedule poinsettia. — Behind-schedule poinsettia.

Then I spent one whole evening pulling out most of my almost-completed poinsettia. In my attempt to do a little shading, I used colors with hues much too close to one another. There wasn’t enough contrast between them so I was left with a merlot-colored SPLAT. I’ve since started hooking with more of a rosé and a pinot noir. I think it helped.

Okay, I’m in a wine frame of mind. Whoopee! It’s almost New Year’s Eve, you know. Not only that, yesterday Tom and I went out to lunch then made a little field trip to a local winery, Gruet, which specializes in making bubbly in the Champenoise tradition. (It’s illegal to call any sparkly stuff champagne, so I’ll be technical.) We wanted to pick up a bottle for tomorrow night.

Um, we were more than successful. A lovely, young woman poured tastings for us and two other couples from Dallas and Portland. We had a great time talking wine, what it’s like to relocate to Portland (Oregon, hookers, not Maine!), Airstream trailers, vanilla lip gloss, and what-have-you. An hour and a half later, Tom and I were wine club members. Lucky you: If you’re thinking about visiting us here in Albuquerque, we’re apt to pop open a bottle for you.

Please share any hooking you might have managed to do this holiday week. If you didn’t get any done, who cares?!!? My wish is that you spend the rest of the week relaxing and enjoying friends and family. There’s plenty of time to work in 2016.

Happy New Year!