Mackworth Island

Mackworth Island is just about 10 minutes from our condo. It's about 100 acres and has a 1.5 mile walking path around the perimeter.  There are wonderful views of Portland and Falmouth as well as beautiful views of Casco Bay. 

I have fond memories of us taking our boys to play on the playground, walk the path, and explore the shoreline.

Yesterday morning Paul and I walked around the island....and once again....it did not disappoint.

 The Portland Peninsula is off in the distance.

 There are lots of places to sit and enjoy sweeping views and water activity.

You can see the causeway connecting it to Falmouth through the trees.

Fairy Houses are welcome in the Community Village parts of the woods.                                                           

Heading home.  What a wonderful way to spend a morning.

Yesterday....

....all my troubles seemed so far away.....or so goes the song.

I had a wonderful day today....but I can't write about that until I celebrate yesterday.  After I left my puzzle and my funky attitude behind....the rest of my day was filled with creative excursions.  I met my friend Joan at the Lexington Quilt show....and as always enjoyed seeing the beautiful work of so many talented local quilters.....I'm just going to share a few of my favorites.

I always love a good wonky log cabin block....and this modern interpretation was inspired by a photogram of a quiet canal in Ireland.  So clever!

 What's not to love about a rainbow....but what makes this one special is that each block is wonky pieced from the artist's scrap bag.

Next, Joan and I made our way to Lexington's Gallery Twist (formerly Gallery Blink) to see the new show called re/seeing Humdrum....seeing beauty in the ordinary and the every day and as usual....she had me at the porch.

There was so much to take in....and it was all so beautifully displayed. But I'm always drawn to the modern quilts by Valerie Maser Flanagan...her interesting shapes machine quilting are just amazing.  

 And if that weren't enough....I made my way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire for an art opening of one of my favorites artists, Holly Lombardo called Fall On Me. Her painting of trees, water, and the coast of Maine make me melt.  You can read more about her in this post I wrote back in April.  I have gotten to know her a bit through Instagram....but met her for the first time last evening.  I plan to visit her studio some time this fall or or winter.....and who knows where that will take us! 😉

I was tickled to time it right to meet her parents.  Ironically enough they lived in Lexington when they were first married just a few doors down from where I live now...and actually got married at Hancock Church...yes!....where my husband Paul is the minister. They now live in Yarmouth, ME....just a little north of the condo.  We hit it off and chatted like we'd been neighbors all along. Pure JOY!  (If you link to Holly's Instagram page you can see the photo of her and her parents that I took.)

Before and after the opening I spent some time wandering around Portsmouth....a quaint seaside town.  The distant bridge in the middle of the photo below connects New Hampshire and Maine over the Piscataqua River....one that Paul and I drive over and over and over.  It was fun seeing it from this vantage point down a little side alley.

There were so many photo opts in and around this artsy town....but what I'm choosing to share are a couple of delightful storefront plantings that made me pause....and just LOOK!  

I ended my day at the condo....where I overlapped with Paul for about 17 hours.  We had a delightful morning together out and about....but today I wrote about yesterday....so tomorrow I'll write about today.  

Got that?  

Diversion

I often wonder if I should write about every puzzle I do....but here I go...AGAIN. This new one has consumed me the last few days....in a good diversion kind of way.

I love that this was part of a large collage split into seven colorful puzzles.  I don't know that I'll do any more....but for now it's all about blue.

This one has very few if any standard shapes....and some don't even interlock but just sit next to each. One might think the odd shapes would make it easy....but that hasn't been the case.  It's been much harder than I thought it would be....but I think the challenge has been good. The last one was pretty easy.

I've been a little out of sorts lately....so sitting at the puzzle table has been a good diversion while I transition into a better place. This photo below was taken on October 1st.....

...and this is where I left it this morning.

It's been a long time since I've spent this much time at the puzzle table...but I think it's just what I needed.  I'm down to just one box of pieces (from 5) and it's starting to go pretty fast.  It will sit now for a few days because I just got to Maine this evening with some fun stops along the way that I'll share tomorrow.  Don't underestimate the value of a good diversion activity...especially when you're feeling a little blue. 😉

October

It always feels good to turn over a new calendar page and pull out a few seasonal decorations.  My kitchen calendar in Lexington features watercolor designs by artist Susan Black....I'm especially fond of this October page. "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."  Anne of Green Gables

These little guys always make me smile....I think I celebrate them every year. 

I love my little battery operated candle....it goes on and off automatically giving off a nice glow each evening..The little white bottle was Connie's....I think it's part of an old salt and pepper set.  She always had it on her window sill with a plant snippet in it and I'm happy to keep that going.  It's a sweet little thing and the orange flower design works well in the fall.

Home and Community

Home is one of my very most favorite places to be...and making a house a home is one of my favorite things to do.

Our local library currently has a magical display by Janet Kawada based on the concepts of home and community.  Janet will eventually create 100 homes....38 are displayed here at the Carey Library.  She pieces each one together using a variety of materials "just as we do our lives" and to remind us of the footprint we leave behind.

 

The shadows on the walls from homes also captured my attention. It was a beautiful display.

 

Wilson Farm

Every few years Wilson Farm in Lexington does this spectacular fall display on their storefront....it always takes my breath away.  It was actually hard to stop looking.

Dazzled

"Still, what I want in my life is to be willing to be dazzled - to cast aside the weight of facts and maybe even float a little above this difficult world."  Mary Oliver

If there's one thing I've learned from writing this blog.....it's that there's always something to celebrate.....even when life seems complicated and heartbreaking. 

Today was a beautiful crisp fall day.  I had an appointment and several errands around town and I am so grateful that I was able to do them all on foot....it was a good day to be walking.  My last errand was picking up a few groceries and this small gourd captured my heart.  It's OK to set aside weighty things...and just be dazzled by a simple curly stem. 

Autumn Joy

Celebrating my Autumn Joy Sedum today! 
What a wonderful name for a plant!

The two-tone color detail is incredible....

I'm not sure I've ever really looked at it this closely before.

Lesson learned again: always look closely!

Play

"It is a happy talent to know how to play."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Playing with watercolors....and scissors.

We started the day in southern Maine....and ended it on the South Shore of Boston.  Paul performed a a wedding this evening....and I was his date.  It was a lovely evening in Quincy, MA.