the sign also rises

The sign I made for Beacon Bread Company, a new bakery & cafe in town. Full size is 30"x30" (wood), painted both sides as it will hang perpendicular to the storefront. Featuring my usual partly precise & meticulous, partly uneven hand-painted approach.

Below, a photo of the installed sign.

flu time

i thought i'd escaped that damn flu
too robust to fall, or some rot
but it claimed me swiftly and efficiently
and i fell, and i rested
except for one day out to work and relapse
coughing and shuddering
i drink juice, broth, water, slowly revive
i snooze like a champion, nap like a pro
stare into space, read books, eat fruit
watch the snow melt and refreeze
think vaguely of everything i haven't done
but too tired for any of it
think of all the wood i've stacked this winter
across a hundred miles
now burning in people's fireplaces

snonut & the marshmallows

heartist

winter favorite things

I'm in agreement on the crisp apple strudel and warm woolen mittens, even snowflakes on my eyelashes, to a point. Other current and perpetual favorites getting me through winter are (I should be paid for endorsing these products)…
1. my cozy insulated Berne work overalls, which in my enthusiasm I may have mentioned before
2. my yak trax, rubber things with metal spikes I pull onto my boots for traction on ice & snow
3. my vacuum-insulated Thermos that keeps coffee hot for hours (beloved in all seasons)
4. rich dark hot chocolate, sought out at cafes (let's say City Bakery or Vosges) or attempted at home
5. Smartwool thermals and socks
6. 'Working Hands' cream for dry hands and feet
7. australianScent (made in Beacon) lavender & geranium moisturizing balm
8. and then there's wood fires, hot showers, books, cashmere sweaters, sledding, winter dusks, movies, Club Draw, ukulele lessons, art shows, surprise flowering of indoor plants, rare sunlight almost warm through a window.

I would accompany all these with photos but #9 has claimed me: falling asleep clad in flannels beneath a down comforter.

pete seeger

Right before I moved to Beacon seven years ago today, I was walking down the cold & sleepy Main St when I heard a crew of musicians playing what seemed to be a spontaneous concert and singalong on a corner near the creek. I remember thinking, "I'm not surprised. Of course there's music, this is Beacon, where Pete Seeger lives," but he was more a legendary figure I'd learned about when I first grew to love folk music. (The next thought was, "Oh I'm so moving here.") I didn't realize I'd actually see him around. When I did- and we never spoke, just a smile exchanged- I felt quietly pleased- a little awe, a lot of appreciation. I've loved seeing people sharing stories, songs, photos, and reflections this week, here in my community and far beyond. To live a life like that.

dinner roll

One more diner; this one is somewhere else upstate. From a drawing I did a long time ago. (7"x8" acrylic on wood)

And this is another Plum Ford (6"x6" acrylic on wood). Both sold!

And that about wraps up January.. not too many posts this month, but that's how it goes when your toes are froze.