Thursday, July 31, 2014

Birthdays

Friends and family gathered for the event.

Jeanie, you look sooooo serious!

Niels and Peter compared their pates from under their hats.


The cake was a BIG hit!

My all-time fav photo of the summer so far!

Happy Days to Daughter and Son-in-Law.  It's always a treat to celebrate with you.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

She's Famous!

This weekend, the second annual Plein Aire Festival, a juried art competition, was held in Castine.  Chrissy Nickerson Kaech was thrilled to have been invited to participate.  She beat out over 50 other artists for the privilege!

The first day of the big event dawned in heavy rain and fog...



The skies began to clear by one o'clock.  Lunch and a new painting spot, at Dennet's Wharf was a relief.


As the weekend continued, the weather got better and better.  Our favourite artist was seen all over town:  on Main Street, on Pleasant Street, on the Golf Course, on the highways and byways....
She was very productive, painting right up til the last minute of the last day.


Chrissy is very approachable while she works.  Half the fun is meeting those who show interest in her work.

And then, mothering never takes a holiday.  The family likes to visit too, when Mum's gone all day, for a whole weekend!

Finally, the hard work was done and the judging began.
Chrissy won an honourable mention award:  a big green ribbon and a goody bag.  Her work stood out from the others, with her style, bright colour and brush work being significantly different.  Once sales began, the public affirmed the judges' choice....she sold 6 of her 10 paintings!




The Castine Patriot Newspaper and the Maine Magazine both took photos and interviewed Chrissy for up-coming publications.  She's famous and we can say, "we knew her when....."







Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Seals, Windjammers and Beach Picnics

The glorious days of summer are here in Downeast Maine.  We're off to Fiddle Head Island for a beach picnic, but first, we're taking a side trip to see the seals basking in the sun on the Green Ledges off Western Island.




Aware of our intrusion into their space, the seals shuffled themselves off the ledges and into the water, preparing for whatever might happen next.


We watched quietly, even Nelson didn't make a peep.  Our best efforts to entice them close to the boat met with decided distain.

That was our best viewing of the seals in many years.  Time to move on to the picnic part of our day.


Fiddle Head is connected to Hog Island at low, low water.

Mummy, please carry my "boat" to the water.  I'm going sailing!

Looking for crabs, using Papa Buz' proven method of lifting the seaweed mats with a stick.
Found one!
Oops, he got away.
Boy, they are FAST little beasties.

Oh, look!  There goes a Windjammer, heading out from Buck Harbor.


What an exhausting morning.  Time to head home for naps.See you next time.


Friday, July 11, 2014

Toeing The Line

You tattooed your legs!!!  What the....????

During WWII, the war effort commandeered silk to make parachutes and powder bags.  Nylon was invented by DuPont in 1938 and nylon stockings became the preferred hose, due to the shrink proof and moth proof qualities.  As the war went on, nylon also was commandeered for parachutes, rope and tire production.  Nylon and silk stockings cost an arm and a leg, and became as rare as hens' teeth.  Cotton or rayon hose were a sorry replacement--they bagged at the knees, shrank and were "just not nice".  Many a young lady went dancing in cotton ankle sox and pumps.

Fashion sense demanded more.  

To imitate the look of the black seam of real silk stockings,  my Mum and her sisters took turns standing on the kitchen table to have a line drawn with eyebrow pencil up the length of their legs.  Can you imagine standing still during that ticklish operation?  Did they have to remember not to cross their legs to prevent smudging the lines, or did the line last overnight to make it to work the next day?  Did they hope it didn't rain on their big night out?  Meanwhile, returning servicemen smuggled home their "chutes" for their sisters or their fiancés to make wedding dresses.

These days, the retro look of silk stockings has been taken up a notch.


No, I did not tattoo my legs.  These are nylon stockings, and yes, they still cost an arm and a leg!  The black line starts at the toes and goes alllllllll the way up.


As we were getting ready for the wedding last weekend, my sister commented that it looked as if I had been tattooed.  Almost as soon as I got to the ceremony, people were shocked to see that this 65 year old grandmother had become an "ink junkie".  Too funny!  I didn't really get the reaction I was expecting, but then, I didn't go unnoticed either.