BULLETIN -

As most of you know my SCULPTING CLASS has been cancelled two times by the Grant Street Woolworks. Several of the ladies enrolled have been very disappointed and are anxious for this class to take place.

Therefore, I have decided to give the class in my home on Friday, September 3. I know that this is the beginning of the Labor Day weekend, however, I thought it best not to delay any longer.

The price of the course remains the same, $45.00. All materials, wool and pattern, will be furnished. Bring a sandwich and I will also furnish drinks and a dessert. The class is from 10 AM 'till 2 PM. You just need to bring your hook, frame and scissors.

To register for the class e-mail me at daymar@myactv.net. If you are in my area and would like to join us I will be glad to welcome you.
Doris

CATCHING UP -

I can't believe how long it has been since I updated my blog! These past few weeks have been busy, trying and full of tramua. I have had an internal problem for the past 6 weeks. This culminated with a week of tests concluding with a cat scan. Finally I think the problem has been solved, at least the cause, and I am on the mend. There were times when I didn't have enough energy to even lift my hook or scissors.

A week ago Saturday, Richard and his wife gave a party cook-out in honor of their youngest daughter, Danyel, as she is departing for college this weekend. This will be her first experience away from home and her parents first experience in living without her. I think it is harder on the parents than on the child. I don't have any pictures of the party but as I was driving home the sun was shining brightly. However, over the applachains there was a storm. What a beautiful sight. I pulled off the road and took the following pictures. The storm over the road area but the edge over a farm. I am in bright sun.

The little white church on Rt. 67. A beautiful sight to behold.

One of the much disputed communication towers. I love the wonders of Mother Nature.

In spite of everything, I have been trying to make some sense out of my hooking room. I think this is almost an impossible job. However, I have managed to get about 200 swatches labeled and stacked on the shelves as well as the materials for primitives separated from the fine hooking wools.

Three shelves nearly completed and in neat and orderly array

Needless to say these shelves have not been touched. Most of the wools on these shelves fall into the category of "miscellaneous." It

is what to do with miscellaneous that has me stumped. The minute that I put all of this wool in containers and store it in the garage I will need what is stored. Oh, the delimina of a hooker!!! I do plan to keep trying to neaten this area. I can at least sort out the things that are my supplies and get them together on a shelf or two. Next week, maybe.

Now for progress on the new pictorial Yes, it is coming along. I really am having fun working on this piece. It is somewhat of a challenge as are all pictorials. I liken them to playing chess, gotta think 10 moves ahead of yourself or the color doesn't work.

I have finished the third pig - so all pigs are on the way to the market. Hope they survive the trip.

This is closeup of the child holding the baby pig. Don't think that I showed that in the last posting. I am not really pleased with her but do like the baby pig. I may rework this a bit but I do think that you can sometime over work an area and just make it worse.

This is a closeup of the road area. I am very pleased with the way this is turning out. It is my interpretation of a gravely, muddy road. I am using two different casseroled dyed pieces and two shades of brown. The brown is dyed with walnut hulls which gives a very soft and lovely brown. I never have been able to get this lovely soft brown with any commercial dyes. I am lucky to have a walnut tree in the front yard and so I collect the hulls every fall and make a large container of dye that lasts until the next crop of hulls.

Eloise is well recoved from her toe accident and has returned to her happy self. In fact, one of my students remarked last week that it was good to see Eloise "smiling" again.

I have more things but more of catching up in the next blog. Until then I will be sending good thoughts to all of you and hope that you will be sending good thoughts to all of your friends.

Doris

PICTORIAL STARTED -

Some time ago I asked Pat Wenger to enlarge a pictorial from a post card that I had been carrying around for some 20 or more years. The picture is of a farmer and his wife in a cart with animals going to market. I asked Pat if she thought it could be enlarged to a 3 x 5 rug since I wanted it for a wall hanging in my kitchen/dining area. She did a marvelous job of this. It is slightly larger than the 3 x 5 in order to get the right proportions. If you ever need anything enlarged Pat is the person for the job.

My plan for the summer was to "take the summer off." No teaching, no going to a lot of hook-ins and during July and August get at least half of this pictorial hooked. Ha,ha,ha,ha! My students still wanted to have lessons during the summer, so I am still teaching. The heat has been oppressive, and I have had a stomach problem for the last 6 weeks - soooo, the best laid plans have gone astray.

However, it is started. I have been working on this pictorial element by element. It is to large to try and get an overall view of the entire piece so I can only show you parts and pieces.

Here is my version of Rhode Island Reds on the way to market. My animals are not really realistic - more cartoony looking.

I love the cow and am very pleased with the way "bossy" turned out.

Here is "mother oink" and her baby - they do have a smile on their faces!

This is an overall view of the finished part before I had hooked the dog and the rest of the chickens.

This is proving to be a fun project one I really enjoy hooking. I am using a #3 cut throughout so that I can get the detail that I want. I still have to make some decisions on color of grasses and perhaps will need to dye for some of the larger areas. Still so much to do since there are more animals to hook on the other side of the pictorial.

This is how Eloise helps me hook on a hot summers day. The hooking room floor is cool and inviting for a girl to take a snooze.

My hook is busy - I hope your is too. Try to enjoy what is left of summer for all too soon it will be snowing again. Keep the smiles and good thoughts coming.

Doris

REFERENCE MATERIAL

I have a rather large collection of reference material that I consult on a regular basis. I find these to be an enormous help when I am teaching.

I was lucky enough to be around when Joan Moshimer started her "Rug Hookers New and Views" magazine and I have many of those as well as some of the first ones from Pearl McGown and almost a complete collection of Mildred Sprout's "Ruggers Roundtable" starting with 1953.

As always, when I start looking up something, I get distracted and start reading whatever page in the reference material that I have come to. Sooooo the other day as I was looking up something, I came across this little poem that I would like to share with you. There was no author mentioned, so I assume, as so many pieces of poetry, it is by "anon."

DAD'S OLD BREECHES

When Dad has worn his trousers out

They pass to brother John.

Then Mother trims them round about

And William puts them on.

When William's legs too long have grown

The trousers fail to hide 'em.

SoWalter claims them for his own

And stows himself inside 'em.

Next Sam's fat legs they close invest

And when they won't stretch tighter

They're turned and shortened, washed and pressed

And fixed on me - - the writer.

Ma works them into rugs and caps

When I have burst the stitches.

At doomsday we shall see (perhaps)

The last of Dad's old breeches.

Happy hooking, everyone!

Doris

WONDERFUL SATURDAY - POPE'S CREEK ---

On Saturday my daughter Joan, grandson Richard and I went to visit Vicki, our daughter, sister, and grand daughter, respectively. She lives in Southern Maryand in an area called Golden Creek. She and her husband, Paul, have a lovely home there that they share with their three dogs. Sorry I don't have pictures. I got so interested in the dogs I forgot to take pictures! The dogs are Simon, 10 years old, Shelby 2 years old and weighing in at 250 lbs., and Sir Stanley 5 months old, expected to weigh in at 350 when he is full grown. These are Mastiff's. They are truly the gentle giants of dogdom. They would be lap dogs if they fit.

After playing with the dogs we all piled into the cars and left for Pope's Creek with an afternoon planned around crabs. When we arrived, about 2 in the afternoon, this was the way the parking lot looked. Full to capacity. Would there be room for us?

Good thing that Vicki had made a reservation!

Walking from the car to the resturant, Vicki on the left and daughter Joan on right talking with her hand!

This is Gilligan's - favorite week-end hangout of residents of southern Maryland. Right on the Potomac River. Hard to tell what is Pope's Creek and the river.

In addition to the main resturant building there is this Tike Bar outside. Also, lots of sandy beach, a pier for docking, area for bands, and a great area for kids to play. Truly a family friendly place. A place for week-end fun as well as good eats.

Saturday the weather was wonderful. Lots of boats on the river, some very interesting to look at.

In the distance I could see the large bridge that crosses the Potomac from Maryland into Virginia. (the Nice bridge) I tried to take a picture of it but it was just to far for the camera to see.

Once we were inside the platters of crab began to arrive. It has been many years since I have seen and eaten such sweet and heavy crabs. This must have been a banner year for the crab. This wonderful "critter" is one of the perks for living in Maryland.

Grandson Richard starting to dismantle his first crab of the day.

In addition to crabs there were platters of shrimp, hush puppies and fritters.

This type of fare is one of the summer joys of Maryland. Along with its sweet corn and tomatoes it is what makes the hot humid days of this part of the country bearable.

We left Gilligan's around 4 in the afternoon. It is approximately a 2-1/2 hour drive from Hagerstown so it was time to start wending our way home. However we had to make one more stop on the way.

The ice cream shop! Here is Joan ordering her Sunday complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top. After all of those crabs and shrimp!!!

Looks lucious - have a bite?

Since I was not driving it was impossible for me to get some pics that I wanted to stop and take. Southern Maryland was at one time noted for it huge fields of tobacco plants. Since smoking has gone out of style most of the tobacco farms have gone out of business. However, we did pass two fields of tobacco. One of the interesting things about tobacco is its very large, very green leaf. The other interesting thing is it beautiful pink bloom. One of the fields that we passed was in full bloom and looked exceptionally nice. So beautiful - so deadly!

All in all it turned out to be a wonderful day. Just one more thing. As we were dirving around the Washington beltway the sun was shining on the golden statue of Gaberial at the top of the Morman temple. A truly lovely sight.

I hope that each and every one of you had a wonderful weekend. Our family is very small and it seems more and more important for us to spend time together. I hope that you remember to tell you family how much you love them and that you need their love and support.

Enjoy this brief cool spell as August comes to all of us on silent feet. Keep a positive thought until we meet again.

Doris