woolythyme

let's catch up.....

First of all, Freddy wanted me to tell you that he simply couldn't force himself from under my feet yesterday long enough to even say 'hello'.  Of course, today he's bummed that he blew his computer day being my shadow.  

The trip down-east (isn't that what Maine-ers call home?)was wonderful, as was the trek across New Hampshire, Vermont, and western New York.  

Would you like to go on a virtual vacation?

 

We started in Boothbay Harbor, ME and this was the view from Topside Inn...

 
Pretty spectacular...

 

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere...

You know you're in Maine because the pumpkins are displayed with lobster traps!

 

They were all over the Maine Botanical Gardens.

 

We stumbled onto a pumpkin fest in Damariscotta...

pumpkins decorated the entire downtown area...some weighing in at well over 1,000 pounds (winner this year was 1117.??).  'It begins serenely on a May morn, when hundreds of giant-pumpkin seedlings are distributed free to volunteer growers. By Columbus Day weekend, the Midcoast Maine town of Damariscotta has succumbed to pumpkinsanity. After a weigh-off with big cash at stake, humongous gourds become artworks, go on parade, and plummet 180 feet onto derelict vehicles. Their smaller kin are hurled, catapulted from cannons, or prepped to race in an unpredictable Pumpkin Derby. The hilarity peaks when costumed racers paddle and motor some of the largest specimens in a madcap Pumpkinboat Regatta.'
damariscottapumpkinfest.com

Sadly, we missed the weigh-in, the regatta, the parade, and the catapulting, but the decorated pumpkins totally entertained us and the old addage...ignorance is bliss...reigned.  We didn't know about all the fun we missed until much later.

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere...

 

We visited the Pemiquid Lighthouse as if we were with Clark Griswold...hop out of the car, 'click-click', back in the car and off to the next place.  (We just had to visit this old friend.)

We had lobster rolls at Red's..

and still waited in line at 4:00pm. (we had trouble squeezing in lunch that day.)

Swans Island...(where yarn was purchased!!!) included a behind the scene tour of the weaving rooms.

Covered bridges...

 

with a view...

Covered bridges...

in the rain...

This was our view one evening at dinner...

The locals admitted this was one of the prettiest falls in many years.

It's time now for some fiber-y love...off to Rhinebeck!

We signed up for classes all day Saturday...leaving Friday to shop (flight home was Sunday).  We arrived bright and early Friday....to find no crowds, a great parking space, and.....a festival that didn't start UNTIL THE NEXT DAY!!!  (How did two rather intelligent people screw this up???  We're both sort of doubting the 'intelligent' part about now!!)

So...off we went to spend the day at Hyde Park...and stumbled onto a celebration at FDR's home that only happens once every 4 years during election time.  This time we made the parade...

toured the home with FDR, himself!

Saw Eleanor's Val-Kill home and had a most delightful, if unexpected and unplanned, day.

FINALLY....Rhinebeck.  If anyone has actually read this far, I'm afraid you are going to be disappointed because photos are few and far between.  Because of our classes, we had exactly 3 hours between them (luckily one was only an hour class---again, we thought we had two 1/2 day classes.  DUH!) which of course, included standing in massive lines for lunch.  The crowds were UNBELIEVABLE.  We caught a fleeting glimpse of Stephen West in his 'swants', but he had melted into the throngs by the time I got my camera out.  I now know how quilters feel when they come to Paducah.  YARN...E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E!!!!   

 

 

Every booth was jammed, lines for the most popular ones wound around buildings...sometimes just to get in, and sometimes to pay for purchases.  We grabbed some business cards (for future online ordering) and concentrated on things that were in the 'unusual' category.  I bought a lovely winter felted purse with leather handles and a fabulous woven scarf...my friend bought two rug hooking kits and some felted booties...we each bought a cheeseburger---and it was time to go to class.

Indigo dyeing was much fun....and the best part was we got to leave the mess behind.

On our way out of the fairgrounds, sad that I didn't get to see some blog friends (hi, Carol!  I tried, really I did!!!)we passed Jennie the Potters booth....with no line.  (That one earlier was wound around the building!!!).  YaY!  I'm happy dancing....

I bought a stitch marker.  The only ceramic thing left in the booth! 

 

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Sweater is Daelyn pullover by Isabell Kraemer.  A big, oversized wear-every-day-in-the-winter-if-winter-ever-comes kind of sweater that I'm loving.  It has a classic look, with a little umph--the contrasting garter stitch back.

Reading?  I've been trying to get through Frankenstein (Mary Shelley version) for book club next week.  My friend and I downloaded it and tried to listen (it put us both to sleep), I got the annotated version from the library---returned that one and got the regular edition.  In spite of the fact that Halloween is looming on the horizon, I'm just not in the mood for this. 

all good things must come to an end....

Our last day in Maine....

pretty little Northport Harbor

 

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Rockland:

the Farnsworth Art Museum, dedicated to artists who lived or worked in Maine.  The Wyeths were well represented--one exhibition on the works of 'dad' N.C. Wyeth, magazine and book illustrator; another on Andrew Wyeth's Her Room--the painting and all the studies done leading up to the finished work--another gallery of more paintings.  But there was also work by American Impressionists--Frank Benson, Childe Hassam, Maurice Prendergast, John Twachtman. Paintings by Winslow Homer, and George Bellows, and John Marin.  Contemporary pieces by Robert Indiana, Andy Warhol, Alex Katz, and Louise Nevelson among others.  Small, but oh, so nice.  We lucked in to a docent run overview of the collection which gave us a nice start to our exploration.  One of my favorite exhibits, though, was a late 18th/early 19th century exhibit of the woodblock works of Johathan Fisher for his little book Scripture Animals.

 

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But even before the great museum..I had already had a mighty fine day.  As we were walking in....I spied (with the help of my friend's husband, who is REALLY good at spotting yarn shops!):

 

which lead to this:

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which lead to.....

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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What a great shop this was...I was in serious jeopardy of missing the docent tour...so a quick snatch and grab (and pay, of course) of Highland Handmades Black Cherry Lace Yarn.  It was in the Made in Maine section.  (I hope it was.) Phew.  Counts as souvenir yarn again--not stash.

 

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Camden, Maine.  So picturesque.  So hot.  It was 87 degrees today.  I could have stayed home for this kind of weather.  It sort of melted my sightseeing enthusiasm.  

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obviously, it hasn't been this hot all summer.  The flowers were spectacular.

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we grabbed a second cache of the day (is this becoming a hobby????....hmmmmm. maybe.)

 

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then back to the motel...with one last stop along the way.

 

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Swans Island workshop.  I had to buy something.  (had to) and while I lusted over the blankets (a mere $1000+ for bedsize ones), I settled for 2 little skeins of seconds lace weight merino/silk blend.

 

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The week just flew by---with great friends and fun things to do.  Thanks for coming along on our New England adventure.  I love it here so much.  We'll be back!!!

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Now, for one more.........

lobster dinner!!!!

Masai Mara

The Masai Mara is named after the local Maasai people, a pastoral group that judges its wealth by their number of children and cattle.

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These gentlemen were watching over their cattle and rescued our spare tire that went running off when the back of the van inadvertently popped open.  (We had to buy it back!)

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(the pencil thin line snaking around in the photo?...a herd of wildebeestes lining up to cross the river)

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Wildebeests and zebras travel together during the migration from the Serenghetti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in a symbiotic relationship.  The zebras are usually found around the edges of the herds....their accute sense of sight and smell will alert the others to danger....their speed and strong kicking ability aid in their protection.  During the river crossings, the zebras will scatter themselves among the greater numbers of wildebeests, giving them some protection from predators.

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The wildebeests and zebras were making the river crossing rather tentatively while we were there....and were actually crossing in both directions.  When we asked our guide...he just sort of shrugged his shoulders and said---what do you expect from big, dumb goats?!  They do eventually all get to the Mara where the wildebeests mate....they deliver their young after returning to the Serenghetti on the return trip.

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Sadly, many don't make it.

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What at first glance appear to be boulders in the Sand River (bordering Tanzania--the Serenghetti--and Kenya), are actually

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carcasses of animals that didn't make the crossing.  Vultures and marabou storks scavage the remains and are an intergral part of the migration.

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A lot of other animals call the Mara home...

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giraffes

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hippos

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hyenas

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cheetahs...

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black rhinos...we were very lucky to see these; poaching has seriously reduced the numbers of black rhinos in the park, and while the numbers are coming back slowly, they still remain endangered.

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baboons...

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female ostrich...

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male ostrich...and yes, he was out to get her.  All 9 feet of him....240 pounds (average!)...was in a flat out race to catch this woman.  They can run up to 43 mph.....but whatever speed he ran, lover-boy here was a couple mph slower than his love-interest. He chased her all over that field for a good long time....all the vans were lined up...I heard more than one...'you go, girl!' before the race ended!!

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cape buffalo...the most feared of the Masai animals.  Not only is it fast (stampeding in a herd), and strong, but it kills not just for survival but often for the sheer pleasure of it. 

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oh, Pumba!  This little family of warthogs (Mama, Papa, and 3 kids) were having a feast by our lodging...

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aren't they funny the way they kneel to eat?

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they were close...CLOSE... when they decided to jump the fence and join us!!!  (I missed that picture; I didn't stick around.)

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The President of Kenya was at our lodge, speaking to a group around the pool....which is just where the warthogs were heading.  It was a rather lively few minutes while they got herded back into the brush.

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one...

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two..

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then six!

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ROAR!

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lilac-breasted roller, the national bird

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my favorites....I could have watched them all day.

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Before leaving Nairobi, we stopped at the David Sheldrick Elephant Rescue to visit our adopted elephants, Ajuba and Tundani.

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the elephants are walked in from the fields...

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Ajuba...the youngest and smallest of the rescues right now, having a little snack before bed...

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her keeper, who sleeps with her...

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and Tundani, who had a really big day, and was already asleep when we got to his pen.  Good night!

Sunday....a day of rest?

Another early morning....that I almost missed.  I'm NEVER the last one to the breakfast table!

 

Off to Katito and Sunday services.  We were treated to more music, more dancing, a rousing sermon on the Woman at the Well in honor of Living Waters and our project, and a special blessing of the chicken that was brought as a tithe offering.

 

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After a delicious lunch at David's home, it was time for the educational instructors to meet their students, see their teaching space, and for the Kandaria team to get their first look at where their system will go.

 

Meanwhile, back at Katito, work is already underway--both inside and outside.

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It's WAY past my bedtime...but I'm finding it quicker to post in these early am hours.  (Hi, First Pres supporters!!  We want you with us every step of the way.....)

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So I'm going to leave you with just some photos of some of our new friends.

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Partial pictures are the best the I could get to upload...until they stopped entirely.  sorry sorry sorry!!!

 

more tomorrow....I hope!

...to Kisumu!

Our overnight Nairobi hotel accommodations were very nice...huge buffet breakfast, exceptionally friendly and helpful staff.   The baggage men were especially enthusiastic...no sooner did we hit the lobby, than someone was at hand to haul our suitcases to the curb.  12 people/24+ bags in our group....2 vans----next to ?? number of tourists in a large 20-seater van and all their luggage....oh, drat.  You know what's coming next, don't you?

 

Yes, we got to the airport (about 45 minutes from the hotel)-- 2 bags short.  After the initial shock (no tears) phone calls started flying, but really----what was to be done?  Until that van discovered they had extra bags, we had to wait, and just hope our luggage enjoyed the side trip and went to some exciting places and eventually came home with some tales to tell.  It was a big fancy van---it looked like they were off on safari...for a long time.

 

When....what to our wandering eyes did appear...but one of the guys on that tour van (he was hard to miss--wearing a bright pink shirt!, and probably the only one we would have spotted), coming in to OUR terminal!  NO WAY!!!  Luggage retrieved.

 

 

A rather quick flight got us to Kisumu (third largest city in Kenya); David (our Kenya contact)met us at the airport and went with us to the hardware stores for some 'last minute' equipment purchases.  

Hours later--and visits to a half dozens stores, we left with a few purchases,-- the rest 'promised' to arrive by Monday morning...or Tuesday, or maybe Wednesday at the latest!  (we leave Wednesday)  I could feel the frustration level in the vans rising....this is when I continued to take pictures and journal and make myself scarce!

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some photos from the window (please excuse the quality!!!) on the drive from Kisumu to Katito, the site of the House of Hope....orphanage and medical clinic

Kenyan speed bump

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shoes, anyone?

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lunch...

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Mary found a piece of beef shaped like Africa!

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these guys were in the middle of the street....outside the butcher shop

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we finally made it to House of Hope...about 3 pm.  A big welcoming committee turned out...a celebration...lots of singing and dancing.... they had been there since 10 in the morning waiting for us.

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 We discovered this site will have a few challenges for the water system.  Stay tuned for part 2!!!

 

(internet connection is spotty...I'm doing my best!!!)

 

Lala Salama....sleep well!  (we all are exhausted!)

The longest day....

I said something to PapaGeek about 'this morning' in Chicago....and he promptly put me straight----that was two days ago!  ????????!!!!!!

 

Chicago!

 

Good-bye, Chicago!

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Hello, Zurich!

 

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The all-night movie marathon caught up with some of us!

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Good-bye Zurich!

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Hello, Africa!!!!!!!!!!!

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Great central plateau---Nairobi.

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Our first new friend.  The blog thanks him, too.

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We felt welcomed.

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We're off.....

 

Our bags are packed....

 

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(Freddy was still trying to fit himself in as we zipped up the last bag.  Sorry, Fred.)

 

 

 

 

Lots of bags....

 

 

What a group!!!  Pretty perky for 5 am.

 

 

 7 miles down.....8,835 more to go.  

Hakuna matata!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble, gobble, gobble.......from Nicaragua.

I snuck in PapaGeek's suitcase (along with some Thanksgiving Twizzlers).  He's here on a water-thing.  I'm here avoiding the traditional turkey-on-the-platter-thing.  It's a win-win.

We're all doing a lot of thanks giving down here.  Hope you all are having a wonderful day---whereever you are in the world--and are able to take a minute to give thanks, too!!!

Tom (Turkey)

weekending...

Girlfriend time in Austin, Texas!!!  (the B & B is THE BEST!!!!)

:: we sewed

:: we shopped

:: we 'junked'

:: we ate too much

:: we cooked

:: I knit

:: did I say we ate too much?

:: we redecorated

:: we visited Yucca Do (and I had a photo-fest with the succulents and cacti and critters)

:: we met a blog friend in person

Hi, Tanna!!!  (brickstreetbungalow)

:: we Christmas shopped

:: we road tripped

:: we had a brush with fame.....

yep....friend, Jody, and me with......Rachel Ashwell.

Jody sure knows how to show a girl a good time!!!  Thanks buddy!

weekending.....

 

 

 

:: a walk at National Seashore Park -- the whales off the coast were breaching and lobtailing --quite a show through the binoculars

:: a whale watch trip...beautiful day and we saw a few diving whales, but the real show was earlier, through the binoculars (humpbacks and minkes)

:: double breasted cormorants

:: the excitement on the "three hour tour" came from pleasure boats that refused to comply with the "rules for the whales"; three boats pretty much surrounded the whales and while they could have been totally taken out if one of the whales decided to flick its tale, their boating behavior was illegal. Our tour boat went into  Greenpeace mode, photographed and documented the errant activities and supposedly reported them all.  I'm waiting to hear all about it on NPR

:: more lobster rolls--Sesuit Harbor rolls once again voted best on the trip (they win every year---I really love those rolls!!!)

:: but the grand finale.....our special need lobsters (notice they are missing a claw or two, but make up for this by weighing in around 3 lbs)

Good to the last buttery bite.

Thanks Roomie and Hub for sharing this wonderful week with us.

 

Joining amanda for weekending.