Mini Vacation in Cumberland

Got away for a few days up in Cumberland to enjoy the 4th of July weekend. This is the view from our porch, looking across the street. Love the big globe ball in the neighbor's yard.

We were invited to the Cumberland glider club out at the airport for a bbq/picnic. 

They're all set up for a party, with long picnic tables, a grill and a shady spot next to the hanger.

My friends dog, Ozi, sat on the runway wistfully looking for planes.

This was a day of rain/sun/rain/sun/rain/sun.

 I want these lockers... and the door!

No gliders were out that day, they were all at home in the hanger.

Some of our group went to the end of the runway where the could see the fireworks from town. I chose to stay put and drink more wine.

On Saturday a few of the girls went on to West Virginny.

This is a gas station/cafe/gun buyin'/hunt'n and fish'n type place. We were looking for the 

Bridal and Gun Shop but passed by it. (there really is a store that sells both bridal wear and guns! Shotgun wedding, anyone?)

 

We were actually on our way to 'Cullers Run Art Fair' where our friend, Macee, was selling her jewelry. The show was hosted by Joshua, the owner of the property and a master woodworker. Can you believe all the detailing on the porch railing?

This was once a country church but it is now Joshua's workshop. Another woodworker and an ironsmith showed their art here.

Lovely tools

and a mondo slab of wood. 

Other artwork included stained glass and a few potters. 

 This was way off the beaten track in the woods near Lost River. It's a popular area for second homes for DC residents.

 

We had nearly a 2 hour drive each way, meandering down back roads in this rural area. The land is very fertile here, so lots of farms abound. And it's not the close in bigger mountains of the rest of West Virginia so the valleys are a bit wider and good for growing crops and raising cattle.

Unfortunately, we saw many lone silos, the only thing left standing of the beautiful barns. 

A nice relaxing weekend of seeing friends, (hosted a party Saturday night), yardsaling (yep, more furniture), and enjoying the summertime. 

Recovery and Rambling

So it's surprising how much you can get done when you will be incapacitated for a bit. For weeks I've been rushing around weeding, planting, hacking, mowing, cutting, painting, dyeing, cleaning, organizing, blah, blah, blah, getting ready for D-date....June 25th. That was the date that my knee was going to be scoped, to figure out what the problem was for the last 2 years. I know I'm old, Arthur-itis has moved in, I've played too much Ultimate frisbee and fallen too many times mountain biking. But dammit, I can't bend my leg most of the time, and it's crimping my style! So my 4th ortho doc finally agreed to go in and look.

Anyway, beforehand, I wanted to get some things done because I knew I'd be crazy if I couldn't check some of these things off. I've had this darling little child's cabinet for decades. It was made by an old man named Angel in my hometown, a small prairie town in South Dakota. I remember as a child I would go over to his house, step down into his dark basement and be enchanted with all the wood and tools and projects in the works. After all the furniture I've painted, I can't believe I hadn't tackled this one.  

So I primed it...

and painted it  a crispy white with a robin egg's blue top and inside.

Put on some cute teal ceramic knobs and 

I'm in love! Soooooo much better!

I also have had this cabinet for awhile and did a quick redo on it. I needed more storage in the kitchen (like for the last 25 years!) and remembered that I had this hutch in the basement. Spices have a new home...boo yah!

So  the doc went in to scope the knee, and found a big chunk of floating bone (5/8"!!!). I told them 2 years ago that I thought something was in there and it would get locked into a bad place so I couldn't bend my knee without crying in pain. But 2 mri's and 3 x-rays didn't show a grape sized piece of bone floating around?! WTF?! I'll bet doctors love finding things like that in people. Looking around with their little ortho scopes, and coming up against a big ol' obstruction.  "Oh now, there's the problem! Let's just get that hunkajunk outta there!

After surgery I had all sorts of projects lined up, literally, by my couch with all the pillows. I got my ice, my coffee, my 125 pillows, my computer, and all my projects right next to me. I hunkered in for two days (ok, I did get out there to paint some boards for the studio on day two) and then took breaks thereafter to elevate and ice.

It was kind of like a little vacation (with pain meds!). I really did feel fine, not sick or anything, just a bit of pain in the knee. I got a pass from doing too much, got waited on, and even had wine delivered to my little fort. I also made a 'nest' for myself outside as the living room was getting a tad boring.

I finished a bunch of these brooches and got lots of knitting done.

I completed this shawl. Knit with one of my 'Biggies'.

and am still working on this slubby cardigan. Nearly done.

Knitting away on this Sawtelle child's sweater out of my sheep's yarn that was spun in Prince Edward's Island last year. But my best friend (besides my husband) while recuperating relaxing, was my trusty computer. I'd be knitting away and would think of something I just had to look up, then be lost in the interwebs for an hour. I did get a lot of computery stuff done though. 

When I felt like I could climb steps, I got out to the studio

and put together some re-imagined vintage jewelry.

For all of you who have seen me hobbling around for the last couple years, that's over! I'm on the mend, gotta get my quads back on that left leg as they're jello right now, but I'm glad the surgery is behind me cuz I got things to do, people to see and places to go!

Hop To It!

Last Saturday we were lucky enough to be invited to Stillpoint Farm for their annual pig roast/blue grass/hop viewing party. And this year was the extra bonus addition of the super moon! My friends, Tom & Carol Ann are the owners of this lovely piece of property, Stillpoint Farm near New Market. They put in a few rows of hops a couple years ago and now they are opening their own brewery! Their hops are sought after by the local indie breweries, and the hops have done so well, that they've kept some for themselves and are now making two types of beer. Their tasting room is opening this weekend. They were the kick off for the Frederick Beer Fest last month.

We were wondering how they tend and pick the hops so high up, then discovered their awesome 'scaffolding' in one of the fields. Such a lovely truck. But I would not want to be the one on top of the platform while it's bouncing over the bumpy fields. 

Tom & Carol Ann also raise Leicester Longwool sheep, a rare breed from England, and a few horses. 

Michelle and Forrest were totally on board for the....

...hayride to hoppyness!

Chuck rounded us up, started the tractor and off we went.

Happy Hoppers!

Besides the roast pork and chicken and massive pot luck, there was down home blue grass played on the front porch. As the sun set, the super moon rose as a glorious huge orb over the pastures. We sat in the yard, enjoying the music, eating locally grown food and drinking beer from hops raised from plants we could see. Such a fine summer evening!