vacation, relaxation and back to work

DH and I got to take a mini vacation, in Portsmouth NH.  We used the last of the Marriott Rewards Points we had, and he did a photography job to get gas and spending money.

see, I'm really there.  The sound of the waves, the smell of the salt air, the rocks and shells to pick up... it was great.

I love to catch a wave just as it is breaking...

DH patiently Blackberry-ing and waiting for me to finish getting rocks and pebbles.  The round rust circle was a base for some sort of gun, I think from WWII.  This was at the Seacoast Science Center.

I am now a very ferverent convert to the iPhone - got one since I was due for an upgrade, and I love love love it.  I have all sorts of apps on it, and can get work email plus regular email, and can make lists, and read books... I looked at tablet computers but really like the small size of the iPhone and the fact that I don't need to carry around all this other stuff.  i've got everything in one place.  I do still need to get the TeleNave option but I've got the phone, camera, music player, several e readers, games, tasks and to do lists, travel stuff, etc.   DH is still a staunch BlackBerry fan, though.

Inside they had displays and an aquarium set up.  This was a very strange but very friendly fish, came right over when I looked through the glass at him.  Or her, hard to tell.

foam at the edge of the waves.  I'm trying to replicate this in knitting for an art quilt but it is not easy.  I can get the holes but the transparency of the bubbles is something I'll have to think about.

We visited open studios at a mill building in Rollingsford, NH and I picked this room for me.  I can see myself moving in there with all my stuff.  The windows overlooked a river and trees.  We also visited artist's studios in Lowell MA, run by a former art quilter Maxine Farkas.  She's doing really cool boxes and assemblage now. Could only stay a little bit but it was great to see her again.  I could have a studio there too!

Walking down one of the flights of stairs in the NH building.  Very steep but very cool stair shapes.

We visited the American Textile History Museum in Lowell MA.  Great exhibits and friendly staff.  They don't allow flash photos, and only personal photos, but I did get permission to post a photo here.  I highly recommend visiting, you can see hand made textiles all the way up to very technical racing gear.

 Had lunch in an Irish pub, with real Irish food and Guiness.  Got pizza for dinner, ordered online and delivered right to our hotel room.  So convenient!  Went to Portsmouth Fabric Co, and got some great fabric.  Also during the artist studio day I met Wen Redmond, an art quilter, very friendly and great work.  It was so interesting to see her studio and the things she had to create with.
  Here's her website:
Wen Redmond Artist  and I really wish I could take a workshop with her.

Went to a friend's daughter's senior recital at Emma Willard school, in Troy NY and this lil guy was hanging out above me, along with some other stone friends.  Creepy and cute at the same time.

 Now I'm home, at least for a little bit - going to visit my brother over Memorial Day, and then to Boston the end of June for a business conference.  I am working on some artist trading cards, for swaps, through ATCs for All to just play and experiment with drawing and collage. 

And now I leave you with another crazy cat picture... this is Sir Douglas Fir Tree exhausted and resting from the ordeal of shredding tissues and papers all over the bedroom floor...