once upon a perch

Though this is a highly unsatisfying picture of it (I'm a little ashamed really- such poor light!), I thought I show one of the things I was up to during that month-long posting haitus.
Birds.
Perhaps people are sick of em', but I am still smitten. Also, I recently realized and remembered that my mother used a really similar pattern too; making birds for christmas tree ornaments in the early 80's.
I gave a few of these as love-bird house-warming gifts to dear friends who just bought their first home. Then I made a nursery mobile for Alyssa's new one. (Welcome to the World, Dorjee)

They're fun and fast and use up that great scrap fabric that you have that is too small for most other things. For the mobile I used velcro (soft on the bird side) so that the birds could be taken off to be played with. I imagine that Alyssa will be the one that plays with them the most! :)

Knits

I want to post about the beautiful bounty that I skipped away with when leaving our farmer's market yesterday.
Karen and I had been meaning to trade; and man o man, I am so so so pleased.
Karen makes all manner of amazing knit things. We ended up trading one of my lithos for the above warm and wintery handbag. (Chilly Madison, cozy bag..)
It was Karen's day to sell at the market's second storie tent, and in addition to the bags she made these whimsical and lovely vegetables. The ones you see above were my choices from her "half bushel" option. I did originally think I was getting them for some new wee ones in my life, but: maybe not, I love them so.

Her shop is over at etsy.

One moon, many changes

It's been a little over a month since I posted last, and much has changed in that one last cycle.
A month ago, A and I were happily getting along in Rochester, NY. Then, a job transfer opportunity happened, and we've since been whirl-winding: home updates, meeting with relators, putting the home up for sale, relocation arrangements, home sold, contracts written, trips undergone to ensure new places to sleep... all this, plus lots and lots of packing, and more to come.

We're moving to Madison, WI:

and we'll be renters again for a while:

But there are so many good things about Madison, notably this golden badger that acts as a sentinel inside the opulent capital building.

It's a funny thing to move just when you feel like your getting rooted somewhere; we'll have fond memories of Ra-cha-cha, Roc city, R-town, Rochester, the acquired taste. But Madison holds a lot of treasures we're excited to uncover too.

On our visit to secure an apt (which we just returned from), I found myself pretty inspired by the capital building. I usually don't go too ga-ga over ornate old gold and marble structures. Generally all that is too much for me. But this particular building not only has funny little badger guards, but it also has hidden fossils and excellent murals. There is a Goddess of Wisconsin, holding wheat and other bounty, as well as all sorts of virtues personified as Hellenistic-type God/Goddess in mosaics.

Especially I loved this mural on the ceiling of one of the state rooms. Reminds me of Maxfield Parish, and I've always been drawn to those oracle myths. The seeker of knowledge approaching wisdom; the Seeker and the Mystery meeting in a sacred space.