SAFF

...or Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. Click on the picture to make it larger. This is only the downstairs of the arena. There are two big barns with more vendors. It's still going on so if you live close, run on over!
Here's Margaret holding my Happy Hands Yarn. It's a much better showing of the colours.
Now to start the project!

A New Project!!

Margaret and I went to SAFF yesterday. (I changed the name to protect the innocent.) I went with no intention of buying anything. I have everything....well, it seems like it when I try to get through my closet - or my wool room. But it's like looking for anything. When you are not looking, you find it.

I found "Iced" by Carol Feller. It's a Knitty pattern from First Fall 2010. It didn't speak to me in the online magazine, but when I saw it made up in a hand dyed yarn in MY colours, I had to have it. I don't normally make up a sweater in the yarn I see it in but this was impossible to resist. It's Happy Hands Yarn who came all the way from Wisconsin. My coulorway is right on the front page - "Mother Earth" - along with a picture of the sweater I saw! The picture below is just a tad dark, I think.I then needed two buttons...large buttons. And they had to be just right. An ordinary button would not do. Now check back in my blog on September 5, 2008. There you see my bag pattern (phree) along with the perfect button by Gail Hughes. She was at the show!! This was her first time and look at the perfect buttons I found to go with the sweater! (I do not have enough exclamation points on the computer to express my excitement!:-))
And here is the artist herself...Gail Hughes. She is now located in Kentucky and doesn't have a website, but hopes to get one with a list of all the shops who carry her wares. I know she is carried by Loopville in Knoxville, The Yarn Patch in Crossville, and Haus of Yarns in Nashville.
If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times: The buttons will make or break your project. If you have a great pattern and use ho-hum buttons - "eh". But even a simple project with great buttons "pops"!

The Wedding

I was without internet for several weeks so it's impossible to catch up totally. But here are pictures that I do have of the wedding. It was wonderful and went off with out a hitch.

Below is Lizzy (Tad's sister), Tad, and Lizzy's daughters, Cathrine (in the foreground) and Caroline.
Tad, Bruce, and the flower girls.
Joice, Manisha, and Susan.
Rachel...the bride!The complete wedding party: l-r - Elizabeth, Manisha, Susan, Joice, Catherine,Rachel, Tad, Caroline, Uncle Jimmy, Mark, Tim, and Forrest.
Tad and Rachel descending from the cottage.Two days of being high on a ladder sewing the material to the wires paid off!! This is the inside of the casino when it was finished for the reception.
The cutting of the cake.
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Hackett. Don't they look happy!!
Now I am back home and it's all a distant memory. I can't wait to see the photographer's photos!

Mother-Daughter Bonding....

...or Spa Day!

We had a wonderful day!!! We started at Fabu down on Commercial Street. We both had a full body massage. It was my first! (I think there will be a lot of exclamation points in this post. ) It was wonderful. I had Molly. From my feet to the top of my head was oiled an massaged for 45 minutes while soothing music played in the background. The crink is out of my neck. :-)

Then they let us lie on the table a bit and the women who gave the facials came in cleaning, scrubbing, moisturizing with steaming towels in between. I'm sure they did more but I was finding I was dozing off time to time. Another 45 minutes for the facials. My skin is SO soft and smooth.

Then downstairs for our manicures. Another first for me. I chose the squoval shape. (Square ovaled) with a nice neutral colour that hopefully will last until the wedding...or not.

Don't think this day was without excercise. We walked up to the Green Elephant for lunch. It's a vegan restaurant and if I could eat here all the time or cook as well as they do, I could turn vegan. I had the Tikki Masala (since I cook it in Cafe World all the time) and Rachel had the Steamed Assorted Veggies/Peanut sauce and Vietnamese coffee. Yumm! We liked them both so we ended up splitting them.

After lunch we crossed the street to O2 Salon & Spa. Rachel had the works with a trial updo for the wedding. I had my hair blended the front to the back. I was feeling like a cocker spaniel with long fronts and short back but I had Mathew (cousin to Molly at Fabu) and he is a miracle worker. It would almost be worth a trip to Maine just to have him cut my hair.

Rachel was finished at 5:00 and home we went for a change of clothes and then to dinner at Bar Lola. The food was wonderful, eclectic, and filling. With their five courses for $39, they will certainly give 555 some competition.

It was a wonderful day...one I will remember the rest of my life!

Labor Day Weekend Lobster Bake

Yes, we are back on Little Diamond for the annual Labor Day Lobster Bake. This was my first!Rachel...standing on the dock in the bay. Does a song come to mind?
This will be photo instructions to recreate your own bake. First you dig a pit and start a fire. We missed that part but the fire is going and covered (left of center).
They then covered the fire pit with seaweed....
sprayed it down for lots of steam
and then picked up the steamer box....
and set it in place on the fire.
First course is a layer of seaweed.
On the seaweed goes the sweet potatoes....
then the corn followed by a layer of seaweed.
The lobsters are next!
A layer of seaweed separate the crabs that came next.
More seaweed....
then dozens of eggs.....
followed by hot dogs and keilbasa.
The entire box is covered with seaweed....
then sheets of aluminum foil.....
followed by more seaweed.
Then we wait. The eggs are a necessary ingredient. When the eggs are done, the lobster should be done. The cooking process took just over an hour. Now that the time is up, they are placing poles in the handles of the box.
Ready.
Lift.
On the wooden pallet it goes to rest a bit.
The cooks must test the food to make sure it is properly done! If you blow up the photo, you can read the logo on the t-shirts which are worn by members of the island septic committee.
Look at all that lobster!
More taste testing. :-) Then the food makes it's way up to the dock where it's served buffet style. I had my plate in hand not my camera so there's no picture of the line.

Rachel is one happy lobster eater.
Opening the wine with determination.
And just look at my plate!!! Do I have to tell you that I was full after this meal? Lobster is SO low in calories. Even the butter didn't count.
Now, we just wait until next Labor Day!

Sidewalk Art Festival

Saturday we took in the Sidewalk Art Festival in downtown Portland. It was a good day...sunny and a high of 78.There were so many great artists that it was sensory overload. I picked up two matted photos from Hot Flashes Photography. (great name!) One is of the Portland Head Lighthouse which was the first lighthouse Rachel took us to after she moved here. The other was of the old house on Route 1 in Searsport. I took a picture of it myself last year. When I get home I will dig it out. Lib Jamison was wonderful to talk to.
I also found, with the help of Rachel's keen eye, Greg Stones artwork. Original, funny, and dark. I picked up Christmas presents for the kids and a painting for myself..."Sheep Sees Killer".

I also found Old Paper Arts fascinating.
Rich Byard does themed collages. Who was born in the 50s and remembers the Golden Book Encyclopedia? My little grey cells were certainly firing with all the memory triggers in this booth. I do believe that is why so many people visit antique shops...to bring back fond childhood memories.
I'm so glad Rachel wore a bright shirt. She was easy to find.
The festival extended down to Monument Square...
which is where we ate lunch at Henry VIII's.
I had a marvelous warm, rare roast beef sandwich slathered with horseradish sauce. Yum. I'm salivating as I type!! :-)
After lunch we found a jazz band....
and a street mime.

We have heard nothing but good reports about Otto's Pizza. One side is carry out and the other is sit in dining. Tad got to wait in line for a slice and came back with two. Sure it was 10 minutes since we ate lunch but we had to try them out. There was an entire board of unusual specials and it was hard to choose. One had caramelized onions, tomatoes, and basil. The other had mashed potatoes, basil, and something else. They were both delicious and the crust was to die for. It would be worth the drive to 576 Congress Street to pick them up!! I think another visit will be in order before I leave.
On the way back to the car we saw this tribute to Stephen King.
Another great day in Maine is over. Is there a bad day in Maine? We will see this Friday. We have been tracking Earl as it get stronger.