derek fun times

derek came to visit us straight from uganda, africa!

while he was here, the following went down:

 tie-dye party in the kitchen

finished this epic native puzzle

went to woodstock for the day and had fancy warm cocktails in an old restaurant

filled with palm trees and ornaments hanging from the ceiling

went night sledding with an almost full moon

pond shoveled and we all went skating...

and built a mini bonfire on it

iced cookies

and left for NYC with a xmas tree and our bags in a sled

xmas tree

we went on a big trek looking for the perfect xmas tree, and ended up with one right in front of the house... he's a little lopsided, and doesn't have long branches on one side, as he's been leaning against other trees his whole life.  he's kind of skinny too - it took only 3 axe swings for dylan to bring him down. we got into the holiday spirit real early -- its hard to resist when there's that much snow...

see -- no arms

merry xmas!

plow the way to montreal

WOW internet is different up here and we've exceeded our "threshold" of maximum use for about 2 week nows, and its finally getting back to normal.  but we still don't have internet at night.   

There was a massive snow storm on the day we were going to leave for Montreal for my birthday trip.  We had our car parked at the house and had a crazy hectic time getting it down the mountain.  Dylan hand shoveled the driveway up (after the he jump started the suburban with attached plow rig that didn't work) and then we called around town to find someone who could plow, but it was hard to pin anyone down, because its apparently still hunting season.  The snow was super thick, wet --  and heavy enough to make the huge plow truck that ended up getting us out, spin around  like crazy. 

WHITE OUT

 

Then we went to Montreal that night! They didn't ask to see our passports at the Canadian border and we had very thorough stories ready to spill -- but were very happy when they weren't requested.  We stayed in Old Montreal which is cobbled stoned and beautiful. Our hotel the second night had a fireplace, stone walls, and old beamed ceilings and a massive bathroom.  Dylan took me to the most amazing restaurant on my birthday, and we walked around a lot, went to a museum, and a concert.   No thanksgiving for me this year!  

In our stone walled hotel (yes i have a golden camera)

Famous church (celine dion got married there)

I have lots more to update, but need to conserve threshold

x L

Sarah

Sarah is one of my best friends who lives in nyc and she flew up to vermont for the weekend to see how it all goes up here and start my birthday celebration with spirit. 

After we went antique and rummage sale shopping in waterbury (sarah scored amazing sewing box, native purse and other trinkets, I got candle holder and trivial pursuit for $1) we went on a tour of the Ben + Jerry's ice cream factory.

We made dinners at home and put up xmas lights in the kitchen. much more festive!

We went to this huge thanksgiving farmer's market on Saturday morning in Montpelier.  We had the best green kombucha and dylan bought a "mother" so we can start making the tea at home. Then we all walked around downtown Montpelier and had lunch.  It was super snowy, so we decided sledding and hot toddies were in order before bday dinner....

I made dinner for them from the new cookbook sarah got me and then we played a ripping game of twos, made smores, played pin the tail on the donkey (so funny - especially after 2 bottles of wine), and then had a dance party. 

It was a perfect weekend. Thank you, Sarah! xoxo

snow falls, mail arrives

The snow has started and I'm getting excited for all the winter wonderland activities that lay ahead. I know that snow also means buying snow tires, driving up a mountain to get home, and being snowed in - but those things might be exciting too.   We both bought ice skates and I bought a pair of snow shoes on monday at a consignment sporting goods store called Play it Again, Sports (clever) and I'm positive the man helping us thought we were a little over eager. Dylan did tell him that he "couldn't wait to start shoveling!"  BUT i'll have you know the pond is starting to freeze over, it changes daily. 

Yesterday:

Today:

The mail is something we really look forward to.  Anything to do with it; going to the post office to pick up or mail a package, anticipating the sound of the UPS truck, walking down to the mailbox (1/3 mile down mountain) to look in the box or to put our mail in and let up the red flag.  Yesterday we walked down in the snow, and noticed this cute little fawn statue in front of a house down by the mailbox.  Then I looked closer and noticed the holes in it! Because they practice hunting on him! ah! where I am?

You'll notice there's a home made vibe to our mailbox.  Its because Dylan rigged it in there himself with found wood objects, and I made the numbers with black electrical tape.  But its getting the job done. We like it.

If you'd like to be part of the joy:

405 Dow Rd

Washington, VT 05675

xoxo

give me some skylight

i think i work better when i make a candlelight vigil/seance on the piano (yesterday was most productive - it's not a coincidence!)

dylan's studio upstairs has a skylight

this is the view... since we're so high up on the mountain, it gets really misty and foggy - like we're in a cloud (or a dream?)

homemade pizza for dinner.  this was mine with ricotta, spinach, olives and artichokes.  dylan wouldn't let me photograph his, but it was really good- fresh mozzarella + sauce.

and today is the mistiest i've ever seen it. maybe we'll take a walk through it later. hope i don't get lost

moon/myths

we've been watching joseph campbell's 'The Power of Myth'.  its so good.  bill moyers interviews him at george lucas' house in the 80's.  it looks really dated and the 2-d mythic masks intro is kind of embarrassing, but kind of adds to the whole experience.  can't wait to finish. its like going to school (or temple?). he says artists are our modern myth makers. joseph campbell is my new religion.

and tonight we walked around in the brightest moonlight i've ever seen...

hope this means good dreams tonight.

morning walking

the trails around the house wind down and around the mountain we're on.  we just learned that the trail from the pond goes all the way to new hampshire.  we like to take the trail in front of the house and then wind back up through some really pretty wooded valleys up to the mountain peak and down to the other side of the property. it takes a little less than an hour and gets the heart pumping!

last week sunshine

and today. first snow fall! i'm collecting birch bark in that bag for fire starting. its mildly unnecessary, but smells gooood

smoky jeans

This house doesn't have a dryer.maybe they're not "energy efficient" or whatever...here is our load of lights being wood smoked!  Its kinda rustic for me!

  

here are some other field trips i took around the house in between working:

Stared at Ida and tried to wake her up. she sleeps in this corner ALL day and orbits the house all night. I kept waiting for her to get into the position where all four paws and head are at the same meeting point. so cute. this is close tho

lunch. chick pea and spinach soup dylan made.

looked out the window where my computer is set up next to the piano. 

crystal from home + colombian flag

tomorrow i'll go outside!

who needs a puppy when you can have a piano

By some stroke of crazy luck, this house came with a piano...

The owners of the house had moved it to the shed before they rented it, so it was up to us to move it back out of the shed and put it in the house.  Last sunday, I think Dylan sensed how bummed i was to not have it in here yet -- if only for symbolic reasons.  We were going to ask the owner's son Harlan, who lives an hour away to help us, but didn't really want to wait for that to happen.   So we found the dolly, put the piano on, tied it up with heavy duty rope and Dylan pulled while I pushed it up the hill. We took some breaks and there were times when the piano was dead on its side of the muddy hill (I felt sorry for it). But we did it! Hoisting it up 2 feet into the side door was almost scarier -- because it was all the way up the hill already. But we did it again! Dylan is the most can-do person I've ever met. Brain over brawn. It was hilarious. And super rewarding. I'm on my 3rd day of tuning the piano myself (read up online and watching how-to on you tube). Dylan built me a tuning wrench for the pegs and carved some rubber mutes that you put in between strings to isolate them. And I bought a chromatic tuner.  I've never been so intimate with an instrument (if thats the word?). But i do feel very responsible for its well being, and i've never felt that way about an instrument before (only people).  I promise to take care of you all winter long.

.

Dylan drilling the hole for my piano wrench in the shed

 

Every string is attached to two or 3 pegs that all have to be in tune with each other.

woaah

casper + duke

We went horse back riding. Our first trek was over a little river and then we followed a path up a mountain --  it was full out! And Dylan's first time on a horse. His was named Duke and was huge and mellow. My was named Casper and kept trying to eat ferns and grass non stop.  Our horses kept competing about their place in line and on our way back over the little river Casper freaked out on our way down a muddy hill, and I screamed like a wimp.  All in all it was amazing and made my heart race, and I want to take riding lessons again.  Fact: horses can go #2 and walk but have to stop to pee.

 

Duke

Casper

mountain branch

This is the house and property we've rented in Vermont winter time. i haven't lived "in nature" for so long (maybe ever? does connecticut count?) and this chapter, though not permanent is already feeling essential.  We live up the side of mountain on a property of 50 acres with tons of winding walking trails.  

Heres the shed and our house behind it...

 

the barn

View of pond from the house

The house is heated only by wood; downstairs there is a wood furnace, that looks like a crazy pizza oven/Egyptian pyramid and it uses slab wood, and I probably won't mess with it.  Upstairs is a parlor wood stove which is the only one we've been using, and I'm really honing my skills. One week in, and everyday we're working towards setting ourselves up for the winter and getting to work. I want to capture my days here in some way and show my friends and fam what's up here and that I'm really not so far away.  And though completely opposite from the way I've been living in nyc for 10 years, its not scary at all. Its magical.