Dolls And A Million Crunchy Leaves...

 

It wasn't but a mere three days ago that this was the morning view.  It looked as though the whole world might be celebrating this wonderful time of year.  But, this morning there certainly "wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago."  For the past few days those millions of beautiful leaves have been raining down in a storm of falling leaves leaving millions  on the ground through which Millie and I walk.  It is a crunchy trek up that old trail these days, for sure.  Every forest critter certainly knows, way in advance, that some pilgrim is coming their way, so they are long gone by the time we get there.  

Well, here they are.  The clay is finished...finally! And, thank goodness!  What was I thinking when I decided to do all five of these together?  Why that would wear down the bravest soul.  They are getting awfully tired of living in those old cans, but there will be no getting out for a long while yet.  It will be a happy reunion for these dear friends when they all have been painted and dressed in  their fine new frocks.   

I have tried to refrain from choosing a favorite for, like any mother, I love all my children.  However, I am especially pleased with Maggie Rose Gunderson, who seemed, for a long while, that she was destined to be the Ugly Duckling of the entire lot.  I struggled with that, for it just couldn't be, for she was named after Robert Mitchum's mother, Ann Harriet Gunderson, who was a Norwegian immigrant and a sea captain's daughter.  (One can only imagine, the stories she could have told.)  

The other dolls' names were just figments of my imagination, except for Linnie Ruth Butts who is named for my great great grandmother.  Her name was, however, Lucretia.

Jubilee Anice Cliff was the first doll I created, so she's kind of special as having been the inspiration for the others.  She is second from the right next to Linnie Butts on the end. 

Jillie Leone Cooper gave me lots of trouble, which wasn't her fault, but mine.  The sculpting just went way wrong and I could never correct it, even though I tried and tried.  I finally just made a new head for her, so she has had to struggle to keep up with the others.  She is the first one on the left, and seems so happy to have finally joined the others.  

And, last there's Riata Elizbeth Millwright.  What a name!  By the time she came along, I was worn to a frazzle and really didn't want to touch another ball of clay.  I don't feel like I know this doll much.  She just is...  She is pictured in the center.  She may, however, end up being the prettiest doll of the group.  And, the sweetest.  I am looking forward to getting to know her.   

Now, I am going back out to clean more windows.  Those micro-fiber cloths Happy One wrote about are definitely the only way to go when it comes to cleaning glass.  

Mary

The Colors of October...

 

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." 

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

When I took Karen's Ruane's class, "Ledgers ~ A Study in Colors, it wasn't difficult to choose the colors that would fill the pages of my little book.  They would be the colors of October.  

The mahoganies and browns are so Octoberish ~ so perfect for color studies, I think.  And, of course the blues of those gorgeous October skies are not to be forgotten.  The simple little page overlay, under which there are more stitches, needs a fastening of sorts ~ perhaps tied with a silk bow in this so lovely mahogany.  

There are creamy puffs and oh-so-many French knots on this page, all in the colors of October..

Sewing on paper can be a bit tedious.  There's much more to be done here.  

Millie and I are enjoying the cooler weather for our daily walks.  It's always a difficult transition for me when I must put away my short pants and pull on those ever so cumbersome long ones.  Just look closely at those brown legs of mine, with a bit of white showing just above my shoes. I think they are October legs.

There's now the rustle of leaves with every step, so the woodland creatures are alerted that someone is passing through.  That's probably a good thing for Millie delights in a merry chase through the woods. 

 The pond is always a stopping point for us, where Millie takes her daily bath. I have given that some thought, for Thoreau often bathed in Walden Pond.  He wrote, "I got up early and bathed in the pond; that was a religious exercise, and one of the best things I did."  

Yesterday, there was a chill in the air that just wouldn't seem to go away as the day wore on.  I finally went out and scrounged up bits and pieces of dead wood and built the first fire of the season in the stove.  I. MADE. FIRE.  Building a fire all on my own always gives me such a satisfactory feeling.  I really want to dance!  I am always reminded of this scene in Tom Hank's "Cast Away." 

Oh, and look, there's poor little Wilson.  Bless his little heart!

Until next time, this is Mary, out here in the woods enjoying what is left of October.  I hope you are too!

Millie and I get caught up in migration...

 

A couple of cool mornings was cause enough to bring out an old jacket to slip on before heading out for our morning jaunt over the hill.  I have noticed that Millie's coat is already getting a bit thicker, so she was happy for the briskness of the days.  I often tell her how much I adore that beautiful coat she's always wearing, and how much I would like to have one to match. I think I should wear it every day too.   

There are muscadines aplenty along the trails we walk, on which I, along with a lot of other forest critters, always stop to browse.  I will soon be missing this morning treat for there are scanty few remaining.  It was, in fact, a poor crop this year - so poor that there will be no oh-so-delicious muscadine jelly this winter.  

 

The woods is filled these mornings with what remains of yesterday's webs.  I wonder where the spiders have gone...

For a few weeks, we have had somewhat of a living science expo going on just outside our bathroom window.  Dan thinks spiders are creepy, and that I should have swept this one, web and all, away.  She was rather a disappointment compared to last years Golden Orb Weaver that took up residence at the hummingbird shed, but none the less, this year's weaver did put on some spectacular shows.  She is gone now, of her own free will, but left behind under the eave of the house four large egg sacks, which I have carefully removed and carried away to the woods.  She did her job, and did it well.

Maybe, you remember last year's Golden Orb Weaver that I photographed and wrote about at that time.  I still think she was, in the ways of spiders, beautiful.  

 This morning was one of those mornings in which one just can't seem to get enough of.  I wanted to keep right on walking and taking in the loveliness of the day.  The thing of it was, Millie and I had gotten caught up in migration...Monarch Butterfly Migration.  Those loveliest of lovely creatures were flitting by right and left, intent on flying south, and, only occasionally, stopping at some inviting flower to refresh themselves.  I was able to capture a couple of these magnificent creatures at work in my old zinnia garden.  Oh, what beauties!  How I remember the Monarch paintings the kids at school used to do.  Some of them really got carried away with all those dots! 

With all probability, we have rolled our last bale of hay for this year.  I didn't get a picture of it, but it certainly looked a lot like last year's final bale, minus the coyote. ( Millie and I have seen a couple of young black coyotes that look a lot like the one in the picture, undoubtedly some kin since black ones are somewhat rare.  Millie chases them. I tell her that she shouldn't do that since they are her distant relatives.) 

As of this morning, there were still around a half-dozen little hummingbirds here, lapping sweet sauce at the feeders as though their life depended on it.  And, well it may!  These remaining little jewels are just that...little...and do, in fact, look like jewels... bright shining green emeralds.  I looked at them long and hard this morning and have made myself believe that they were born in the northern plains of North Dakota, and that they have traveled long and hard to get here.  (Right, Sandra!)   

Photo was taken by my son when he was working in the oil fields of North Dakota.

Take care and happy trails to you all.  Next up is October!  Wow!  I surely am looking forward to that, and I am sure you are too!

                                                                       Mary

Day 1,149

It was a wet walk over the hill this morning.  My umbrella was up and my boots were on, but I was hardly aware of a single step on this last trek of the summer* for my head was wrapped around other thoughts - thoughts of dolls and dresses and of bonnets and bows. (Well, I did peer out from underneath my umbrella when the Great Blue Heron went squawking away from the pond, just as it always does.) I am just so ready to finish the dolls that have waited so patiently all summer long while I toiled long hours at other jobs.

 * Wait, wait, wait...  I really know that summer's last day will officially be on the 21st, but I am ending my summer right now!  I have had enough of it!    

Creating hair for these little ladies is always a challenge for me.  I put hair on...  Then take it off...  I part it down the middle....  Then on the side...  I tie it with a pretty bow...  Then paint the bow...  Until, I just give up and let it be...  I do the same thing with my own hair...   Oh, well....  It is what it is...

But, some dolls just seem to like best wearing a pretty bonnet....

And, every pretty dress just must have a pretty petticoat underneath....  And, pantaloons, too.... 

Braids in the hair are always nice...  No matter what color is the hair...

And, other dolls just seem to be born to be blonde...  And, often times, they want pretty ribbons tied around their hair....

Surely, I got kind of carried away with the pretty bow for this one. ( I later took it off.)  She is so like Bernadette Banner, don't you think?  I can just see her walking the streets of Manhattan in this lovely skirt and long tunic.  If you haven't watched Bernadette's YouTube Channel, you might enjoy her too.  I love her.  She inspires me to no end!  And, she has no grass to mow! (Not that I have anything against grass for it's pretty important for us here at Hill Top!)

This lovely dress made of walnut-dyed linen is all hand sewn.  I may never wash it for fear the beautiful color will fade.  

The bow in this doll's hair was originally blue.  I painted it at least three times and ended up with this animal skin look.  It will be hard for me not to give at least a couple of the newest dolls a painted bow in their hair.  But, I must keep in mind that once it's there, there's no taking it off.  And, it doesn't lend itself well to a hat or bonnet worn over it.  I will think about that...

The pictures along the trail were taken this rainy morning... walk # 1,149 without a miss.  I am not a traveler of faraway places and enjoy this daily walk with my devoted partner, Millie.  She's somewhere up ahead here, having herself a merry time walking in the rain.  

Take care!  And, thanks for stopping by the Hill! 

Mary

Ride the North Wind...

Migration has already begun here in the Northern Hemisphere as shorter hours of sunlight and lowering temperatures tell millions of birds to go south.  The loons, geese, ducks, and shorebirds have all heard the message and have already left the barrens of Alaska and Canada.  And, the little Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds in our woods and fields have heard it too.  It's time to go...

And, certainly yesterday was a perfect day to answer that call - to ride the north wind southward.  And, that's just what some did. There are still many here, but I haven't seen a single ruby red throat amongst them.  Those are the males which are always the first to go.  Left behind for a while longer are the females and the juveniles.

  As I watched these marvelous little birds at the feeders last evening, I couldn't help but feel a bit of melancholy creep over me, for I know some will be back next spring, and  some will not, for their journey will be long and filled with danger.   But, for those who do make it back, they will remember this place where the kind lady tends flower gardens and hangs feeders filled with delicious goodness.  I'll see you then little ones.  May your journey be a safe one.

Shaggy Zinnias and Early Morning Walks...

July is when the shaggy zinnias are doing their best to brighten our summer days.  Well, I must say, they certainly are doing their job well.   I am especially fond of the pinks and reds, and the bees and butterflies seem to agree. 

July is the month when my walking year begins.  This past week, Millie and I celebrated another walking anniversary. It has now been three years (1,095 days) since we have missed a day of walking over our hillside trail. These hot days, we head out first thing in the coolness of early morning when the birds are still singing and our steps are lively and quick...well, at least Millie's are!

July is a month for harvesting hay.  There has been ample rainfall this year, so the yield is looking good so far.  I do enjoy the work, for the tractor I drive has a very good air conditioner and an air-ride seat. 

Earlier, I removed a lot of overgrown plants in many of the beds and gave them all fresh new looks.  It required a lot of digging and shoveling, but it sure was worth the effort.  I was so happy to check that one off the to do list. 

And, just this past week, I was able to check off another big job. Thirty years ago, I mixed up paste, measured and cut, and put wallpaper up in my kitchen.  Now, thirty years later, it is gone!   Soaked and scraped, cleaned and sanded, ~ not even a smidgen of that old paper remains.  The walls are now freshly painted with a nice clean coat of paint called Jersey Cream.~ just perfect for the kitchen. 

The hummingbirds have already started to drink in earnest at the feeders.  They are now consuming more than a gallon of sweet nectar a day.  I am seeing a few small birds which are, undoubtedly, this year's young.  They will need lots to eat between now and their great migration.  I expect there will be six more weeks of heavy feeding.  I hope to have them all fat when it is time for them to go!

And, last...  I have been asked about the dolls.  Well...  they are still waiting in their cans.  I have actually added tiny amounts of clay here and there since this picture was made, so there has been some additional progress.  Right now, it is all about getting a pleasant expression on each sweet little face.  I can already recognize each one without looking at the name labels.  I love them all ~ no favorites!

Take care, and enjoy your July, for it is going fast.  The days are already growing shorter!

Mary