……hurricanes hardly happen,  but in Massachusetts!!!  Nah they hardly do here either,  but when they do!!!!  Boy oh boy.  It sure has been an interesting couple of weeks in Beantown.  The day before  hurricane Irene blew through the East Coast,  Markie took part in a crazy bike challenge in Deerfield called D2R2 .  So not only is it a crazy, hilly,  long route he of course added to the challenge by doing it on a fixed bike (no gears) ……….what a dummy………I mean guy……what a guy……yeah, yeah that’s what I meant, ahem. He blogged about it here if you care to read his side of the day.

The  hurricane was starting to approach just as he finished,  so he got a little soaked at the end,  but didn’t he do well?

I had a lovely time in Deerfield while Markie was having fun.  Deerfield has a historical neighbourhood that has preserved the colonial and Federal houses of the first settlers. So after I had wandered around the village romancing with the idea of being around in the 16oo’s,  I brought out my trusty wool bag and got to work under a giant oak tree.  It was so nice (although slightly odd)  as it was right beside a working dairy farm.   So I heard the incredibly loud bleeting of sheep with every stab.  I like to think they were bleeting their approval of my use of wool.

The weather was so absolutely perfect,  it’s hard to believe that in only a few hours it had completely changed.  So back home we battened down the hatches and prepared for Irene……..and we were actually pretty lucky as she was not as bad as we were expecting (phew).  We did lose electricity for about a day and a half……which completely killed all my romantic notions of the past as I was going out of my mind with lack of internet, tv and lights after about 30 mins.    My initial thought of needle felting,  when we lost power,  were stymied at the realization that I do need some light or my fingers will bleed……. a lot.

I did add another new guy to the fold this week though……….Meet Inka

Inka is a Sloth bear,  but he’s more of a teddy bear really as he is obsessed with all the things from the 1950’s……..I will add him to the shop soon.

And in other stabby news I am happy to report that I will be vending at the Hingham Shipyard Holiday market this winter

I have applied to a few other shows so keep your fingers crossed for me that I have a few more to add to my holiday schedule.

Well no not really,  thank god…….but I have started the Christmas craftin’  and while I don’t think it’s ever going to feel normal to make snowmen and santas when it’s close to a hundred degrees outside,  it does make me start to look forward to fall and wonderin’ how Boston is going to be in winter……….brrrrrrr I expect.

A sneak pic of santas

I’m all done with my summer sowa market gig now too (apologies to anyone who went last weekend and expected to see us,  I’m afraid the rain kept us away…….no one likes a soggy critter.)

So I also have a new critter to introduce to the menagerie…….

I love Harry,  he’s such a cutie and I’ll be listing him in the shop a little later today.  I dropped off a whole load of crittery goodies at Sarida last Sunday but of course I got talking to Tammy,  (the rather fabulous owner) and mesmerized by all the fabulous goodies inside and of course forgot to take any pics……..so I’m stealing these pics from Sarida’s facebook page  (their pictures are so much better than anything I would have taken anyway ).

It’s such a pretty store I’m thrilled to have the critters be a part of it.  And if you are in the area you should check it out,  you wont be disappointed.

So it’s been a busy couple of weeks with Christmas craftin’  and trying to stock stores (including my own) and trips to the vet Kirzstie with an overactive thyroid,  Floyd  with dental issues (2 teeth had to be removed……poorbaby,  he’s feeling a little sorry for himself today)  but I’m going to get back to it now…….stabby, stabby…….

This Summer has been awesome!!!  Lots of critter love at the Sowa Market has made me giddy with glee (and no I don’t mean the all singing teenybop kind of glee I mean the good ole’ fashioned yaaaaaaahoooo kind.)  I just love meeting all the wonderful people who kindly give a critter a new home…….like Walter’s new mum

Walter sure is one lucky ducky as he is heading of to Florida,  no more cold winters for him.  And I just love how my nut job looked on Katherine

So very cool.   I also have another motivational reason for critter making as critters have a new Boston address,  that’s right you can now find a vast array of them hanging out at Sarida

It’s such a beautiful store and I’m thrilled to have the critters there,  I’ll take a picture next time I am in there as the displays and items really are quite stunning…….I will be there dropping of some new guys on Sunday  as it’s Sowa market weekend again (my penultimate one………doesn’t time fly?) so you shouldn’t have long to wait for a pic.

On the wildlife front check out the size of the Luna moth we encountered hanging out on one of our meadowland walks

Mark put his hand in the picture to give you an idea of the size of him………can you believe it?  I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like him before he was absolutely gorgeous and all fuzzy in the middle………..awwwwwwww

Ok, ok I apologize for the terrible pun,   I just wanted to show you how I spent last weekend.

We went whale watching…and it was awesome!!!!!  If you are in the Boston area it’s a really great way to spend the day.  The whales are incredible to watch,  and they seem to like the attention as they come very close to the boat.  The ferry was fun too (thankfully the sea wasn’t that choppy) and allowed me to see Boston from a whole new angle

Boston sure is a pretty place.

This weekend is a Sowa Market Sunday for me and the critters and I have some new goodies made to come with me including a new big guy…..I’ll post in a bit and show ’em off to you I just wanted to show you a bit of randomness for now.

Boston is most definitely my kind of town……….so again I apologize for my lack of blogging and it’s certainly not because there is nothing going on it’s in fact the exact opposite.   The first sowa market I vended at was on June 5th and it was absolutely fabulous……so many warm, wonderful and welcoming people and if you are in the area I highly recommend you check it out it’s 3 parts,  a farmers market a vintage market and a crafty artsy fartsy market (where we are) .

We had the best time and we also met Carolyn a rather lovely woman who requested a knitting Gromit and sheep to sit on her shelf and here they are

It was wonderful to make these guys for Carolyn,  and I really hope she likes ’em.  Last Sunday at the  market a new critter found a wonderful forever home……..

Blair the polar bear,  I never got a shot of Blair when he was finished so this is my only piccie of him…….he sure looked happy to be going to his new home though and I love that his new mum was super happy to welcome him to Boston.

So  as you can tell I’m loving living in Boston,  I promise I will try and be a better blogger and keep you more regularly updated with all the critter news.