St. Patty's Day Yarn-bomb

St. Patrick's Day Parking Meter on Market Street in Wilmington, DE.

My lively helpers!

The March winds were blowing....

A cable close up!

Decorated doors at Film Brothers on Market!

A Letter From My Dad

Cleaning out a box the other day I discovered a series of letters written to me by my father, Clarence (Cy) Rollins. My dad passed away in 2010 but the letters live on...

The letters are short but full of love and humor. Here is the first one...

10-13-90

"Dear Carol,
                 Gosh I miss you!!!
It's Saturday afternoon and I've finished my chores (I never did show you Moms whip did I?). I'm sitting here having an orange juice & Capt Morgan Rum - I call it a phillips head screwdriver.
                 Bob and Lori stopped in today and brought their new Lab (Black) named Bo. While we were eating lunch he left it tied up in our breezeway. He pooped on the cement and Ed came in and stepped in it and tracked it through the house and to the porch (Ed Tweedy), They also brought Nicole and she loves the Dog. She hugs it and it scratches her then she cries. It was high tide and we took the dog down by the river and she went swimming.
                 I started working this past Monday, working for Cheer Meals on Wheels. It's OK but I don't like old people especially the ones that are younger than me.
                 Enclosed is a letter from Captain Scott USMC. I thought you would enjoy reading it. He seems like a fine young man.
                 Well this phillips head screw driver needs replenishing and I better go and get a new one.
                 As I write this letter you're leaving Venice. Bon Voyage and Semper Fi.
                                                                                   
                                                                                     I love you.

                                                                                             Love,
                                                                                                   Dad"

Love, Dad

Well, I saved the letter from Dad but not from Captain Scott! The letter was sent to me when I was joining the Vistafjord ship - a Cunard ship from my days working for the Golden Door Spa At Sea Program. 

Times have changed...my beloved brother, Bob and my dad have both passed but Ed, Lori and Nicole are alive and well!

Urban Bike Project

On Friday evening, The Urban Bike Project participated in Wilmington's Art Loop. Sarah Green and I decided to create a few works of art using bike parts and yarn to display. The art included a yarn-bombed beach cruiser and many bike parts that were wrapped and woven with a variety of yarn. Enjoy the photos below..

My yarn-bombed bike!

The front wheel

handle bar with original store tag...named the bike
 'Minnie Pearl'!

left pedal

a modern dream catcher?

wrapped gears...

reminds me of a Spirograph creation...

loaded on the car...

I wonder what the cars behind me thought!

Market Street Candy Canes

Today I 'yarn-bombed' a block of Market Street in Wilmington, between 2nd & 3rd Street...also referred to as LOMA. Enjoy the candy cane meters...

This is for you Gordon!

The BEST Indian food...vegan options too!

Flowers are a bloom at Bloomsberry!

Candy cane meters and Bain's Deli!

Twist & Shout!

the best place EVER!!

hopefully this will bring a smile to at least one parking meter attendant!! 

Happy Holidays!!

Handmade Knitting Needles

Today's adventure was to create my own knitting needles. I purchased a wooden dowel at a local craft store for less than 1 dollar. I divided it into 4 equal pieces, cut them with a pair of garden shears and then sharpened the ends in a pencil sharpener.

Finished acorn capped needles

Then I played with some polymer clay and a few acorn tops I had left over from my felted acorn project. A rolled a few balls of clay and stuffed them into the acorn cap. Then I pushed the needle into the cap/clay and reworked the clay shape (ever so slightly!).

blurry close up of pink & green acorns!

After pre-heating the oven, I baked them for a little over 15 minutes - caps, clay and dowel.

a little more natural then the pink/green!

After they cooled I took a little wax paper and bees wax to smooth the dowel/needles. I also popped off the acorn top and added a little glue...just in case.

Now...what should I knit?!

Grounds For Sculpture

Last night I braved the cold and headed to Grounds For Sculpture near Princeton, NJ. I have wanted to visit this sculpture garden and the Winter Wonder Light Exhibition seemed like the perfect way to begin the holiday season.

cold???

My daughter Kelly, her friend Julia and I bundled up in warm clothing and headed north. It was freezing and we even had a few flurries but my heart was warmed when I had the opportunity to meet up with a dear friend, Val and her lovely daughter Caelyn.

Scream???

The 5 of us braved the elements (and foot traffic) and walked the gardens, visited the museums warmed up in The Warming Hut and posed with a Seward Johnson couple!

The evening was fun...until Val realized she had to drive 4 hours home!!

"Oh no...I have to drive home!"

Bring on the holidays!!

Yarn-bombed Chair, the Governor and a Labyrinth!

Recently I yarn-bombed a chair (and felted small creatures because the chair looked lonely!) for an exhibition at the Newark Arts Alliance (NAA). 

covered chair using a variety of techniques.

Then, Governor Jack Markell (DE) came to visit the NAA and sat in my chair. He has a great sense of humor and is definitely a good-sport!

Gov. Jack Markell & me laughing hysterically!

Then I headed to Wisconsin for the Annual TLS (The Labyrinth Society) Gathering. I had always wanted to create a labyrinth on the grounds so I decided to knit one.

finished labyrinth

The labyrinth was knitted in 2 pieces with the total length somewhere around 150 feet.

spiraling into center

I attached the labyrinth to the ground using garden or landscaping staples.

these boots were made for walking

As the Gathering ended, I gifted the labyrinth to Sherrill. Hopefully it will continue on in a new home in Michigan!

winding the labyrinth.
Photo by Lars Howett

Blessing to all of you on your knitted path!

Swarthmore Labyrinth

Yesterday I met 2 friends in Swarthmore, PA to show them the labyrinth at The Swarthmore Presbyterian Church on Harvard Avenue. First we spent an hour or two at Pendle Hill (a Quaker Retreat & Study Center) but the rain kept us from walking the classical 7 circuit labyrinth. But we did have the opportunity to walk the grounds (with an umbrella) to see the gardens, art studio, library, barn, bookstore and main house.

Eventually we decided we were hunger so we headed to the "Ville" or downtown Swarthmore to grab lunch. Fortunately the skies decide to take a short break (but alas the humidity did not!) so we went to the Presbyterian Church to see their Memorial Labyrinth and Gardens. The weather cooperated so we walked the Medieval or Chartres pattern.

entrance to the labyrinth garden...
names of those memorialized are  posted on the far wall.

a closer look at the labyrinth

Walking this labyrinth brings back many memories. One such memory occurred 7 or 8 years ago as I was walking solo in the labyrinth. To the right of the gardens is a children's playground (not pictured) and a young girl (maybe 3 or 4) was playing on the equipment with her father. I could hear part of the conversation and lots of laughter. Then I heard the young girl ask her father "Daddy, why is that old lady walking around in circles?" I have no idea how he responded because I immediately began laughing out loud - I guess I became the crazy old lady walking around in circles!

a view of the labyrinth and gardens from the memorial wall.

The labyrinth is located in a hedged lined garden. The house in the background is the ABC Strath-Haven Boy's House. Tiombe, does the house bring back memories?!!

oh! if only this tree could talk a language I understood!

After our walk and before we headed to Occasionally Yours for lunch...we rested!

Mary Anne & Jupie

A Walk Through Winterthur

Today I took a walk through Winterthur. Winterthur is a local garden originally owned by Henry duPont. The estate and gardens are wonderful and include a quarry, a fairy garden, museum, gift shops and many miles of trails. I decided to travel off the beaten path and write a few short poems along the way. 

heading up hill...

Queen Anne's Lace

 Queen Anne's Lace

Fresh as the morning snow

You are more than a weed 

The Road Less Traveled

Clover in bloom

 Fresh green clover

Blossoming in the August heat

A sweet snack

Millstone floor in a gazebo

Round the millstone

Fairies dance

Awaiting the summer solstice

200+ year old Sycamore tree

 In the shade of the Sycamore

Heavy limbs supported by steel

Over 200 years of memories.

heavy limb supported by steel wires

I hope you enjoyed the stroll. For more information on the gardens visit www.winterthur.org

Future Olympic Rowers??

Washington College Crew Camp

Last week I ventured to Chestertown Maryland to see my daughter at Chesapeake Crew Camp. The rowing camp was part of Washington College's summer camp season and they rowed on the lovely Chester River. Washington College is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and is the Alma Mater of both of my parents and my Uncle Harold.

view from the road...

I traveled to Maryland with the air conditioner running (it was almost 100 degrees) and the CD playing shuffling through my choice of CD's - usually I am compromising with a 15 year old but alas I was in total control! Along the route I passed a lovely grass river which appeared to flow through the field.

the bees were busy pollinating

Then I happened upon a field of sunflowers - Van Gogh would have loved it!

Shiny, happy faces...

Next stop...downtown Chestertown -

Local hangout spot!

Driving through Chestertown and before I reached the College campus I noticed the Bluebird Tavern sign. I grew up with my father's stories of the Bluebird. Theta Chi's drinking and carrying on, hanging at the Tavern instead of studying etc. Oh! how I wished I wrote those stories down before my father passed on.

Support Crew

And yes, the younger siblings do always have to get dragged around. Bevyn's brother and his friend joined us. They do get tired of attending regatta's and sitting by the water especially when they would rather be in the water but they were troopers and the never complained or whined - even without a video game in sight!

Future Olympians

Well, camp is over and the girls are tired. Showers have been taken but the stories continue and now it is time to cheer on the US Olympians! Thanks Chestertown and Washington College - hope to see you next year!!