Amherst

After finding a proper breakfast yesterday morning, we immediately went to Deanne Fitzpatrick's studio in downtown Amherst.  This is where our rug hooking workshop will be held this next three days.  It was like arriving on the doorstep of rug hooking heaven. 

Greeted graciously by her staff, we managed to entertain ourselves for quite a while, checking out all her patterns, hand dyed wools and yarns, and best of all was to see Deanne's work in person.  I have poured over her books since first learning about her last spring, but seeing her work in person is better than the icing on the cake.  The subtleties of her color work just simply don't show well in photographs. She is clearly at the top of her game.  I admire her tremendously (in case you can't already tell).

We then took ourselves to visit the Cumberland Museum, which was not far from Deanne's.  I love the chance to visit a historic home and even more so to see those things which were used to make a household run in those times...kitchen items, dinnerware, and always my favorite...sewing, spinning and weaving tools or needlework pieces that may still exist.  We apparently just missed an exhibition of historic embroidered samplers (sadly), but we were able to buy kits that were based on a couple of the pieces in their collection.  I love to do cross stitch, but it has been many years since I've done any.  Now I remember why...my eyes!  When I get home, I'll be armed with a magnifier and an Ott light before I get serious about my sampler.

Today we took a drive and visited Joggins, at the head of the Bay of Fundy.  Driving in we saw a male pheasant, strolling around rather casually while I ripped around in the backseat to find my camera.  Shortly after snapping this photo, we saw his mate, who was in a thicket of growth just to the left of this tree.  I'm assuming she had a nest there.  We hoped for a second photo op on the way out, but he didn't feel up to it, apparently, so this is the best I can do.

Ruthie...this one's for you!