Open studio
Warm, bright, space where I create
Welcome friends, neighbors!
Art Prescription: Today was a cold, wet, rainy day! And my friends and neighbors still came out to celebrate my open studio with me. Thanks y’all!! For those of you who live a little far off…
Farm entrance, dogwood
Cockle-berry takes hitch-hike
Horses in the woods.
Art Prescription: Both of us in need of clearing our minds, my friend and I. I went and led Finn out of the woods, rode a bit. Then we both took in the calm that is the farm, to clear our heads and sketch!
Artful plate arrives
Basil, limes, jalapenos
Vietnamese lunch!
Art Prescription: We went with good friends today to an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Experiential, really, proving that you don’t have to travel far to find food prepared with deep cultural roots. Each plate they brought to the table was a work of art! Here is my sketch…
International
Delicious spicy food
Drunken noodles, yum!!
Art Prescription: We don’t eat out much because I love to cook, but tonight we went with friends to a restaurant called “Twisted Noodle.” My dish was perfect! Spicy food calls for a good beer or wine!
On the bus, the scent
Freshly brewed hot hazelnut
Coffee on the go!
Art Prescription: How do you take your coffee? Slowly…while you wake up…or quickly out the door!!
Black-eyed peas and corn
On the cob, of course, with squash!
A harvest dinner!
Art Prescription: It’s Tuesday, the day we buy fresh local farmer’s market produce on Lomo Market!! Triangle friends find a stop near you!! http://lomomarket.com/
Love is currency
Thai soup, home-made bread, laundry!
Account status: Full!
Art Prescription: In life there are many hours we simply cannot bill for. The major categories are house-work, yard-work, food gathering and preparing, and for mom’s with kids this list is infinity. The pay is love. Creativity comes in many forms!! What a luxury to be able to spend a day adding to life’s account with hand and heart!
Final disbursement
A cold front moves in from north
Tenders take cover!
Art Prescription: Forecast taking a dive…October is upon us. Hold still my beating heart for the last tender blooms!
Allegro for fall
Hot coffee and pumpkin patch
Dry leaves swirl to ground.
Art Prescription: If you spend any time gazing out the window these days you will see leaves floating to a resting spot on earth. Many writers acknowledge the slightly sad, melancholy feelings that come with fall. There is that…There is also the refreshing cool weather when hot beverages warm the hand, and autumn color burst onto the scene with bright orange and red. Tomorrow I’m heading to a local pumpkin patch for visuals to feed my artist eye!!
Leafy green giraffes
Kudzu drapes trees, purple blooms
Smell like grape Nehi.
Art Prescription: Kudzu is an invasive vine that grows over entire patches of trees making shapes for the imagination. A lover of shades of green, I find its heart-shaped leaves attractive, and grape- soda scented flowers must lure many insects. But Kudzu can take over in an unwanted fashion. We have a local farm here in North Carolina called “Cudzu Farm.” http://www.cud-zu.com/index.htm
The Farm
The Cheek farm has been in Margaret’s family for over 101 years. Her father and her grandfather were both dairy farmers. She is one of four children born in the farm house.
When Margaret and Charlie moved back to the farm 12 years ago, the barn and the fields were overgrown with kudzu. Someone said if they wanted to get rid of the kudzu, they should buy a couple of goats. They bought 2 goats, then someone gave them 3 more and later those goats had babies. Today, they have 9 goats and the kudzu is well under control.
Then their neighbors, all dairy farmers, started asking, “What else are your goats good for?” That’s when Charlie and Margaret started making goats’ milk soap.
Today, after 10 years and many batches of trial and error, they have perfected a unique bar of all natural goat milk soap that not contain any additives, colorants, preservatives, stablizers, or chemicals. It is highly praised for its moisturizing properties.
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