A new product for this year are gift cards. I had two designs printed, and when they arrived I got inspired to create some one-of-a-kind collage cards as well. I have a new card rack for gift cards, and it’s already full!

This is the “Dreydl Gift Card” design

and the “Oak Leaves Gift Card” design

The small river that is the south boundary of our property, a little farther away, was a huge, churning grey mass of water moving fast and loudly. There were channels that hadn’t been there before. We walked into the field between our house and the river. Looking back at the road, a sheer cliff of dirt had been created at the edge of the road, covered by a 10-foot-wide waterfall. This waterfall was from a brook that was usually a small trickle. Looking down the river, we saw that the old barn in our neighbors’ field was being undercut by the river as it gouged a wider path through the bank. We turned to go back to the house, when I heard a thunder-like sound. I turned around to see the wing of the barn closest to the river fall into the river and be swept away.

This is the view of the barn taken during a previous autumn.

The Entire Barn, Photo by Joe Kurland

It was originally attached to a house that was severely damaged in the hurricane of 1938 and was removed before I lived here. It looked like a building that had been built section by section over a period of time. You can see how the river glides sedately some distance from the barn. It is a normal New England stream full of rocks and bordered by fields and woods. We enjoy wading in it in the summer.

This is a picture of it after the first wing fell off and after the river continued to undermine it until the mid-section collapsed as well. You can see how the water cut out a much larger space on the left. I have enjoyed having this barn as part of our landscape and am sad to see this damage.

The Barn After Irene, Photo by Joe Kurland

There are places closer to the center of town where our road is compromised or closed; fortunately, there is a way around the closed area. A small bridge is simply disconnected on one end. A trip to Shelburne Falls today took about twice the usual time. We saw the Deerfield River way below flood stage, but the Salmon Falls were a huge torrent. Here’s a view of the river at its peak—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teTPIWmmb1M

It is humbling to witness such a storm.

I’ve been busy packing orders for teacher’s gifts from the mailing of this postcard to Hebrew schools. If you’d like one sent to your school or synagogue, send me the address. The items are on my website, on this page:

http://www.ganeydn.com/phd/gifts.html

I just found a website with a book created by Nancy Dickinson, the artist, showing more of her acorn people in many scenes of daily life. The amazing attention to detail, the attitudes of the figures, the props around them are beautifully crafted.

Have a look at them!

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1623718

Click on the link to Peggy H. Davis Calligraphy in the right margin.

In the meantime I did find reusable sandwich bags by SnackTaxi (http://www.snacktaxi.com) in the Linden Hills food co-op in Minneapolis, where I used to shop when I lived in an apartment near Lake Harriet. To my surprise, I found that the creators of these easy-to-clean bags are in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, not far from where I live now. We bought some, and they are useful. But I was still looking for those stainless steel boxes.

Fourteen years later, I walked into Green Fields Market, our local cooperative grocery store, and there on the shelf was not only a very similar box, but it came with a smaller container as well (http://www.ECOlunchboxes.com!) I felt like telling everyone around me how exciting this was, but I only let it bubble over a little when I got to the cashier. She smiled.

http://www.craftsofcolrain.com

I have new calligraphy work, original pieces and prints, Joe has some new photographs, and I’ve been making a small but eclectic collection of jewelry as well. One new piece is the Irish saying that begins, “May the road rise to meet you…” made in memory of Sean O’Connell of Colrain.

We are instituting a new event this year, since we usually aren’t open on Shabbes (the Sabbath), only on Sunday. This year we are offering a new event, a Preview Benefit for Temple Israel on Saturday evening, 7-10 p.m., after the end of Shabbes. A portion of all sales from this evening will be donated to Temple Israel.
Join us for art, refreshments and good company for an enjoyable evening.

I will offer this collaborative work, Vegetable Seasonings, made with Audrey Arner, at the Summer Fair, combining the art and vegetables that will be for sale that weekend! Giclée print, framed, $50.

Here’s the website: http://www.2010calligraphyconference.com/