Hallockville Fall Festival

I'll be demonstrating rug hooking in the Peconic Ruggers' tent at Hallockville tomorrow if you'd like to join me.  This Fall Festival is always fun for everyone.  Hope to see you there.

Hallockville Fall Festival & the Peconic Ruggers Rug Show

Two weeks and counting to our first show of the year.  We love this one -- Hallockville has always embraced folk art and my guild, the Peconic Ruggers, is honored and thrilled to be able to present our biennial rug show in the beautiful Naugles barn during the annual Fall Festival.  

I am busy working away -- getting my hooked pig finished to enter into the guild's "Pulled Pork" Challenge. In addition, I am hooking up some new pumpkins and dreaming up some new Christmas designs.  That's not an easy feat when it is hot and steamy outside . . . 

Here is the information for the Hallockville Fall Festival.  Please join us for this fun-filled weekend.

        

                                                                  Hallockville Museum Farm

               Saturday and Sunday,  September 10 & 11, 2016 10am-5pm both days. RAIN OR SHINE!

                                         6038 Sound Avenue, Riverbed, NY 11901 631-298-5292

My sister Barb of thimblefolk has whipped up another bunch of Halloweenies for the show.  If can't come to the Festival, but are interested in purchasing one of her creations, you can email her at thimblefolk@comcast.net.

HOT HOT HOT

Hot as Hades. Hot as blazes.  Hot as hell. Hot as the devil's kitchen.  Hot as ten thousand suns in one. Hot as pepper. Hot as love's flaming climate. Huh?  Yes, I've been looking up similes for "hot." It seems to be all we talk about, think about, and swear about. I've had it. I want 72 degrees and a cool breeze off the bay.

My guild, the Peconic Ruggers, had their annual August hook in on Saturday. We were to meet in the basement of a church with no air conditioning. Not. Thanks to our very smart member Sue, we moved across the street to the library and hooked in the frigid air of the children's room.

Of course, I am blaming my lack of productivity on the heat -- its an easy scapegoat. I think I need some sunlight and vitamin D after spending a month in the air conditioning. I have made several 3-D sunflowers, a project I taught my class last week. I'm working on a tutorial for my followers on Instagram.  I've also been working on some new needle punch designs and trying to find a new source of wool thread for them.  

Fall is fast approaching, even though it doesn't feel like it.  My rug designing colleagues are all working on Halloween and Christmas designs . . .  I'm not so sure I will catch up! Our first show of the season is the Hallockville Fall Festival, September 10 and 11, 2016.  My guild, the Peconic Ruggers, will host their biennial rug show in the Naugles Barn during the Festival. I think that deadline will help me get in gear at long last . . . 

Please send some sweet condolences to Cathy at Orange Sink/The Red House Wool Studio. Her mother passed away on Saturday.  She could use some wooly hugs.

Sleepless in Southold Town

I'm calling this The Summer of Exhaustion.  I am almost always tired what with Cairo's constant coughing.  He is doing much better on his medication, and we are heading to the vet on Monday to re-evaluate what he is on. He sleeps about 5 hours straight now, but that isn't enough for me.  Lack of sleep coupled with my daughter and her boyfriend being here for 10 days, friends for dinner, more overnight guests,  plumbing problems, and cancelled flights, I'm pretty bleary-eyed.

The hot weather has been relentless.  The central air is running constantly, and my garden is drying up.  We are having our first real rain in weeks today, so that is good.  The fireflies like the hot, dry weather -- there are hundreds of them overnight.  I love them.

I should be looking toward my autumn shows -- the stores are sticked for back-to-school buying -- but I just can't seem to do it. Something to do with my time management skills, or my perception of time and how much I can get finished within a deadline.  I think its hereditary, since my sister and my daughter suffer from the same thing.  I'm hoping that turning the calendar page to August will jump start some creativity . . .  One can always hope.

My rug hooking guild, the Peconic Ruggers, is hosting a hook in on Saturday, August 13, 2016, 10 am to 3 pm.  It is open to all.  Bring something to work on, something to show, and your lunch.  We'll also be talking about our upcoming rug show to be held in the Naugles Barn during the Hallockville Fall Festival, September 10 & 11.  We will transform the barn into a rug wonderland, and several vendors will be selling rug hooking supplies.  It's a wonderful show and you should come see it!

The Fruits of Our Labor Day

Sixty-two quarts of plum tomatoes canned!  We spent the holiday coring and peeling and cooking hundreds of tomatoes with our friends the Osinski's.  Fifteen-year-old Susanna was planning on doing about a dozen jars by herself, although her mother really want 40 quarts to get the family through the winter.  So Pete and I said let's just do it -- add a few jars in for us and we'll help.  So while Isabel, Susanna and I cored and peeled, Mike and Pete headed to Agway for more jars and to the farm stand for more tomatoes. Mercator headed to the grocery store for more lemon juice. We had them all canned in a few hours, using all six burners on the stove plus a propane burner outside.  When we finished we sat down to a lunch of fresh caught bluefish, then all jumped into the bay for a swim.  It's amazing how satisfying it is to see sixty-two jars of tomatoes sitting on the counter.

I realized last night that summer is, for all intents and purposes, over.  The sun was nearly down by 7:30, and the garden is overgrown and shriveled.  This summer has been great.  We took advantage of the dry and not-too-hot weather.  We swam almost every day, had a terrific vacation, fun times with neighbors, a wonderful Fourth of July with our wonderful daughter and close friends.  I taught a class and took a class.  I even found a parking place at the Post Office every single time I went, although the village has been full of tourists.  No regrets this year.  I took advantage of every day.

Now it is time for the show season to start.  First up:  The Hallockville Fall Festival and Peconic Ruggers Rug Show.  This is such a fun day!  Be sure to join us.  Barb and I will have a booth in the Naugles barn, where the rug show will be.

The 34th Annual Hallockville Fall Festival & Craft Show

September 13 & 14, 2014 10am-5pm each day!

The Fall Festival is Hallockville's largest fundraiser of the year! Join us for the annual tradition-the North Fork's only true old-fashioned country fair for all ages!

Admission is $8 adults, $5 children ages 5-12 ( 4 & under free) 2 adults & 2 kids $20. Parking is available on-site.  **For the safety of all animals on display, please leave your dogs at home. Dogs are not permitted in the Festival grounds.**

Admission includes:

- access to over 50 artisan craft and folk art vendors- jewelry, baskets, clothing, artwork, soaps, candles, something for all ages & interests...plus Miss Ella's Shop which offers a variety of local gifts and souvenirs which benefit the museum, plus quilting fabric

- handmade rug show in the Naugles Barn by the Peconic Rug Hookers Guild

- folk art demonstrations including decoy carving, wood carving, basketweaving, rug hooking, quilting, and more

- hayrides, tractor pull and antique farm machinery display from LIAPA

- historic house tours including the 1765 Hallock Homestead & Barn,  1931 Cichanowicz Farmhouse

- special exhibit spaces including the 1876 Combs Decoy Carving Shop,  the "Defense of the Eagle" War of 1812, and model trains from the Railroad Museum of LI

- children's activity area and fun games like the popular Egg Toss

- animal and livestock displays including cows, horses, donkeys from the East End Livestock and Horseman's Association

- live music from the Eastbound Freight Bluegrass Band and a traditional dance performance from the Blue Spruce Cloggers

Additional amenities that are available for purchase include:

- children's mini train ride and pony rides

- food vendors including Maple Tree BBQ, Island Empanada, Ice Cream Truck, Rosie's Country Kettle Corn, and Greenport Harbor Brewing Company

Thank you for supporting our not-for-profit mission by attending the Fall Festival!

August Hook In at Hallockville

Our lovely group of women met under the apple trees at Hallockville last Sunday afternoon.  What a nice relaxing afternoon.  I took a few photographs of works newly finished and in progress.

This is Rhona's rendition of my Striped Bass pattern.  I hooked it in muted gray-greens.  Rhona snazzed it up with a twinkling blue and a shot of chartreuse.  It is FABULOUS!  Rhona is a fairly new hooker, but she is totally hooked.  As soon as she finishes one project, she starts another and her enthusiasm and dedication have really paid off.  She has made huge strides in technique and color choices with hard work and the help of her teacher Louise Hulbert.

Her best buddy, Carol, has been working on a mermaid.  Carol, too, is pretty new to hooking, but, man!  SHeh is really doing amazing work!  Look at the face on this mermaid!  The eyes are perfect!  She, too, studies with Louise, and attends all our guild meetings.

 

Here is Barbara (basket maker by day, hooker by night), showing us her newly designed sunflower rug.  Barbara is becoming a hooking machine, too.  She may be making more rugs now than baskets for all I know.  

June, a most meticulous rug hooker, is working on a new rug as well.  I believe this one is adapted from an old postcard.

Here's Rhona's next project -- a bigger rug of leaves for her floor.

I neglected to get photographs of the other rugs because, as usual, I was talking too much.  I wanted a shot of Phyllis' pumpkin sack.  I drew the design out for her at the July hook in and she whipped it up quickly so it will be ready for the guild's rug show, just two weeks away!  We are lucky enough to be part of the Hallockville Fall Festival, September 15 & 16, 2012, 10 am to 5 pm.  We'll be in the newly painted Naugles Barn with six rug supply vendors, including me and Barb.  Come and see the show, meet all the lovely ladies, and buy some stuff!  The entrance fee includes entrance to the Farm and all the fun stuff -- craft vendors, baked goods, fresh picked veggies, tracker pull, sheep, cows & horses, hay ride -- tons of stuff to do!

Harvest Time at Hallockville

It is time for the Hallockville Fall Festival.  Barb and I don't have a booth this year, but my guild has taken a booth so that members can sell their wares as well as demonstrate rug hooking. The Festival will be held for two days again this year, but the Peconic Ruggers will only be there on Saturday.  So if you want to see hookers (including me) in action, that's the day you need to come.

Hallockville Museum Farm
Sound Avenue, RIverhead, NY
10 am - 5 pm     9/17/11 and 9/18/11
(631)298-5292

Admission: Adults: $7  Children 5-12: $5

Harvest Time at Hallockville

I shared a booth with Barbara the Basket Maker this weekend at the Hallockville Fall Festival.  It wasn't the place to sell expensive hand-hooked rugs and hand-made baskets, but Barbara and I had a good time none the less.  The weather was glorious both days.  We were able to visit with lots of friends and lots of dogs.  It was a canine connoisseur's dream!  We saw three weimaraners, miniature schnauzers, Portuguese water dogs, tons of bichons, maltese, and yorkies, a really regal German shepherd, Darla, a petit chocolate colored Doberman pinscher who couldn;t be loved or petted enough, lots of Jack Russells, golden retrievers, a keeshond who was losing its hair, and a 2 month old Pomeranian Yorkie mix named Foxy, who looked like a little fox.  Our favorite pettable guest, however, was Fraggle, a 4 month old gray French Angora rabbit, who just snuggled up to whoever was holding him and was as soft as soft can be.  Made me want another bunny . . .

It was a lot of work and not much money, but I always have a good time at Hallockville, and I always have a good time with Barbara, so the weekend was worth the effort.  Now I am gearing up for the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, my favorite show of the year, on October 16 and 17.

Here are a few more shots of out booth on Saturday.  We moved the wagon and Barbara's hanging ghoulie on Saturday to open things up a bit.  My sister Barb sent some of her Halloween goodies, as did Barbara's friend Patty from Michigan, who does lovely counted cross stitch.

Lovely Day at Longwood

The Peconic Ruggers participated in the Brookhaven Country Fair at the Longwood Estate this past weekend.  I joined co-presidents Jennifer and Judy (and Jennifer's daughter Lizzie) on Saturday to demonstrate and soak up the fall sunshine.

Jennifer and Judy did a great job with the booth.  I love the way they strung string and hung the mats up with wooden clothes pins, like laundry out on a line.  We had a great selection of rugs -- even one in progress for people to try their hooking skills out on.  Jennifer has designed and printed an assortment of informational brochures for us to pass out.  I finished hooking up our raffle rug for this year -- my Garden Cat pattern, which I donated to the guild.  (If you would like to buy a ticket, contact me.  Chances are $1 each or 6 for $5.)

The fair is a fun one.  There's lots to eat -- fresh roasted corn, gyros, crepes, hot dogs, kettle corn, and zeppoles.  (Thanks to Lizzie for making a zeppole run for us . . . boy, were they good -- piping hot and sugary.  Yum, yum, yum.)

There's a Revolutionary and Civil War re-enactment, Irish Step Dancing,  lots of music, a quilt show, pony rides and lots more.  The Peconic Ruggers actually met in the main house on the estate for a couple of years.  It's a lovely house and I had a lovely day.

Now it is back to work.  I'll be sharing a booth with my friend Barbara Blossey Chuvalas the basket maker at the Hallockville Fall Festival next weekend, so this will be a busy week.  Stop by and visit us.  The Ruggers will be there, too.  For more information on Hallockville and the Fall Festival, click HERE.

Tomato Time

We're enjoying these last few weeks of summer, especially because our tomatoes are ripening rapidly.  We are eating them every day and every way imaginable -- stuffed with pesto as hors d'oeuvres, in pasta (you have to try The Silver Palate's Linguine with Tomatoes, Basil and Brie), Insalata Caprese, and, of course, the ever popular BLT.  My favorite tomato is the Brandywine (the largest one in the picture above).  It is an heirloom tomato, a rosy pink-y red, rather than orange-y, like a Big Boy.  They grow large -- I had one that measured 4 x 6 inches -- and are as sweet as can be. 

We've been visiting with lots of friends.  Our former across-the-street neighbors rented a house on the water in Orient for the month.  We dined on tomato tart and salade nicoise, then sat on the bluff and watched the sun set over the Sound as a seal dove for it's dinner. 

Next, our old friend David arrived from Atlanta to spend some time with us before heading off to Rome.  He inspired us to visit some of the local wineries.  Our favorite was Croteaux, both for the wine as well as the ambiance.  It is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon and the wine -- all roses -- are delightful.  We bought their sparkling wine to have with our appetizers that night.

We had another marvelous dinner with our friends at Widows Hole Oysters looking over Greenport Harbor.  Mike made roasted black sea bass which we followed with Isabel's peach and raspberry pie.  Then our neighbor Kai celebrated his seventh birthday in style: pizza and chocolate cake.  Yum.  It's been one celebration after the other --  a fun way to head into fall.

This will be the first fall in 20 years that I have not had to help Clara get ready for school.  It's slightly bewildering . . .   I always loved the choosing of new school supplies and clothes, and the structure the routine gave to our lives.   I find myself having to look at the calender a lot, because I don't know what day it is.  That will all change soon, since my first show of the year is on September 18 and 19: the Hallockville Fall Festival.  Although I've been working steadily over the scalding hot summer, thanks to central air conditioning, I will be revving up my work schedule as our five big shows of the year approach.  I'll be posting the show locations and dates as they approach so you can visit Barb and me in our booth.  In the meantime, it is back to work for me!