“Homestead”is a picture in time for me – it is the first house that my husband and I bought together, located in Conquerall Bank, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. It was also the first time I lived in the country, and I loved it there.
We overlooked the LaHave River – the sailboat is Peter’s dream boat (which he has since designed and built) and the mahogany powerboat is another dream of his (as yet unrealized). There were all kinds of animals who coexisted with us – the raccoon on the garbage can, the mallards in the yard, a snake who lived under the workshop (named after a certain boss), a wild cat we named Buster peeking out of the wildflowers, and deer in the woods. Sneazel the weasel is hiding in the forest – he didn’t show up until after the rug was hooked! I wanted another mallard in the river, which Peter drew for me, along with the ducklings behind her. He added the one at the end lagging behind in the border, who represents how he sometimes works outside the lines.
Our yellow lawn chairs are in the backyard, beside the firepit, and a bottle of wine within easy reach. I questioned my drawing skills when my friend Nancy looked at chairs and said “I have to ask…what are the turkey bums for?” Someone else asked me why there was a tongue in the woods– it’s not a tongue – it’s a pink hammock! And in retrospect, the grey well cover is crazy huge, but so was the main well – a work of art you could appreciate better if you had the courage to go down it – all hand laid stones.
This rug was hooked entirely with leftover pieces of wool – my goal was not to do any dyeing or buy any more wool, and most importanty, try to use up my scraps. As if. Do we ever use up our scraps?? A few pieces were from talented ladies that I admired greatly, who are no longer with us. The chairs (not turkey bums) were a yellow from Muriel Peveril, and the soft, mossy green with a tinge of rust for the grass is Dorothy Haight’s formula OR32, from Lois Sweeny. At the time I was working on the rug I was reading Jane Halliwell Green’s first book on pictorials, and found it really helpful for the water, trees, grass and sky. I have since had the opportunity to take two classes with her – she’s a wonderful teacher.
It took a couple of years to make the rug, because I didn’t work at it all the time. But I enjoyed the time I did, and am happy to have it as a reminder of a wonderful home in a place we loved.
Guest Blogger - Mary Doig
We overlooked the LaHave River – the sailboat is Peter’s dream boat (which he has since designed and built) and the mahogany powerboat is another dream of his (as yet unrealized). There were all kinds of animals who coexisted with us – the raccoon on the garbage can, the mallards in the yard, a snake who lived under the workshop (named after a certain boss), a wild cat we named Buster peeking out of the wildflowers, and deer in the woods. Sneazel the weasel is hiding in the forest – he didn’t show up until after the rug was hooked! I wanted another mallard in the river, which Peter drew for me, along with the ducklings behind her. He added the one at the end lagging behind in the border, who represents how he sometimes works outside the lines.
Our yellow lawn chairs are in the backyard, beside the firepit, and a bottle of wine within easy reach. I questioned my drawing skills when my friend Nancy looked at chairs and said “I have to ask…what are the turkey bums for?” Someone else asked me why there was a tongue in the woods– it’s not a tongue – it’s a pink hammock! And in retrospect, the grey well cover is crazy huge, but so was the main well – a work of art you could appreciate better if you had the courage to go down it – all hand laid stones.
This rug was hooked entirely with leftover pieces of wool – my goal was not to do any dyeing or buy any more wool, and most importanty, try to use up my scraps. As if. Do we ever use up our scraps?? A few pieces were from talented ladies that I admired greatly, who are no longer with us. The chairs (not turkey bums) were a yellow from Muriel Peveril, and the soft, mossy green with a tinge of rust for the grass is Dorothy Haight’s formula OR32, from Lois Sweeny. At the time I was working on the rug I was reading Jane Halliwell Green’s first book on pictorials, and found it really helpful for the water, trees, grass and sky. I have since had the opportunity to take two classes with her – she’s a wonderful teacher.
It took a couple of years to make the rug, because I didn’t work at it all the time. But I enjoyed the time I did, and am happy to have it as a reminder of a wonderful home in a place we loved.
Guest Blogger - Mary Doig
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