DOWNTOWN...

Ok, how many of you Boomers see that title above, and hear the Petula Clark song in your head?

Right.  That's what I thought...

[You can hit "play" and still continue reading, while listening to Petula in the background.]

The Wooly Bullies (my rug hooking group) headed downtown to Cynthia's today.  Only five of us could attend--head colds and travel adventures limited our number.  Cynthia was her ever-graceful self in her amazing South End townhouse.

So here is a mystery I cannot solve:

How is it I've been to her house several times and managed never to see these two fabulous murals on the walls?  Cynthia and her husband uncovered these while doing some restoration years ago, and wisely preserved them.  They have no idea who the muralist was.  Aren't these wonderful?

A MURAL LOOKING OUT ON A PASTORAL SCENE FROM A PORCH. ARTIST UNKNOWN

NIGHT SCENE WITH LIGHTHOUSE, BOAT, OCEAN (OR RIVER?) AND LAND. ARTIST UNKNOWN.

I do not understand how I could have been to her house so many times and literally never have seen these.  I CERTAINLY saw them today, and am so happy that I did.

Cynthia had baked some incredibly delicious slow-rise bread, which none of us could resist, and she served that with yummy smoked turkey soup for lunch.  And there were peanut butter cookies!  And good coffee and tea. 

But let's leave the cooking and get on to the hooking:

CYNTHIA'S WONDERFUL "KOKOPELLI" RUG, FINISHED & IN SITU.

Can I just say how stunning this rug is, now that it's in its place in her living room in front of the sofa.  She designed and hooked this, and we got to watch as she progressed.  It took a few years, but she got it done.  It's a real centerpiece in her living room.  So lovely!

Meanwhile, Maria was just beginning this cutie-pie rabbit, a chair-pad size piece.  (M:  I cannot explain why this photo & the next photo turned out so "blue."  Odd.) 

I'm looking forward to seeing this develop.

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Cheryl the Rug Rescuer has been working on this McGown pattern of Feathered Tulips.  (Cheryl, you can tell from the color of your hand in the lower left just how "blue" this photo turned out.  Either that or you have a serious oxygen shortage.  Apologies--I doctored it up and it's still outrageously blue.)  When last I saw this piece--last month, I think, she hadn't really started it yet, so she's made great progress since then.

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I watched our talented Kathleen sketch out this grasshopper on her linen backing a few days ago, and she started him (her?) this morning.  Pretty awesome work.  Oh, to be able to draw like Kathleen can!  This is also chair pad size.  Can't wait to see how this one unfolds.  I'm betting that K. may also have dyed the wool for this--forgot to ask her.

Here's a bit of the center of my Red & Black Scrappy Rug.  I wish I had better technique--but then, that's why I'm doing this particular rug, to improve my technique.  And I do see slow improvement.  I'm trying to use up scraps here, although I swear they are multiplying behind my back in the dark of the bag they live in.  I do not see my stash growing at all smaller.  Hmmm.

I bet I will have to do some re-hooking here, depending on how much my technique improves as I go along.  I'm seeing a lot of things I do not like as I look at the photo.  Darn!

While we were there, we ogled all of Cynthia's rugs and her husband's wonderful art.  Here is a rug she made years ago; it's now the main runner-rug in her kitchen, before her sink and stove.  Designed and hooked (and I think the wool was also dyed?) by her.

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And finally, we were all appreciating the view from her windows as we worked.  I took this photo of a nearby skyscraper.  It has a temporary piece of art, a trompe l'oeil of a window washer:

LOOKING OUT CYNTHIA'S WINDOW AT THE SKYSCRAPER WITH TROMPE L'OEIL.

 I love my Wooly Bully Rug Hooking group.  Great people, good work getting done, wonderful homes, good food, hilarious conversations.  A real blessing in my life.  Thanks, friends.