Wedding Works in Progress

Just wanted to share a sampling of some of the objects the mergefest is generating. This is the ceremonial bronze chalice we are currently working on at Campbell Plaster & Iron. It's very exciting, because it's the first truly collaborative object we have worked on at the shop.

The concept was this - to find the definitive chalice form, fabricate it (which Glenn did perfectly out of plaster) and adorn it with

something in keeping with the"meadow motif". The cup has leaves from the canopy of hardwoods we collected, and the stem has meadow flowers, grasses and fern. We haven't decided on a patina, if any. And the little bronze acorns have been fun (and taught me about wax work) and will be laying around on tables.

And this is the belt our friend Leah (what a talent) is making out of copper wire for my dress. It will go all the way down the front and be beaded with dyed freshwater pearls my future sis-in-law Julie got for me (thanks Jules). Also, be on the lookout, some of Leah's "pods" may make an appearance at the 'fest.

And be sure to check out the Etsy shop of twobeans.

Fabulous work.

Leah and Charles are something.

And Charles....Mr.Charles. Well, he is the mix master bread baker in da hood. Oh, yeah! Not only does he make the BEST bread, but also the oven to bake it in, Check out the photos of "The Littlest Oven" that he made with some North Carolina red clay we brought back from my home town (you'll hear that story later).

Charles wants to mix the red clay with clay from West Haven and make a bread oven in the meadow to bake in. How cool is that!!?

We are very blessed to have such talented friends in our lives, and we'll keep you posted as works unfold.

Pardon Our Appearance......

My mother used to say that the horrible storms we had down south, whether they be wind or ice, was nature's way of pruning. Coming from the land of pine, to hear the snapping and thud of tall trees as they give way to the force of wind or the weight of ice still makes me cringe. I had half a pine fly through the air and end up in my den one time. It wasn't pretty.

The past month has been a flash back for me in dealing with the property in West Haven. There was storm with winds that took out quite a few trees. Two of them (of course, pines) directly affected the wedding and had to be removed. They weren't small either, and one of them was wedged 15 feet up in the crotch of a beech tree. Needless to say, the Scotsman I'm marrying insisted on pulling it down by himself and I want to give a big thanks to our neighbor John Thompson for helping with that. The whole operation had me so stressed out, I had to walk away until I heard the thud.

After clearing that one, we went back the following weekend, and the road was blocked by an old rotten tree this time. This summer's mantra is the continuous hum of a chainsaw.

And I may have to put up a sign at our wedding "venue" saying PARDON OUR APPEARANCE WHILE MOTHER NATURE REDECORATES.

Whatta I wear?

We've had some questions about attire. Wellllll.....

what fun, fun, fun for me to answer!

Glenn will be "rockin da plaid" so to speak,

but really, any old kilt will do (see examples right).

I especially like the full out disco one on the left!

Another option is brown suede which will

complement our colors wonderfully.

I know this

ensemble

will make

the women

folk feel

mighty safe

and protected.

And let's not forget about the lasses,

for there are many options available.

I like this one in particular because

it comes complete with a basket

for hickory nut picking or in a

pinch a stick and a piece of string

turn it into a great critter trap.

That combined with the 3 yards

of fabric that make up the headdress,

I'm seeing great wood hauling

potential here.

Lovely!

I don't know, that may be too cold for October.

I'm just REALLY glad they left off the face on that one.

Now there's a Green Man welcome at any event!

And last, but not least, the Vermont state fabric - Fleece!

Comfy!

So, what we are really trying to say is, anything goes. No, really.

ANYTHING GOES!

Not camping and need a place to stay?

For those coming in from out of town who feel tent camping in October leaves a little to be desired, here are some suggestions:

www.havenguesthousevt.com

This is a B & B right down the road in Fair Haven, and the precious sounding woman who runs it told me she had 4 rooms, all with private baths available that weekend.

www.innatrutland.com/

If you want a B & B in Rutland, this one is really nice, but hurry, they only have 2 rooms left that weekend, and they only book 2 or more nights, and the guy I talked to didn't sound precious at all.

www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml;jsessionid=352VOFED1O0C4CSGBIWM22Q?ctyhocn=RTLHHHX

Yeah, I know that's a long freakin link there, but it's the Hampton Inn in Rutland. It seems to be the newest and best hotel around here and they have about 20 (minus one, I just reserved one for my mother) rooms out of their 80 something available.

It's a really popular weekend, what with the leaves and all.

And let's not forget the really, really big wedding tent with sides where, if you wanted to, you could blow up an air mattress and have a slumber party .....or something.

Let Them Eat Pie!

I just love the internet. It never ceases to humor, enthrall and amaze me. I wanted to find a photograph of pies for this post and within five minutes was chuckling out loud.

First of all...for a little serious history of the apple pie we go to

www.homemadeapplepie.net and learn of the origins of pie.

Glenn enjoys cooking and eating apple pies, so I know he'll be making some for our event.

Me....well, I was looking for something a little different - something that was really me.

And, as usual, the internet came to the rescue with this delight -

www.potatopatchrecipes.com/2008/10/bourbon-pecan-sweet-potato-pie-recipe/

I am so set!

And for any other of our amazingly talented friends who want to jump on the pie-making bandwagon, here is a sight anyone can follow!

www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/65/Pumpkin-Pie

And last but not least......by any means, is this sight that will give all of us ideas on campfire cuisine -www.chuckwagondiner.com/categories.php?id=11

How's about that Billy's Beer Butt Chicken!!!!!!!!

Triquetra (pronounced /traɪˈkwεtrə/) is a word derived from the Latin tri- ("three") and quetrus ("cornered"). Its original meaning was simply "triangle" and it has been used to refer to various three-cornered shapes. Nowadays, it has come to refer exclusively to a certain more complicated shape formed of three vesicae piscis, sometimes with an added circle in or around it. This has been used as a symbol of things and persons that are threefold.

Celtic cultures use the triquetra either to represent one of the various triplicities in their cosmology and theology (such as the tripartite division of the world into the realms of Land, Sea and Sky), or as a symbol of one of the specific triple Goddesses, most notably Brigid, representing the mother, the maid and the crone.

This widely recognized knot has been used in for the past two centuries a sign of special things and persons that are threefold as in Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Past, Present and Future, Mind, Body, and Soul.

Glenn is making our rings of three interlocking bands.

It's great to be marrying a metal man!

Moments in The Meadow

What a fabulous camping day in the meadow this past weekend!

After ALL the rain Vermont has gotten this season, I thought for

sure we would be washed out, but as you can see the force was

with us.

The rains have made the meadow lush, the wildflowers abundant

and the critters aplenty (good and bad). We are now feeling pretty

good about our decision to have our mergefest in October. You

can always put on another layer, but there is not an awful lot

you can do bout the bugs this time of year.

Still, it was stunning.

And about that last shot:

- in the tin can are the wildflowers in bloom right now

- tree parts make great coffee tables

- red clay from North Carolina makes a great conte' crayon

- that's not flat beer in the Magic Hat glasses

- Glenn likes his fire double

- sure, some people have second homes in Florida, but are they orange

with an exclamation point?