Things I will miss... Tree ID Walks with the Hartford Tree Board

This is one majestic White Oak! My picture does not do it justice really...

The Hartford Tree Board hosts Tree ID walks a few times a year. These are a casual walk around a specific location, stopping to have a look at each tree on that days agenda. They show us not only how to identify the trees by leaves, form, bark, branching -- I am not a fan of acronyms in general, but, this is one I remember (and like) from my college dendrology class... MAD CapHorse. It stands for Maple-Ash-Dogwood-Caprifoliacea(family)-Horsechestnut. All of these woody plants have opposite branching. So if you are standing in front of a tree you don't know, look at the branches do the leaves come out opposite each other? If they do, more than likely you are looking at one of the above named species. -- The tree board folks also share interesting historical facts and anecdotes about the species we are looking at. They prepare a little booklet for us to take notes, and take home.

My first Tree ID walk with them was way back after covid had struck and zooming had taken over my social life. It was such a joy then to be out and about 'in real life', looking at trees with other like minded human beings.

I have tried to attend every gathering since that first one - missed a few when I injured my knee - and they have all been informative and very enjoyable.

Saturday was no exception. Beautiful day. Amazing trees. Good information. Lovely people.

Thank you Hartford VT Tree Board!

I will miss you!

🍁🌳🍃🌲🍂

What does a Tree Board do?

The Tree Board is a group of people, lead by the town tree warden whose mission it is to plant and maintain public trees and advocate for community tree stewardship.

Do all towns have a Tree Board?

No, but it would be a benefit to the trees and the community if they could!

Does your town have a Tree Board? Please let me know in the comments below!

Fall is in the Air...

...and a little bit of smoke, from Canada, too.

In general I like the smell of woodsmoke but have to admit that it has made the air heavy and given me a headache. The fine particulate has wreaked havoc with more than my lungs. My 'smart' phone has decided the charging port has moisture in it and keeps notifying me of the situation in a very irratating way... if anyone knows how to fix that alarm, please let me know. I have cleared the USB cache multiple times. And, just to be clear, the phone has been nowhere near actual water.

Yet, these minor inconveniences pale in comparison to what folks in Canada and the US have endured (and lost) from the devastating wildfires currently raging.

EDIT: Here's a map of current wildfires as of Sunday 8/18/2024 at 2pm:

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/usfs/map/#t:tsd;d:today;@-85.1,45.6,4.0z

and a direct link to the website if you want to check it out for yourself.

My heart is heavy for the loss of forests, and homes and lives human and non human. And full of gratitude for those fighting the fires.

Okay. That said. It has been a very, very long time since I've posted an update, so that is what i'm mainly here to do.

When I worked at the US Forest Service one of my co-workers always said  August 12 was the beginning of fall. I have to agree with Art. I pass by this tree nearly everyday and it started its leaf senescence a couple weeks ago. I try desperately to notice the subtle changes in the fall, as I do when the flowers and leaves are emerging in the spring... I am paying attention... paying attention... paying attention... and then suddenly, one day the process is complete and I am left wondering when it happened.

Yes, fall is in the air, and that means some of my absolute favorite willow weaving and basketmaking demonstration events are coming up in the next couple months, starting with the Tunbridge Worlds Fair September 12-15, the Forest Festival in Woodstock, VT September 21, Sculptural Visions at St Gaudens in Cornish, NH September 28 and finally the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival in Tunbridge October 5-6.

So, I'm starting to think about what I'll do at these events, and, in the meantime finishing up a few WIP baskets to take along...

And, even though there is more news pending, I'll leave it at that for this moment and get on with all there is to do.

Here are a few final pictures that are a reminder that fall is just around the corner. Please get out and enjoy it!

   

love,

susie

Basket Making at the Medieval Faire

 I will be Thetford Hill's resident basketmaker for the day. Come visit me and take a step back in time as you enjoy the food, fun and festivities of the Medieval Faire!

Autumn in Vermont and My Wonderful World of Willow Weaving

 Yes, Autumn has settled in here in the Green Mountain State, making the mountains not so much green as gorgeous shades of yellow, orange and red. I have been driving very slowly these past few weeks so that I can look at the foliage around me, and still stay on the road and in my own lane even...

But this post is not about how beautiful it is here in Vermont this time of year.

It is about the three events I have recently participated in...

Basket making on Antique Hill at the Tunbridge World's Fair then willow weaving sculptures at Sculptural Visions at St. Gaudens in Cornish, New Hampshire and then back to Tunbridge for the VT Sheep and Wool Festival.

At all of these I was blessed to meet some wonderful people... other basketmakers, artists and sculptors, Anglophiles and actual English natives, folks interested in the species Salix for it's sustainability and many uses and even the new owners, at the Vt. Willow Nursery stopped by for a chat.

From my heart, a huge thank you to the folks who invited me to participate in these events and to all the people who came to see me, to share in a conversation and maybe even to weave a little willow.

My heart is full.

A few pictures for you to enjoy...

from Antique Hill, at The Tunbridge World's Fair, Tunbridge, VT ❤ 15-18 September 2022

If you ask me to wear a costume and make a basket outside on a brisk Autumn day with the smell of wood smoke in the air AND spend the day talking to people too, well then, I am one happy camper!

presenting ... ... 'Susie Ingalls Wilder' weaving an 'Apple Basket'.

(go ahead... laugh if you want to :-)

                                               

Sculptural Visions at St. Gaudens in Cornish, NH  ❤ 24 September 2022

People had a fun time adding weeping willow branches to my willow sheep!

  

  

  

and last but not least, the VT Sheep and Wool Festival, Tunbridge, VT ❤ 1-2 October 2022

and that my friends is the end of a very, very happy month of activities! I loved every second of my time with each person who stopped by for a chat at all these events.

Now, to get a bit more willow weaving done before the water in my soaking tank freezes solid...

Wishing you all a very Happy Autumn wherever you are in the world and hoping you make time to do something you love to do as much as I love weaving willow.

love and hugs all around-

susie

Fall is in the air...

It has been almost 2 years since my last post here. Much has happened between then and now in the world at large, and in my life. Just here today to let you know there IS a light at the end of the tunnel! And that my usual fall demos and workshops are all expected to be happening this year. Here they are: 

Friday, August 12, 2022

League of NH Craftsmans Annual Fair

The event is open 10 AM – 5 PM daily, rain or shine.

Lake Sunapee Resort-Newbury NH.

Look for the Northeast Basketmakers Guild

 

 Thursday-Sunday, September 16-19, 2022

Tunbridge Worlds Fair

Tunbridge, Vermont

Look for basketmaking, and a slew of other traditional craft demonstrations up on Antique Hill.

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Sculptural Visions

Saint-Gaudens NHP

Cornish, New Hampshire

Saturday and Sunday, October 1-2, 2022

Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival

Tunbridge, Vermont

Let There Be Light!

This idea has been rolling around in my brain for a long, long time. And, I have made various attempts at starting, but ended up taking apart and starting over.

It was kind of  race against time and the weather for me this fall. The space I had at home for my willow soaking tank has not been available to me at all this year (plus I have been rather preoccupied with the whole downsizing selling and dispersing of stuff) but, I found a temporary alternative location to set the tank up in September and so set about making as many baskets, bases, wreaths etc as I could before the temperatures started to dip below freezing here in VT.

This was the last willow project before I... sold my willow soaking tank to a guy who makes maple syrup with his little boy. It has gone to a good home and in the spring they will have fun together collecting sap and making syrup. And, by then, I sincerely hope I will be heading towards something better too.

So here it is...

 

I love the shadows it casts on the walls and ceiling!

What do you think?

I am currently working on a tabletop version covered with paper that gives it a whole different effect and will post a pic when it is finished!

In the meantime, I have been wiring and glittering pine cones that I collected in the woods next to my studio, for decorations on my willow wreaths. A sticky, messy and time consuming job indeed. But, very satisfying too!

I definitely, definitely love glitter!!

For those of you here in the USA--wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

lots of love-

susie

Willow Basket Making

 

 everyone!

Yesterday, my friend Kalyn came to my studio and we had a fun day of basket making. We had made the basket base last week, so the sides and top were on the days agenda.

Getting started-the stakes are in and working on the upset

 

I split some willow and experimented with using that for weaving. I like the idea of it and love splitting willow; something I have only ever done in the springtime with freshly harvested willow. I found it to be just as easy with rehydrated willow. And just as enjoyable.

While I have the opportunity, I think I will split a bit more so I can experiment more with that over the winter. You can sort of see it the split willow (looks white) on my basket on the left.

  

Beginning the rim...

Kalyn was pretty pleased with her results! 

As always with anything willow related is for me, it was an enjoyable day.

Growing up I remember going to 'the dump' with my Dad. That was the terminology used for what we refer to as 'transfer stations' where I live now... a place to bring trash and recycling. Only, way back then we just dumped it all in one big pile, no sorting, nothing. This meant that if someone had 'dumped' something that my Dad imagined he could use, repurpose or that might come in handy 'some day' it would come back home with us, thus making my Mom sputter a bit. These treasures generally found a home in my Dad's workshop in the basement and yes, sometimes re-emerged in the future in their repurposed form.

I am my fathers daughter. After the basketmaking cleanup was finished yesterday I sorted thru the 'discard' pile and ended up with several small bundles of willow... some that can be used for lantern making, all the fine little tips that I will experiment with to make a coil basket this winter and some larger diameter pieces I have some ideas for. Then there was a small pile of various sized pieces that I could not imagine a use for, so into the trash they went. 

Awhile later as I sat drinking a cup of tea at my drafting table and thinking about writing this post I had an idea so dug some of those willow pieces out of the trash (they were just sitting there right on top after all) for this...

and the 'HI' at the beginning...

I cannot promise they will go back in the trash... I will let you know.

What creative stuff have you been up to lately? I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment!

be well-

susie