A Lovely Talk With Anna Lee

Friday morning was quite a nice Vermont morning and perfect for a radio talk. The skies were a bright cobalt blue and the air crisp. There have been quite a few overcast days here lately in the North Country. Sometimes rain, sometimes snow showers. Snow has been peeking through the tops of the mountains, a prelude song for the valleys. As Netty and I sat cozy in the room with mikes all set, I felt more like I was having a ladies tea among friends. Our host Anna, has been a friend for many years now. Before the show aired, we had time to catch up a bit on each other's lives. I first met Anna some 10 years ago as she was crafting using found materials for some of the local stores. She's since gone on to publish a book for young readers, develop some games and work as a local radio host.

Netty and I had much to share! We both talked about how our art started and what fuels it now. Netty and I are both inspired by history. Netty's paper and castings tend to reflect her love of the American Revolutionary time period. My work shows Black American influence as well as people and animals of my personal history. Art inspired and with a purpose. We also talked about the first American Folk art~ the graven images carved on tombstones. We shared how we both try to keep images, techniques and materials simple, as was done generations ago. It is difficult to do everything as we would like, but we do what we can. Same as in our everyday life.

Netty is the most self sufficient person that I know. I wish that I had known her as a young teen when I sat reading the Mother Earth News from cover to cover! She shared some of her gardening and reminded us to keep the seeds to plant for next year. She can make and cook a pumpkin pie from scratch on her old cook stove in near the time that it takes you and I to pop a frozen pie in the oven and keep an eye on it. Netty is working towards teaching hearth cooking among other things in her 1780 home. Many people at the Poultney Show remembered the little holiday show there several years ago. I was invited by Netty to bring some of my work to the event which raised money to put up a historic marker in nearby Middle Granville. Many of our customers at the show as well as the listeners Friday morning heard the encouraging word~ Netty hopes to bring about a similar holiday event next year!

We were on the air for about 40 minutes sharing and hoping to inspire. Whether it was in art, to work from home, or try to keep life a little slower paced and simpler where you can. We can't all live as Netty does, and many don't wish to. I know that in raising my daughters and helping both my parents, that I can't do all that I would like right now. I can however, continue to learn and hold it dear. Bit by bit, I aspire to live my life stepping back a bit to a simpler and more self sufficient way also. Most importantly we hoped to encourage to not be afraid to share a bit of yourself or your heart. You never know just how profoundly you will touch or impact a life, by what you do or who you are. Just as our lives have been touched and inspired by others, we hoped to "pay it forward" over the airwaves.

It has been a very busy week and weekend for me with family needs and preparing for our first big snowstorm of the season. The girls have pajama's all set to wear inside out and backwards in hopes to secure a snow day tomorrow. I love that I can be home with them and enjoy watching through their eyes along with a cup of hot cocoa to celebrate. I plan on getting up very early to work and share my time with "the March Girls" ... a perfect morning to to share with one of my favorites~ Little Women.....at least until I have to start shoveling.