Category Archives: Gardening

New Embroidery Design for Felt Hats: Mandala of French Knots

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New freehand embroidery, with variegated french knots in wool on felt.

New freehand embroidery, with variegated french knots in wool on felt.

If you didn’t get a chance to visit me at this year’s League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair, you missed seeing my latest design: Mandala of French Knots.

According to Wikipedia:

“Mandala […] translates as ‘circle-circumference’ or ‘completion’ […]
a concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism.”

That makes sense to me. I’ve been thinking a lot about Mom. And the circle of one year of grieving was completing just as this design was born.

Cool tones on black was the first incarnation of the new Mandala embroidery.

Cool tones on black was the first incarnation of the new Mandala embroidery.

Plus, it’s summer, my garden is booming and broccoli reminds me of french knots!

My Garden This Morning: Enter Asparagus!

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Spring asparagus shoots return

Spring asparagus shoots return!

Last spring, Andy & I dug and planted our first-ever asparagus bed.

Initial trench digging after sod removal.

Initial trench digging after sod removal.

It was several days of hard digging, with lots of attention to building a rich soil bed for our 50 young, mail-order crowns.

Andy spreads the tentacle-like crowns over a hill of rich compost.

Andy spreads the tentacle-like crowns over a hill of rich compost.

Technically, we’re supposed to let this year’s shoots grow, without harvesting any to eat, so they can continue to nourish the roots and develop into healthy, beautiful, fern-like plants.

Late summer asparagus plants (left) little resemble spring spears.

Late summer asparagus plants (left) little resemble spring spears.

I’m just not sure I can wait another year to taste them!

Mmmmm... to eat or not to eat?

Mmmmm... to eat or not to eat?

Spring Fever vs. Hockey Fever

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Spring crocus flowers bloom in the garden of fiber artist, Carrie Cahill Mulligan, in Canaan, New Hampshire.

Well, after the second snowiest winter in New Hampshire history, spring seems finally to have sprung in Canaan, as evidenced by the lovely crocuses in front of our house.

You’d think I’d be over the moon, as nearly everyone here is, ready for all the fun of warmer weather.

The truth is, I am entirely torn. Because warmer weather brings the end of hockey season for me, and this winter I have played the best hockey of my life.

Fiber artist, Carrie Cahill Mulligan, of Canaan, New Hampshire, skates after the puck at Thompson Arena, during the intramural women's hockey championship game this winter at Dartmouth College, in Hanover, NH.

That’s me in the yellow helmet, playing in the women’s intramural hockey championship match at Dartmouth’s Thompson Arena last month…

And there I am, moments later, just after scoring a goal (something quite unusual for me, as I generally play defense…)!

Despite being born in Canada, I didn’t learn to play hockey until I turned 30 and was living in Healy, Alaska.

So I reckon I am making up for lost time… I have 5 hockey games in the next 5 days, and then the ice goes away for the summer.

If I seem a bit down, despite the sunny weather, you’ll know that hockey fever just won’t let me be…
Fiber artist, Carrie Cahill Mulligan, of Canaan, New Hampshire, celebrates after scoring a goal at Thompson Arena, during the intermural women's hockey championship game this winter at Dartmouth College, in Hanover, NH.