Summer at Quarry Hill: July

Hot, steamy today, but beautiful... the mountains look almost blue in the haze, and the day lilies are in full bloom. It will be hard to see Winter come again though many love to ski and do other wintry things.
But how beautiful the mountains are, the valleys... the rivers. After Tropical Storm Irene, I thought that some parts of VT would never be the same, but while people have been affected certainly, the
landscape seems to be getting back to normal...never quite the same.  It must be, in a lesser way, what people felt in 1927.
And yet, it is so beautiful here~!

Come and visit if you get a chance. Send us a post or an email or visit our Facebook page, Quarry Hill Creative Center, which sometimes shows up as a community, a public figure, or even an amusement ride.

It is ...sometimes like a roller coaster!~

Today a friend sent me this quote...

Which was one of Barbara's favorites, and I think Irving's too.


"I in them and thou in me,
That they may become perfectly one..."
        ---John 17: 23

I seem to recall a vanished tempera painting that illustrated this quote or maybe a pastel. It is too bad there are so few examples of Barbara Hall Fiske Calhoun's remarkable artwork.

Will take some photos and try to post them.

Ladybelle

Save Animals! Help Dogs and Cats!

One of the primary tenets of Quarry Hill is to help animals -- children, animals and then others.  Children are the main focus of QH because they come innocent and open into the world and
then often get treated either horribly or without respect...  it's a whole other topic.

But ANIMALS are on my mind these last few days. I have always cared about animals, cats, dogs, birds, bees, horses, cows, and all of the above and it is against all we think and feel to harm an animal. While one does not have to be a vegetarian to live here, we do ask that people not keep animals for killing or eating on the  place and ask not to hunt or fish.
I've therefore these last days been trying to do what I can to help dogs (to begin with) and cats.
All can help! YOU Can save a life in high - kill shelters in Texas and Florida and probably some parts of the Northeast too . I mostly interact for the time being  with animal volunteers in Corpus Christi, TX (Nueces Co., where there are many animals killed every week and more on holidays.)
Unless Rescued, they die. There are also many kind people who want to help.

There are many sites on Facebook and probably Twitter that offer to Crosspost (share) information on  animals in these shelters. There are also 501c3 nonprofit corporations (rescues) that save these animals and people who will foster them... though not enough.
We have a lot of dogs here at the moment and kids too (they don't mix when kids are little), so we are not a shelter, but I often think of this idea... give QH back to the beasts of the woods and fields!

Please if you have a chance, go into FB and find some of these volunteer pages such as Nuaches Co. Animals in Need of Rescue.  Find a dog or cat that you like and "share" its information to the many cross posting and sharing sites. Writing something sweet or blunt about them may attract attention. Or offer to help with money (pledging). Don't pledge unless you can really spare the money and PLEASE be CAUTIOUS before sending it. Make sure you see FREEDOM Pictures and get the feeling that the dog is really free (or ask volunteers by e mail) if it is free.  If so, please send the money you promised, usually by Pay Pal.
I really feel that this is worth doing though it is painful.
Animals are sentient beings!

Thanks!
 Ladybelle
at Quarry Hill
Rochester, VT.

The White pig Inn in Virginia-- a Vegan Inn, owned by my cousin!

http://www.thewhitepig.com

We are all Immigrants.

@WhiteHouse

 

See President Obama's talk on this subject.

Obama's speech on Immigration. "We are ... a country of Immigrants."

I think this video is worth watching. We need to do something to help the immigrants who came here as children, or who have deep ties to the US and have lived here many years. Let us help them as we wish someone helped our forefathers (and mothers). Probably someone did and that was how we were able to stay here. https://amp.twimg.com/v/f6fc5e78-5f3e-46fd-8737-e6d8c992c948

Article on Quarry Hill in the 1970s

This article just came out in VERMONT WOMAN. wwwvermontwoman.com and in print in Burlington, VT. There are a few inaccuracies in this article, but it is a very sweet and very kind picture of us in those days. (The first picture is actually in the 1990s). It states, for instance, that people found selling their houses almost impossible in those days. That is not true... it was just that mortgages were hard to get... We never refused to "let" someone sell their house. The houses belong to the residents and we have a lease arrangement with them now, with some exceptions. Some of the houses are owned by the family corporation, Lyman Hall, Inc. Please read this! It has a real flavor of the "way we were." -- Ladybelle http://www.vermontwoman.com/articles/2015/0215/02-quarryhillarts/quarryhillarticle.html

J. Du Pre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llB7NaWLUc4

Happy Middle of Winter

Almost time for Spring. I can't wait. I miss it so much and it has been a long, lonely winter. But I still feel at one with the stars, moon and the beautiful mountains.

CARTOONISTS' LIVES MATTER!

I would like to say this was very moving and as we used to say, "Right on." I only disagreed with the part where Art said comics of the 60s were not political. The whole thing... East Village Other (publication of the NY Underground) and all of it were political, speaking out more frankly than ever before against the war and American politice (Nixon, et al). No one was murdered, but the whole thing was a rebellion against the rigidity of the times... He spoke well. Even though we have been, sadly, not close for a while now, I think he deserves praise for this, and is probably the bravest cartoonist in the US (well, there may be others) who might be able to speak against these truly vile deeds. Here's the site. http://www.cbc.ca/q/episodes/ All lives matter. Cartoonists too. They are brave and not always too aware of what will really cause them trouble! But I admire them and good for you, Art. Ladybelle