road trips | Beth Emmott

This is the archive for the ‘road trips’ Category

China

July 29th, 2015

Saw a wonderful exhibit, China, Through the Looking Glass” at The Metropolitan Museum in NY. Displays made connections between the Western view of Chinese decorative culture and contemporary high fashion.

Dress inspired by Chinese Manchu Robe

Spread out over three floors it was pattern after pattern after pattern. The exhibit was as much a piece of art as the fashions and the Chinese artifacts. Each gallery more wondrous than the next. Colors, ancient Chinese textiles and objects pared with current haute couture.

Style showing very early Chinese decorative elements, and on right From Wuxia, stories of martial arts, over 2000 years old.

Decorative flowers every where – ancient, blue-and-white porcelain. The embroidered rose is from a shawl, representing the China Trade.

Bodice of this dress and neck piece are literally made of blue-and-white porcelain shards.

Alpacas

July 28th, 2014

While we were in Vermont I saw an ad for a yarn shop that sold alpaca fiber and after a number of fresh starts I found my self at The Green Mountain Fibers and Yarn Shop in Rutland. They did indeed sell alpaca fibers but they were already processed into rovings and I wanted unprocessed fibers that I can mix with some white wool that I already have. I spin as a meditative thing, not to necessarily produce a result (although that’s a nice byproduct) but it’s a process I enjoy. They have some beautiful shades of grey and tan but as I will mix this with white I wanted dark brown. Long story short, the very helpful woman in the shop gave me the name of their supplier, saying she didn’t know if they sold unprocessed fiber or not.

This was Maple View Farm, about 20 min down the road. So, down the road we went. I expected a small operation with a few alpacas and some fiber being hand carded… No, this was a major, if small, fiber mill specializing in alpaca, llama and wool. Thirty or so alpacas and a full fledged shop with all the professional wool processing equipment one could wish for. They process not only their own fibers but are booked up with orders from others.

I was graciously sold about 6 oz. of unprocessed dark alpaca fiber, enough to keep me happy with the small amount I need for the winter. I know I could purchase fiber from alpaca farms in PA, but this will also be a reminder of my time in VT as I spin this snowy winter.

After purchasing the fibers I photographed some of these wonderful creatures.
Very curious—nosy—they seemed to enjoy being photographed.

They had just been shorn.

Baby Alpaca

The gals and babies were seeking shade under a shed roof.

The guys were out in the field making faces.

Like This!

Handsom guy!

Nosy gal.

Vermont

July 23rd, 2014

Another Working Vacation. This time a long weekend to Vermont to work on our portfolios.
We stayed at the Maple Leaf Inn in Barnard, VT—a wonderful Inn run by Nancy and Mike Boyle about 10 miles or so from Woodstock, located at the end of a long drive into the woods. Very comfy, great breakfasts, Beckett the guard dog, and terrific hosts made busy days fly by.

Maple Leaf Inn

Very quiet and surrounded by flowers it was perfect for our plans to head in different directions each day.

The clematis was outside the breakfast room window. So pretty

Sunday we headed west and hiked up to photograph.

Looking past my shoes to the mountains from the top of our hike.

And Monday we headed north and hiked down.

Texas Falls in Hancock, VT
(This beautiful area was severely damaged by Hurricane Irene but is now open to hikers once more.)

Lots of good images, lots of sore muscles (the inn’s whirlpool bath was great), and lots to work on now that we are home.

Working/Day Off

July 12th, 2014

Have to get out of the studio from time to time… So, yesterday we packed a picnic and headed to the Poconos in PA for a working/Day off.

Our idea of a day off!

Went to Hickory Run State Park – I used to go there many, many years ago with my parents when we lived in a little house with no air conditioning. My dad would pack us all in the car on a hot Saturday with a picnic my mom made and we’d head north for a day of lazing about in the woods. I always wanted to go “down the shore” but my parents were “up the mountains” folk.

Park hasn’t changed much, wasn’t very crowed, esp. on the trails, We hiked “Shades of Death Trail” which was well blazed and we just followed the yellow marks deeper and deeper into the woods, stopping to catch our breath and take pictures. (Upon hearing the name of the trail, my friend, Sally, asked if I was hiking with Harry Potter!)

Deep in the forest.

There were several old dams which had been built many years ago by loggers. This was the highest.

Pocono Mountain Laurel

I was surprised that the Mountain Laurel were still in bloom but a ranger said they were late this year. PA has wonderful Laurel all through out the woods, usually in June but here they were in full glory. This trail while not too long was very rocky, up and down along cliffs above a creek. I later read in a brochure that it was “the most difficult”. How come I never stop and read these things before I leave my hiking stick in the car? This was a trip worthy of my cousin Stig! But it was so beautiful. At one point it opens out a bit and goes through tunnels of Laurel. There were iridescent dragon flies, birds and butterflies, moss looked like velvet and Indian pipes and mushrooms.

Rocky Heart

One the way back I saw this rusty color heart in the rock and it made me smile.

Trip south part one

May 29th, 2013

Road trip, spring 2013 was great. Our main destination was my brother’s new home in TN but we took some extra time to drive through the mountains and add to our portfolios on the way. We had never been in that part of the country. This was a terrific time to go—the mountains were still turning to spring and the base was summer, next stage up was all spring greens, further up was pastels of flowering trees and spring buds and the top was bare trees—we drove in and out of spring for days.

You can see spring creeping up the mountain!

We stayed in B&B’s (not a doily in sight, thank you) and Inns where we met very interesting people. The first was the Dutch Haus in Montebello, VA. Two Appalachian Trail hikers were also staying there, a man who was doing the whole trail in one shot and the other, a woman who was doing a part each year. We ate dinner there (family style) as it is up and up and up the mountain and far from anything—good food and great conversation.
The next night was spent in Boone NC as I wanted to go to Cheap Joe’s. We stayed at the Lovill House Inn (great southern hospitality), and had dinner at Char. Being a University town (Appalachian State University) and County seat, Boone and neighboring, Blowing Rock have lots of restaurants and shops. It is still high in the mountains and has great mountain air.
The last evening before hitting TN we stayed at the Hemlock Inn in a room with a private deck looking over the forest. Again up and up and up so meals come with the room, All meals were served family style so once again we met interesting people. (My reading of the area since has shown this family style eating was historically typical of remote mountain lodging.) The talk at breakfast was of the black bear who got into the trash the night before. From all our hiking etc, we slept through this adventure!
Then over the Smokies to TN. A tail for another post.

ps: Don’t expect much cell or internet service in the mountains—in fact on the parkways—NONE!

Blue Ridge Parkway

May 25th, 2013

From time to time we take time to work on our portfolios. My brother and his wife have moved to TN and as we missed them and had never been to TN, the Skyline Drive, or the Blue Ridge Parkway we combined a visit with a scouting trip.

This may find it’s way into a painting

We drove, we photographed, we hiked, we read, we met interesting people and we had a most wonderful time. Every turn—and there were many—had one incredible view after another. I didn’t take paints as there just wasn’t time but I will work with some of my images and a future trip, staying in one place for a while is in it our minds. I did go to Cheap Joe’s Art Supply in Boone, NC for a shelf for my plein air easel!