Vix Voice

Maine Journey

Just got back from a Maine Journey. Nothing in this world is like Maine - her rocky coast and vibrant hues and otherworldliness that permeates the air. Although I lived in Maine for six years, loving it, I still find it exotic in places. And, no, I don't mean Portland or Falmouth, but rather DownEast. (If you need an explanation of DownEast, I'm happy to provide it.) My friend, Andrea, and I went on a knitting journey. We knit, we sculpted, we talked art and sculpture and knitting and Life with artist Katharine Cobey at her Cushing, Maine studio. A gorgeous three days, and now I'm back at work. Wednesday Bill and I speak in Bugbee, NH, and on Saturday we have another speaking engagement, this time in Bradford, NH. Saturday is the Hancock Woman's Club Barn Tour, where friends and I will be exhibiting our photos, along with some marvelous NH painters and craftspeople. And the following week is the Dublin Art Tour. More photos from our Maine Journey. I'm ready to return! Christina's World is the location of the famous Wyeth painting. Christina's home was in Cushing, Maine, and it's now a museum. The home overlooks an inlet and it evokes all sorts of mixed emotions. Until we meet again.

There and Back Again...

What a summer! I haven't posted since June. Since then, I've been to the Vineyard for our dear friend - Phil Craig's - memorial. It was a splendid and fitting send off for Phil, yet I continue to wish he was still of this earth. Damn, I miss him! I kayaked like a banshee

And I created two auction catalogs for The Cobbs (my new day job). I've seen my boys - Ben and Blake - and two of my stepkids - Mike and Sarah - and worked on my new, unnamed-as-yet novel, TallyV.
I've knit with Cindy's Knitters, hugged (many times) my husband Bill, and cared for Muffin and Burt and Gracie and Cranberry. And I've seen the death of another dear friend, one for whom death was literally a release from Hell. I have realized - again - how blessed I am in my family and friends. Life in Hancock, NH, is a good one.
The Grief Shop won the Daphne du Maurier award for Best Mainstream Mystery/Suspense Novel from RWA's Kiss of Death chapter. Pretty neat, eh? The Bone Man is Out! I'm pretty darned excited about that, and I've got a bunch of speaking engagements in the next month or so. Check out my Web site (www.vickistiefel.com) for dates and times.



I'm in the process of preparing photos for my participation in the Dublin Art Show. It's always fun and intense. This image will be in the show and is called "From My Window—1"
Bill's newest book - One-Way Ticket - is also out! It's Brady Coyne's newest adventure, and it's awfully good.
And that's about all for now. Coming up is a visit with Katharine Cobey, a fabulous sculptor who uses knitting as her medium. We'll be seeing stepdaughter Melissa soon, along with her fella, Jeff, all of the other kids (I hope), Bill's mom and sis, and our family in South Carolina. It's a busy fall, but I'm vowing - yet again - to be a more faithful blogger. We'll see.
Cheers and all that good stuff. Autumn is upon us!