A new adventure has begun! I have a schedule!! Two weeks of chemo infusion, the first week will include Keytruda, an immunotherapy. Then a week off and start again. So now I’ve got a real schedule – every Thursday morning at the same time! Up till now, it’s been any day, any time, very confusing. Now at last I can begin to organize my life
After much exploration and help, my tender stomach is beginning to behave. I haven’t been proud of myself during this period. Lots of complaining and hiding out. No life goals have been addressed. As my stomach has improved, so has my mood. Finally, I’m gaining weight. Many thanks to those who continue to help me through my gut issues.
In the midst of all this, Tom had a stroke! He has been such a rock, keeping the homestead going, preparing for winter. Then he started talking weird… He was transported from our local hospital to UMASS where they have a stroke unit, had many tests, stayed overnight. The blood clot disappeared, broke up, it’s gone. He’ll be on a heart monitor for a while to keep track of stuff, but he is doing great! Wow, Tom!! We DO worry that the pressures of winter homestead prep will knock him back, so we are hiring him as much help as possible.
I begin a new cycle again today and have lots of energy after two weeks off. Tomorrow I will sleep a lot, then more energy each day till the following week! This bout of chemo seems so much less dramatic than the previous one. Gentler, fewer side effects. This part is not complaining, just statement of fact. My hair is thinning, fingertips are quite tender… Eventually I will shave my head, but not yet… Thanks, I don’t need any more hats or lotions; I have plenty left from last time. Gloves are very particular. Thank you again for your gifts.
Thank you all so much for your amazing generosity in GoFundMe—and through personal checks in cards. Many are from people I don’t know, though I recognize some of the last names--the same as friends. Hmm, thanks for passing my name along. I admire your ability to save money—enough to share it! Much of the money has gone for hiring help and purchasing supplies.
And the lovely cards I’ve received with notes of cheer and encouragement! Wow, Marge’s meditation, Jorie’s chaga tea, Lisa’s GoFundMe page and workshop cleaning, Dan and Judy’s beets and so many prayers! They really help. I am so lucky to have such great friends and customers who care about me, Tom, and our work…
Also, thanks to all who continue to buy items from our dwindling Etsy page. Thank you all so much! Working hard to make and enter new pieces. Hopefully be further along before the Open House late November/early December!
We are getting great pleasure from watching our bird feeders, and the chipmunks. Fortunately, our cat, Scooter, is 16 and not interested in them. He sits with us and watches.
And yet, though we’re not really working, the money keeps flowing out. The homestead is 22 years old and many systems require not just routine maintenance but overhauls. It seems like a bottomless pit. We were told that our backhoe tractor (necessary for road maintenance, hauling and major projects) would cost $3000, a year later it’s $8500.   Thankfully, a friend has lent us the money and we’re paying back over the next few years.
People ask, “What do you need?” I need HELP, not simply money (that is really great, though not all), but physical help, here on the homestead. Lugging boxes around. Finding fabric for the house. Sewing. Cleaning the workshop. Cleaning the house. Readying the storage building for give-aways.
I’m four months behind in my custom orders and can’t predict when I will be able to fill them. E quit when I was diagnosed (no vax, no mask). I had spent months training her and she was doing so much (photos, working in the shop, tech stuff). I was way too dependent on one person.  It was heartbreaking.
Corlis is back till the end of the year, doing photos again and helping out outdoors! Mary is back helping with tech issues! Hooray.
Pat’s dog-tending business has become much more full-time (good for her!!) so shipping and filing more often fall to me. I (really, really, really) miss her help, her moral support and long-term perspective on the business.
Two friends recommended Rachel and indeed she is a gem. The two days she has come in, she worked really well in the shop. A good fit. Great personality. Available only one day a week. Then she was sick, then Tom’s stroke, now she’s had Covid for two weeks…
So for the last month, I’ve been alone… writing apologies for late orders… doing all the homestead stuff I do (batteries, composting toilet, gardens, help Tom). Tom has had a bunch of help from his son and grandson. But now school has started… We are both quite overwhelmed.
I sincerely apologize about the Friend of Meb code -- 10% off anything, forever on Etsy. Looking at it now, I can see that I need to add that code to every item on Etsy. I’ll let you know when it is complete, no idea when... Not a quick fix…
Local Help
Stack firewood
Clean shop
Move stuff around upstairs in house
Workshop office
Someone to TALK to about business regularly
Specialized carpentry work
Filing paperwork
 

As promised, here's an old article from probably 10 or 15 years ago.  When we still lived in the cabin, before cancer for either of us, before strokes, before Tom turned 80. Before we built the house! It's called:
                                                  ARE YOU POOR?
The frozen earth crunches under my slippers, the forest nightlife hoots and howls, stars twinkle, crisp and clear through the leafless trees, my breath smokes out in puffs, and my headlamp sparkles the frost on the drooping mountain laurel as I shuffle along the path to the outhouse at 2am.  
 
When I tell people how we live—off the grid, no running water, tiny space-- the thing they’re most concerned about is the outhouse in winter.

Since June of 2000, my husband Tom and I have homesteaded 21 acres in the Connecticut woods--a mile past the last power pole. Before that--our first three years of marriage--we lived aboard a wooden sailboat in the Caribbean. Definitely off the grid. We enjoy the challenge and independence of a freeform lifestyle-- depending solely on ourselves for employment and entertainment; taking our safety and happiness into our own hands.
Now, we're not youngsters--during our time together, one or the other of us celebrated our 50th, 60th and 70th birthdays. We stay healthy by eating well and using our daily chores as quirky fitness regimes.
Between us we have 5 kids and 4 grandkids and vastly different former careers—Tom designed astronaut gloves for NASA, and built a successful injection molding business. I did union acting work and a cappella vocals in Boston. No residuals or annuities keep us going—we’ve started from zero many times. These days, together, we make hardwood kitchenwares and sell them at high end galleries and craft shows across the US. 
Compared to everyone we know, we live simply—a young friend asked boldly, “Are you poor?”
We’re certainly not rich, but we’re definitely not poor. And best of all—we’re not in debt. We don’t have a mortgage. We don’t have any credit cards and our savings fluctuate according to the project at hand. We just don't buy things if we can't afford them. We make do without the latest fashions (I actually prefer thrift store clothes and hand-knit sweaters traded for spoons), and we drive elderly, coddled vehicles. We grow organic produce when we can outsmart the hungry forest creatures. We're building a house with our own hands and sweat-- and we’re milling our own trees on a neighbors’ sawmill in exchange for work on their homestead.
And we’re rich in other aspects of life that can’t be bought: freedom from the abundance of rules, schedules and accepted schools of thought. Independence from the grid. The time and ability to explore our Selves and our relationship on our own terms. A freeform life.
But just because we live in the woods and off the electric grid doesn't mean that Rustic is our only option. We’ve made leaded diamond-pane, stained glass windows for our tiny cabin and because we worked on boats, our painted trim is high-gloss, marine-quality. We can watch movies streaming live and get emails using an air card and a power inverter. Our small space is filled with functional creations traded with friends in the craft world.
This is an honest lifestyle. As homesteaders, we have daily evidence of what we’ve accomplished and what we’ve avoided. If we're happy, it's because we've made fun situations happen. When we're broke, we neglected our business. If our gardens are invaded, we missed a hole in the fence. And when we're cozy and warm all winter, we stacked the hay around the cabin for insulation and chopped enough firewood.
At an age when our contemporaries are retired, resting on their previous careers, Tom and I are still exploring new territory—modern-day adventurers. We have a connection with the minute aspects of our daily lives. Friends and families watch our adventures with amusement, condescension, dismay--and some, I think, with a bit of envy.
We’ll never be rich in money, but, oh, we’re so rich in other ways: freedom, deep emotions, dreams and endless possibilities. It's not for everyone, our lifestyle, but it's the one that works for us.
And the 2 am trek to the winter outhouse? Honestly, it’s not a hindrance: It’s an ancient connection to primary functions; it’s a link to other outhouses around the world. And it’s an opportunity to track the stars, appreciate the moon-lit beauty, catch up with the owls and coyotes and add to our ever-growing packet of dreams.
Back in the cozy cabin, I refill the woodstove, snuggle into Tom’s warm body and head back to dreamland. 



 

Coming Soon! I'll be posting the newsletter and assorted homesteading stories as I finish them. It's been a long time in coming!!

Recently I got a teabag saying, An overnight success usually takes around 15 years. Well, that’s how long Meb’s Kitchenwares has been in operation and we’re rounding out our overnight success by traveling across the continent and around the globe.

Wesleyan Potters in Middletown, CT hosts their Annual Sale—3 weeks of above average craft sales in a creative setting. This is our 10th participating year.

Connecticut Magazine December issue. The feature article spotlights Meb’s Kitchenwares and four other CT craftspeople.

If you know of any craft artists affected by the fires, help is available through CERF+, an amazing organization that has aided many artisans in trouble.

CERF+ helped Tom and me through 2 bouts of cancer and a house fire. We urge you to donate to these folks.

Work on the homestead continues as always, though more in the background now as we dive into the holiday season.

Our Defiant woodstove is already pumping out the BTUs and firewood is stacked on the elegant new porch. The now-protected bird-feeder is ravaged daily by entertaining tufted titmice, downy woodpeckers and nuthatches.

Our root cellar is stocked with beets, onions and turnips. We had a failed (way too salty!) batch of pickles and the pears and apples are eaten.


The future "sun room" is even now collecting heat as evidenced by our new experimental toy--a surface thermometer that measures heat on--you guessed it--the surfaces of the insulated cement floor, tubs of water, various ceramic tiles and the woodstove.

Keep on learning!

Photos below:
Connecticut-shaped board highlighting our beautiful town of Woodstock.

Melbourne, Australia! We’ve made custom dabbers for sustainable beauty cream applications. See Aesop.com

Custom orders:
Subject to our stamina, the delivery time crunch and availability of special woods, we’ll take custom orders as long as we can this year.

No real deadlines—just get in touch at mebskitchenwares@gmail.com.

Wishing you all peace and joy and good health throughout this year and into the next!

Happy 2019 dear friends!
​
It’s really Meb here, two months cancer-free after a year of treatments! Many thanks to Allie, who kept communication going throughout: telling you about upcoming shows and other news of “importance”, keeping the website current, plus plugging us into the social media circuit.

At the end of 2017, we’d made a 5-year plan. For several years, I’d been anxious to retire or move on to a different career or sell my business or… something! Now that my chemo-brain is lessening, I’m able to see more clearly what’s really been nagging me; a year of illness brings slow insights.

What I realized during my enforced rest is that I LOVE making spoons, I ADORE teaching and I truly ENJOY meeting you all at shows. I don’t want to stop!

But I don’t love my cold, dark office at the workshop, nor the paperwork that ties me to it. I really dislike the frenzy before shows, prepping lots of work in too short a time. We both get exhausted setting up and breaking down shows. I’m truly not fond of production work (same thing over and over…). And I need to spend more time at our homestead—my life’s work, I feel. My purpose.

Over the year, we’ve come up with several solutions.

Now I’m doing more office work at home in a cozy sun-lit nook next to the wood stove. Here I can keep an eye on the exciting projects going on, lend a hand to Tom when needed and do my part in between the dratted paperwork.

Both Ethan (workshop assistant since 2006) and Pat (final inspection, oiling expert and bill payer since 2015) are taking on more responsibility, easing me out of many organizational roles so I can spend more time doing what I LOVE!

We’ll be doing fewer shows in 2019 and hope to hire more assistance for set-up and load-out. Our newly-indoor-accessible and temperature-regulated root cellar makes gardening a priority.

We’ve begun a schedule of more regular workshop hours during the week, building up stock to prevent the back-up just before shows. And we both want to make more funky, fun, elegant, unique, original work, maybe using some of the bits and stumps and knots and ….. that we’ve been saving for years!

With Allie’s help, I hope to make it easier to order on-line (yes, I know I said that last year....) if you’re not near a show.  

But our big news is that in 2019 we finally hope to build our workshop at home! We’ve had the foundation boulders laid since 2001, so we’re more than ready! We’re not sure when we can begin, therefore when we’ll finish, but that’s another reason for doing fewer shows.

​Of course the new workshop will be off-grid, necessitating more powerful systems than we have in the house. But this will make teaching, Open Studios and workshop visits more exciting as we’ll be able to show how amazing sustainable power is!

So that’s it! Our dreams for 2019. We hope you’ll be part of our future as we continue to explore the beauty of New England hardwoods and sustainable living!

With love and gratitude,
​

First up, 
American Artisan Show, Wilton, Connecticut
We're returning to beautiful Wilton for this wonderful show in their historical buildings, starting with a ticketed Preview Party, Thursday, November 1st. The show is open to the public with $10 admission:

Friday, November 2, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday, November 3, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

For more details and directions, visit the event page here. 

Next up, we're in our home workshop for
Artists' Open Studios of Northeast Connecticut
Visit us at 134 Bradford Corner Rd, Woodstock Center, CT

Friday, November 23, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday, November 24, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, November 25, 10:00 am- 5:00 pm

For more details and plan your visit to our neck of the woods, visit the event page here.

Our last show this month takes us into December in NYC!
Crafts at the Cathedral, New York City
It's a divine craft show hosted at St. John the Divine on Amsterdam Ave. Architectural details pictured above!

Thursday, November 29 -  preview 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday, November 30, 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 1, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday, December 2, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

For more details and plan your visit to NYC during the holiday season, visit the event page here.

​See the rest of our 2018 Show Schedule here. Can't wait to see you!

The leaves have barely started turning, but we're already thinking about the holiday season...

We want to make sure you have the best gift giving experience so you can relax and enjoy quality time with your friends and family.

So if you've been considering a custom design or a personalized gift for a loved one this year, please email us today!

We need to hear from you before October 31 - Halloween! - to make sure we can make and ship your gifts on time for gift giving.

Look around our catalog pages for ideas, then use the contact form here to work with us on designing your special piece.

 
​This month, we're close to home!
 
The 36th Annual Roseland Cottage Fine Arts and Crafts Festival takes place at the National Historic Landmark home in Woodstock, Connecticut:

Saturday, October 13, 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
Sunday, October 14, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

We're joining 175 local artisans on the beautiful grounds of Roseland Cottage.

Bring your holiday gift list!

Enjoy live music, a food court, and first-floor tours of Roseland Cottage, in addition to hand crafted art and design from local makers

Free to Historic New England members and children under 12; $5 nonmembers
Buy tickets ahead of time here.

For more details and directions, visit the event page on the Historic New England website.

See the rest of our 2018 Show Schedule here. Can't wait to see you!

The 8th Annual Craft Festival at Fruitlands takes place in Harvard, Massachusetts:

Saturday, September 22 and Sunday, the 23rd
Daily 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

We're joining 40 New England artisans and craftspeople in this beautiful setting!

Quality juried craft, museum offerings, and stunning views has made the Festival a popular September destination for all. It’s the perfect opportunity to get a jump on your holiday shopping and find that original gift for the hard-to-buy-for!

For your entertainment, there is a food truck, the Café, and live music, courtesy of the Summertime Trio, on both days of the Festival.

The Museum has a spectacular view to the west of Mount Wachusett and, on a clear day, to Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. The view west overlooks the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge and the Nashua River Valley. There are trails through 210 acres of woodlands and meadows. 
​
​The Guests’ Festival admission also includes entry to the Museum exhibits and trails. It’s a fun day out with family and friends.
​
For more details, visit the event page on the Fruitlands website.

See the rest of our 2018 Show Schedule here. Can't wait to see you!

Meb: So there we were, my granddaughter Addie and I, at the homestead having a delightful time playing in what we call, “the little house”-- a two-year-old-sized house on stilts-- where every child is entranced because they fit right in.  There is a porch that is open to the woods about three feet up, and suddenly, I found myself on the ground. 

The good news is that I didn’t have bleeding in my head, but the bad news is that my right wrist (yes, I am right-handed), is fractured.  The emergency room said I’ll be four to six weeks in a cast/sling, no driving or typing and certainly no flying pig tail carving. 

Lisa:  I arrived this morning to take Meb to her first radiation treatment, and there she was with her arm in a sling!  Oh dear!  So, now I am the typist. 

Meb: I thought I was done with chemo on March 27th.  Then in May I had the mastectomy.  My hair came back--short, lush and (surprise!) curly.  My finger skin was re-growing, I even tried playing the violin and it worked!  My finger nails were growing back strong, my head was clearing again… and then! 

​In July, I was told that I needed six more months of oral chemo and two months of radiation!!!  What, I’m not done?   It was explained to me then that because I’m what is called “triple negative”, (you can look it up, but essentially the highest rate of recurrence), other treatments including hormones, were not effective on my cancer. 

Lisa: I arrived at the shop to work and Meb told me this news, saying she was shocked to hear the adjective “deadly” used in describing this type of cancer. 

“I guess I have been rather la-la about it” she said.  

Well, I don’t think that she has been “la-la” about it at all, but rather has had an amazingly “keep calm and carry on” spirit in the face of it, and that I think that it has been precisely this in her very positive character that has helped her get through it so well, and I told her so.  Also, always her sense of humor is at the ready and we have enjoyed laughing together often and recently over her special new “swimming boob”.

Today on the radiation table, when the radiologist was tagging her for the new tattoos to mark the specific radiation parameters, Meb said to him, “Ah, a new tat for tit!”… it took him a second or two, and then he and all of us burst out in real laughter together… and it felt good to hear it in that room.  It was a human healing moment.

Meb: I don’t know where I am right now with this new set-back.  I’m very frustrated, a bit depressed and just a little angry at myself.   We just returned from our lovely intense Nantucket show with depleted stock, and Chatham in about two weeks, and I’m in a cast!  Hopefully I will find out tomorrow for how long.    
 
Update: The cast comes off on August 29th! I'm driving myself to radiation every day. Almost ready for Chatham, and it really is raining every day...