Saturday, August 20, 2011

Atwood Street Festival


The end of July, in Madison, Wisconsin, was hot.
The end of July, in Madison, Wisconsin, was also the time of the Atwood Street Festival, which happily coincided with our visit with Paul.


We walked to the festival by way of the street where Paul would like to buy his home. Isn't this one lovely?

Oh, Madison homes, do you have to be so very lovely and tempting?

If Paul gets this house, maybe we could paint the Bird House to match. It's a fresh, cool blue... almost, just almost suggesting periwinkle. It could be worth it, just to say, "Suggestive of periwinkle."


The men bought cold beers. Immediately. Can you blame them? It was in the nineties, and humid. In the shade, on the sidewalks, it was hot, but out on the asphalt it became furnace hot. Max even tried a shave ice... which was more of what I call a snow-cone, which are hard, chippy, syrup dripping treats. And when he asked for a spoon, cause it was too hard to bite, the guy said, gruffly, "We're from Chicago." We assume that means something to the effect of no spoons, toughen up.

Maria and I shared an ice cold water, then we learned how to felt a bracelet from wool. We have waited two years to learn how to felt. I know there are a gazillion online tutorials, but this way was so much better, and memorable. A Waldorf school had a shaded booth, and the lovely woman there taught Maria what to do with the fluffy wool and the soapy water. Maria is still wearing her bracelet, and she's happy to tell anyone how she made it.

Mom, when you come, let's play with some of that wool we bought in Barcelona. Remember, All You Knit is Love? We stuffed our carry on bags with light and lovely wool, not even knowing what we would do with it? Colors. We fall in love with colors!

I digress...

The boys talked, in the shade. Maria and I found a second crafting booth. Paul and Geoff finished a cold beer, then found a hot lunch, then picked up more cold beer... then we all walked some more, until we saw the hose and sprinkler. And happy children.


Maria was curious. Tentative. Curious.

Curious won.


Sweet, sweet, sweet. Happy children, and a generous somebody... whoever dragged out that hose, attached a sprinkler, turned on the water and let it go... God bless that somebody. We met generous people, fun people. Paul found a ceramic studio. I got those funny pangs, silly impulses: We should move here, and live in a periwinkle house with Hollyhocks growing along the driveway, and then Paul and I could take ceramics classes, and we could felt wool, and eat guacamole... I do know how to get attached.


We even gave Alex a UW tour, went to Bascom Hill, and the Science Hall, walked up and down State Street. If we can't live in Madison, maybe Alex can. Then we can visit him. He's thinking about it. Maybe. Maybe he's thinking about how hot it was.


I love Madison. And it's cool that Paul is living there now. I think he loves it there too. We enjoyed walking in his neighborhood, checking out houses, and gardens, the great local scene.


We got back to Paul's place, and the kids polished off the rest of their uncle's guacamole. We sat on his porch. We talked about plans, and places. Maria and Paul wiped out some video Zombies. It was a good visit. We look forward to the next one.

3 comments:

nikkipolani said...

90s and humidity... everyone who's wet in these photos looks happy.... Ah, Wisconsin in August!

judy in ky said...

We had the same heat and humidity all summer. It isn't always that bad... I think!

Jill said...

the NEXT time you are in Madison, give a shout!! We are only 45 minutes away.......you would have to wear your kitty shoes....