Shelburne Falls

The Day After

/ handmadebyjo / 6 Comments

Moonliht MagicIf Thanksgiving is all about family then Moonlight Magic (Madness) is all about friends.  The day after has always been a day of fun and reconnecting for us with this event.  My sister-in-law owns a wonderful little flower shop in the Falls called Plants for Pleasure.  For years that’s where the family spent some time setting up the shop for the opening of the holiday season.

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Bridge Street in Shelburne Falls is shut down to traffic for the evening with venders on the streets and all of the shops open for business.  It seems as though hundreds of people go and many of them we have known most of our lives.  It’s a festive occasion and we plan out our eating from year to year strategically.  From barbecue to Hager’s fried dough with maple cream there are some spots not to be missed.

studiopics_12159_016-150x150Molly Cantor Pottery

Many, many crafters have small shops in Shelburne Falls and this event also acts as an open house of sorts.  From glass blowing to weaving to pottery artisans display their wares.  It is amazing to me the artistry that is center right here in these small hilltowns.

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There is also our visit to the Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley owned by friends of ours from high school.  This is really the best place to bowl in my opinion.  They have taken the history of this place to another level with the decor and information on the walls from years past.  Their bar is fun and the bowling is an experience. This is always on our must do list.

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This year the cousins, all adults now, will be descending on the town as well.  They love to get together and don’t have as many opportunities as they once did.  I’m sure we will run into them multiple times during the evening and all plan to end up in Rowe for a bonfire in the garden.  I’m sure it will be cold enough.

This is the kickoff to the Christmas season for us. There is nothing like reconnecting to make things feel more festive.  Then to retire to the outdoors in Rowe, looking at an amazing starry sky, sitting by a huge fire, drinking a warmed Grand Marnier surrounded by family is the icing on the cake.

Oh Molly!

/ handmadebyjo / 1 Comment

Molly Asparagus

 

This is the latest addition to my Molly collection.  Molly Cantor makes some of the most beautiful pottery I have ever seen.  I began collecting it about 5 years ago.  I had bought a coffee mug in her shop with birds on it.  The glaze on the inside is green.  The size and shape is perfect for that morning cup of coffee and I love drinking that first cup out of something I think is so beautiful.

The asparagus platter was made for the WGBY Asparagus Festival earlier in the month.  When she gave a shout out for the event on Facebook I commented that I wanted it – sold, right then and there.  I don’t always get to the Falls when things are open, I’m usually on my way back to CT at 7:00 A.M. and there isn’t anyone around at that hour so my sister picked it up for me.

My sister and I took a pottery class from Molly last summer (it seems like it was longer ago than that).  Molly is a wonderful teacher with one flaw – she makes it look sooooo easy.  Rather than make my own pots (well, sort of pots) I would much rather spend my time watching her throw them.  She’s been making them for so long she instinctively knows how much clay to use.  Her pottery is consistent, the mugs are the same size, the bowls are basically the same shape, the plates the same diameter.  Her designs all come from what she sees around her and I am always amazed at how adept she is at translating her vision onto clay.

I love learning new crafts.  Our class size was small and my sister and I are both capable of laughing at our mistakes (and laugh we did).  The best thing about taking a class from Molly is it gave me a new appreciation for her art.  I’ve seen so many people come into her studio and whisper how expensive her pots are.  After watching her work and seeing the amazing talent that she has I want to tell them “Oh no, she really isn’t charging enough.”