Lowell is HOT

The temperature is in the 90's and right now, Helene and I are resting in our deliciously air-conditioned room. Here is the view from our window. I love looking out; the red brick buildings on the river are old mills which have been converted into living space. At the lower left is a waterfall.

We drove up yesterday, connected with Shelley Baird whom many of you may know from her years at QSDS, and had drinks and dinner. When we got back to the hotel we spent some time with Laura C-W, who had just arrived and had a long chat with Robbi Eklow before we crashed for the night.

This morning, Helene, Shelley and I met Robyn Daniel for breakfast at the famous Owl Diner (it was too sunny to get a good picture of this vintage eatery, but I will before I leave.) Robyn is an artist who used to make art quilts but has switched to making felt and creating art in this medium she has fallen in love with. After breakfast we went out to Robyn's car for a trunk show: literally. The sunlight was not helpful - but I did get this shot of Robyn talking about the scroll she has made (as she shielded her eyes from the morning glare. Below is a gorgeous piece of art she has mounted for an exhibit; the camera does not do either of them justice. The rest of the day we alternated between slogging through the heat and finding shelter in air conditioned places, preferably those that served ice and caffeine.

We went into the Revolving Museum, a small space that had some kind of exhibit on lighting. It didn't thrill us, but we loved the walls in the Revolving's kitchen. Is it tile?
Nope, it's MATZOH. What an idea for my new backsplash! Here it is accented with crackers - are they Tam Tams? Don't know - but the whimsical walls were a delight.

The shows at the Brush Gallery and the Whistler Museum are both worth a visit. If you are a Jack Kerouac fan (and even if you are not) the Boott Mills exhibit on this Lowell native is fascinating. The Boott is now a national park site and the history in this old textile mill is mind-boggling. Today's adventure is about over but we're looking forward to dinner with Laura Cater-Woods tonight and a visit to the Western Avenue Studios tomorrow.