Monday, Monday...

Remember The Mamas andThe Papas? Probably not...Oh well, it works for the title of this post. I am always stymied with titles. My play frame of mind has stayed with me from yesterday and I have continued some more exploration...kind of picking up where I had left off before all the moving of the original studio and emptying the basement occurred. It feels good to drawing and painting and exploring. I am not happy about the lack of real studio because I am now in the living room which is not private but now full of my looms and my paints along with my sewing machine. The art supplies not in use at the moment are all in my bedroom. I can barely keep it all straight where anything is anymore. I try to keep my knitting in a large knitting bag along with my tools with work in process also with the looms and paints. Today I decided to continue going through the book Painting Flowers by Sharon Hinckley and work on some of the projects regarding the mixing my own greens rather than out of the tube, so far successful but if nothing else I am enjoying the book and the wetting of my brush brush...it is not finished and again an exercise from a book. A learning tool. This is a leaf painting exercise focusing on backgrounds and the mixing of greens on the paper rather than the palette. I took allot of photos at the botanical center last week and I have plans for them. So I am interested in this subject right now. Just research, part of the process.

Last Friday I was reading some blogs I have set up on Bloglines, one of which is Wendy Knits.
She had been given two copies of Nicky Epstein's new book,Knitting A Kiss In Every Stitch, one for herself and one to give away. All one needed to do was leave a comment. I was comment number 389 on Friday. The drawing was at set for 4 PM today by a random generator. By today the number was in the 600's. I found the e-mail around 4:30 from Wendy congratulating me, I was the winner! I never win anything...until today, that is. I was so excited and pleased. It was a really nice surprise. A little surprise now and again is a refreshing thing to happen to us. So thanks again to Wendy.

My knitting is stalled again...that last sleeve is going to take me forever. I am working up the first of I believe 5 repeats. Hopefully I will pick up some speed.

I just went into my room to get my knitting and with my camera in hand in order to take a picture of my progress...thinking if I post my progress or lack of it, it might motivate me to get moving on it. As I walked in ...who's been sleeping in my bed...she even pulled the covers down and made herself quite comfortable...smile...then I escorted her off. I love sleeping with her, I do, but I wake up with swollen eyes and that just can not be good. Yes, I am allergic to my pups and my cat...but I love my animals, love all animals..so I wash my hands and face allot.

Have a good evening. Thanks for reading. Peace.

Winter Solstice

Just for the sake of posting I found a poem that kind of speaks to the matter at hand, winter...cold, dark winter. Today is the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter. I have done some very interesting reading today on the subject as it happens to be my favorite season so I thought I would herald it in with a little research.


Winter: A Dirge



Robert Burns said that Winter was his favourite season - "partly owing to my misfortunes giving my mind a melancholy cast." Indeed, it was after such a period of misfortune that he composed this melancholy song. It was written to the tune "MacPherson's Rant".

Winter: A Dirge
The wintry west extends his blast,
And hail and rain does blaw;
Or the stormy north sends driving forth
The blinding sleet and snaw:
Wild-tumbling brown, the burn comes down,
And roars frae bank to brae:
And bird and beast in covert rest,
And pass the heartless day.

The sweeping blast, the sky o'ercast,
The joyless winter day
Let others fear, to me more dear
Than all the pride of May:
The tempest's howl, it soothes my soul,
My griefs it seems to join;
The leafless trees my fancy please,
Their fate resembles mine!

Thou Pow'r Supreme, whose mighty scheme
These woes of mine fulfil.
Here, firm I rest, they must be best,
Because they are Thy will!
Then all I want (O do Thou grant
This one request of mine!):
Since to enjoy Thou dost deny,
Assist me to resign.

Meaning of unusual words:
brae=slope

And for those of you who would rather listen to it, just hit the link.




I am knitting feverishly and have much to get done.I finished the Fuzzy Feet Slippers yesterday, working on some gloves now. There is some weaving to finish...Never really got to the decorating because over a month ago, my husband decided to do some work in the kitchen and it just has made a mess of everything, so if I have to try to figure out where one more thing goes...well, you know. Oh yes, bless him, he chose the holidays to do this stuff...



Anyway, Happy Solstice...be warm and cozy and watch for the light to return with each passing day. Be encouraged. Thanks for reading.
Peace.