Trying to do the right things...

The three days of snow, bitter cold, and wind seem to be over. It is sunny out there and looks to be pretty calm. I did not let the weather stop me though this weekend hearty soul that I am...proud New Englander...ha ha. Went to meetings on Friday and Sunday night and a great Fortieth Party for Sarah on Saturday night, for women only. It was fun. Lot's of food, wine, conversation, music and ambiance with the background music and lighting. While there was a snowstorm mixed with ice going on around us outside we were warm and cozy inside enjoying each other and the evening, a respite from the seriousness of life. We all need that...I know I certainly did and I traveled very slowly through ice and snow to get there and celebrate with my friends Sarah's life and evidently the the others did as well. Happy Birthday, Sarah and thank you for a wonderful party.



Yesterday I awoke to more snow and cold with a beautiful Payne's Grey sky...I ate breakfast, wrote my morning pages ( which I had let lapse) and decided on a walk rather than church this morning... reevaluating many things these days...so for this morning I attended the service of the snow, in the cathedral of the trees and I came home after an hour more refreshed than any, and I mean any service has ever left me. I communed with my Maker in His creation of which I am a part of. I walked through the empty streets nearly whited out basked in the quiet and I loved it...reminded me that I used to do the very same thing as a child. I thought and prayed for peace for me, for my family and for the world...We all carry so much brokenness...I know I do and that is all I can speak to. But that brokenness spreads from me like a pebble in a pond...



Then back home...to more of this. Spoke to my 80 year old Uncle yesterday...he was on his way out to shovel. Thank you, Uncle, for blazing a path for us that are behind you...learning that one does not stop until they stop, if you know what I mean. I've had some good role models on both sides of my family who I have learned this from.


I am happy to write that I am winding a warp for a shawl made of wool and llama that I had spun years ago. The tapestry loom is ready. My sweater is quickly nearing completion. It is all good...


As I write this I am listening to Yann Tiersen on Pandora who is an amazing French composer of many wonderful movie scores and music in his own right. Find him and enjoy...

I leave you with a quote that kind of speaks to where I am right now...Her writings usually leave me kind of awed that someone can actually put to words some of the things I think and feel.

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. -Anne Lamott


Have a great day...and thanks for reading. And I do enjoy comments...Peace

Thoughtful... On This First Day of the New Year

The first day of a new year I find I like to be alone and quietly working things out...in today's case I showered, knit, watched movies , made vegetable soup, some cabbage and beans, walked my dog and made it to a meeting I need to attend more frequently than I have been, note to self. My husband slept the day away and my granddaughter was away for the weekend. What was really happening, while doing all of those quiet things, was thinking...I thought about things I am concerned about, all that is on my many plates, and thinking about the awarenesses that have come up this week and have been journaling and praying. I have realized many things are just not working for me any more...maybe they really never did. So I look at today as how I feel each morning, it's all new, wide open to possibilities, full of potential. Of course by noon on a daily basis...I am ready to hit the skids...but we will see. Came across a program on PBS called Unstuck and after watching I was able to get a hold of the book by the same title. Half read but the kind of book one would want to work through. Lot's of good information, healthy, helpful and encouraging for some one with a well, let's see, like me who seems to be under a big black cloud most of the time...Funny thing is, I really love stormy skies, the bigger and blacker the clouds the better.
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I have cleaned and organized my studio so it is more workable. I hope to get a warp on the floor loom and also get back to teaching myself on my tapestry loom. I am no longer in this room, but love this photo of Milo and I weaving. I miss weaving and Milo...it has been a difficult year...I need to return to the things that gave me solace. More painting and drawing on a regular basis...get the ideas out of my head and onto the paper.

I am almost finished with my Aran sweater, doing the final decreases of the last sleeve! No more pictures until it is off the needles and finished. The plan is to empty the bags with half finished projects and to get serious about some other things. Things came and went this past year, and I was not ready for a variety of reasons...but maybe this year.

I will end with these few lines from one of my favorite poets...I seem to fall upon it a lot lately. So maybe I need to answer the question that the poet poses to us...the question to be asked on this first day of the new year is...

...how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your wild and precious life?

from The Summer Day by Mary Oliver

Full Days...

I hardly know where to begin. I have been busy with all sorts of things but didn't feel the push to write about any of it...just lost the muse for blog writing as well as everything else to be honest. Trying to gain it back or find it...not easy.

It has been an extremely busy summer with graduations and their parties to attend as well as weddings,showers, birthdays parties, holiday BBQ', etc. I made it to the beach with my daughter's once so far this summer. I have worked in my flower gardens a couple of times but usually get chased in by rain. Just have not been able to do much weaving or paint...kind of discouraging, like a huge cement block on my path...

I did manage to finish this small tapestry, well I had to if I wanted to move the loom into another room... This was based on a pattern from Nancy Harvey's book, Weaving Tapestry. I am teaching myself with the help of her book. I was also able to ask some questions of tapestry artist, Tommye McClure Scanlin. I realized from reading her blog that one of her looms was also a Leclerc Tissart. Her help with some logistical questions about my loom was invaluable. She also teaches via her website and I was able to ask questions in response to her slide show.


My last post I spoke of my loom acquisitions and after turning my house literally upside down to accommodate all the looms, I passed the Hollandia on, in the same spirit of how it was passed on to me. I gave it to a friend who has a burning desire to weave. Her 20 something daughter has some interest in it as well. Passing that on has freed up some space. I spent some time weaving on it before I decided to send it on and it is a great loom but I have a 40" Macomber,

which was beginning to pout for lack of attention. It is now warped and ready to weave. It will have to be a speedy weave though... as the item( gift)is needed for next week. I have done some maintenance on it as Sarah advised. It is running smoothly even though the humidity is high, kind of like weaving under water. Anyway, I need to memorize the treadling and then I can just get into the zone and weave, I call it memorizing the dance.


So here I am, still fighting for time and inspiration and space...some things just do not change...but have a great day.
Peace