her able hands

I should be knitting. Usually by this time of year I have some kind of a hand-work project going, something small that I can tuck into my messenger bag for those rare but appreciated moments when my hands are both free and itchy for progress. I miss the feeling of wool sliding between my fingers, the sharp poke of the needle denting the pads (I hold them all wrong, all wrong I tell you).

I miss letting my thoughts unravel and seeing how my state of mind affects the stitches, watching my tension show its pinched face in my ruined guage in an instant. I don’t even mind tearing it out and sitting with my breathing for a little bit until I feel my shoulders drop back down away from my ears, my forehead smooth out, my lips turn up, the muscles in my body tingle. It’s good to pick it back up and start fresh with a quiet(er) mind.

I would like to remember to approach the other tensions in my life this way, rather than all the talktalktalking about it, the explaining, analyzing, second-guessing, wise-assing, bad jujuing that I tend to do when life happens. I would like to have a better awareness of my internal guage when it’s getting all fucked up. How great would it be to have something to hold in my hands, something that could show me (outside of me and away from my bullshit filter) that I’m headed for the ward. Before I’m apoplectic and foaming at the mouth.

My friend Cheril asked to borrow a couple of my knitting books and it made the ache resonate all the way down to my overtired, eight-to-five toes. Maybe I’ll start a pair of socks after the holidays, I haven’t made socks in years. Shall we do a January NaSoKniMo? Anyone?

The garden isn’t finished, I never did order that manure, and it’s rained so bloody much on my days off this past month and a half that I feel like I run out and scramble to do one little task and have to run back in for cover, sneezing and coughing all the way. We still have massive piles of sopping wet leaves all over the yard, and down by the road we still haven’t even raked. The perennial bed is in dire need of a shave and a haircut. Brr. It’s cold out there.

I’d rather sit inside with my laptop and a cup of tea, or a good book and a cup of tea, or a good movie and a glass of wine. I’m ready for winter to come on full-bore with slippery roads and slushy stains all over the floors so I can just abandon all hope of accomplishing the garden work on my list for this year and start making plans for 2007. It looks like an improvement from here.

Bookmark It

So the building you see my Supah-Hott husband working on in the last post is our stilt house. It’s 10′ x 10′ and 8′ off the ground. The underneath will be enclosed with a ton of the windows we’ve collected in the barn (oh, how I welcome having that space for more practical storage, like straw!) and will be my sort-of greenhouse/garden shed. The upstairs will have a shed roof and should keep the teenager happily away from his bothersome toddler sister when he has friends over.

Here’s a long view shot taken of it from the safety of the porch during our tornado weather last week. See how the treeline is turning pink-purple where the sugar maples are budding out? That makes me happy.

Tyler really wanted to put it in a tree, but alas all of our trees are under 40 years old and couldn’t take the load. Besides we’re looking for multi-purpose.

It will have a second (3rd) floor loft for sleeping, real windows, insulation, and a door that closes. Anybody who wants to spend the night listening to all of the nocturnal creatures is welcome to come and sleep there. Tyler and his buddy B. built a brick, circular firepit, that’s all overgrown with alfalfa and grass. Hopefully next year we’ll begin digging the pond to the left of the building. We’ll also set barrels to catch the rain and Tyler can use that to water the magical garden he’s planning for out there.

We think about moving a lot because we spend so much time driving, but when I look at what we’re doing, and how much space we have to do it in, I think I must be nuts to want to leave. That thought probably won’t stop me from picking up the latest Harmon Homes when I grocery shop on Friday, but it’s good to remind myself that where I’m at is good enough.

Bookmark It

The month is almost over, but because I’m thinking about art a lot lately, and seeing objects that I have around me in new ways, I’m going to jump on the use what you have month pony express. Simple Sparrow got it rolling, and my craft supply closet thanks her. Of course, I have no idea when I’ll find time to squeeze another project in, but when I do, it’ll be this:

The background is a square linen tablecloth I found for a dollar at the thrift store last weekend. I’m going to cut it in half on the diagonal, and use half to make an apron and the other half to do some crewel-work. I’ve been hanging onto these gorgeous pieces of paper by a Swedish designer that MizUntitled sent to me last year with a box of amazing goodies. She’s amazing like that.

(more…)

Bookmark It

I have an incredibly talented mother. She’s always working on a dozen beautiful projects, and all of her children, friends and relatives have evidence of her soaring creative spirit on display in their homes. She finally finished this lovely Redwork Quilt she made for herself, and I just have to share it with you all so you can see that I come from good stock!

Here’s the full quilt:

(more…)

Bookmark It

I’m here, just kind of focused elsewhere. Though I find myself thinking about posting constantly, I haven’t managed to put a coherent post together for a week. Yesterday I started working on something that I might get to finish today, but might need another day. I’ve also been sewing a lot, cutting out another round of bibs because you wonderful people have purchased most of the ones I had made. Except for the pink ones. Why no pink, I wonder? Note to self: don’t buy more pink bib fabric.

Anyhoo, more later. Hope everybody’s feeling good.

Bookmark It