Amaryllis Winter

 Hi (Just in case someone besides me reads this.)

Having just reread all of my posts I see it has been a long time since I posted anything. I know, a common lament among bloggers. I cannot begin in this post to catch up on all that has happened in the intervening years because I am so excited about something else!

If I can remember how to post pictures, it will be very apparent: how much delight I feel caring for my plants; I say “my plants” because once I have spent time watching the changes unfold I have a profound sense of ownership and responsibility. 

 

These beauties were purchased last fall at Food Basics, not from a fancy nursery. Hubby and I each have our favourite—he the pink while I prefer the magnificent white. It’s hard to tell from the photos, but the white blossoms were considerably larger.

The blossoms faded one by one; now the leaves will gather energy to charge the bulbs for next winter. Enter the bulbs I over-wintered. The largest one seemed like it might not put forth a bud but this past weekend we were rewarded with a bright green shoot peeking out. 

It’s not so much that I didn’t have to purchase more bulbs but that I provided the conditions that the flowers needed. I’ll post progress pictures as the flowers emerge.

That’s one project that never got off the ground…

Along with who knows how many other quilters I've signed on The Splendid Sampler. One hundred 6.5" blocks. The small size will be part of the challenge, in addition to receiving two new blocks every week. Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson are heading up the quilt along.

I'm working on Block 4 Happy Happy ( I love the name!) while I'm in an appliqué mode. I was going to shy away from the tiny circles and substitute buttons, but I'll check out a couple tutorials and give the appliqué a shot. After all, this is going to be all about learning new skills.

January 27, 2025 The Splendid Sampler block sounded doable…

I’m still dabbling with patchwork, mostly strip blocks, but most of my time on my machine now is directed toward garment sewing. At least I read about it and subscribe to two sewing subscriptions. I still knit and have taken a stab at painting. Right now it’s gouache (It’s a word!)

Natural Beauty

I don't like to complain, but...

Hi,
Why am I here?  Oh yah, because my head wants to go into orbit and I don't want to go. This morning I dragged myself from bed by noon enveloped in 'fibro-fog' and at 6:30 pm my only accomplishment today (aside from brushing my teeth) was to go for a walk with my dog.
It is not uncommon to see men and women with walkers, and most are probably like me, on the good side of 60. So I know there are a lot of  people dealing with chronic pain and the loss of mobility, but we each come to terms with it in our own way.
I haven't figured out what that is yet.

Ahead of my time?

Thrifting, upcycling and repurposing....I was doing those things before they had au courant names and before every blogger and his dog was doing it. 

In the eighties, when I lived in a small city in western Canada, I deplored the waste of clothing and household items set out as 'garbage'. Usually I left such items where they sat as someone's trash was sacrosanct and who would risk the humiliation of being caught garbage-picking. 

Recycling my own clothing was a safer way to reuse, but the intent was to make the refashioned garment appear new.   I certainly didn't make known the source of my textiles. 

Move ahead three decades and I live in Toronto, where curb shopping is a major source for home-furnishings in many neighbourhoods. Enter any Value Village or Goodwill and you will see men and women from many economic classes strolling the aisles, scooping up finds. 

So, change can be good, but is this trend reactive, a collective effort to be unique in a brand-conscious era?  Or is it a new attitude toward using our resources that will last?

Learning Curve

Well, here is the first photo I've posted to my blog. Not too inspirational. Socks. That I knit and gave to my sister. Best part, I took the picture while at their family cottage. 

Going again in August. Now that's something to look forward to. 

Changes I never wanted to make

Hello again, my friend. I've been listening to Neil Diamond lately.  

I don't really want this post to be all about the space of time since I last posted, so I won't. 

However...the last few months have helped me crystallize more clearly what I want to talk about--CHANGES.  Not my mind, my address or my underwear (although they all have their place) but about the changes that get made for you by living until a certain age. 

There are other changes people face unwillingly in their lives, such as relationships gone wrong, disasters or serious illness. My issues don't begin to compare with what so many other people have endured. 

But my changes have affected Me, my marriage and friendships on a fundamental level--how I view myself and my aspirations. Or another way would be to say, Have I been blind to what I am really like, but others have always known about me?

I don't like that question. I'm sure I won't like the answer.