Sun!
Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to cheer up. A good night’s sleep. A sunny day. A walk into town for a quiet meal out. Last night K & I tromped through the slush for a nice plate of Mexican food in the Center. Today, the sun was warm and emphatic. “Yes siree,” it seemed to say, “spring is on the way no matter how much snow is piled up out back.”
A quick and early grocery shop, followed by calls, and then time to stitch. And — talk about little things that can matter a great deal — an unexpected, hand-delivered gift:
gift
Then, time to work on ‘Batik Moon’ and a pieced rectangle I’ve decided belongs in my ‘sanctuary series’. I tacked down the last moon ring on the quilt below (the small one on the left). Added the green zig-zags along the bottom yesterday. I could keep going and going on this one, but I think I won’t.
- two feet and a leg
red stitches around the house – which is NOT centered
I am also quilting the piece below, and 100% refusing to let even one minute of the process be stressful. This was a ‘sidebar’ quilt – made in stolen intervals while working through the difficult, challenging construction of the barns. I used stuff that was around, easy to grab, and that pleased me (and that coincidentally would not have met the commission specifications). That mottled green batik is trying to screw me up on the intention to keep it easy and fun – it is so damn tough (do they use petroleum AND wax for modern batiks? WHAT makes them so hard?). But, I have a strategy — and that is to be sure and quilt those rectangles early in a session, before my hands (particularly the thumbs) have a chance to get tired.
- ‘sanctuary quilt’ – not one step of quilting will I let be difficult
in this landscape, the house is the place of rest
I may simply invisibly baste this one. Let the play of patterns be the design. Except the house. That may get something extra. We’ll see.
Spurred on, in part, by the warm and thoughtful comments to yesterday’s post, I grabbed a book off my shelf and opened to this:
“Prajna is the unfiltered expression of the open ear, open eye, open mind that is found in every living being. It’s a fluid process, not something definite and concrete… It is not particularly regarded as a peaceful state of mind nor as a disturbed one. It is a state of basic intelligence that is open, questioning, and unbiased. “
Pema Chodron from ‘Comfortable with Uncertainty’
I like that – a state of mind that is ‘open, questioning and unbiased’. That is worth striving for, I think. Was it Carlos Castaneda who had his Don Juan character say that the warrior does not take sides with reality?! And that to do so is a profound waste of energy?! And yet, I do it 100x an hour, and bruise myself in the process.
Time to let the story drop a little. Or maybe a lot. If for no other reason than it’s boring me.
well…you don’t bore me. i find this and the last coupled with
your comment on windthread to be far from boring. i think they are the stuff of the Stuff. and as i was reading your comment there, it occured to me…Why Not teach
TEACH
the class you loved?
TEACH…writing?…TEACH cloth collage?????
Why Not?
Thanks, Grace. This past fall and the spring before, i submitted many proposals and none flew. I will get back to it, though, and am committed to working on this ‘platform’ so that i can eventually teach online.
I cannot tell you how drawn i am to those moon rings & blue window.
and, ditto, to what grace said. i am sorry for your hard piece of time, but am comforted to know i am not alone in my pacing & ranting, and, too, have grown weary & bruised of battling reality. what a great quote. and now to move forward. ox
Yes. Forward. With a little help from fairy dust?! Love the thread beads u posted today …
here’s a beautiful little video about the point of balance
http://youtu.be/eujcCqtXKx4
Pema’s Comfortable with Uncertainty is a favorite….and your work seems to be flowing beautifully. I too love the moons. How wise the effort to keep it pleasurable is good. Why waste energy on anything else. I love the video Mo sent…watched it here, then on you tube again, then shared it.
Wonderful, thought provoking and inspiring article, big thank you for sharing your; clarity, wisdom and insight, sincere regards, Barry
Mo – Astonishing. Gorgeous.
When I was first up this morning (early!) for an airport run, I played a song of your husband’s b/c I clicked on the ‘wrong’ thing… which wasn’t the wrong thing at all. We were LATE (oops! daylight savings starts at 2 am not any ole casual time on Sunday) and there I was, 5:11 a.m., brushing my teeth, phone propped on bathroom window sill, listening to that soulful voice!
Michelle… I just watched that balance video and will be sharing it, too… Happy sunday!
Barry – thanks for stopping by… maybe it’s a form of dissembling to so quickly go to ‘cheering up’ after revealing less cheerful states? No matter, Sat. was a good day!
never boring!!!
love both cloths
I’m learning to read and respond to comments on my phone and inadvertently deleted Mo’s… sorry about that! She sent a five minute clip that made my jaw drop – I searched youtube and cdn’t find it, but found a longer clip of the same guy/same act.
Thank you for your kind comment on my blog. I am very very thankful that I can create…. It is very healing. Your quilts are so very beautiful. The barns are spectacular as is “batik moon” I love all the little pieces and stitches that are built up to make the whole. So very beautiful.
Comfortable with uncertainty… yes something to strive for. I too loved the balance video and continue to strive daily to find my balance. Thanks again for your comment.
Hi Kim, thanks for coming by… your comments are appreciated.