In my garden
I love to garden, spending time in the flowers and planting the vegetables is so rewarding, but things were different this year. I always let my garden winter over for the birds, so the leaves stay. This year Spring came late, it didn’t matter though, not to me. My sister died at the end of February, so I didn’t care much about the garden. Eventually I did muster up the energy I needed to work on some poetry, I wrote about the long cold winter days, about grief and about my sister. I wrote about growing up in my big family, the happy times we shared and about more grief.
When Spring did finally arrive I was in the middle of finishing two novels, they had been started before the pandemic, they would soon be old news if I didn’t move on. Every time I sat to write, memories of my sister invaded my head space. That’s the second sister that I’ve lost, it doesn’t get any easier. One day I looked at the calendar, I had shows scheduled to do where I sell my art, my crafts, my books and such. I needed to pull myself together. When I am painting, it feels almost therapeutic, my medium is watercolor, which is so forgiving. Time flies when I’m painting, soon I could see the light, I divided my time between painting, quilting and my writing. Things were coming together and I would have something to sell at the first show. I was happy to have accomplished something. But nothing was done in my garden, most of my perennials had gone wild. The only thing growing were weeds. My lilac bloomed and I almost missed it because of the tall weeds.
When I finally did venture into my garden a few days ago, it was eye opening, I was embarrassed. A neighbor actually went by while I was cleaning it out, he commented that it was a little late for spring cleaning.
Sorry was all I could offer, I’m an author and I write books, I’m a quilter and I make things and Dammit, I lost my sister. So the garden had to wait. I still cry, grief is hard and I loved her. What happened next was a major decision, I didn’t see it coming. I stood there looking at my hot mess of a garden and started pulling weeds out, feeling invigorated, like it’s about time. A release came over me, I spent quite a bit of time and now I will have a new garden to be proud of, and hopefully redeem myself with the neighbors. On a lighter note, I have two books almost finished, quilt repairs are being completed and life goes on. I’m looking forward to my new beautiful garden, my new books and lots of walks with my dogs. Love you, sister.
She Moved
I’m a writer. When I sit down to my desk that’s what I want to do. Write. My beloved cat always has a better idea, she walks all over my desk, knocks pens and papers on the floor. She can be a real nuisance, and then I can’t find anything. I lose my patience. After so many years of cramming my things wherever and no space of my own, I finally have one. Or at least I thought I did.
One morning, with my coffee in hand and some chocolate of course, I went in to sit down at my desk. Princess, that is her name jumped up on the desk and made herself at home. Now what am I supposed to do? I left the room, went downstairs to load the washing machine. Perhaps I could get something done, but the more I thought about it, that’s my writing space. I decided to move across the room. Now this is not a large space, by the way. I moved about 7 feet over. I gave up the window view, gave up the cool breeze blowing in when the weather is nice and then had all the work to do to move everything. Well, that move only across the room didn’t sit well with Princess. She sat up there on that cat tower of hers and scowled at me for at least a week. Now Lizzie, my other cat who is very sweet and happy, she didn’t seem to mind at all. Good for her.
So, after all the struggles of moving things and rearranging, the dusting, the conflicts with the laptop and the printer, the move is done. I’m not thrilled, but I guess it’ll have to be. And then finally I sit down to work on my book project and there is Princess, at my feet. She wants me to pick her up, and of course make room for her on my desk. My work space is small, the room is small, so of course I bend down to pick her up and there she is, on my desk. After she has a snack or two, she curls up in a ball and goes to sleep. She still throws things on the floor, still tries to order on Amazon, and there is the fur. But she’s so content. This is every time I sit down to write.
It’s not about me, or my space. She doesn’t care if I write or even get anything done. She simply wants to be with me, her human mom. I do love my cats, they are my babies and they are special. Let’s just say Princess won the battle, and let her have her way. I’m good with that. I could have left my desk where it was, because she was going to move anyway.
Pass The Cheese
Wait a minute, I’m not ready for this cold weather. There is still so much to do outside. It seems like only last week that I was out there sewing under the tree. Yep, I take my sewing machine, set up a few tables and work on a quilt. Time flies when I’m having fun with a quilt, the birds are chirping along to the beat of the machine, and if my dogs are behaving I let them stay outside too.
Some days the dogs just want to bark at every leaf that blows and fly they see. I can’t get any work done that way. Speaking of my dogs, they get in a good walk every morning. I love that fresh morning air, but not this cold, geez, I’m still trying to manage these horrible hot flashes. If I wanted it to be cold I would ask for it to snow. But seriously, it’s too early to be cold. The roses and morning glory on the fence are still blooming.
So, listen to me Mother Nature. Back off a bit and let me enjoy the warm weather for a while longer.
In the Garden
That’s where I want to be, out there with the birds. To watch the sun come up, see it shine bright on my garden. As I stood in the yard the other day, looking around to see what area needed the most attention, I spotted a tiny rosebud just waiting to burst open and say hello. But the weeds were so high, this rose and the others looked sad.
The old trellis holding up my mom’s rose bush appeared to be on its last leg, so sad. I turned around to see one of my dog’s rolling around in the freshly mowed grass, and the pussy willow tree that is so pretty. I asked myself why the metal arbor was there, it wasn’t serving a purpose at all. I pulled it out of the ground, it’s still in great shape and will have a new purpose too. After I carefully removed the old wooden trellis, I got down in the garden, which is a feat all by itself, if you can imagine, those old bones these days. So I cleaned out the bed, moved some decorative bricks and placed the metal trellis in front of mom’s rosebush, which I think I’ve had now for some twenty years. I went on to clean out the other rose bush areas, unfortunately due to our harsh winters, my last rose that I purchased didn’t survive the cold weather.
I placed the very old wood trellis with another rose bush and it looks great. I was happy, thinking that it was not salvageable. But there it was supporting the center roses. And that tiny little bud all by itself has now bloomed out so pretty in a lovely shade of orange. Well, my work in that part of the garden is done. I’m really happy and I know my mom would be too.
Finding my way
After several attempts to keep my old laptop running it was time to buy a new one. The day started out great, took the old one in and shopped around. I had done my homework, found the one I wanted and then it was just a matter of transferring the files, etc over. I’m sorry to say that all those files, my novels in progress, etc are now in the wind. I’m at a loss for words, it’s like a death. I’m so disappointed in the store where I purchased the new one. As they say in Hollywood, life goes on and this too shall pass. That doesn’t make it any easier, so I’ll cry in my coffee for a long while.
Out with the old, in with the new
We all know it’s been a crazy year and it will soon be over. That’s great because I have plans, lots of them. I have spent the last two weeks cleaning and purging my house of things I don’t need or that have just simply been around too long. I’m ready to start fresh, dive into the next chapter of my quilting book, and make new quilts. Yes, quilts.
I have on my work table a crazy quilt in progress, and an applique project that is long overdue.But first let me say Happy New Year to all. Let’s make 2021 the best ever.
New book, new adventure
I’m ready for this next adventure with another new book, and new character. His name is Noble, he’s smart and he loves Science. What he doesn’t like is girls, except for his mom. But everywhere Noble looks he sees girls, down the street, in the store. He sees them in the library, he didn’t even know that girls like to read, except for his mom, of course.
Noble likes to tinker around in his room with things his dad throws away like old wires and light bulbs. But Noble saves everything, he likes to study them and because he likes Science, he will find a use for them.
So while we are all keeping a social distance from one another and staying warm by the fire or curled up on the couch with a your favorite quilt and the dog I will be busy writing and revising “Noble.”
Perhaps you will follow Noble on his next big adventure and find out if ever there is a special girl along the way.
Crazy quilting memories
Wow! How time flies when you’re having fun? Crazy quilting is just one of those things that I enjoy doing. It was in 2011, that I did an interview with Jocelyn Brown from the “Detroit News,” Homestyle section. It was my take on a crazy quilt using Christmas fabrics. At the time she interviewed me over the phone and sent out a photographer to take pictures. The anniversary of that interview just came up. I still find it hard to believe it was that many years ago. I’m still quilting and I’m still fascinated by crazy quilts.
After that article ran in the paper I got a call from a lady who had a crazy quilt she wasn’t interested in keeping. She wanted to give it to me, I thought, “Why not?” It is truly beautiful and once I got a chance to really give it a good look, I saw that it had several places that needed repair. The quilt is done with crazy quilt blocks but not stitched down with decorative threads, but it is lovely just the same. The crazy quilt wall art that was the focus of the interview is done in very simple details, but oh my. I’ve learned so much since 2011. Now I add buttons, ribbons and lace medallions, There is also many little trinkets, flowers and charms that I add to my quilting. And yesterday, I was gifted a mug rug from a member of my Cameo Quilters group. I can’t tell you how surprised I was that it came from my friend Cindy and she did it in crazy quilting. It’s a work of art, she loves crazy quilting too.
I’ve been working on a new piece lately, it’s a small one. Sometimes the smaller ones are easier, but so much fun to stitch and embellish just the same. When I’m stitching a new piece or one that I’ve had for awhile I’m always in the company of my dogs and cats, after all how can I sew without them?
New book, new adventure
I’ve started on a new book adventure today, it is early December and its the perfect time to write. My day started early, I walked my dogs, because with no walk for them there is no happiness. They just know, “Time to go.”
So yes, when it rains or the weather is just bad, then they watch me while I get my walk in my trust treadmill, and we hope the weather changes for the better. That doesn’t always happen, so it just means more trips to run around the backyard and keep the towel to wipe their feet handy.
Back to the book, while the little 5 and a half pound dog, who thinks he’s a baby is curled up in my lap, I write. And I write some more. On days when I don’t work outside the house, I get lots of writing done. It is so freeing to have the time and the ideas are there. I’m up to ten chapters on the first book, which is all about my quilting, it’s going well. The other book is in revisions and I’m so ready for you all to meet Noble.
Noble is a very bright boy for his age, he loves school but especially Science. He just can’t get enough, his mother often reminds him to go out and play like the other kids, but Noble has too many things to do. Did I mention girls, no not yet. Noble doesn’t like girls, well except for his mom. He is known to cross the street if he sees a girl coming his way, but wait. There are girls in his school, he has to find a way to avoid them. Will he, you ask?
I’ll keep working on Noble and the quilts, stay warm and safe. And stay tuned.
Life's lessons 