A Contemplative Life

The North Jetty, Humboldt Bay. Snapped yesterday by my better half. My husband and his friends are off trekking about this morning, having toured Samoa Beach and the North Jetty yesterday afternoon. His friends are truly enjoying their Humboldt visit, and we're reveling in their joy, as well as appreciating new guests with whom to share our beautiful corner of California. Yesterday I read out loud three chapters of The Deadfern Miracles , and just finished another three this morning. Six remain, which I'll wrap up this coming week, then it will be time to decide what to do with it; proffer it up for agents or merely release it myself. Queries (lol) for Future Me to ponder. Present Me is thrilled at being back in my computer chair, as well as not having to do dishes, both chaps volunteering to sort that task, as well as making me a cup of tea after they returned from the ocean. My normal role as mom or BFF doesn't apply in this situation and I'm thoroughly pleased to hav...

Since we moved to Humboldt, the running joke this time of year when the sun shines and it's above sixty-three degrees Fahrenheit is that this is the LAST NICE DAY. Today could certainly qualify for how freaking warm it is outside! Currently sixty-nine at our not that near the ocean location. It was seventy-one earlier, DUDE! Pockets of coolish air in the shade, like near the chicken coop, but otherwise it's this glorious autumnal weather that makes up for all the gray summer days we receive. Currently I'm dressed in capri leggings and a short sleeved t-shirt. Like it's July, though even here in July long leggings are my norm. I'm grateful it's not cold because Owl Chicken is so bedraggled in her molting appearance, what a sight she is! She still looks like a big pullet, but handles her situation with aplomb when Ruthie tries to assert herself. Owl doesn't take crap from any other hen. We have guests this weekend, a couple of my husband's high school budd...

  Above is most of a fourteen-inch high by twenty-inch wide section of blues for a wall hanging I'm crafting with two other quilters. Blue is the bottom hue, topped by green, then orange, then yellow. Starting with my fave colour, I'll be going upward as time allows, but I'm pleased with starting this and definitely looking forward to sewing more! In part that the fabrics are a collaboration, hehehe, a few of my Karen Nyberg Ocean prints in this piece, which I have shared with my quilting companions. Also a yellow woven, not loose-woven, though I plan to put some loosely woven fabric in my yellow section. Need to allow a wide seam allowance for that fabric, as well as any other wovens I include. I've been reading a book about saints for a few months, not Butler's Lives of the Saints , though Alban Butler was yesterday's saint of the day. All Saints by Robert Ellsberg is a fascinating collection of canonized saints and saintly people; Fannie Lou Hamer and Dietr...

Today's view of Peace Round the World. More about that soon! Writing not as a career but not keeping novels in a drawer either.... Maybe another twenty years of writing post. Oh and an update on chickens, Owl in particular, the poor scraggly hen. Let's begin with Owl Chicken; she looks, um, sad. Terrible actually, even in this chickie-mama's opinion, lol. None of the hens who have molted have lost as many feathers as Owl and I wonder if when Camilla molts, will she somehow try to appear even less appealing, in her I'm the Alpha Hen even in the worst circumstances sort of way. Pullet-sized Owl a few hours ago, bless her! I have no idea as Camilla is keeping a tight lid on her molting timeline. Regardless, Owl is getting the bulk of it done before weather gets chilly. Good on ya Owl Chicken! As for the writing, or rather revisions.... I'm nearly a third of the way through a read-aloud with The Deadfern Miracles . It's always revelatory when reading one's stor...

Guests have gone, a quiet house this evening. Fog rolled in a couple of hours ago and my goodness it's as thick as it was early this morning. Family has landed in their respective domiciles where it's not at all marine-layer-like, lol. Funny how within one state, albeit a large state, the weather and climates can be so different. I think I'll sleep well tonight, pondering how being close to routine still feels a little strange. Hosting several beloveds became immediately normal and now that altered normalcy is quiet, foggy, autumnal. Earlier sunsets and later sunrises get a little lost in the card game shuffle, long chats, and lots of dishes washed. Now it's truly October, very much fall, and with four molting hens to boot, lots of change occurring. Ruthie on the baby perch while Cami looks on. Photo courtesy of my husband from this evening. Cami and Owl are both looking scraggly, Welsummer as well, though she still has tail feathers. Camilla is hinting at the molt, wha...

It's late for me. I'm weary but in the best beloveds are visiting way. And tonight I completed a round on the Peace Round the World quilt. Here's a picture.   I'd love to say more, however I really am about to fall over into my laptop keyboard. Suffice to say it's the last day of September and I'm moving forward with this quilt, YAY! Have a lovely rest of the week out there....