Another wonderful year

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The centre of my Alexandria Quilt; I do like me some blue!

Today's title emerges wholly from the desire to embrace all that is good in this world. maybe that's an excellent way to begin the year, or perhaps foolish. I suppose it's better to start off thinking positively, being mindful of blessings, according them all due. Life might get sticky later on, but how about some warm vibes to usher in 2023.

It's raining here, an alternate kind of brightness. We're hoping for an exceedingly wet winter, and this week's forecast is plenty of precipitation! I received several new mugs for Christmas, perfect for plentiful cups of piping hot beverages. And some nice coffee was also gifted, which I'll enjoy until it's gone.

Today's photo is of my Alexandria quilt; it's certainly coming along, and despite thinking I would work on it every other day, I can't stop sewing on it. Right now it's in a sew and sew again mode; I can't cut fabric for new sections until I stitch together all you see on my table, not really a conundrum, more of an impetus to thread needles, then get to the hand sewing! I'm pleasantly surprised at how it has become my quilting focus, other projects taking a backseat, although last night I completed a random 8-point diamond block that I think I'm going to include in my Cornflower quilt despite it not having an octagonal center or green diamonds on the perimeter. It will be a nice random block in the quilt, which has no set-in-stone end date or home.

As for the writing, most days I've been revising a few chapters of The Earthen Chronicles Book 1 (TEC), although that hasn't yet occurred today. I do think I am going to offer the entire series of That Which Can Be Remembered as a boxed set, maybe aiming for a late January release? I was mulling over when to publish TEC, perhaps in late April/early May. Then if I get the second book written, it can be released around the end of the year. I don't feel compelled to rush that series, at least with a sequel still so formless. Maybe once it's done and I have a firm grasp of where this saga is headed, I'll feel more expedience is required.

2023 is beginning with plenty of rain and one take-over-the-sewing-table kind of quilt but not much else clearly defined. I chalk that up to this post-Covid world, a beloved still fighting cancer, and my own aging. I'm fifty-six years old, and while I feel well, emotionally I'm in a strange place, partly due to the earthquake; a 5.4 aftershock occurred yesterday morning while we were at church, although the shock's rolling nature caused no tangible damage. And actually, it serves as a good benchmark, that a non-jolty-jerking 5.4 quake is FINE (and that our original 6.4 quake REALLY WAS a lot stronger than that 6.4 indicates)! Yet we left the service early, as did others, slipping out while our pastor quickly made a phone call, confirming loved ones were okay. Nature butts up against all our human desires, putting a lot in perspective. Yet all those basted shapes you see above were right where I had left them, only a page-a-day calendar splayed out, easily rectified. Breathing deeply, I start off this year with plans for afternoon stitching, maybe some editing, definitely laundry to do and dishes to wash. And an extreme gratitude for another moment to proffer my talents in whatever manner necessary. We've been shaken and stirred, but still standing. Lead on January, I'm (mostly) ready for what comes next.

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