Prepping for a new season

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Amid a break in yesterday's storm, I snapped the nasturtiums pictured above. The sun shone as though it was May, although today's a flat gray wet mess. Still a month of winter remains, but thankfully February is short, even with the Leap Day. I'm ready for spring, but in the meantime....

There are books to start, EPP blocks to fashion, even some gardening to consider, if no more than admiring the nasturtiums I HOPE won't succumb to a crazy late winter frost in the next few weeks. Despite all the precipitation, I haven't noticed any overt achiness, my hands and knees feeling pretty good. Daylight increases every morning and lengthens each evening, and here in Humboldt the grass is thick and green, albeit super squishy. I wear wellies (rubber boots) when walking outside, which lately hasn't happened much as it's been SO DARN WET. But again I'm grateful we haven't lost power, the basement isn't flooded, and tonight I'll build a fire, enjoying the coziness of crackles and pop amid warming flames.

Mostly I'm excited for a new novel, planning to start that maybe as soon as Wednesday. I'm also jazzed about cutting into fabrics that have dwelled in my stash for over two years, maybe three. Crystal Manning's Lady Bird collection is steeped in flowers, a few birds too, and I've spent recent mornings at my ironing board. I've amassed a decent pile destined for English paper pieced projects, also a few four and a half inch strips set aside for patchwork. All those pretty hues and flowers are definitely getting me ready for spring, although I don't think they'll play into the new fiction much. That's fine, writing and sewing aren't always joined at the hip in my life.

Different colourways make for gorgeous options within one collection; Crystal Manning's Lady Bird.

My life is awash in water, words, and cottons, blending in a manner that makes each day seem not long enough. I spent my late morning reading through The Hawk, reaching the end of what will be Book 2. Where have those fifty-three chapters gone? Where did the last twelve months go, nearly a year since I started my current series. Do I mention time's passage more than I should, yet winter is on the downhill slide here in California, even in Humboldt. Although I write that, then recall it was late last February when snow fell, ahem. Not that I want to get ahead of myself, but yeah, I'm mentally done with winter, ready for a new season, new story lines, new fabrics. Not new nasturtiums though, lol. Those gracing my flowerpots can just keeping growing.

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