A Contemplative Life

Chicks we call The Clones as it's a little hard to tell them apart, lol. Slow quilt stitching, baby chicks, and a new book distributor.... Where has the first half of 2025 gone? I thought this year would slog along, stuck in a lousy government situation, but no. 2025 is speeding past as quickly, if not more so, than the last ten years have zoomed by. Like sand slipping through my fingers is each day, as though I wake, then suddenly it's four p.m., time to do my stretches! I won't ponder that element of my existence, but I can mull over the changes to my life that certainly has NOT remained as it was previously. Like chickens! LOL. The chicks have had outdoor time the last two days in what will eventually be their run. The first day they practically clung to one another for a good twenty minutes before finally stepping a few inches in their own directions. Today they seemed to recall the grass, the shade (oddly enough they weren't keen on going into the sun), and how muc...

Done! And so much fun in the doing. I finished the Lego rainbow puzzle. Another puzzle is on the table, edge pieces accumulated. It's more monotone, not sure how it's going to be. I am SO PLEASED to have these in my stash and cannot WAIT to use them! In fabric news, I've accumulated several prints from Guicy Guice's Entwine collection from 2021(???). I'd wanted to EPP these beauties into a quilt, then considered machine-piecing them instead. Then today I stacked up what I've gathered, some extra wovens included for good measure, and in doing so realized machine piecing is probably not the correct manner, or at least in stitching squares that would have measured three and a half inches once sewn. Instead I'm back to hand-sewing, or planning to hand-stitch once I've chosen an appropriate fabric for the center X, in white/light cream. As I was telling my husband, English paper piecing with low volume fabrics is tricky, as often the folded-in seam allowance ...

I attended our local April 5th Hands Off protest this afternoon, an AMAZING turnout on a beautifully sunny and warm day. My knee cooperated, especially as I kept moving, saying howdy to those I've met at previous rallies, also noting that I hoped to not run into them again. Their knowing smiles spoke the same. During this Lenten season, I've been able to maintain my PMA via prayer, reading, meditation on said texts, revising Brave the Skies for a Monday release and of course sewing. Lots of sewing on loads of projects, lol. I wonder if my copious collection of both EPP and Kawandi-style items makes up for scattered thoughts, probably. I've fashioned a few coasters with orphan English paper pieced blocks; they come together easily, actually more quickly than I thought they would. I like having timely finishes, makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something. Protesting relieves my heart, but for now, not much emerges from it other than personal peace. Small and large bloc...

Pondering why I write, sew, or do anything really. Lol. That could easily be the blurb for this blog! Or life, if life manages to free up a few moments for said introspection. I had some last night after the latest trio of hexagon blocks were attached to Alexandria; I stared at one from the previous round, made with yellow fabric from a fat eighth surrounding some beautiful Kaffe Fassett jewels, with a navy hexie nestled inside them. To the right are upside down Anna Maria hearts in blue, also a big LOVE! I studied this block for a good ten minutes as yawns rang the bell for bedtime. Posted a snippet on Bluesky about it, then promptly went to bed! Whether writing or releasing a novel or working on a MAMMOTH English paper-piecing project (EPPP), taking a few minutes to question/admire said project seems to happen less frequently than previously. Not sure if it's because lately I've been up to my armpits in STUFF GOING ON, or if aging seems to allow less time to ponder, which mi...

I'm quite pleased with this to be wholly honest. So, about the quilting! A few days ago I completed a round of Alexandria, Jodi Godfrey's medallion pattern. Much to go before I sleep with this one, hehehe, but now I am FIRMLY into this project, which is good because of how much remains, ahem, and that I wasn't sure I'd finish it. (Kind of like writing a story, then realizing it was going to be VERY LONG, so instead of writing it quietly, it gets released bits at a time even though the author is nowhere near the end. LOL.) When I gave up on Alexandria, it looked like this. Pretty, but so incomplete. Why did I abandon it? A pinched nerve made hand-stitching impossible in February of 2023, and once I could hand-sew again, for whatever reason, I dove into Cornflower quilt blocks. Alexandria laid on a guest bed, or my work table if the bed was needed. I sort of ignored it, busy with writing and sewing other shinies. Well, I kind of ignored it. I kept stitching the next round...

  Last night's accomplishment. Blue and yellow blocks are to remember Ukraine's struggles. To my utter JOY (and no small relief) I am FULL of ENTHUSIASM in my return to Jodi Godfrey's medallion designed Alexandria quilt. W-H-E-W! I've been pining over it for months, but couldn't work on it until after my husband's party because it already takes up space and is only going to grow. Two nights ago I brought down the center, stitched nearly two years ago, then rummaged through the living room tote for hexagon blocks. Then I went to the office looking for another Alexandria tote for basted diamonds. Two totes for one quilt? Oh yes! Meanwhile, I pondered how these medium-to-large EPP projects mirror my medium-to-large book series, lol. Indeed a few parallels going on in my life right now. So, about this quilt. Currently I have four of twelve outer hexagon blocks attached, and am planning (hoping, praying) to continue adding two per night, which includes sewing the bl...

  Folders I kept. The last few days I've been steeped in novels I wrote over eleven years ago. I'd been listening to the playlist connected to these stories, and well.... Pulling up 2007-2013 in the books not currently under construction folder, I clicked on Forever of One Heart Part 1 , scrolled through the manuscript, then began to read. I didn't read anything else until I reached the end of Part 2 , which happened last night. Then I went to bed. After breakfast this morning I got dressed, wearing warm-ish clothes because we're actually receiving rain today. Then I breathed deeply, and from the closet I retrieved a box where I store notes from previous books. The big question was if I had purged the folder for Forever of One Heart a few years back when I did a massive clear-out of that box and another, fully aware I didn't need to keep information for drafts I had no plan to revise and release. Apparently Forever fell into that category, because to my chagrin, ...

Sometimes I forget key moments in my life, like the first book I wrote (and finished) after my brother Joe died, autobiographical in nature. It's tucked away in my computer under the file name enchilada , as in the Whole Enchilada, if you get my drift. I thought about it recently, not sure why other than Joe died when I was thirty-one, which isn't far from when I was twenty-nine, which indeed has been rattling around my gray matter. Maybe if I gather the guts and gumption to read that over that someday, I'll post my thoughts, but that's not what this entry is about. Today I'm rambling about lost EPP blocks, which perhaps subconsciously is connected to someone long gone. Just a sample of a project from what feels like eons ago.... These Lucy Boston blocks are super scrappy, hardly fussy-cut, and languishing at the bottom of a tote specifically for orphan English paper piecing blocks. I had spare minutes before leaving for the dentist this morning, so first I Googled ...

  Snapped at the park this afternoon while my granddaughters made bark chip ice cream cones. I head home tomorrow. The week has been filled with great familial joys, Ted Lasso , too much gluten, several edited chapters of The Hawk , plentiful hand-stitching, and mostly warm weather. I don't know when I'll get around to finishing Season One of Ted Lasso , but I will see this section of my family in just a few weeks. In the meantime.... There are books to revise, perhaps a story to craft, a quilt to throw on the design wall, more EPP to stitch, some garden plots to clear, and memories, oh the marvelous memories of the past seven days. Easter thrills, grandgirl giggles, laughter with my daughter, some outstanding NY bagels and babka. I've greatly missed my hubby, planning an early exit from the SF Bay Area as soon as I have the car packed in the morning. While driving I can mull over the excitement enjoyed since last weekend, with maybe a few book ideas spinning in my head. St...

A few random nasturtiums amid plentiful weeds and a ceramic frog. For all my tidying, much remains amiss, like planters in the garden. And a plethora of EPP projects that live in totes and on other surface areas. And a couple of basted but not yet quilted quilts. And some revised novels itching for release. Mostly I'm aggrieved, for lack of a better word, with all the hand-stitching patterns that I've indulged in over the last few years. I found yet another set of basted pieces waiting for my attention, and yes, I started sewing them together all the while mumbling under my breath at how disorganized is the sewing, and so far flung. A few projects to mix up the evening stitching, sure! Over half a dozen, ummmmm.... Dude, that's kinda excessive. Now maybe if I only sewed by hand, okay. Six, maybe seven projects wouldn't seem so outrageous. But those two quilts waiting for machine and hand-sewing, plus a couple of onesies that require applique, and then books to release.....

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 th...

The photo above was snapped as my hubby and I entered the San Francisco Bay Area, such a lovely weekend spent with family, celebrating Christmas. Suddenly all that hustle and bustle is over; we're back in Humboldt County, where rain fell this morning, high winds experienced, but no loss of power. I've spent today doing laundry, catching up on Christmas cards delivered in our absence, also sewing together a quilt back. Small steps in returning myself to the routine and maybe tomorrow I'll incorporate some editing, woo hoo! The end of the year is nigh, hard to believe 2023 is nearly done. I filled in a second paper calendar this afternoon, which will hang in my office. In reading over letters enclosed in holiday cards, I caught up with several families, lives busy with various activities. Now back at home, I inhale the familiar and embrace tasks basically forgotten while I was away. Granddaughters have a way of doing that, hehehe. I read many books, played board games, did ar...

Amid machine quilting the blanket above (and stitching yet another Ice Cream Soda block), I 'started' my next novel. I put quotes around started because I actually wrote the first chapter in May of last year, then immediately filed it away, moving on with the next literary shiny. Talk about a purpose for scattered fictional prompts! That single chapter, and the five characters within it, became an inadvertent link to a manuscript I wrote at the beginning of this year after a beloved died. I'm all over inadvertentness, because what is attached to inadvertent is really not that off the cuff or out of the blue but fated from far beyond anything I can imagine, and I have a pretty attuned imagination, might I say. It's kind of like making lemonade with a inordinate amount of citrus, although I'd give up the rest of my writing life to bring back someone so dearly loved. However, all of that is out of my hands, so instead I'll start another book and see where that tak...

Photo courtesy of my better half, snapped this morning on his walk. After guests leave, I always want to jump right back into my routine. I LOVE my routine; mornings spent writing, afternoons dabbling with fabrics or enjoying the outdoors. Recently we've had some rain, which curtails the outside activities, but I have plenty of sewing to do, so it's not like I'm bored. Yet this afternoon we discovered our kitchen ceiling was dripping water, um.... Hastily my husband inspected the crawl space on the floor above and sure enough there's a leak. SHOOT! My quilt design wall is in the room with the crawl space, so as we wait for the plumber to arrive, I thought I'd write a post about being in between projects while catching up with this blog. It's not merely the sewing that is on the back burner, but at least with the noveling, I am engaged, although not actually writing. Yet edits are meaningful, and I *think* after I finish this round, I will indeed start the next b...