Fuchsia
Originally uploaded by norvegal
I feel the need to wipe that last post away and start anew. Whoever stole the shawl deserves no more attention - except one day, I hope, from a patient therapist who can help unravel the brokenness that prompted him or her to do such a thing.
I've moved on.
It is now officially summer. The combination of TNNA, Knitter's Connection, and a terrifyingly close book deadline (still looming) have set me back several weeks in terms of the garden.
They say around here that you really shouldn't plant your garden until July 4th, and I never believe them. But this year I tried it, because I had no choice, and things are going gangbusters.
All sorts of lettuces, radishes and carrots and peppers and zucchinis and cucumbers and tomatoes and herbs and fresh peas and oh, my goodness, the strawberries. So many strawberries.
What an unspeakable luxury to be able to walk out one's door, stroll down a grassy path, and pluck fresh berries from your own soil -- and pop the still-warm-from-the-sun berries right into your mouth.
It's almost as exquisite as I imagine it must be to shear, wash, card, spin, knit, and wear the fibers from an animal you lovingly raised in your own field. Some day, perhaps.
The peonies waited until I returned from TNNA to bloom, bless their giant sweet-smelling hearts.
These days it seems easier than ever to get drawn away from those things that make you happy. Sometimes it's just a matter of stopping for a moment and recalibrating your compass. A quick self-check tells me the following truths. Strawberries and peonies make me happy. Watching my cat sleep, relaxed and trusting in my presence, makes me happy. Yarn and fibers make me happy. Kindness and optimism and honesty make me happy. Organizations like this and this make me happy. Hearing my new baby nephew cry for the first time, just two weeks, ago made me very happy. And watching this guy renews my hope and also makes me happy.
What makes you happy?
