A Month at the Beach

2025 did not get off to a great start for us; I had to right away contend with some family drama in my own home, and then our brother-in-law fell gravely ill, was moved to hospice and passed away in Tampa. Other issues I'd rather avoid talking about did not contribute anything positive.

Stress causes my arthritis to flare up, as does having to travel long distances, and my hands quickly bore the brunt of that. Since crochet is the one fiber art I can do even when my hands hurt, I looked for and found a free pattern online and decided to make a throw for myself.

I have tons of thrifted yarn, of course, so I didn't buy any new for the project, but instead shopped my stash for the colors I wanted. I imagined a throw like sitting on beach sand and watching the tide come in.

The pattern seems challenging but is actually pretty simple, and soon I was able to work on the throw without having to think about it.

Every night I spent a couple of hours working on it, which helped me deal with the stress and find my calm again.

The colorblock palette may seem a bit weird, but it is how I see the beach when I'm sitting on the sand. I loved every minute I spent on this project.

The end result. Couldn't be happier with it, and by making it I saved fourteen skeins of thrifted yarn from the landfills.

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Wishing

I submitted book one of my NA series for professional review and consideration, and in return I was praised for the work and provided with excellent feedback. Now I have some changes to contemplate, and decisions to make about the future. I have a couple of different directions to take, which makes the deciding part a challenge. At times like these I wish I had a crystal ball so I could see the outcome of every choice. Wouldn't life be easier if we could do that? Image by Matthias Böckel from Pixabay

Downtown Discovery

My guy and I are taking time each week to walk around the downtown areas of places we've never had time before to visit, which is how I came across a lovely fiber art supplies shop wth amazing handspun art yarns and hand-dyed embroidery threads from local artists. Fine silk embroidery thread is literally impossible to find in my part of the country, but not anymore. I also loved the amazing selection of hand-dyed flosses. I even found some tiny seed beads for my current project, and a gift for a quilter friend. While I try to thrift as much as I can for my art quilting and embroidery these days, I love the chance to support our my local weavers and dexters.

Of Kork

On the second day of March I overslept. I spent ten hours sleeping, which is very unusual for me. This is because I've suffered from insomnia most of my life, but since making significant changes (like acquiring my current day job, which allowed me to escape all the toxic people I had to deal with in my old job) I sleep much better. These days I usual manage six or seven hours sleep, and if I'm very lucky eight. But ten? I sleep that much only a couple times a year, and generally only when I'm sick. Dreams might be to blame. I remember the night was filled with them, all lovely. I traveled across Europe, I walked the streets of old cities and met lots of interesting people. In one city I stopped by an engagement party where a very attractive couple were exchanging signed contracts. The groom showed me his, and I read these words: "Course shall become Kork." I understood then that they meant to be together forever, and that it was a reincarnation co...

Rayen

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