Rayen

I invested in both books of Rachel Gillig's Shepherd King duology because 1) it supported my favorite indy bookstore, 2) I wanted to try a new-to-me author and 3) I haven't read any gothic fantasy (actually I didn't know there was such a genre, so there's my excuse.) The author seems to be extremely well educated, working as a teacher and an artist before trying her hand at the Publishing biz. Orbit did a great job with the cover art. The books are hefty. Those are the positives. I did read the first book up until page 113, which was a deliberate extra effort on my part. When I don't care for a novel, I rarely go beyond thirty pages. Life is too short to waste on books that leave me cold. So I feel that I did give the author a pretty fair chance to engage me and convince me of her universe. The story did not, alas. While the characters were obviously, painstakingly crafted, none were sympathetic. Out of boredom I found myself rooting for a while for...

If you'd like to see how I clean the vintage textiles I acquire (those that are in washable condition, naturally) check out my Vintage Textile Laundry Day album of pics here .

My guy and I spent the day out walking and antiquing in Oviedo, and had a lot of fun. While at the Coop Antiques I found a few things that I couldn't resist, so they came home with me. Restoring this vintage mini wicker hamper into a storage container/holder for things I use for my morning and evening meditation is a new summer project. This handmade bracelet is even prettier in person. I'll use this patriotic basket for our Independence Day celebration. This mason jar of vintage scraps came from the same seller who has such fantastic feedsack pieces in their booth. Speaking of feedsack, I found an old sack that will serve as the foundation fabric for the July tote for my calendar project. I also brought home some plain feedsack, which is so hard to find these days it's practically non-existant. Now that I've indulged in retail therapy, it's time to finish all of June's outstanding projects before July arrives. Stay tuned to t...

When our nephew moved in with us my guy and I agreed to accept money from him each month as rent -- at least, that's what our nephew thought. In reality we don't want his money, but he was too proud to live with us for free. So we put it aside and saved it for when he bought his new house. We intended to give it all back to him as a house-warming gift so he has the cash for all the expenses that come with a new home. The funny thing is that every time we go out I ask my nephew if he needs anything, and he always says "a bag of money." That's why I embroidered the label for this bag. Forgive the blurriness of these pics; he moves fast. He also had no idea when he came back from closing on the new house that he was getting this. He thought it was a joke, until he looked inside and saw it was, actually a bag of money. He started to refuse it, at which point I stepped in with a threat so dire -- and genuine -- that he had no choice but to accept t...

When my guy and I visit Snooky Park in Lady Lake it's to walk the half-mile path around it, and to enjoy the outdoors. Generally the only people there are walkers like us, either alone or with their pets or babies. Everyone is very quiet, in the same way they are inside a church. The park is named after a local boy who perished on board the Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was only 21 years old. In a way that always affects how I am when we visit. Calm, but also contemplative about the nature of life. Ageing is not a privilege that is given to everyone. There's one tree in particular at the park that my guy and I both stand in awe of -- this one. This tree might be as old as our country, and has been through hurricanes, endless summers of sometimes impossibly hot days and nights, and maybe even lightning strikes. It's old and scarred, and definitely stronger than the other, younger trees around it -- not because it's got so much damage. Bec...

Having too many projects going at the same time left me unwilling to start another until I finished one, so I waited to jump on my June tote for my calendar project. I also had a problem to solve with the fabric remnants I wanted to use for it, in that I needed complimentary solid fabric to top it on both sides. I have very little of that in my stash, and no fabric stores near me except Hobby Lobby (where I won't shop), so I decided to thrift the fabric. After we walked a park in Lady Lake I stopped by a thrift store across the street and found some excellent candidates: queen sheets and pillowcases. The pillowcases were $1.00 each, and the sheets were $4.00 (blue) and $2.00 on sale (green), for a total of $8.56. All of them are in new condition. Why do sheets work so well as fabric? A flat queen sheet is 90" X 102", which is almost three yards of 90" fabric. Try to buy that new for a couple of bucks. You do have to trim off the top fold and seams, ...

I am being rather annoying about Independence Day this year, but it is America's 250th birthday. Also, I probably won't have too many more chances to celebrate Independence Day in the future. I plan to go to town and watch the hometown parade we always have, and then make a big dinner with lots of treats and wrap up everything with a special dessert and maybe some sparklers. That's all. It's mostly work for me. Why not? I am a patriotic person, and I don't care if it's unfashionable, too much work or a holiday no one cares about. I care. Anyway, I've been collecting little things to use on the fourth. A red white and blue ceramic chip tray with dip bowls decorated with fireworks. Some flag-inspired hot pads. My guy bought some banners to hang on our house, and mini flags to put out along the front walk. I'm also planning a delicious and yet healthy for me meal with lots of protein, veggies, and one or two things that I can nibble on tha...

Because I often make desserts and things for the boys that I can't eat myself, I've been looking for small portion recipes I can make for me. That's why I'm having fun trying Claire Risper's one serving recipes while tweaking them to be sugarfree and diabetic friendly. This apple pie is one I made into a sugarfree galette with a mostly almond flour crust for Easter, and while I didn't take a pic of it, the dessert came out very nice (and small!) If you don't have diabetic needs then you can just follow her recipes as she presents them. Her one-portion videos are smart, easy and it's a great way to make a little something for yourself.

Pretty Crazy is a Korean romantic comedy movie about demonic possession, if there is such a thing in any universe, but it is quite amusing and doesn't come with the usual ejections of pea soup we have in the west. It's very clever, well-written and has a somewhat sad turn of events, but nothing that will make you want to throw anything at your screen. The story: Jeong Seon-ji (Lim Yoona) is a baker who lives with her father and cousin, and moves in beneath Gil-goo (Ahn Bo-hyun), an unemployed man who has no skills other than winning prizes from claw machines. From the very first night Gil-goo not only falls for the lovely, gentle and quiet Seon-ji, but also witnesses her demonstrating some bizarre behavior in the middle of the night. In short order Gil-goo discovers his crush is possessed by a demon that wakes up every night at 2 am and must be appeased or she becomes a one-demon wrecking ball. Seon-ji's dad throws out his back trying to cope, and hires Gil-goo t...

There's a lot to stress over this summer, which prompted me to make some changes to maintain a positive attitude while I manage everything. If you're in a similar boat, here are: Ten Things I'm Doing to Reduce My Stress Baking: Cooking is therapy for me, and baking is my favorite form. Yesterday I baked a new batch of my guys' favoriter bagels, and last night I made apple turnovers for them. Crochet Every Day: I regain a lot of peace and calm from crocheting in my spare time. It's also great physical therapy for my hands. Focus: For the first time in my life I am taking active charge of not only what I think, but how I think. My goal is to be present in this moment, not dwell on the past or worry about the future. Today, right now, is where I am and where I need to be. Generosity: I've always been a generous person, but I'm trying to incorporate one act of kindness every day. It's not anything gradiose, usually just a nice gesture...

My annual visit to the optometrist last week did not go well. Among other problems I am developing posterior capsule opacification (secondary cataracts) again, which means another eye surgery. Specifically laser surgery, which is much easier on me than when they cut into my eyes, but I won't know for sure what the treatment is until I go and see my surgeon. I came away from the appointment rather depressed, but I meditated and napped and when I woke up the next morning my head was in a better place and I've regained most of my calm. This will be the Summer from Hell, apparently, but dwelling on what might happen or how unfair it is (three eye surgeries for someone who is terrified of eye surgery!) won't change anything. Live in the now rather than worry about the future. This is what happens in old age, and it's best not to let it destroy one's peace. The funny thing is that my guy and I presently have to juggle our health conditions. Of course I need surg...

The thrifted Vera Bradley purse I'm presently carrying has, like the last one I patched, developed some fabric wear holes after only a month of daily use. This one has them on both sides of the purse. I think it's the cheap fabric, which seems to be deteriorating due to thinness and age (I wasn't banging the purse into anything.) My fix was a quick one -- sew two small white doilies over the wear spots to keep them from getting worse. I'll likely switch out my purse again soon and wash this one to see if the doily repair holds. I guess the fabric wear is going to be a continual challenge.

While out hunting two small doilies for a purse repair project I caved into the temptation to buy two more mystery bags of jewelry, one with brooches and the other with bracelets. I already know I'll get more than I expect from this mystery bag seller. At another antique place I also invested in a vintage tin, a jewelry jar and a small handmade zippered pouch for my stitch markers. Here are the brooches that came in the first mystery bag. Beautiful! I'm already planning an Art Deco tote around the pearl/gold chain piece. The bracelets were awesome, too. They're all stretchy, which is easier for me to put on and take off. I thought the jewelry jar would have a mix of things, but nope, it was filled with five more bracelets. This is perfect for me because it's the only jewelry I wear everyday. I love them all. :)

Pick Up Limes had a short video about taking a color walk as a mindfulness exercise, so I tried it and had a lot of fun. To follow in my footsteps, check out my album of pics here.

With my nephew moving out, my favorite person coming for an extended visit, and my guy needing minor surgery, as well as a project I need to finish for my day job, my quiet life is suddenly becoming very chaotic. Pressure mounts as I try to manage the additional tasks as well as everyone's expectations of me. This time, however, a lot has changed in my ability to do so, thanks to some changes I've made in how I perceive and address the expectations of others. Actions versus Expectations: As always I do what I can, but I no longer overextend myself, especially while others who create the work for me stand by doing nothing and/or criticize me for not satisfying their requirements. I am not a machine. Nor do I beat myself up if I can't make them happy. That's their problem, not mine. Calming Meditation: I have a new habit in the mornings, in that I'm choosing a spiritual teaching to focus on that day, and also to meditate on as I walk the dogs or do my chor...

I do like stories about mythological foxes, and used one in a project for work, so when I saw the clever cover art for Yangsze Choo's The Fox Wife I had to invest in a new copy. This turned out to be a very good way to spend book money. The historical fantasy story begins in 1908 China, and told from two points of view: Bao, an older detective investigating a strange death, and Snow, a shape shifting fox who wants revenge for her murdered child. At first I wasn't sure I'd like it -- the fox's grief and the detective's rapidly declining health both seemed depressing and dark -- but the story does capture and hold the attention by not focusing on either but absorbing you into their adventures. Eventually Bao and Snow meet, and then everything they have been chasing comes to an unusual climax that is unexpectedly upbeat. Upsides: The writing is beautiful, spare, and wonderfully experienced. This may be the author's third novel but she writes like she...

Last week I woke up right before sunrise, thanks to Shadow, who can't stand to let me sleep in. Since I wasn't all that tired I got up to let the dogs out, and saw an unusual sight: the sky beginning to turn lavender. I can't remember ever seeing a lavender sky at sunrise, so I decided to take some pics. Only the first one really showed the color, and only when I boosted the color saturation to 75%. I've always tried to remember to look at the sky, which for me is a metaphor for the self, at least a couple times every day. In a sense I was as lavender in the moment as the sky was. Lavender is a gentle, quiet, soothing color to me. Lavender and chamomile are my favorite calming tea blend. The color is not as in your face as purple, or as dark as violet, but softer and much more serene. Seeing this lovely sunrise left me feeling calmer and more peaceful, which is a wonderful way to start the day. As I walked back to my home office I wondered how many o...

Last weekend my guy and I were able to go to the Classic Car Show in Daytona Beach, and saw some gorgeous vehicles. A 64 Impala (my first car) brought back lots of frustrated parking memories -- it still looks like a boat! and there were some awesome customized beauties, too. To admire what we saw, check out my photo album here.

This year summer begins on June 21st, which at the time this post publishes will be nine days away. Summer is my favorite season of the year for many reasons, including all the lovely green growing things, the long days, the rain storms that often lull me to sleep, and yes, the heat. I grew up in South Florida where there are hot temperatures basically year-round, and the heat of summer is the only time of year that feels comfortable to me. I don't know exactly when I began looking forward to summer so much every year, but it was probably because of school ending. I did not like school at all, so I was always beyond happy for summer vacation. Three months of being able to go to the library when I wanted, ride my bike when I wanted, and play in the park were better than Christmas for me. Almost better than Halloween, too. :) We used to go to the beach most often in summer, and I miss that terribly. This year I want to go as often as possible with my guy. The beach i...

While at the antique mall where my donated throws were being sold I saw this pretty portait of a frog made out of beads, brooches, necklaces and other bling, and had to take a photo of it. This artist is so clever with how they recycle vintage jewelry and findings into new art. That day this little guy came home with me. He was cheap, made from a very old crazy quilt, very shabby, and has a serene quality that primitives sometimes possess. He'll be hanging out with me in the sewing room. Was it necessary to buy this? Nope. Do I regret the purchase? Nope. I also bought this apothecary jar filled with buttons, threads and other wonders. If you want to sort through it with me, check out more pics here .