In the moment

 

 

Last week I read a post on one of my favorite blogs about living in the moment and at the same time looking forward. I've been thinking about it ever since and have been trying to get my thoughts together to write my own post on this.

I'm really big on looking forward. So much so that I often miss the immediate here and now. I've always been this way. As a child, I had to know what was going to happen next and after that and after that and...well you get the idea.

As I get older I seem to be getting worse. And at no time is it more apparent than in the summer. Summers in the south can be an evil thing. Temps. and humidity combine day after day to give a heat index hovering at 100. The air shimmers with heat, all the plants wilt in the mid-day sauna, and all I can do is sit inside under the AC counting the days until the most malevolent (at least to me) of seasons is just a sweaty memory. You would think the gardener in me would be wallowing in the verdant promise of everything I sowed in the blush of springtime. The very act of planting anything is the epitomy of looking forward. Tomatoes planted in April won't give up their gifts until July. Likewise for anything else you plant.

But this summer I am trying very hard to live in the moment even as I tend my garden and look forward as I do so. I even managed to enjoy the cicadias as they droned on and on for weeks and because I really listened this year, I was able to distinguish their last buzzings as they completed the noisey stage in their life cycle. I am taking note of when certain insects appear and writing it down for next year. (See I just can't help myself). I sit outside late at night and really enjoy the fireflies as I enhale the perfume from my Petunias and the Basil as a warm breeze brings the scent to my nose. It does seem to be working. I can't believe July is this week. Let's see, that means only about 10 more weeks til Autumn right?

silly us...

On summer evenings after the sun goes down and I've developed the habit of going out for a "sit" on my front porch swing. It's much cooler at this time and I love the quiet. Some evenings you can see flashed of lightening and thunder off in the distance as it grumbles its way across the sky. On cloud-free evenings, the starts look like diamonds on deep dark blue/black velvet. So pretty.

As I sat and enjoyed my time outside last night, I remembered a funny memory involving me, my oldest daughter and my youngest. The middle daughter had married and left home. Every night late we would meet in the kitchen for some kind of midnight snack and then head to the porch. The MOTH was already in bed, so we felt oh-so-brave even being out there in the first place. We would swing and rock in the rockers goofing off and talking about just whatever. And then suddenly, one of us would say, "What was that?! Did you see that/hear that?!" Total silence would fall as we each imagined some scarey SOMETHING lurking at the edge of the woods, ready to rush our front porch and carry us away. Ummph, fat chance of getting this particular 3 females. We all would jump up, squeeling and nearly knock each other down trying to get to the front door first. Motherly love never even entered my mind at those times, I just wanted IN. Once safe on the other side of the locked door, we would ponder what must be out there, then laugh at our goofy antics of trying to get inside first vowing never to do THAT again. Fast forward to the next night, same 3 females, same old ending. Silly, silly us.

There is nothing

really blog worthy happening around here, but I need to try and post at least a couple of times a week, or I feel guilty. Blog Guilt just what I need.

We had a quiet Father's Day. Our youngest called with well wished and tommorow night our middle daughter and her family is taking us out to dinner. I gifted the MOTH with a hefty gift card to one of his favorite stores, so he was a happy camper.

I think I may be harvesting beans later in the week from my little bean patch! They are growing so fast you can almost watch 'em do it. And this evening I cut a huge bundle of lavender from my bush. I want to make some lavender wands if I can scrounge up some narrow ribbon from my stash.

Yesterday I bought gorgeous red and white fabric to have a wing chair that has seen better days recovered. It will look so pretty, perky, and cottagey when done.

The week ahead may contain a short roadtrip, not sure. That will break up the routine somewhat. I stay home much more than usual with the gas prices being what they are, so it will be nice to get out and about. Plus I will be visiting my sister and we always find ways to entertain ourselves. And so the summer begins it long, steamy, slow-paced march. Days sometimes broken by sudden rainstorms that leave everything a little greener and the air perfumed with that earthy aroma of dirt-splashed plants and revived grass blades. It is not my favorite season, but it helps me appreciate and look forward to my much-loved Autumn. For now, I'm sitting in the air conditioning and looking ahead to September.

gr....hopefully 3's a charm

 

I am so frustrated with Blogger right now. I have written out long posts 3 times now and each time, it has all disappeared into cyberspace. Very aggravating let me tell 'ya. So here goes again.

See this cute little ensemble? That's for my 5 year old granddaughter. The pattern is from a book of Japanese children's wear and I am loving everything in it. You can't tell from my picture, but the pants have a real Asian cut to them. They are made from pink linen to match the flamingoes in the top. The top is kinda long-maybe knee length. The whole thing is so over the top cute on my girl. I think I will make more. I may make some to sell on my friend Amy's site Inspireco next spring because...

Amy has asked me to be in her online zine at ther website!!! Wow, I am so excited and a little nervous that what I make may not sell. I want it to do well for her sake. As for me, if it doesn't sell, I have plenty of little chickies that would take it in a hearbeat. Amy features a different artist (no I'm NOT an artist, but most of the people she features are. I just couldn't think of another word to use) every two weeks. They get to sell their wares during that time and also provide an easy to do project for her readers. Have no idea what I will do in that department.

It's so hot here! And gas is pricey! So I am hunkered down in the house, doing laundry, cooking, and cleaning . In between I am sewing and knitting lots of little delectablbe wearables for some delectable little girls in my life. Can't wait to finish some of it and show everyone. In the evenings when it cools off some, I go out to do a little poking about in my little garden patches that are here and there in my yard. Last night we had our first broccoli from my garden! I get so excited over stuff like that. "I grew this" I'm thinking the entire time I am preparing it and eating it. So fun.

Thunder! It has started to thunder here so that means I've got to unplug the computer because bad weather can really mess my dial-up big time. Hopefully, there will be some rain to go with that thunder.

Looky here!

I just found a neat blog/etsy site. Here's the link: http://zuill.us/andreablog/
Oh, and thanks to my big sis for teaching me how to put a link in a post. I am a dumby I know, when it comes to computers. The prints and embroidery patterns are so unique I want them all! I'm thinking these prints would be a neat thing to start as a collection for my grandgirls.

Housecleaning has been the rule of the day here. Hate it. Love the effect, but hate the process. Boring. Cooking mostly I love. Somedays not. Tonight I am trying some recipes from Marhta Stewart. Summer Bread Salad and Salt and Pepper Grilled Chicken. Sounds so good and summery.

I only have four more yo-yo's to make! Then I can start putting together my little Idea. I hope after all this cutting and gathering of circles that I like the finished project.

My dining room table is absolutely covered with fabric. My tables in my sewing room are so covered wtih stuff that I have to use the diningroom table to cut stuff out. That should tell you a little something about the state of my sewingroom. And it's a big room. Lucky me. Messy me. Anyway, there is fabric and patterns for about 4 or 5 garments on the table. All for my little grands. I have a new Japanese children's pattern book and I am using it for actual patterns and inspiration. I have something cute going for the 5 year old that I can't wait to finsih. You wanna know what she is most excited about tho? The cheap Hannah Montanna satin I got at Wally world to make her a pair of Muu-Muu pants from. Go figure.

"romp and circumstance"

Only one thing would have me sitting in a smelly gymnasium on rickety bleachers at 8:30 in the morning. That one thing being watching a granddaughter graduate from Kindergarten.

Kindergarten age kids have it all figured out. They know when an occasion calls for exuberance and they aren't afraid to show it. As we watched all 60 or so kids walk through the arch and receive their "diploma", it was fun to see how some of them expressed their feelings regarding the occasion. Some skipped across the gym floor, one or two waved, there was even a curtsy, and some walked soldier-straight, but they all were wearing big smiles as they enjoyed their brief moment in the sun.

After graduation, the MOTH and I took our little graduate out for breakfast and enjoyed listening to her commentary regarding the morning. Her mom and pop took her to Dollywood for the afternoon and then we all met at a fantastic icecream parlor this evening.

And just in case you doubt that the kindergarten set doesn't have the best outlook on life let me relate a little experience my daughter had this past week with our favorite 5 year old. She was cleaning out the goldfish bowl, when one of the little slippery orange things accidentally went on the swim of his life down the kitchen drain. Horrified, not so much at the fish's fate, but at Hilary's reaction she nervously told her what had happened. Hilary's reaction caught her mom by complete surprise. On hearing the news, she said, "Well, he just grew up! I am so proud of him!" I don't think she'll have any problems with empty nest syndrome when her own children take their swim down the drain if this reaction is any indication.