2022 Happy To Be Here

 The calligraphy practice has helped me improve on what little calligraphy I did, but I was getting very stressed about getting actual scrolls done.  In steps the friend that does the occasional scroll and happens to be in the studio below us.  He stepped up to the plate and created some nice scrolls for what I need them for.  Nothing elaborate, just simple in design (not that it isn't hard work) and beautiful.  No finished pictures until after they are given out.   I tried painting today too, so that I might be able to do something for these scrolls.  Unfortunately, none of these skills come naturally to me and I must practice if I want to do anything at all.  In the end, I am super happy that I at least tried.  Other happy things from today: The two bands that I finished weaving are off the loom and the ends are stitched so they hopefully don't unravel.  Keziah got the three that my friend wove today and they are in the van....

There are things that are hard for me after Pennsic.  To name a few: Getting back to routines, being inside, and wearing pants (and not gowns).  Since three years had gone by between Pennsics this time I forced the pants on early and am good with that.  It took a few days, but being inside is better.  Having to go back to work and being too tired to be outside much helped.  I'm still working on the routines though.  Or perhaps, I'm resisting some of the routines--like the dishes!  Haha!  Or reading regularly.  Here are some happy things from today: --At Pennsic, there were people.  People in camp or in passing.  Sometimes, for this introvert, there were too many people.  Still, being with people can be good.  So tonight I went to craft night and there were some people.   I could sit in my corner and listen, like introverts do, and only enter in conversation if I wanted.   --Not only were there people, b...

 It was a good and relaxing day.  Let me share with you some things that were happy for me today: There were some tracks in the driveway brought to my attention this morning.  I believe them to be mouse tracks, but I'm still learning. Keziah and I went to the studio where we cleaned and reorganized the place.  We also put together a shelving unit to keep things better organized.  I should've taken a picture! Sometimes when walking upstairs a person will bump their foot on the stair ahead of them.  Sometimes when this happens and the stairs are painted, the paint chips.  Sometimes what is left is a blotch.  Sometimes what is left is a polar bear.  I like to think that the building where the studio is wants art to exist so much that it just happens accidentally.  When I go up the stairs at the studio and see the polar bear it makes me happy.   I learned that previous Baronial heads of Stonemarche gifted small stones to the incom...

 Happy Friday.  We had a rain/ice/snowy day that I began with an appointment.  Again I asked Zed to drive and he was gracious enough to do so.   While I was at the appointment he found a coffee shop that had a lovely blueberry donut that was apparently gluten free.  It was yummy.  Other happy things from today: Bel and I had a wonderful phone call today.  We don't talk much when there is 2000 miles between us.  It was great to have a catch-up conversation today. There was something I will call a wall sculplture at the appointment that I thought was really cool looking. My friend Amy gave me some magnet bookmarks for Christmas that I finally got to use.  I found the book I was reading on Mount Washington and replaced a receipt with the magnet.  They are neat and I think I will enjoy using them. Aesop and I had a good walk today.  He has been pulling more, probably because we have had less walks with the cold weather.  By t...

 According to my memories on Facebook today is the third anniversary of Keziah and I stepping into the positions of Baron and Baroness of Stonemarche.  Some of our first year we filled with going to SCA events, helping to rewrite baronial policies and trying to be involved with our group.  Then Covid hit the world and I feel that, like many others, we hunkered down and only popped up when we had to.   Things will never be the same.  It has been, and continues to be, an honor to be in this position.  That said, I am looking forward to warmer weather when we can go outside and people can be together in whatever ways we can find, safely. Another happy thing for today is that I made it to day 25 of the A&S challenge.  I completed another row on my latch hook.  This challenge has been good to me so far.  It has helped me believe that I might actually be able to complete some projects. ☮ Currently reading:  Faith Hacker , by James ‘Ji...

 As I sit, alone, in the studio I am again filled with gratitude and happiness at having this space to use.  I say alone, but there are others, friends and probably people I have yet to meet, in the building as well.  Today Keziah stayed home though.  I have worked on the braiding for what will someday be a braided rug and I have spent some time meditating.  The chair that I tend to use I keep moving slightly to chase the sun.  All seems right in my little corner of the room.  Other, or more detail of,  happy things for today: Before going shopping today and picking up a pair of earbuds, I searched my room more for the ones I lost and found them.  Yay!  Listening to music at the studio with them is polite.  Dancing around the studio to music only I can hear is fun. The yoga mat was placed in a sun beam before I practiced meditating.   With my back on the yoga mat I looked up to the ceiling to see that someone had drawn so...

 It has been around a year, maybe longer, that Keziah has been hoping to rent a studio at a local art school.  Today that finally happened.  Officially it will be February 1st, but she and I are going to split the cost and rent this space.  We are SO excited!!  There are still things left there from the previous tenant.  We went in and swept the place out today and I think we are going to move things around a little more tomorrow.  We want to make sure that the things that don't belong to us that we can't use are separate or out of there before we move things in.  In the beginning, for me, I will be bringing some of my things there to organize, like boxes of photos.  My loom will fit in there though.  I have a floor loom that a friend is keeping for me in his barn.  I'm looking forward to making the time to work there doing whatever. One half... The other half. Other happy things for today: Graffiti and art in the studio. Winston, ...