2022 Happy To Be Here

Last night I got very little sleep. There was a lot of tossing and turning. So I'm going to make this short. Happy things from today: It is day 100 of the A&S challenge and I am done! I'm certain that I have done more A&S in the last 100 days than the previous ten years. I believe that having a studio will help me continue to do things, but I am ready to not have to craft on working days. I worked on the flower I outlined the other day. I'm kind of making it up as I go along. The forsythia are blooming. That means I can prune the roses. Not today though, today I go to bed early. ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spirit Every Day of the Year , Joan Borysenko. And Tracking & The Art of Seeing: How to Read Animal Tracks and Sign , by Paul Rezendes. Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

 Talking with a fellow employee this morning he couldn't understand why anyone would want to volunteer to go home after getting to work.  "You go to all that trouble to get ready, why turn around and go home?" he said.  My response after deciding to leave early, "I have things to do at home."  So I left work early, went home, packed up some stuff, and headed for the studio.  Other things I am happy about today: At the studio I sewed, embroidered, and did some rug braiding.  Day 39 A&S challenge done! At the studio I took a nap. At the studio I watched the sun rise. I keep a flannel shirt and pair of slippers at the studio.  It kind of feels a little like Mr. Rogers when I get there and change.  I do something similar at home, somehow it feels more Mr. Rogers-esque at the studio.  "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood." At home I ate, relaxed, and made dinner for the family.  It was a good day.  Cats sleep in some weird ways!...

 Totally forgetting my phone-- and thus my camera --when I took Aesop out this afternoon, I missed some picture opportunities.  I say missed, but if I was not so tired I could get my boots and coat on and go back outside for the pictures.  Deer have been wandering around on the back driveway.  There were large prints that broke through the icy layer in places.  There were small prints that must be from a fawn.  There were sizes in between.  Perhaps the next wildlife camera will be closer to the house.  Other happy things from today: While I was sleeping yesterday a new range was delivered.  It is pretty and already has cat prints on the top. It's Weaving Wednesday!  I wish I could say that I did more.  I got three of the repeating patterns done.  Three was one too many for my back, I need to find a more comfortable position.  Day 38 progress was made on the A&S Challenge! ☮ Currently reading: Faith Hacker , by James ‘J...

In March, given that the pandemic is better and not worse, there will be an SCA event here in Stonemarche.   Today was the last visit to the site prior to the event.  The best part of this for me was getting some hugs from dear friends.  Other happy things for today: Smiling eyes above a mask. I finished reading a book-info on that below. For day 36 of the A&S challenge I worked on the latch hook again.   ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spirit Every Day of the Year , Joan Borysenko. Finished reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History , by Peter E. Randall. If you read my blog regularly you know that I have a few different books I have been reading and that I alternate through them randomly each day. After misplacing this book for well over a month, today I finished reading it. Admittedly, I didn't read the list of Further Reading at the back, I did skim through it. The list...

 Today I got to wish Gideon a happy double digit day.  He was a very happy ten year old today until he realized that almost two of the years of his life were spent during Covid times.  That would be my fault that he did that math.  I'm sorry for that, but very grateful to have such a fantastic grandson.  Here are some other happy things for today: I got out of work early which meant that I had more time at the studio. Here are some pictures of what I put together for Gideon's birthday. This enclosed binder used to belong to Gideon's Uncle Bel. Inside I organized Gideon's  Dungeon and Dragons spell cards. He had them in a pile in a ziplock bag. He was THRILLED to see this. I bought this dragon scale dice mat and holder. It is modeled to look like a scroll holder. Here it is open with the dice I got for him too. Now he has his own dice and a quiet place to roll them when we play. Part of Keziah and Zed's Christmas and birthday present this year is a surprise ...

Birka memories have been all over my Facebook feed lately. This SCA event is the big one that, prior to Covid, we held at the end of every January. This event is where Keziah and I were invested and Baron and Baroness three years ago. Keziah would have attended her first Birka event as a three-month-old. This is an event that is near and dear to my heart. We made the decision early last fall to cancel the event. I am so very happy that we made the choice early on partially because it would have been canceled last minute anyway. However, the amount of preparation stress I did not endure because we made this choice early is immeasurable. Other things I am happy for today: Our dog Aesop is home from being boarded over the weekend. Other than the cats, everyone is glad he is home. Not the best Aesop picture, but the only one today. While walking Aesop in the backyard this afternoon I found some tracks that I think are a mouse. The imprint in the snow is pretty much the entire a...

 There was a storm today, a nor'easter, so everyone stayed home.  The wind has been blowing pretty hard so I have no idea how much snow we actually got. My guess is around six inches.  Zed and I shoveled the walkways only once so far, just before dark.  Tomorrow someone is coming to plow the driveway and we will shovel the walkways again.  I am very happy and grateful that I won't have to shovel the driveway.   Other happy things for today: We organized things around the house today.  The Christmas stuff has been mostly down but is now packed up and ready to go into the attic, hopefully tomorrow.  With the organization we were able to push the dining room table against the windows on one side which makes it much easier for me to pace around the house to get my steps.   I took some pictures throughout the day out the same window of the storm.  Here are a few. 10:44 AM 4:23 PM 5:03 PM 10:03 PM I made a delicious corn chowder for...

 Friday is Minecraft Day.  Today we did things a little differently.  TF and I were nearing the end of the quest and Gideon decided to join us.  The entire quest was not working properly so parts of it went easier than they should have been.  My character still died multiple times.  The one monster that kept killing me was called a wither.  Gideon is the one who finally killed it.  Yay, Gideon!  We also played for most of the day.  Other happy things from today: Keziah and I took the RV and filled the propane.  Now there can be heat in there again. I bit the bullet and got the Covid booster show today.  So far the only side-effect is soreness on the arm where the vaccine was administered. After the vaccination I took a walk on a new-to-me trail.  Part of the trail follows power lines and part goes into the adjacent woods.  I hope to be able to explore the area more when I have more time. For day 26 of the A&S cha...

 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...

 By default today I was the person with the radio at work.  By radio I mean a walkie talkie type radio that the supervisors,trainers, safety folk, and one person from each line gets to have.  I feel like I had it because the other person across from me didn't want it.  It didn't matter, there were no known complaints so I guess I did okay.  Unfortunately, every single time I used it I wondered if they were ever cleaned between users.  I should have asked.  In order to ask I would have had to radio someone though...  I'm happy and grateful for the increased responsibility for the day though.  Other things I am happy for today: There are plants in the cellar and I have been avoiding them.  This was a mistake, mostly because whatever is eating the bait in the mouse traps but not getting caught ate the tops off one or two and dug in some of them too.  That said, it meant that I took the time to care for them.  I repotted, added so...

 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...

 While TF and I were on the phone going over our weekly accountability the subject of labyrinths came up.  She had learned of a few near where she lives in Texas and is planning to visit one this week.  So I did a search for some near me.  It turns out there are labyrinths all over the place.  Looking for one?  Try this website .  Now I want to build one on the property somewhere.  Somehow, I doubt I will get to it, but it would be a neat thing to have.  Other happy things from today: I took Aesop, our dog, on a walk today.  We went to a conservation area in town.  There was one other set of human prints along part of the trail since the snow early last week.  We followed what might have been coyote tracks for a while though.  Tracks can be really hard to read in the snow.  There was some scat and that is part of what makes me think of a coyote. Very little detail, just a blob in the snow. Aesop has a much shorter st...

After spending most of the day at the studio the bag I've been making is not yet complete.  It is SO close though!  It is getting put aside until I can find a few things for finishing touches.  Getting it mostly done took way longer than the fifteen minutes so day 20 of the A&S challenge is done. Other happy things from today: While I hand stitched the bag and Keziah made some garb, Gideon worked on Minecraft Legos.  It was great to see him work on them. At home, I binge watched some Gilmore Girls .  I'm really enjoying the series and watching the characters seem to grow. Sunset! ☮ Currently reading:  Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spirit Every Day of the Year , Joan Borysenko. And  Tracking & The Art of Seeing: How to Read Animal Tracks and Sign , by Paul Rezendes. Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

 When Keziah first talked about getting a studio to do her art I was happy for her, but felt that we had the space at the house if only we could utilize it better.  Now that we have the studio and so much time has passed without us making space in the house I am so excited about being able to use it.  I feel like the studio will be putting a smile on my face for a while.  Other happy things for today: My friend, Amy, and I met at the mall today to walk.  We haven't spent any time together since Thanksgiving.  It was so nice to see her and catch up on the last two months.   It is Minecraft Friday.  TF and I played for a little while, until I got too tired.  We are reaching the end of the quest that was prepared for us.  Next week we may need to start earlier to give ourselves more awake time to take care of the monsters. Day 19 of the A&S challenge and I was able to work on rug braiding.  One of the strips of wool needed to...