Victoriaslace, etc.

01/03/2023

My life in a nutshell.....

😂😂😂

01/01/2023

The Year of Loving Dangerously days 338 to 365. I hope you had a lovely Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa and a good New Year celebration. I continue to be absent from posting, as you have noticed. For the time being, I am not ready to get on a treadmill of posting every week. I shall post, but I think not regularly for the time being.

Crochet:

The scarf I wanted to produce for the juried show in January is becoming more complicated. My first sample is just passable. It lacks visual depth, energy, and texture. I found a several stash yarns that might lend themselves to the design, so that will be my next sample. I have a vague vision of highly textured design in at least three shades. All that to say I will not be finished by any means before January 16 submission dates for the show jury. I will not rush this. I do not think it will be a scarf, but who knows? All I know so far is the initial section wants to be a hexagonal mandala.

Knitting and Spinning: My brother arrived from California on December 16. In the past two weeks I have helped him get oriented to the geography of Sevier County and get started establishing himself here and transferring his residency to Tennessee from California (which seems to be a major issue with California). He is staying at my house until he has work and knows where he will settle. I have not touched a project in since he arrived, but plan to start getting back on track next week as the new year begins.

Weaving: Once I finished the Shaconage overshot everything stopped. Looking for inspiration to begin moving ahead this next week. Still have the Norwood to clear.

Recent contemplations:

A friend once told me that after years of trying to find out what was “wrong” with her, she got a definitive diagnosis. After she started treatment, she said she was stunned and could hardly believe that this is how most people felt every day. It was amazing, she told me, how good she felt.

Well, I am having a similar experience with this new-to-me medication. Evidently, I have been on one end of the spectrum for so long that getting to what my doc described as the “center” is disorienting. Nothing negative at all. Just very, very different. And, I must add, pleasant. My doc said that my “normal” was never an actual normal at all and it may take me a while to get used to this. Anyway, I am continuing to experience life with a new perspective.

This year, as I indicated above, my youngest brother is here for the holidays and indeed the foreseeable future. He wants to settle nearby Mom. So – if any of you have suggestions for a position involving CAD and high-end sensor or component design (that’s the extent of my understanding of what he does), please PM me. Where he will live will probably be dictated by where he works. Anywhere from Oak Ridge to Johnson City is possible. He has 40 years of highly technical design and manufacturing work experience, so there’s that.

And so, 2022 finishes its run and we are probably doing one of two things: Remembering a good year and all the special events, OR, being thankful that this very painful and difficult year has finally ended. I am a little bit of both, but glad to close out a hard year for myself and some folks who are dear to me. Either way, I hope you are looking forward to 2023. I am. There may be trials, obstacles, possibly tragedies. Somehow our spirits are generally resilient and usually want to overcome the bad and continue. I can live with that. The worst part of 2022 is a blur to me (which is a selective type of amnesia I appreciate). The blur is good because it was very scary and painful. Regardless of the difficulties, 2022 has shown me that I have a wonderful support system that includes my biological family and my chosen family. I am greatly blessed. I hope I have been supportive in some way to those of you whose paths I crossed in 2022 and that I can continue to be there for you in 2023.

Dear friends, stay hopeful; do justly in your dealings with others; practice kindness and mercy to all; and be humble as you pass through life.

12/04/2022

The Year of Loving Dangerously days 324 to 337. You probably noticed that I have been offline for a while. I am taking some time away from posting to concentrate on lowering my stress level and attending to a mental health issue that arises now and then. Even though it has been with me around 35 years, this is only the second time it has stopped me in my tracks. Its effect on my physical health this go around was a bit of a scare. So – I saw my doctor, we discussed options, I am trying a new (for me) medication and we shall see. So far, signs are that it may work.

That being said, I will be posting as I am able, maintaining most of my usual social schedules, and focusing on some work I want to complete by early January.

Crochet:

The scarf I want to produce for the juried show in January is still in my head (although I made a few rough sketches as reminders of “light bulb” moments). I need to find the appropriate beads before I begin construction.

Knitting:

All this is on hold until I get the other two projects completed.

Spinning:

Miss Mazurka will see some spinning during the World Cup rounds this next week.

Weaving:

Shaconage is off the loom. I will wet finish my sample before trying to do the same to the entire 3 piece finished work. Fingers crossed. Despite the tension issues I experienced, the work off the loom looks pretty good.

This week’s contemplations:

Some of my friends know about my battle with anxiety and insomnia. However, since there has been a concerted public effort to remove the stigma of mental health issues, I think it is time to be open.

My issues have never been life threatening, but they are at times debilitating. Usually, it manifests in bouts of insomnia or a panic attack. Right before Thanksgiving I experienced a 4-day panic attack. This has never happened before. It was severe enough to affect my heart rhythm, which frightened me.

I called my doctor, made an appointment, and had a very open, frank discussion. I want to be clear that this is NOT the first time we have discussed my anxiety and insomnia issues. It is an ongoing thing that we have been working on. They checked my heart via EKG and it is good – the issue was, thankfully, stress related. He recommended a medication, which he explained thoroughly during our talk. I started it on Thanksgiving Day. Even though it takes a while to reach full effect, I believe I am already experiencing what appears to be some benefits. I am hoping I now have a combination of things available to me that will keep me off the stress related roller coaster.

All that to say – please be open with your health care provider regarding any mental or emotional issues that disturb your peace. Your mental health can harm your physical health. Know your limits. Be open with your loved ones. They may not understand completely, but they should know how you feel and what affects you negatively.

We are sadly still very reticent when it comes to saying “I am not in a good place mentally/emotionally today.” (Saying that is no excuse for bad behavior, however.) It is simply stating your condition just as easily as we say, “my arthritis is acting up and I cannot do that today” or “my allergies are on a rampage and I feel like crap.” Good grief, we discuss cancer more easily than chronic depression or anxiety. A health issue is a health issue. Period. Take care of yourself so you can stay physically well to do what you love and be of service to others.

Dear friends, stay hopeful; do justly in your dealings with others; practice kindness and mercy to all; and be humble as you pass through life. Love Dangerously.

11/14/2022

The Year of Loving Dangerously days 303 to 316. You have 49 days to complete your 2022 to do list as of November 12. Not that you should panic, but procrastinators should take note.

Had a frantic week leading up to the show, but the hard work paid off. My demonstration booth was very well received. Also, I had the most successful sales show since being admitted to the Foothills Guild. I am ecstatic over the response to my work. The venue gave me opportunity to teach people know how much it costs to do what I do in both my money and my time. It also allowed me to demonstrate that dying fiber is not the only way to achieve variations in color for spinning. So. Much. Fun.

I hope I can have a demo booth next year. I already have an idea floating in the nether reaches of my consciousness.

Afterwards, I was exhausted. Too many people; too much interaction. Needed some cave time. Spent one whole day putting my remaining stock and all show display materials back in order. Did a few normal things, and met appointments, but mainly tried to be alone.

Crochet:

I think I am 3” away from completing the back of the color block suede sweater. It surprises me how big a rectangular back piece looks. I know the measurement is correct for size, but it looks so big just lying on a table.

Found my sample for the alpaca/RomneyX sweater which I need to continue and/or complete. The rest of the design is pending. Pullover or cardigan. Full sleeved sweater or some sort of vest/tunic?

Knitting:

Back in the saddle with the alpaca. I am well into the second color (a light brown) that is lovely just because I can SEE the stitches!

The lace tutorial received some attention, but just a little progress. I need a small “J” shape cable needle. SHOPPING TRIP to the Spinnery!!!

Spinning:

The success of my handspun yarns amazed me. I took 10 large skeins (6 to 8 oz each) and 1 mini skein to the show. I sold six large skeins and the mini skein. The 4 remaining skeins went to the Smoky Mountain Spinnery on Tuesday.

I plied the last of the grey streaky/graphite singles. The resulting skein looks fairly good. It is drying now and I hope to get it measured and weighed by Tuesday. It, too, may go to the Spinnery.

Meanwhile, I should be back on the purple/grey longwool (Mr. Minstrel) and the alpaca/RomneyX (Miss Mazurka) spins this week.

Not sure what to put on the e-spinner. I have multiple choices.

Weaving:

I restored the table loom workstation to working order and made a little progress – AFTER I retied the warp for the third or fourth time. I cannot seem to get an even warp tension on this little loom. I hope to get at least two pieces off the warp to see if one might be good enough to enter an upcoming show.

The dog on the Norwood WILL be put down before Thanksgiving. I have the sample loom, so I can piddle with that and maybe figure out my next cloth for the Norwood.

I am second thinking my complicated towels for the Julia. Do I really want to weave something so difficult? Probably yes, but I can change the pattern easily, so I am thinking about it.

This week’s contemplations:

Took an impromptu run to a local store for Christmas deck lights because ours died last year. Found some we liked AND a little lighted outdoor tree for the sheltered deck on the side of the house. It feels too early for this by a couple weeks, but the way the merchandise is pushed, if one waits until after Thanksgiving, the stores are running low on stock.

So – Christmas appears on almost every ad, even though Thanksgiving is still days off. Hmm. At our house, we will do as usual and decorate for Advent/Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving. I want to enjoy Thanksgiving first.

Is it not a wonder how we (meaning I) tend to rush toward a special event or vacation or any change in our routine rather than savor the journey. What does that say about us? I tend to be very task and goal oriented. Wait. Full Stop. Correction. I am very task and goal oriented. I have a “to do” list for the day, a “to-do” for most projects (even if it is only in my head), a “to-do” list for the week, the month the year; you get the picture. While these tasks may or may not be accomplished, they are acknowledged and recorded somewhere. The issue is that reaching the goal becomes the focus, not the journey to the goal. Sometimes I miss the enjoyment of just “doing.” Need to ponder that and focus more on enjoying my little journeys through processes.

The other issue that has been working on me is too much connection with outside “stuff.” Too much negative crap in my brain at present, mostly from outside sources. The simplest thing seems to be to take 24 hours off every week for a mental re-boot. From Saturday sundown to Sunday sundown, no news, no social media, limited television (soccer is important!), and just let the mind clear a bit. We shall see how that goes.

Dear friends, stay hopeful; do justly in your dealings with others; practice kindness and mercy to all; and be humble as you pass through life.

11/02/2022

Packing is done!

Set-up is tomorrow.

Come see us this weekend!!

11/02/2022

The Year of Loving Dangerously days 288 to 295. Just a gentle reminder, as of October 29, there are 63 days remaining to accomplish whatever was on your goal, to-do, resolution list for 2022. Procrastinators, this means you.

Another beautiful week weather wise, but we are becoming way too dry. Be careful out there, folks. Dry leaves and grass are abundant.

I am fast approaching panic level with my booth plans for the Foothills Craft Guild Show. It may be coming together just fine, but I see a tangle of loose ends everywhere. Setup is Thursday, November 3. That is why this post was delayed. I forgot.

Crochet:

Again, a few rows completed at Sit-n-Knit. Maybe more on November 1.

Knitting:

No progress at all, but that’s only due to 24 hour days. 36 hour days would be sufficient at this point.

Spinning:

All but one skein – the new streaky/silver/graphite – are rewound, yardage and weight counted, and all awaiting labels for pricing.

Weaving:

Again, time is the issue. Everything is waiting until after November 6.

This week’s contemplations:

The leaves are mostly down at our house. Between the winds and a tiny bit of rain, many fell this week. Now we begin to see the “bones” of the landscape. The true shape of a tree or bush comes out. The irregularity of the land; the rocky slope you did not see behind the summer greenery; the manmade things or remnants of manmade structures appear. A lot of people think the winter is such a dull season. I see fantastic structures and shapes. There are places in the Park where some long distance views are only available when the leaves are down. And, regardless of the difficulty it causes, snow makes the whole world a wonderland.

Please consider coming to our show! Friday through Sunday at the Knoxville Expo Center, Clinton Hwy in Knoxville.

I’ll be back around November 12.

Dear friends, stay hopeful; do justly in your dealings with others; practice kindness and mercy to all; and be humble as you pass through life.

10/25/2022

The Year of Loving Dangerously days 288 to 295. This is your first warning as of Saturday 10/22. You have 70 days to complete whatever it was you intended to accomplish in 2022. For those who wait until the last minute, it is nigh.

Can I repeat? What a beautiful week! Another lovely weather week, unless you are averse to a little cold. The drop from a high of 68 Monday to a high of 38 on Tuesday was a little shocking, but it IS October and surprises are normal this time of year.

I spent the week trying to get my head around my booth at the Foothills Craft Guild show. After Saturday, I have about 6 full studio days to get everything done. There are some partial days due to appointments, but I am not counting them. And I try not to work on serious projects on Sunday.

Made the decision to concentrate on finishing a big skein, packaging some skeins I have on hand, and finishing the rainbow sign. All other projects will be on hold.

Crochet:

I did a few rows at Sit-n-Knit Tuesday evening. It looks good so far. It is s-l-o-o-o-w because the beads are almost too small for the yarn. The suede does not give like a spun yarn.

Knitting:

The Alpaca is on hold, but I did finish the first repeat of the second pattern section. I also edited a portion of the pattern while re-positioning some of the text for easier use.

The third lace section of the lace tutorial is on its 3rd or 4th rendition. The double yarnovers are hard giving my lack of patience a good run. They are hard to position and keep straight.

Spinning:

Finished the grey streaky / silver singles. The graphite is started. I think I can get this one spun, plied and finished by November 2. Hopefully….

Started the rewinding of skeins on hand. Several were intended for projects, but as I progress in my mental concept process, I am not so sure they are suitable for the purpose.

Weaving:

I moved the Shaconage weaving to my studio. Makes more sense and is easier to work on. I decided to hem the runner and avoid fringe.

Managed one session on Norwood. I have 12 inches to weave. Then I can hem stitch and take it off the loom.

Bought a sampler loom. I discovered it was out of production and wrote the lady who makes them about whether she would re-introduce them. Shortly after that she wrote to say she found several in stock that she did not know she had and would I like one. Ordered it immediately. It arrived Saturday so I have had little time to look at it yet. But I think it will be a big help to me.

This week’s contemplations:

What do people other people do when they retire? I seem to be busy enough for two of me. I have so many projects going, the house to manage, and then there is making sure I and my mother take care of ourselves. My days whiz by and it is Saturday. Again. Astonishing. This is not a complaint. I am just astounded by how swiftly time passes.

I remember a friend’s dad who retired and – I kid you not – basically sat in front of his TV until he died. He stayed inactive long enough that at last he could not exercise, and his health failed. His circulatory system corroded like old lead pipes (according to his doctor). He gained weight. He did not smoke or drink excessively, but that meant nothing based on his inactivity. I noticed that his mental state and attitude took a deep dive to the negative. He spent his last months in hospital with surgery and ICU. He never made it home from rehab. He was talented with his hands and liked working with wood. He never pursued the hobby.

Most of the people I know who are my age and older are so busy they are hard to catch standing still. I figure that if I sold my time to other people for 40+ years doing work I did not really care about, I deserve to spend the rest of my life filling my time with what I love to do. That means taking care of the machinery (my body) so it can accomplish what I want to do for as much time as I have. I know I am not the best at staying fit and eating right all the time, but I am trying to be better. I need my mind and my hands and my feet to be working well!

Yes, we need quiet restorative periods of doing absolutely nothing. However, we are not engineered for stagnation. We are built for movement. We need to put our mental energies into physical manifestations. If you need encouragement, try visiting a local craft venue (we have Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in our area) during their teaching times and note the ages of the students. In most classes I have taken the age range can be from 19 to 70+. Some are professional artists, some are teachers honing their skills, but others are there simply because they love their craft and are always in a learning mode.

I highly recommend finding something you love and learning all you can right now. Accumulate knowledge and the tools as you are able; there are many ways to do so. Take good care of your human machine. Then, when you are released from the work-a-day world, you will be ready to pursue your passion for the sole purpose of pleasing yourself. There will be other things in your life, certainly. But your creative passion will be what motivates everything.

I believe that when Genesis says God created mankind in his own image that means in all aspects. If we are created as a reflection of Himself, then I believe we mirror Him in all things. A reflection is never the complete duplicate, and that is a whole other discussion. God gave us creativity as an inherent part of our being an image of Him. We need to unwrap that gift and use it. I realized recently that I have surrounded myself with people who are living proof of this. I see creativity in their phenomenal skills, from cooking, to jewelry, to glass making, to fiber arts, to metal work, to wood turning, and many more. And they share their passion with family, friends, or paying clients. We joke about “creative genes,” but I believe it is truth. We should not waste it.

Because you may not make money from your passion it is termed a hobby. The word hobby has a somewhat negative connotation and is a pale thing. It in no way describes the time, learning, labor, and mental gymnastics required for the amazing things we create. Some of us try to make our passions pay for themselves. Some of us make a living and have a second work life based on what we love. Some of us create because it is who we are and the cost in hours and dollars means almost nothing against the results. Whatever your situation, find that passion and pursue it. You will find kindred spirits on your journey. Your life will be richer.

Dear friends, stay hopeful; do justly in your dealings with others; practice kindness and mercy to all; and be humble as you pass through life.

10/17/2022

The Year of Loving Dangerously days 268 to 281. What a beautiful week! Spent all afternoon Monday driving in the GSMNP and on the Parkway from Townsend to Wears Valley. Above 3000 feet the colors were spectacular. Even below the changes were good. No pictures, though. I can never do the scenes justice. The views around the house are nothing to sneer at either (see below). Last week’s post wound up on Monday because I ran out of day on Sunday.

Spent a fun day at the Townsend Visitor Center on Friday. Started out very cold but warmed up nicely. Spinning all day was tiring but productive. Made a bit of progress on some RomneyX singles (the tweedy crochet sweater project). Also managed to spin and chain ply the primary colors for my demo rainbow. I timed myself. Hopefully each section of the rainbow will take about 90 minutes.

Took me half a day Thursday to do some shopping for small things for the Foothills booth. Then Saturday I spent half the morning at the Post Office trying to retrieve a misdirected package (successfully, thank goodness). All that to say: I did not have as much time in studio this week as I had hoped.

Crochet:

Absolutely no progress this week. I am determined to get something done this week.

Knitting:

Down to the last 4 rows of the first design repeat on the medium brown. Looking good. I will work this pattern to the end of the skein.

Finally got started on the third lace tutorial section. Only the first two rows because I started on the wrong side and had to t-i-n-k 3 rows. All together now: Groooaan. Evidently, reading directions and counting rows is important.

Spinning:

The streaky and silver is growing. We are down to the last three ounces. Then I have all the graphite to spin.

Will be re-winding skeins for sale; weighing colors for carding; creating the big rainbow display; and finalizing my packing lists for the Foothills show. I have 15 working days to finish up.

Weaving:

Shaconage needs a hem or fringe decision before I can weave. None made. Small white border with twisted fringe or hem it with no border? Also, moving the loom back to the studio next week. Mom needs the table for a project.

Norwood – don’t ask. And Julia just sits there looking at me every day.

This week’s contemplations:

The idea of a social media / phone free day keeps popping up. Moving in that direction means changing some of what I do, but not a lot. It would mean posting whatever one calls these musings on Saturday or Mondays.

I had a discussion about finances this week with a personal finance professional. A little exchange during the conversation has me thinking about my lifestyle. I am so blessed. I chose to retire in my favorite vacation spot. Being here suits me to my core and I have no urge to go elsewhere, except for a short term like a fiber retreat or festival. There are places in the U.S. I would like to see. Only one place oversees, but I am not driven to do anything about that. I try to be sensible with my expenditures and a good steward of what I have. Why does it feel weird to be generally content with life? Do not get me wrong, I have goals and things to accomplish. But most of them are self-directed, self-timed, self-monitored. Can you tell I require a great deal of autonomy? There are daily irritations; but they get handled or resolve on their own. C’est la vie.

I do not know anything about complete contentment. I doubt few of us ever achieve anything close to that. Regardless, I look out the windows of a morning then draw and release a deep satisfied breath. Everything around me seems fairly solid and yet I know it is tenuous. I guess it takes age (at least for me) to understand that all of existence is moment to moment.

I remember a discussion with a relative a long time ago. They were bemoaning their work situation. The only way to advance to higher pay was to take on supervisory and eventually managerial duties. From what they witnessed, that meant a big loss of personal time (i.e., virtually none) and a huge increase in work related stress and time spent on the job. They were not willing to sacrifice a happy personal life for money. My reaction was: There is nothing wrong with not being traditionally ambitious or being content with your life. My experience is that very few of us find real contentment in our work. The reasons are far ranging. A good friend, who lived a very simple, quiet life always said they worked at a decent paying, but not enjoyed, job to finance their present life and save for future retirement. Strictly a means to an end.

I see that in lives every day. Even I took the best paying career paths that I could manage in order to live well in the present and save for the future. I could have doubled my income in a large firm as a supervising paralegal, but I knew that was NOT my gig. I had only one or two jobs (in my 20s) that I really loved, but the pay was abysmal and the future tenuous at best.

I admire the young artists and makers I meet these days. They have so much more courage than I did at their age. Every time I meet a young artist I think, “please do not do what I did.” Never had the strength or courage to dump it all for a creative life. My greatest fear was failure and being homeless and penniless. I required a steady income and the ability to save for the future. So, I traded personal peace for a bit of financial security working at jobs that not only did not feed my soul but drained my creative energies.

These days I am trying to make up for that lost past. Now I am blessed to have the time to be creative. Even though it is not all due to my own efforts, I am privileged to live so. I am free to work as much or as little as I want every day. Did I earn it? I am not so sure I did. Made a lot of mistakes along the way; hurt a lot of people; made some enemies; learned some hard lessons but probably not thoroughly.

Whatever the cause and however I came to this season in my life. I find myself experiencing more contentment than at any time in my life. La vie est belle.

Dear friends, stay hopeful; do justly in your dealings with others; practice kindness and mercy to all; and be humble as you pass through life.

10/10/2022

The Year of Loving Dangerously days 268 to 281. Two weeks gone by in a flash. Mom had several appointments. I had one. Lots of time away from home. My work moves on, however. I am especially obsessed with getting my booth ready for the Foothills Craft Guild Fall Show, November 4-6 at the Expo Center on Clinton Hwy in Knoxville. (No apologies for the shameless self-promotion.)

I need students for my crochet classes – October 21 and October 27. Two classes; same content each day; 9:30 – 4:30. Yes, you can learn to crochet.

Friday to Sunday (10/14 – 16) is Townsend Artisan Guild’s Fall show and sale at the Townsend Visitor Center. I will be there all day on Friday. Come check us out. We usually have some beautiful work for sale.

Crochet:

The beading goes forward on my color block, suede yarn sweater. I am pleased with the pattern. Just have not been home enough to make significant progress.

I found the bag with my alpaca/Targhee/RomneyX. It got mislaid for a few days. Once I finish the stitch sample, I will start the spinning in earnest.

Knitting:

The alpaca knitting also has been slowed by the amount of time we have been away. However, I am loving being able to see what I am working on without extra light and too much strain on my patience.

The second section of the lace tutorial was, I thought, OK. Then I took a good look. Nope. Ripped it all out last Sunday and redid it. Got to the spacer section between section 2 and section 3. I am ready for the next section. Much better.

Spinning:

I put the streaky grey/graphite/carbon on sale at the Spinnery. I discovered I crossed the fiber names, so graphite is correct. I am using the same streaky grey, a silver I have on hand, and more graphite in the next spin-for-sale. The streaky grey and silver are alternating in 1/3-ounce portions in the first single. The graphite will be the other single. So, another “barber poll” yarn. I will do what I did the last two times I made a large skein and do a knitted and crocheted sample. Makes the yarn more comprehensible to the buyer.

Have all the materials to set up my color blending for the Foothills Show. I designed a large poster/sign to show the rainbow growing as I blend. With the advice of a friend, progress is real. I hope to finish it this week. Should be a fun addition to the demonstration I plan.

Weaving:

I decided on the fix option for the Schaconage. I hem stitched and cut off my sample. Then I re-sleyed the right selvedge. The warp is tied on and tensioned again. I am ready to put in a spacer and start the first runner. I am not sure how long the design will be once it is woven or how many I can make. I think I have between 4 and 5 usable yards. We shall have to see what I get.

Norwood is making slow progress. I only managed to sit down to it once in two weeks. Can you tell it is not my favorite project? Oh well, this too shall pass.

This week’s contemplations:

So many issues these last two weeks. Ian; the economy; election candidate squabbles; more scandals in the world of sports; the massacre of infants in Thailand; the war in Ukraine; and the general animosity and intolerance that threatens the core of our society. It is enough to be a technical ostrich and turn everything off.

One thing that surprised me is that after I referenced the prophet Micah and his admonition, Washington National Cathedral, during their services last Sunday, announced the “BE Campaign” based on the same Micah scripture. It will be a worthwhile campaign if it crosses denominational lines and many of us abide by it. For more information: Check the Washington National Cathedral website and look for the BE Campaign.

My house is dusty and needs cleaning. I’d rather be crocheting, spinning, knitting, weaving – uh - anything. For anyone with a hobby (ne obsession) it is a daily struggle. My least favorite is mopping floors and vacuuming. I do, however, keep the bathrooms and kitchen clean. Cannot abide a dirty bathroom, no matter what. So, there you have it. I am an indifferent housekeeper at best. Visitors are warned.

With so many of my friends (me included) handling stressful situations at home this year, it seems more important than ever to have some means of pushing the pressure release valve. I realized this week that one of mine is sadly neglected – walking outside under the trees. I think I mentioned earlier that the Japanese have a word for it, which roughly translates to “forest bathing.” My doctor put it succinctly: The hardest part of going for a walk is opening the door and stepping outside. I want to be held accountable, so I am saying here, that I intend to start walking this week and getting back to the exercises that keep my back straight. Short walks to begin working up to a couple miles a day including the 100-foot rise that skirts my property. There are several miles of road to walk on my mountain, but there are also bears, so my property and maybe to the entrance will have to do. Even though I love it, I am not happy leaving a project to spend an hour or so on a walkabout. We are odd creatures, are we not?

The other thing I believe would be healthy to do is give up most computer/phone technology for one day a week. My day of choice would be Saturday evening to Sunday evening. Must consider how to do that.

I really like sharing my craft knowledge with anyone who will listen. For a long time, I was afraid to promote myself as a demonstrator and teacher. Was it just an ego thing? After some serious self-examination I concluded that the reason I like to demonstrate and teach is not an ego thing, i.e., just a way to feel important. I do it because I am excited about what I do and what I know. I love sharing what I know with anyone who will listen.

Dear friends, stay hopeful; do justly in your dealings with others; practice kindness and mercy to all; and be humble as you pass through life. Love dangerously.