Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Rain, Rain...

After last year's drought, we appreciate rain, and given the dramatic and dangerous weather that parts of Texas and Oklahoma endured Monday, we are grateful that all we received was rain.  An 80% chance for more rain today.


I worked on a couple of prayer flags yesterday and got in some reading time as well, so staying in and watching the rain in comfort was quite pleasant.  That is--after I got over the generalized anxiety that sometimes occurs when there is a sudden change in barometric pressure.

When the anxiety hits, I'm restless and unfocused, unable to settle down and get anything done.   After a little yoga,  I was able to sit down with needle and thread and enjoyed myself.

This is a glimpse of one of flags I'm working on at the moment.  This week's TAST stitch is the barbed chain, and I've managed to work it in on the left.  I'm including this stitch in the other flag I'm working on, too.
 Here's the thing about the prayer flags that puzzles me a bit.  I rip the fabric instead of using the rotary cutter and making sure they are squared up, so they are all a bit wonky.   I spend no time on making the basic flag; they are all uneven and raw edged.  Then, for some reason, I'll spend hours embroidering them, knowing that they are meant to hang outside, subject to the vagaries of the weather.


Books:

Trying to my book blog back on track after a dry spell of little reading and less reviewing.

Reviewed Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey.   Have a review scheduled for The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney. Reading How Firm a Foundation by David Weber the 4th in the Safehold series.  Three really good ones in a row.

I'm debating about how badly I need groceries because I'm not eager to get out in the rain.

Have a great day!

8 comments:

  1. Your yard is so lovely. About the raw edges on your flags that are then meticulously embroidered ~ the presence of the first thing shouldn't demand the absence of the second. Raw edges are their own entity among your choices of how to construct the flag, and the embroidery is its own thing as well. And there's also something precious about laboring over the stitching on ephemeral fabric. Like we labor over our lives to create them how we want them to be, but in the end it all just fades away regardless of anything we might do to hold on to it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the red umbrella in your beautiful yard.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Connie - Thanks! It is a very small yard. :) And thanks for the thoughts on the prayer flags!

    Nancy - The umbrella brightens up a rainy day, doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jenclair, I love that picture (even though it is raining by you)! Good work on the prayer flags!

    ReplyDelete
  5. We haven't had any rain for a few days. It's been just beautiful here. Is that your back yard/garden? My, my, is it gorgeous! Love it. I have long wanted to give yoga a try. I could use the stretching and meditation. I feel a little overwhelmed by trying to choose a studio, however. And finding the time has been hard for me. Maybe this summer I can figure it out.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sherri - Thanks, we needed the rain and were happy to miss the wind! I should have put an arbitrary number on the prayer flags, otherwise, they show no signs of stopping. :0

    Stephie - Having an early spring for your part of the world, too, aren't you?

    Clare Collins is in East Lansing, MI, if nothing else maybe you could get recommendations for a good studio or teacher. Although I've enjoyed several styles of yoga, I really like the Viniyoga philosophy, and when I was working on my RYT, my teachers all had Viniyoga and Kripalu training.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rain has moved into our area too and turned cooler. I like staying in on rainy days, if I can. Makes for good sewing or reading.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Connie - I agree! It is the perfect excuse to relax with a cup of tea and a good book or sewing project.

    ReplyDelete

Good to hear from you!