I don’t really know if it’s because I’m a mom now, or because I’m getting older and (hopefully) maturing, or just a new attempt at mindfulness inspired by this wonderful craft blogging community, but for the first time in my life I’m actually attempting to sync up with the rhythm of the world around me.
I’ve never been an outdoorswoman. I’ve never really been one to watch the seasons change and marvel at Mother Nature’s chaotic order. Or seek out that version of order in my own life. But now, now I’m trying to be aware of time. Aware of what I’m missing when I get caught up in my own head. Aware of the tender mercies and spots of beauty presented to me with every new morning.
It doesn’t help that I really don’t care for summer. I’m a total wimp about the heat, I’m a dark-haired red head with red head skin that does not appreciate the sun, and I’m afraid of deep water. Summer doesn’t have a ton to recommend it to someone like me. But I’m trying.
So we’ve been busting out the grill whenever we can bring ourselves to face the heat of the backyard, lounging on the outdoor couch, eating warm tomatoes from the vines, making homemade lemonade, and I’ve been trying to pay attention to the rhythm of these summer days and follow their example.
Summer is long slow languid days, and so that is what I’ve been working on. Long, slow, projects that I get to work on while reclining.
Hand binding some quilty projects – with the bulk of the fabric pushed as far off to the side as I can manage so that none of it actually touches me.
Knitting projects on a small scale – so none of the knit actually touches me. It is hot here, y’all.
And stitching stitching stitching until my eyes go as crossed as my stitches. I can’t put this down.
It makes for uneventful blog material when I go weeks without finishing any projects, but working on those long-term projects just seems to fit with the flow around here these days.
