Early Spring Energy

Just sitting here with a glass of wine/brandy (the name of it is "Roughshod" by Blacksmiths, a Maine vintner. It is made with "wild Maine blueberries delicately blended with (grape) brandy." A sweet port wine and I find it delicious. The bottle says "A wine to "get a grip."" Actually I bought it because I loved the name, "Roughshod." Kind of how I feel right now. I can't believe what a busy and productive day I have had.

It began about 6:15 this morning when I came downstairs after J went to work at his part-time job (two mornings a week). First I started the fire in the fireplace stove, then made my coffee and began making doughnuts. Wanted to have fresh ones to share with J's sister when she came for my sewing lesson. Once they were done, I took a quick shower. While I was still in the tub, C called to say she couldn't come today because of a family crisis, not serious. Up to this time, I had been scurrying around trying to get done before she came. So I exhaled and slowed down the pace. Time to have a cup of coffee and a couple of doughnuts with the morning paper.

In between all this I'm letting first one, then the other cat either outdoors or onto the porch (one is an outdoors cat, the other an indoor cat) then back in again. They are always on the wrong side of a door it seems. Just like kids.

Of course, I'm also constantly feeding the fire. Next, I take the wood carrier and it's off to the garage across the driveway to haul in firewood.  After both boxes are filled, it is time to start thinking about lunch. J will be home to eat and hopefully relax a bit before going to his full-time evening job. Both his jobs are extremely physical and labor intensive, so I want to do as many of the home chores as I can to help him.

The spaghetti sauce is almost done by the time he arrives so we can sit and enjoy lunch together. Then he enjoys a chance to relax and read the paper while I clean up. After he again leaves for work, I cut out an applique for an apron that I'm making and realize that the material for the pocket on which the applique is going needs to be washed. So I do a load of reds and hang out on the line.

Done with this I notice the old rose climbing vine is a real mess and so I get the clippers and attack the old dead canes, training the green ones onto the latticework and generally "neating up" the whole flower garden area. Kit Kat, the indoor one, is on the screened-in porch going mad jumping from window to window watching every move I make outside. I know she wants to come out and join me, but she's never been allowed outside and I know J doesn't want her out, so far be it from me to be the one to let her out.

By now, it is time to check the sap buckets. After gathering around eight to ten gallons, I fill a pail with the grain/pellet mixture J makes up and go out back to feed the deer. They don't really need it now, but we still have quite a bit in the barrel and they are still coming, so-oo-oo.

Back in the house, put a log on the fire, check the cats. Both are sleeping finally. Get my glass, open the wine, boot up the MacBook and voila!  Nice day. Spring has sprung. Feeling good. I am blessed every day.

Although, I keep getting this nagging feeling that I've forgotten something, something else that I did today. Oh well. If so, it'll come to me eventually.

It is now exactly 6:15 pm.

Only the first

Yesterday morning I had my first sewing lesson. When I entered my friend's home, the delicious smell and the warmth welcomed me in out of the brutal cold. I had flashbacks to walking into my Aunt Minnie's farmhouse kitchen as a child to the wonderful aromas of her cooking and the heat from her old wood cookstove. My friend had just taken a cinnamon coffeecake from the oven and the smell was incredible.

We chatted a while and inspected the various remnants that I had brought before getting down to work. Her instructions were clear, concise and easy to follow. Once I had cut out all the pieces, she suggested we take a break and have our coffee and cake. We did so in the coziness of her sewing room by the little wood stove while she told me a story about J as a boy. We laughed a lot.

She taught me how to use the machine and how to place each piece and how to line them up with the right notch on the foot as I stitch them together. As we worked, she included many little hints and shortcuts that made the job run smoothly and quickly. It seemed so easy; before I knew it, I had a beautiful apron. Needless to say, I felt quite proud of my accomplishment.

My friend is a good teacher and a lot of fun to be around. She graciously showed me the rugs that she braided and the quilts she had made and I felt humbled by her talent and the craftsmanship that went into each piece. She encouraged me to keep up the good work and to come back for more projects and I know I will; although I left with the confidence that I will be able to make another apron all on my own.