All Fingers and Thumbs

The last month feels as if it has passed in a haze of heat, though in truth it's only the second half of the month that has really reached high temperatures. So much summer for the first time in years. I watch half the people I see flourish while the other half wilt. I'm a wilter. Things happen almost as in a dream at the moment, one foot in front of another. The love affair with wool is suffering mightily though a new attempt at Aestlight gets a row every so often when a breeze makes the concept of a wool shawl seem something this side of insanity. My main pre-occupation is maximising the amount of time that can be spent reading in my awesome new garden chair in my shady back garden. My own personal Adirondack chair custom fit by my very clever Pa. Other members of the family are also fond of it.

Gorgeous days. We went on a camping trip in glorious sunshine and made the most of the longest day. Actual summer weather continues!

Deciding to learn to knit involved remarkably little thought. I'd seen a friend knitting and it looked so fun. A few months went past, winter was setting in, I wasn't very well at all and I was spending a whole lot of time on the sofa watching tv and feeling that I wanted to make something to show for that time. So I ordered a kit from Amazon. Just what they had. Zero research. Little ambition to be able to make anything more than a scarf. And then reader I married knitting. My whole world changed in ways I could never imagine - and truly that is no exaggeration. Somewhere in the last few years I've managed to get so far from that impulsive, just make something instinct that it drives me more than a little crazy. Now I spend so much time thinking about making things I often don't ever get started on them. I've either convinced myself they won't look as good as I want them to or I've taken the fizz of excitement out of a project or I've t...

Well no surprise here - my first Squam at the Lake was such fun! Days simply playing like kids at a camp. I haven't been this excited by knitting since I sat under some olive trees , and I didn't even take any knitting classes at this Squam! Just spending time with my lovely cabin mates and taking in all the knitting conversations have me feeling the way I used to about the special stitches. Oh wool, just in time for summer, it's a date! Trying a little video of some of my pictures - with a cheeky little soundtrack courtesy of my old favourites Air. Despite the evidence of these images there were many other people there with me after the first couple of days. Too busy making stuff, crying with laughter and feeding my face to take many photos after my first walks in the woods apparently! Squam - June 2014 from Sarah on Vimeo . It seems a given that it will be a wonderful time staying at the lake and participating in the workshops with so many fellow creative crea...

Seen: A guest bed piled with gifts of welcome Wooden houses in a spin of colours beneath glorious trees My dream library   A wonderful painting of light The beauty of home Heard: Red cardinals Wind rustling through leaves The thump of raindrops pouring down The poppoppop of corn My own heartbeat Touched: Warm dogs Glorious blooms Books of paper and pixels Soft hollows of sea worn shells By longing for the arms of my Mr Smelt: Fresh linens Sage Scented baths Lily of the valley Friendship from a group of women catching up over coffee and buns Tasted: Salty sea air The best ever sticky bun piled high with piquant pecans Crisp, summer whispers caught in vinho verde Rich oven roasted tomato soup paired with my first ever grilled cheese How happy I can be    

Oh. This. Holiday! Photos are mostly trapped on my phone, words are swirling, both will be indulged in depth in this space I am sure. Till then two things I needed to celebrate today. 1) The moment of purest, everyday magic that opened up my day. A glorious ribbon of light, snaking in under the blind and held fleetingly in the gauzy curtain. I hope some of the wonder and awe I felt has been captured in the pixels above. It was joy. 2) I am returning each day to a poem that dropped in part in to my inbox in a newsletter (Thank you Heather Day  http://heatherdaywellness.com/thisisme ) earlier this week. It says everything I most needed to hear that day and it makes me feel calm and whole and present to read it. (I haven't got a volume of Rumi's poetry so I am relying on various sources on the interwebs to cross reference (thank you!) for reproduction, they seem to agree and it's working for me) Response to your question - Rumi Why ask about behaviour   when you are soul-ess...

Just downloaded a new e book (The Goldfinch) and am finally packed and mentally prepared for three weeks of fun, fun, fabulous holiday time, culminating in Squam. Am so excited to see what unfolds in the next few weeks. Ready to see what it will bring not what it will take. Ah happy as a cat on a lap.