Retirement, or something like it

So many folks ask me, "How do you like retirement?".   I have a stock answer---it is to soon to tell.  Two months is not enough time to make a judgement. I am still in the "OMG, I don't have to go to the shop today" stage.  Years of  having to do something, and now choosing to do something is a real novelty. And doing whatever it is without a deadline. Another novelty. 


German paper stars, so addicting!

Having always been somewhat of a recluse, the lack of socialization has not truly bothered me yet,  and becoming deaf has made personal interaction seem like work at times.  I have found there is so much to do at home, years of neglect, things to catch up on.  I actually enjoyed reorganizing a kitchen drawer. Mopping the floor. Yes, cleaning the basement!  Still not complete, but progressing.



A crazy quilt like Christmas stocking

Speaking of the basement, I have unearthed the workbench where I used to make Santas years ago.. It really was an excavation, piles of junk with an occasional goodie, then more junk...finally a usable workspace.  I have a some new projects in various stages already there, it is so nice to have a dedicated space to work. Not cluttering up the living space in our little house.

This is another project, in the works....more on this in another post

So, I like retirement just fine, so far. Never bored , always busy, but it really is too soon to tell.

Two years later...the story continues..............

Two years later, I have decided to blog again.  Why?  I have no idea... seems like the thing to do. well, I have a few ideas, really// To tie up loose ends, to communicate ideas thru blogging.. Verbal communication has become more difficult.. and now that I am no longer in the shop, socializing has changed.  I suppose there are some good reasons.

 

Whats on my mind today? Holiday stuff! Yah, yah, I know it's not even Halloween, but when the mood hits you, you just gotta go with it.

So I got this piece of unfinished embroidery at an estate sale recently.. Exquisitely done, I know I could never match the workmanship, even if I could find some thread to match. So I plan to use it in it's current state. Use it for what? I have no idea.....it's just so pretty.

Maybe just leave it draped over the back of the couch...

Looks nice next to my deer pillow....kind of a Scandinavian look, don't you think?  I never use red in decorating, with the exception of Christmas. I don't even like red... But I like this.

 

 

..

While digging around, I found an unfinished project from at least 15 years ago...I am almost ashamed to post a photo, my skills at rug hooking are so poor....but here it is.

Meant to look like St Nick and a sheep, I think I might trash it, or not....but I have to do something with it. It's now or never.  It's not so much the primitive hooking, it's that the face is so..............I don't even know....cartoonish... UGH...

 

...

Another find while digging around is this velvet skirt just begging to be cut up and made into something gloriously festive.

What will it become?

 

Stand by for further updates.

 

sunday

Glimpses of a day to complete nearly-finished projects

  knitted wire bracelet

 pine needle and crochet basket

 crochet cotton tablecloth

wet wool dripping on the clothesline

So i had this dream this morning....

So i had this dream this morning....




i was at a house, a big house, lots of rooms....and lots of people...Everyone was there for a fiber arts weekend,,,lots of materials in tow, color and texture everywhere. right in my comfort zone......but there was nowhere for me to sleep...all the beds and rooms were taken, i ended up on the floor of some childrens room,,, not sleeping and I was there to teach the next day...and i wasn't getting any sleep.. i did not want to let anyone down by not teaching, but i ended up leaving in the middle of the night, with a whole carload of wool and art stuff, (did i steal that stuff? was it mine in the first place?) and went home..



So what is this all about? random dumping of anxiety? and why was it so vivid and disturbing? maybe it was the spicy supper I had last night,,,,,,you think?

July 1

Last weekend we were int the north woods. Our cabin is in Marinette County, known for waterfalls. And trees, and wood ticks, but that is another story.We read in a guide that there was a rapids that was easily visible from the road, so on the way to town for groceries, we took the time to see the rapids.

Really nice.

 Easy to find.

Nice photo op.

 The guide book mentioned another waterfall nearby...one we had not visited yet....so we decided to find it.

Down a very narrow dirt road.

We followed the sign

 A nice path

 so, a little roadblock....

 Dave said "C'mon"

 Yes, I am still on the path, if you want to call it that.

Struggling to keep my balance, this is no place for and old, fat woman who has both knees replaced, short legs and $100 sandals....

 A bird poops on my shirt! Where is the trail? I am sweating bullets by this time...

I consider turning back, but I can hear the falls now....

 Dave is already there.

I was too shook up from the walk trauma to take any decent photos, but the falls was beautiful.

 That's my foot , by this time I had abandoned the stupid sandals.

About that time, I realized that I had to get back out the way I came in!

Only slightly less traumatic....
I think I will stick to the falls that are easy to get to from now on....like Strong Falls in Goodman Park.

Spring Spinning

Birds and blooms

Blooms first.

I knit this shawl this week.The pattern is Revontuli, Northern Lights.  Not very reminiscent of the aurora in this colorway, but done in purples and pinks and blues...maybe then. 

The yellow brings dandelions to mind.

We have a huge field of them behind our house...I think they are lovely. Spring has been elusive this year, so we have to enjoy each little bit of spring as it appears. Including dandelions.

And the birds.

These are more stuffed birds on my porch.

My bird making compulsion has ended,the aviary is complete, at least for now.

Tonight I am enjoying spinning on the deck, and the dandelions.