(Meteorological) Spring

Is it Spring Yet?

Who knew! Spring, I always thought, came along on March 21st. To my amazement I have (in my old age where I am finding you can teach an old dog new tricks) been told by our local weather forecaster that last Friday was meteorological spring. Seems it comes along every March 1st (smile)! Who knew?? Well, maybe you all did, but not I. It is nice to think that we have left winter behind and are experiencing spring. Ok- I'm laughing. Seriously laughing. To me spring means daffodils, snowdrops, rain. You know - "April showers bring May flowers". Instead I still live with gray skies, blustery winds and the joy of hearing that there are weather patterns coming from the Midwest that are being watched. I know what that means. Don't put the shovel away just yet. Means I will still be looking out at this for a bit:

Poor neglected Adirondack chair

One of many seed pods in the back garden

and going for the usual lunch time staple of soup and home made bread. It has become my Monday morning routine of late: throw on a pot of soup using what is left in the fridge so it simmers away while I am making my favorite Honey Oat bread. This week it was pumpkin soup with apples and nutmeg. Yum.

So what have I done to pass the time since my last post? ( I was told on Sunday by quilt companion M that she is still waiting for a new post. Guess she needs something else to read over morning coffee. Frankly I find our blogging quilt companion NP's blog posts much more stimulating! She at least discusses books, painting, bonsai, and oh yes!! her quilting projects. Seems these two quilt buddies actually get some quilting done!). It's amazing how many great posts I've composed in my head while out walking- too bad they never made it to "post".
I do know I have been experiencing the winter of my discontent.  I have little to no quilting to show for all the cold, snowy weather we had this year. I did make a few plans- most likely made big announcements to that end as well, and then let it all slide. I managed to clean and organize the sewing studio- that was a start. I managed to pull out the applique project that should have been done five years ago. Again, another start. I even worked on it for a full day- sewing with the quilting buddies towards the end of February. Oh we had a lovely time...and some very good laughs. It's another great start. I even decided that I was not going to make demands on myself and make a small quilt each month as I thought I would do to make up for never finishing out 2012's endeavor. Again, no demands. So exactly what have I been doing then, you may ask??  Reading. Relaxing. Walking the dog. Making quilt plans. Scrapping quilt plans (now there is a play on words!). Taking a photography class (can you tell from the above pictures- maybe not!). Getting together with old friends I haven't seen in what seemed to be "forever". Enjoying the grandchild. And there it is- winter is gone (meterologically) and spring is here (again, meterologically). And with spring has come a renewed excitement. I've fired up the sewing machine and along with former co-worker am making the latest sew-along that just ended at Temecula Quilt Company. I am loving it. Maybe this arrival of spring has brought my mojo with it??  We'll see.....no demands, remember. But I've cut, pieced, pressed and pieced some more, all the while smiling and declaring it to be good. Stay tuned. Maybe I'll have something to show for all this activity? Maybe??