Dear Vi,
Yesterday was the official first day of spring. The sun has crossed the celestial equator, moving northward.
I celebrated the Vernal Equinox by going outside to inspect my flower beds. Were my tulips poking green tips up through the chilly dirt yet? Yes! Yes, they were. Small, green tips about an inch high, full of promise.
I can’t begin to say how happy that made me. Even though we’ve had a pretty good winter (by my standards, anyway), I still felt a burst of joy at the first sign of the flowers the deer find such a delicacy each spring. I am crossing my fingers they forget to check the edges of my driveway this year.
Tulips confirmed, I came inside, made a cup of tea, and tidied my sewing room. As I ran a damp dusting cloth over newly cleared surfaces, I appreciated all the things I love about this space: the way the lace curtain hangs to the side of the glass door leading out to the deck, my shelves with their bins of colourful scraps, the sampler blocks I found while tidying and impulsively arranged on the design wall, Samson watching me from his pillow in the corner, the sight of Bastion Mountain rising up into the sky, stone grey and green against the blue sky right outside my window.
Here, I’ll hold my camera up to the glass and show you: 
Sometimes it’s the simplest things that bring the most joy.
What small things bring you joy?
And I’ve got a short story out on submission, but I won’t hear for awhile yet.
Meanwhile, I’m working on two new manuscripts. This is a bit discombobulating – I need to settle into one. Instead, I dither, going back and forth, unable to totally immerse myself in either.
I’ve been busy in other areas, too: I’ve got one quilt ready for binding and another one sandwiched and ready for quilting, and socks on one set of needles and a sweater on another set. Lots of busy going on in that area, as evidenced by the gawd awful mess of knitting and hand sewing paraphernalia next to my side of the couch.
And then, as if things weren’t messy enough, I decided that most of the pieces of clothing I’ve made up to now are not acceptable. They looked good in the initial trying on, but once I started actually wearing them – out in public, like – their flaws started showing up. Three dresses have been tossed into the recycle bin. There’s enough fabric in the skirts to use as a muslin for a couple of tops I want to make. It’s all a learning process.
Sam and I have really been enjoying the autumn colours this year. Somehow, they seem even more vivid than usual.
What about you? Anything interesting to report?