slow + steady

 

I've been working on a special gift for the past few days and getting to do one of my favorite things, slow hand stitching. It's an amazing thing how sewing and beading earrings require the same tools, needle and thread, but use such different energy. I stitched most of the day yesterday while I watched all the traffic get crazier and more intense around us,  I'm sure there was some sort of record set for that and for lost people.

But with this kind of work I could just let my mind wander with so many thoughts and memories. With bead weaving and making earrings I really have to pay such close attention every minute ... counting tiny beads, making sure I get the right color each time, making sure the thread doesn't knot, changing directions when needed so I find I can't do it for long periods of time.

I wish I could say that I was one of the types of people who, when slow stitching, adds only good thoughts and intentions in with each and every stitch but I'm not. Oh, there's plenty of good stuff in there but also way too many random, strange mind workings to ignore so plans get made, decisions reached, next projects thought about all while making little marks with thread and piecing parts together. But mostly it is holding close the person you are making for, hoping that they will like it, will use it, will keep it. I've always found that when I know who that person is it makes the making better.

A beautiful highlite at the end of the busy day, late evening on the deck and we got to see a mama raccoon usher her three big babies across the street, she paused to check that all were there then quietly drifted down into the ditch where we hope they are living. It was just the second time we've spotted any around here in all these years.

So, as always, we continue on with our slow, steady art work and marvel that we are smack in the middle of another summertime and, as always, it's all good.