the week ahead... happy homemaker #9

Welcome to this week's Happy Homemaker post about the week ahead...Isn't that leaf interesting?
I love the way the color starts at the vein. The whole tree was like that! Then they were down after quite a blowing rainstorm this weekend.

Bare now, there is little to buffer the views of neighbors, or to block a certain puppy's barks

Even these bright pinkish red fruits were blown mostly off the tree to decorate the sidewalks with red bead necklaces

and ball bearings for us to skitter on walking in the dark. It's dark a lot now that the time switched back. "Fall back" as the saying goes. I don't like it to get dark so early but we're moving to less daylight as we approach winter.

The Weather in Aurora
It's been Fall like weather, highs in the 50's and lows below freezing. We had some cloudy days and rain, but today has a little sun. I'm sad to say goodbye to my pretty flowers out back. We're covering them at night but it won't be long before we say bye bye for the winter and rely on Christmas lights for some color.

Breakfast
Milo and I had some scrambled egg whites with cheese. I take a whole carton, scramble them with cheese and butter, pull some out for him, then I mix in some chives, garlic and paprika for us. There is enough for us all to have some for a few days after.

To do
I love being home! I need peace and quiet in my life now.
The usual maintenance chores that every house needs, as a house is always asking for something. I'd like to mop all the wood floors today and try again to clean the hardwater off the shower walls. Vinegar didn't do it like it did in MD. Shampoo didn't do it. I have to turn to Mr Clean Eraser next and chemicals as last resort.

I have to write tomorrow's blog post on my latest STAT quilt, an ongoing study of famous artists and their styles. A friend in DC does this hop and each of us chooses to make a piece inspired by another artist. I approach the challenge by researching the artist, this time my choice is Vermeer. More tomorrow, please come see what I made.

Walk lots, drink more water, eat better.
I already put away the Halloween seasonal kitchen towels and took out the Fall ones to use. We changed the clocks to the new time.
Water the plants... I brought some in for the winter, and must remember to water them daily as it's very dry here. The skin on my thumbs has cracked and is painful. Green growing plants clean the air for us, and put out oxygen so I have to take care of them.

 Living things need care.

Watching TV
I've been watching Who Do You Think You Are UK ,  on Youtube again. We also liked the law series on BBC Ireland show "Striking out". Good actors, fresh plot lines, not gory. We are finishing up Murdoch Mysteries season 13 out of Canada, and 800 words (LOVE) out of NZ too.

I am way into Survivor this season, and dancing with the stars as always, This is us. I am trying to like New Amsterdam and A million little things. I have come to like the Good Doctor. Love PBS The Durells and still trying to figure out where "jamestown" is shown. I saw one episode and poof! gone

What happened to daytime TV? I mean, hundreds of channels and nothing interesting to me?

Reading Books

I finally finished Agony of the Leaves tea shop mysteries, and started a new book described as charming. Since I fell asleep after one chapter, time will tell.
I hope to listen to this book on CD while I sort things in the studio this week...

how did I miss this book in the Molly Murphy series??!

By the way...
what's the deal with Christmas decorations going up before Halloween??!
 I like to live in the season, and folks, it's fall and Thanksgiving is weeks in the future!
In case you want to say people put up lights before it gets too cold, I live in Colorado now, and the weather is so changeable you get all four seasons every week. I saw a fully set up Christmas tree with lights inside someone's house last night! And Christmas lights already lit up in yards!

Crafting and the Arts

My Muse and Inspiration

I suppose I might label myself these days as an Artist. I think about it nearly all the time, find inspiration in every day life, want to express myself with my painting, drawing, quilts, and writing.

I agreed to do the Art with Fabric challenge (mentioned above) again, and my day to post is tomorrow. I am a deadline person, who gets more done with a strict deadline. I am dependable but I forgot the post deadline wasn't my true deadline. The organizer needed the finished thumbnail and post URL a week before, and life being the little brat it is, got in my way.

Oh it's finished, "Poodle with a Pearl"  for my post deadline, but I must be more aware of the needs of the organizer next time. I have done about 20 of these small works now. I was in a group in MD for two years exploring great artwork/styles in our way. All of mine are 12" and most have a poodle as subject.

Now that a deadline is nearly met and over, it's time to really face the studio organization with energy. I must make it a working place. It's too small, and lighting is awful, I started our house hunting with the idea we needed a good place for me to work at home but the market was nutty, and we had to vacate the rental earlier than we hoped because the owners decided to sell in the nutty market. I have to make the best of the situation, and I think the task feels overwhelming. I also think I kind of resent having to make do in such an expensive home.

Lessons learned
I can't say I've truly dealt with resentment or as I like to call it righteous indignation. It's been a recurring theme in my life. I believe we come to earth as spirit comes, to experience and learn. I think we are defined by the choices we make, the actions we take, lessons we learn,  obstacles we overcome, and how we handle love.

I've been hurt so many times, hurt as an innocent child, hurt in body so many times, hurt in heart so many times.I have injuries that must be coped with daily as do other people. It's made me aware of others in a very real way. As a social worker, I often knew before seeing or being told, that a child was being hurt. I have been through therapy to sort the hurts and resentments, as they are as important to treat like physical wounds, they will fester like a scrape or burn if ignored.

A person can heal, but there is a scar. The scar is tender, and each new resentment joins the rest, and feels like more than it would alone.
Each  time I hear of another woman being overpowered or not listened to, it tears open the scar. Each new assault goes on the pile.

I am always learning, and growing and seeing things more clearly. If I could tell my younger self any advice, it would be that life will be full of slights, and hurts, disappointments and loss, but will be balanced by beauty, and connections with others, by sunlight. It's a balancing act. Each time something is taken from you, it is an opportunity to learn what is important in life.

I had to give up my home in MD with it's larger studio on the first floor. This isn't trivial as it's my workspace. It was my creative space, the part of me that is pure joy. I am lucky enough to have a home, and will eventually figure out how to make the new area joyful. Looking back at what I had is a roadblock to enjoying what I can make now.

Resentments held or ignored, will pull your attention away from  the beauty that is left to see. I can focus on what's lost or look at what's left. I know I didn't deserve the pain lived through as a child and young adult, but I can acknowledge that it happened, learn to understand others and myself because of it, and turn my eyes to a new view.

It takes intent to do this.
 It takes energy to change.
I've had too many life changes this year, and my word for the year was change. I've learned not all change is good. I realized change is good in small doses. I learned that I enjoy ritual, so that life's unexpected changes are not the largest part of your day. I learned that I'd enjoy change more if it was more controllable.
As Michaelangelo said, "I am always learning "

Please visit other people at the Happy Homemaker Monday party HERE 
linking to

sundays in the city