Stasia's Place Of Grace

Monday, March 17, 2003

 

Grateful For A Touch Of Springtime

Ok, so I know it isn't really here yet... but three days above sixty degrees in March is heaven for us Wisconsinites! Currently, it is 71!

The Pussywillow bush seems anxious for spring as well...

Some of the migratory birds are returning. In the last few days, robins have again taken up residence, and the males are squabbling for territory, challenging each other to duels as they fly towards each other, then straight up in the air, feet scrabbling against one another's chests.

The warm weather has made me look for any excuse to get outside. Filling up the birdfeeder? Visiting the beehives? A walk around the muddy yard? All are reasons to take a few moments and amble about aimlessly, just absorbing the sun's glorious rays and breathing in the smell of the thawing earth. It feels so fantastic to go out and walk and be able to swing one's arms (instead of shivering and hunching up one's shoulders)... I can almost feel my joints loosening, waking up after their "long winter's nap." I feel like a very stiff turtle just coming out of its shell!

In our little woodlot, I have heard the aforementioned robins' calls as well as those of cardinals, blue jays, crows, Canada geese, and red winged blackbirds. Today I went outside to try to record those sounds of Spring for you, and, as luck would have it, just as I was there with my recorder, a sandhill crane flew directly overhead, calling to another in the distance. To hear it, click here. (You will need QuickTime as it's a .mov file.)

I thought you might also like to hear how a busy beehive sounds. If so, click here. The bees are again taking advantage of the warm weather to do some hive clean-up, as well as drinking water from the puddles in the grass. I'm glad to see that both hives still seem to be healthy and active.

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Projects

I have not had the opportunity to spend much time in the wool and woodshop rooms, as Jeff was away this past week and so I had to remain upstairs to look after the "restless natives." So instead, I've been making a little progress on my candy-colored Sockatta socks, and the Rambling Rows purple and green afghan.

I haven't knit in a while, and I was surprised and how restful I found it. I've been feeling really restless this past week, with Jeff away, and with the unusual warm weather, and taking up my knitting again helped me to just settle down and be.

I've also been takli spindling some cotton for a green/tan/white scarf kit from New World Textiles. I tried two charkhas and wasn't satisfied with either, so I've resorted to takli spinning, and I'm amazed at the progress one can make with one of these fast little spindles. They're awesome! I even spun at the airport when I dropped Jeff off and we waited for his departure time (though no one asked what I was doing...)

Claudia's Lorna's Laces "Flames" socks have me wanting to get some of that yarn, as well as the new "Tuscany" colorway if I can find it. Not that I need more sock yarn... Isn't her picot edge lovely?

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Just Plain Thankful...

Yesterday I had this urgent inkling to go look at an antiques mall for a spinning wheel. I had no reason to suppose one would be there, but sure enough, one was. Once I looked at the wheel, I had no urge to buy it, despite the very nagging urge to go see it. Looking at it delayed me from a little drive I'd planned to Horicon Marsh for about an hour and a half. As it turns out, there was an awful accident on the road to Horicon Marsh just about an hour and a half before I was there - I saw the crinkled cars as I drove past, and learned about it on the TV news last night.

I think some spinner from the past, who owned that wheel, sent me a message to keep me from being in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Here's to listening to those little intuitive messages we get, even if they don't always seem to make sense!

I am off to get outside and take advantage of this lovely weather - to spin, or visit the bees, or just amble aimlessly some more... I hope you will enjoy your day, too! And remember to listen to those "little voices!"

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