Shifting obsessions

Since I'm not working right now (I took a break from one client during the Denver aftermath of chaos and depression and am now waiting on another client to deliver a project for which I'll have to drop everything else), I have time and energy for my projects. Granted, two toddlers (Maggie now has fall-on-the-floor-and-flail tantrums, so I guess her babyhood is just about over) run me ragged much of the time, but I manage to snag time here and there for my own pursuits.

I seem to have three main obsessions -- quilting, knitting, and gardening -- and whether I pursue one or another seems to depend mostly on mood. I haven't wanted to knit, for example, since we were in Denver, probably because of the sunshine and heat (who wants to think of winter, let alone sit with a lapful of wool or mohair, on a warm sunny day?). I'm also finally getting the hang of the quilting thing, making it a far more productive and rewarding obsession than it was before, and on days I do feel frustrated or thwarted with that, I have plenty to do in the garden.

It once seemed pointless to garden in August -- whatever you have by then is all you're going to have by first frost -- but this year I feel, I don't know, empowered by my (very few) successes (gorgeous, sweet red onions! fat, sparky carrots! bushels of basil!) and determined to get in a good fall crop of greens that could, if properly managed, last well into winter. And late summer/early fall is the best time to plant most perennials, so of course I must forge ahead.... Under the guise of taking my mom on a trip to see the arts and culture of Santa Fe next week, I will be making a pilgrimage to not one but two native plant specialists, where I can scarcely imagine the beauty and possibilities that await....

Until then, I'll be planting my mesclun, micro greens, and rainbow chard, giving thanks for the afternoon rains, and scavenging for framing wood and glass panes to make myself some cold frames.

Just thinking of frost, I can feel the urge to knit welling up inside.... Of course Maggie's sweaters from last year don't fit anymore, including this little one, so I'll be needing to get busy soon so she and Laz can be cozy again this winter. I have yarn already, and don't know whether to start with a sassy wool/fluff-trimmed cardigan and hat for Maggie or a cabled pullover for Lazarus using the deep turquoise alpaca/mohair I got from the local fiber mill. Or... well, safe to say, I'm never bored these days....