The Winter sun has been obscured by heavy grey cloud the past couple of days. It's been cold and we've had a few showers come through, enough to dampen things a little and keep the washing from the line. Time, for me, tends to go slowly on wintery, overcast days. I tend to spend them in the warmth of "inside". Rather than being drawn out into the garden, by the warm sunshine of blue-sky days, I am nestled instead in the warmth of home. As I wait for that sunshine to break through those thick clouds, there are simple things like soup and stitching, books and baking to fill these overcast days.
Hearty & nourishing soup.
A little knitting to lengthen my shawl.
An inspiring book to read.
A little project all sewn up.
Some delicious baking too.
Whatever the weather of your coming weekend, I hope you enjoy whatever it is you choose to do.
Meg
I love your little drawstring bag. It's hot and sunny here so we're off camping by the lake this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI love the Summer but I'm sad that the warm weather makes me less inclined to craft and bake. X
Thanks, Jules. Camping on the lake sounds like a lovely Summery thing to do. Summer here feels long gone, cold and wintery days now. I made the bag as a special gift from a piece of linen I did some stitching on ages ago. I used the project bag pattern in Melissa Wastney's book, "Sweet and Simple Handmade", to sew it up. Meg:)
DeleteVery nice projects! That shawl is going to be beautiful. Soup is so good on a cold day! I like looking into your winter when we have summer and visa versa! Andrea
ReplyDeleteOur Winters really are very mild but the comparison they offer to our scorching hot Summers is so lovely. My shawl is getting longer very slowly. I am still nowhere near finished the lacy edge. A work in progress! Enjoy your Summer days, Andrea. Meg ☺
DeleteThat soup looks absolutely devine.
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to read that book for ages, but it's very hard to get a hold of a copy at our local library.
Have a lovely weekend Meg ☺️
I am not sure how I managed to jag the book so quickly from my local library, Cheryl. It's a big, heavy book and it's no wonder it costs $85 to buy it! I read sections at a time and I am sure I will be turning over thoughts and ideas from it for a long time. Meg ☺
DeleteCheryl, find out the website for the library. Ask, next time your there, for the address. All public libraries have them. That way you can reserve it online, as long as you have your library card number to book it with. :)
DeleteThanks Chris, I will look into it 😁
DeleteMeg, it has been cold and wet here too but I don't think there was all that much in the rain gauge. I had to resort to using the dryer to dry the clothes as we don't use a heater. It is sunny here today though after a foggy start. I am enjoying the cooler weather as I now dread the summer months and the heatwaves. Have a restful weekend.
ReplyDeleteVery foggy here too, Chel. I am like you though, I am loving the colder weather after the heat of Summer. Meg ☺
DeleteI got that book out from the library and I was somewhat overwhelmed by the whole thing...way to much info for my little home.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a huge and heavy book, Kathy! There's an incredible amount of ideas and info in it. I like the hope that the "burbs" can be a place of resilient communities where people support one another, share and trade skills, grow food and find work & contentment. When I think of all the housing estates that stretch from here to the Sunshine Coast, I do think it is the suburbs where change has to happen. It's where most of us live. Meg 🤗
DeleteLots of my favourite things in those photos Meg!
ReplyDeleteI too am enjoying being inside and cosy on these cold wet days. Have a lovely weekend.
I'm less distracted by the garden on days like these, Belinda. That's probably why more knitting and sewing get done on these kinds of days. Enjoy your weekend too. Meg:)
DeleteSuch great things to take time for, the this particular lull of the season. I'm not a huge winter fan. I'm a sun sign, and I've really noticed it's absence this year. It plays havoc on my verve to go do stuff. Thankfully, the longer days are returning.
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting comment, what you responded to Kathy re: retrofitting the suburbs. I love the way Holgrem thinks, and I'm sure there are many that will make adaptations to their homes, and the way they do things. However, what stops everyone (even us, on our five acres) is the need to earn an income. Which inevitably takes us away from home. There needs to be a large enough swing, back home, in order to make the kinds of changes Holgrem suggests will make the difference. To turn things around, as a society, that is. We can (and should) make individual changes, regardless.
I think it will take a monumental shift, Chris, and I don't know when or how that shift will come about or even if it ever will. What I tend to do, whenever I read something like Holmgren's "Retrosuburbia" is think about what I can do here in our home, neighbourhood and community to have some kind of positive impact. At a really simple level, that's swapping a bit of veg for a bit of fruit with the bloke down the road and round the corner. No money required. That kind of transaction doesn't pay the bills though, that is true. Neither does saving seed or sewing my own clothes but I still feel those things are important for reasons beyond money. It's what I can do. Everyone will have different things they can do too. Meg:)
DeleteYou do wonderfully, in your parts Meg. :)
DeleteWell (and I'm not boasting lol) we had a little bit of sunshine down here in Melbourne this morning :)
ReplyDelete'Bout time too - I've been walking about in the half light for days lol
After reading your post this morning I thought I'd have a quick look at our library catalogue and maybe put a hold on Retrosuburbia - 13 copies to choose from, all out on loan - I'm 43rd in line for my go lol. Popular book eh??
I think I'll take my name off the list and have another try later in the year. In a couple of weeks we'll be making our way up to Bowen for 6weeks R&R hopefully in some sunny warm days. The book might be in the whitsunday Library - I'll have a look there instead.
Wow, that would be a long wait for Retrosuburbia, Cathy. Definitely popular! Bowen would be lovely this time of year I think, shouldnt be too hot or humid in the Winter. Enjoy your holidays! Meg:)
Deletehere in UK, we are still in the best heatwave for years, long hot sunny days, which does not happen that often here, so we enjoy the sunshine whilst we can.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a warm Summer, Marlene. A nice change from the cold for you.
DeleteMeg☺
The embroidery on your little bag is so pretty and cheery Meg. It doesn't take much, does it, to jazz up a plain piece of cloth. Saw yours and Chelle's comments about the early morning fog......it stretched a long way, it was foggy here too, Mt Warning wzs completely obscured. And apart from some rain yesterday, lots of lovely hot sunshine here, so it's been the garden for me.
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying stitching on linen, Nanette. It's a lovely fabric! The fog cleared reasonably early here and today (Saturday) is a lovely sunny day. Garden for me today too. Meg☺
DeleteYou are living the life! That soup looks so nourishing. The book looks terrific, your knitting is lovely, and your baking looks delicious. You write so well....thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good life, Stephenie. I feel very lucky that I have the time and circumstances that allow me simple joys like these. MegXx
DeleteSounds perfect to me Meg. It's nice to shift activities from season to season - there will be plenty of garden busyness in the months to come. Winter is such a rare treat of time to slow.
ReplyDeleteOh, and another appreciative nod to the little bag - lovely work.
Cheers,
Laura
It is lovely to follow the seasons, Laura. What we do and what we eat changes as the weather warms or cools down. Winter is definitely a time for slowing down. The little bag was happily received by a special someone. Nice to give things that are handmade. Meg:)
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