Saturday, March 26, 2022

It's That Strange Time of Year....

It's that strange time of year...
 
...when tantalizing wisps of warmer air whisper to the frozen ground that it's time to go and eerie fog settles like tears....

...when sudden snow squalls can't silence the song of the spring birds as they feast on berries of bittersweet....


It's that strange time of year when, each and EVERY morning, some of us still think we have been gypped out of an hour of sleep thanks to "daylight saving time"....
 ...and we be none too happy about it....

And it's that strange time of year when the calendar, without fanfare or ceremony, flips on another year of my life....

I always feel "untethered" in this "twixt" time.  Like Mother Nature who does not quite know if it should be winter or spring, I do not quite know what it is I want to do.
Hooking? Maybe.
Stitching?? Maybe.
More likely just cursing daylight saving time AGAIN because I am not tired at the time the clock says I really need to go to bed. (So, yes, I really feel cheated out of two hours of sleep every day....the clock says it's an hour later than it should be when I get up and it says it's an hour later than it should be when I go to bed. My head is a scary place most days.)

In other words, I have gotten little to nothing of anything done.
I put aside my large(r) Noel Sampler I had been off and on stitching on (more off than on) and worked on a teeny little piece called "Winter Woods" by Chessie & Me.  The stitching is almost done except for another large snowflake and then nun stitching on the sides.

My hook I have picked up not at all.

It is windy and cold, with spurts of flurries coming from the lifelessly gray sky.  I'm off to see if I can revive Hepzibah (my sourdough starter) so I can make sourdough cinnamon cranberry bread.

I hope there is a corner of each of your worlds where you can find some peace and hope in  these troubling times.

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Recently read:

If you haven't figured it out yet, one of my favorite genres of books is historical fiction: Two of my particularly favorite time periods are, of course, 17th century Salem and World War II.  The downfall is that many of the plots tend to follow a very predictable path and one story becomes unremarkably similar to others.
In some regard, this can be said of this book, but it was relatively fresh to the market and I couldn't resist.

 It is the story Jewish mother and daughter who flee from the war raging in Poland and go into hiding in a neighboring barn.  Above that, it is the story of the bond between a mother and a daughter and of the precious gifts of imagination and music.

While I, at one point, took violin lessons (another surprising piece of trivia I bet you didn't know), the music detail in this book was a bit much for my taste.  (Kinda like The Book of Two Ways mentioned a few posts back may have been to much "Egyptology" for some....)  Despite that, I enjoyed it. (But hey, if you haven't figured it out by now, I really enjoy most all books.)  It is not one that will earn a rank among my favorites, but that's a very selective list.    
  
*******

20 comments:

Saundra said...

Is that sweet little girl you? That cherub face and curly hair is so adorable. Not sure I've recovered from the time change either but am working on it.
Love that bird atop the thread!!!!!

Hill Top Post said...

It Is a strange time of year. Hopefully the old time is growing tired and the new is beginning to take over. You are such a darling, and undoubtedly still are. Your bits of stitchers inspire me.






acorn hollow said...

Happy Birthday! What an amazing blog post. I think women especially feel the earth and seasons so acutely. Both of the time changes throw me off for weeks. I have been very selective in my reading nothing to topical or related in any way. I can not bear the news and pictures coming out of Ukraine but I need to be informed so I am selective just how much I do read or watch. I pray for peace everyday. Peace in our souls,in our relationships,homes, country, world.
As you know a hook in my hand helps to steady my thoughts.
Sending peaceful thoughts
Cathy

Hootin Anni said...

You are hinting to us it's a birthday today/or soon?!! Well then, my best wishes to you dear one!! Y'know (if that photo is of you) the sweet girl really does fit the name Robin!!! Precious.

Ya, time change literally sucks. There!! I said it for you. But, in a polite blogging way.

You and I both like the same genre of reading. I agree a lot of times, the books are so similar with others...just the names change.

Have a great day & again, happy birthday.

Hootin Anni said...

Ps...forgot to say it's 82° and sunny here.

Heritage Hall said...

Enchanted by your photos and description of Nature's mantle about you.
Agree with you on the time change.. it seems to justify lethargy and feeling
unsettled. Spring in all its glory will be upon us in no time and we will have
forgotten what made March so maddening. A blessed Birthday to that darling
little curly locks...enjoy your day. Forgot to mention I also was intrigued
by the hooked sleigh scene in your previous post... what an accomplishment...

NMK said...

What a Beautiful little girl !!! Just love the way we were dressed , pretty dresses , socks with a touch of lace & mary jane shoes !!!!

Your cross stitch is pretty , my old eyes can't tolerate doing that anymore. There are so many pretty patterns out there !

Hope Mother Nature decides Spring is very necessary for all of us thru this difficult time in the world.

Hope you have a Very pleasant Birthday !!!

Prims By The Water said...

Happy Birthday! Well I hate daylight savings time. I too agree with you that I lost 2 hours a day. Its always such a treat to see what you are stitching. I wish I had more time to do this. AM working on Halloween right now. We had snow again this morning. Thought I was in Wisconsin. :-) Have a great weekend and enjoy your books too! Janice

oldgreymareprimitives said...

I need to go back thru your posts and jot down book titles. My reading halted when my purging and home repairs ensued and I need new inspiration. Since I admire you so much I'm hoping I will enjoy some that you recommend. I've exhausted my "read alike" lists, I desperately need new. I am however always a fan of writer's serials. I love watching characters develop over many years and I get quite attached. Lately, as you know, I come in from the yard and collapse in exhaustion and sore everything so no reading right now. I did finally get the clinton/penny book after waiting months from the library request form. I enjoyed it very much, but also cannot wait to return to Three Pines and my "friends" who reside there.

Julia said...

What a cute little doll you were... Happy Birthday, Robin. You were such a beauty then and I'm sure you still are.

I'm still not getting used to the time change and I'm so tired all the time. Like you, I don't feel sleepy till late, and getting up in the morning isn't easy for me either. What a bunch of foolishness, this time change...

I love your little sampler. Like you, I have some unfinished projects I've started but it just sits there. I need to decide if I want to finish them or get rid of them. I started working around the clock when I started them, and the wants just fizzled away.

Right now I need to do some spring cleaning before summer, lol...

Take care, Robin, I hope that you have a good week.
Hugs,
Julia

kcmrugs@gmail.com said...

I’m feeling detached. Maybe it’s like you, not knowing what to put my hand to. Hope it’s short. We have a sourdough going! Her name is Audrey. Hubby is making a plain loaf today and I’m making cinnamon rolls!

Farm Girl said...

Hello, Happy Sunday,
I hope you get to go into full spring soon. It always is a funny time of year, the birds know the truth. I love your counted cross stitch. I do love seeing outside and the sky around your house. Since I never have lived around snow, I cannot speak about what it must be like to live in it daily.
Your book sounds wonderful. I think its cool our took violin lessons. I played the clarinet for years. :) I never told anyone that before.
Have a wonderful day, I keep thinking about sourdough starter too. My DIL named her starter Josie. :)

Rugs and Pugs said...

Snowed most of the day yesterday...nothing stuck. Woke up to a snow cover. Even though barely out of the 20's, most of it has melted. I would never survive in the land of Nod.
Such a sweet picture of you! Happy belated birthday.
Violin lessons? There is so much we do not know about you!
I wish I would take/make the time to read!!!

WoolenSails said...

What a wonderful photo to have, and Happy Birthday! I seem to do better with this time change, than in the winter, I never got used to that. I do like fiction from those time periods, myself.

Debbie

Dicky Bird said...

Oh my, what a cute picture of you - Happy Birthday. Also, your cat...stop it...so cute. Violin or Fiddle? Fiddle from my KY grandpa was a main stay at any visit. Harmonica, bango, fiddle - he played all of those. I am working on a primitive sale in a cool historic bar in Portage Co. I wish I could rent it for a shop. However, it's in the "middle of no where" ahahha

Jan Hebert said...

Hmmm, maybe that's my problem? Daylight savings? I will blame my lack of ambition on that. Happy Birthday! I love your picture, cute cute cute! We are in spring mode here fortunately. The daffodils are up, crocus and I'm planting peas and some cool weather vegetables. Trying to put some spring touches around the house - this is when I find the primitive style kind of hard to work with. It can be so dark and dreary in my opinion! I find myself drawn to the cottage look with all of it's pretty aqua and pink and white furniture! That's not good when your house is dark wood beams and oriental rugs (that I love in winter). Anyway, I hope it warms up there in Nod soon. Your cat picture is great, still chuckling. Jan in MA

marly said...

I don't care what time it is. I'm usually trying to figure out what day it is. I actually wake every morning asking that and hoping I get it right. I guess a smart phone would be beneficial. So a birthday is near? Past? Whenever, treat yourself to an indulgence.

yaya said...

Happy Birthday to you and look at those cute curls on your baby head! It is a weird time of life, I think. I've felt kind of of kilter myself. We really need warm air, sunshine, green grass and a nap! Hang in there!

Shrimpton and Perfect said...

So we live in different parts of the world but somehow experience very similar things. I think that is good. If it is indeed your birthday around this time I'm guessing your an Aries then? Also jolly good. I get on particularly well with folk born under the sign of Aries. This includes my darling husband. Today in my neck of the woods we have had snow blizzards and brilliant sunshine, none of which were forecast. I think Mother Nature is playing with us at the moment. I don't blame her. xx

Primitive Stars said...

Hello sweet friend, I decided to check on you and found your new posts. You bring me comfort as these days it’s much needed I find, you have a way with words and I am entranced. I love the picture of a wee you, such a cutie…. I hope your Birthday was a good one, take care, Warm Blessings Francine.