Surfacing for Air

deep breaths.  The quilt show is behind you.  The paperwork is almost all behind you.  The studio is ahead of you.  The garden is before you.

I don't know if you can see all that is in this photo.  REAL, full-size roses in the top lefthand corner were planted last year.  I love them.  Beneath them are some miniatures, both yellow and a multi-color that I-can-never-remember-their-name-but-Elaine-gave-them-to-me-for-my-birthday years ago and they've survived 2-3 transplants...  whew!  And then there are the iris sentries, in white, and both red and blue violet.  And the Dutch iris, and if you were to blow up the photo to life size, you might see the red camellia in the background, and the Johnny Jump-ups scattered around the ground.

whew!  Can you tell I'm loving my garden?  I cannot remember the last time it bloomed so vigorously.  I think it knows what's coming, and it is doing its best to delight my eyes.  Weeks of feast as we face the coming water famine.  I will enjoy it to the best of my ability, while I can.

When they fall over, I bring them inside, to make me smile.  Mother always used to fill the house with flowers from her garden.  My garden has never been prolific enough for me to be willing to cut blooms and bring them in.  This year?  I've done it, and the smiles have come inside as well.

All of this beauty has quilt ideas dancing around in my brain.  I can't wait until I find the time to start sewing them out.  I know, I shouldn't just go looking for the time until I find it, I should MAKE time for quilting.  After all, quilting is the activity that soothes this savage beast, and brings good things to mind and gives an incredible sense of satisfaction.

I don't know if God is a quilter, but I'm certainly glad that He destined me to be one!!

Enjoy the beauty around you, and if possible, quilt it, too!!!