Life @ RuffHaven: March 2013

Spring !

This sweet baby has arrived just in time to welcome Spring.
I love Spring.
I have so much energy this year. But it's hard to control my wanderlust.
I am going to try to take a relaxed approach to Spring and spring chores.
I have a list of things that must be done before Easter.
But before I get to that list. I wanted to share a bit of Trivia.

Did you ever wonder why Easter falls on a different Sunday each year?

Easter always falls on the

first Sunday AFTER the first Full Moon AFTER the Vernal (Spring) Equinox.

The word AFTER is very important here.

If the full moon falls ON the Equinox, we need to wait til the next Full Moon
That's why Easter is so late in some years.

Easter can never be earlier that March 22nd or later than April 25th.

How it falls into place this year:
Spring - March 20th
Full Moon - March 27th
Easter - March 31st

So it's easy to remember:

Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the equinox, to celebrate Easter.

The exception

There is always an exception to every rule right?

Passover

If the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the equinox,

falls during passover...Easter gets bumped to the next Sunday.

Passover said "Pardon me I was here first"

Easter replied "OK ...I'll see you next week"

for more about movable feasts click here....but I warn you it gets a bit confusing. And if you have all day to kill time..... Google it.

Now I need to get back to my list of outdoor fun...
I need:
3 yards of mulch
NO NEW PLANTS ! I need to stop feeding the deer.
More walks
More daydreaming
More family time.
More photographs.

Happy Spring Everyone!
Thanks for stopping by!

Almost Time

According to the calendar, tomorrow is the first day of spring.
We were warned that snow could fall...but so far today has been bright and sunny.
This daffodil is ready to open.              I am ready to spread mulch.
          April showers might bring May flowers...
       ...but the March thaw brings weeds.

restless

Just a few thoughts.

for me, art and crafting is a hobby...

....... performed at leisure for pleasure

shopping for craft supplies is fun

organizing my supplies is fun....

sometimes it's not

an unfinished project does not add pressure or anxiety to my life

Most of my projects are unfinished.

        I am a restless soul.

                I am a wanderer.

                         I am in constant motion.

                    Is this wrong?

                Should I try to channel my efforts to one art form?

                                                               Should I try to narrow my focus?

                                          I am not sure that is even possible.

Wordless Wednesday

Today and Tomorrow

Sub title :    The Girl on the Fence

I am thinking about a blog makeover .....
                       maybe even moving this blog or starting a new blog.
         I dunno.....    It must be Spring because I am restless.

This post was part of the previous post but I thought it was too long. Now for those of you who read every post I write....(thank you).....I know it is just as long but it does offer the opportunity to get a cup of coffee or go to the bathroom or something.

Today

I was sorting through some unfinished projects and came across
                                                 this sweet embroidery piece I started back in 1980.

       If I must say so myself .... ahem....
my superb organizing and packing skills have been proven
by the "good as new" and "in perfect" condition of the fabric and yarn.
However there is evidence of a visit from a curious critter in the form of teeth marks
on the outer packaging.     hmmmm

I have a perfectly good ~~excuse~~ reason as to why this is still unfinished. Actually I have a list of perfectly good ~~excuses~~ reasons.
1. I had two little ones in diapers in 1980
    2. I moved in '83
3.   I moved again in '85
                 4. ditto '88
and again in '90
5. lost it
   6. found it, but my tastes changed
   7. boxed it up for a yard sale
                   8. never had the yard sale
   9. moved in '98

The list goes on.....but I won't. I have lost, found and moved this project from home to home, room to room and bin to bin for 33 years.              Every time I pulled it out to finish it,
             I was sidetracked by another hobby or life in general.

I was an "associate" of Creative Expressions back in 1980. As a stay at home mom, it was something I could do in the evenings to earn a few bucks and get out of the house a couple of hours a week. Creative Expressions was a direct sales company set up along the lines of Tupperware, StampinUp!, Pampered Chef....you get the idea. As an "associate" I taught needlepoint, cross stitch and crewel embroidery to small groups of friends in the comfort of a home. The stitchery parties were a lot of fun. I was sad when the company went out of business and often thought about starting my own version of home stitchery parties. But being someone who likes to flit from flower to flower I decided starting a business like that was not for me.

So 33 years later, I am once again looking at this project and smiling because the memories it holds are so warm. I am going to leave this one out. I am not going to pack it away again.
It deserves to be finished, blocked and framed.
I am adding to the list of projects that must be completed this year.

Tomorrow

I have a stack of quilt tops to press, a few cards to make, a fairy garden to plant and over 15,000 photos to sort through.....oh and the girl on the fence to finish.

I hope it rains.

Marianne