Thru the Light Darkly

Eleven days till the one year anniversary of the death of my love.

A gloomy day for me.

 Outside my sewing room window,  once again,
the sun shines thru the bottle tree, lighting the yard with happiness. 

I try to incorporate that into my soul.

Remembering that life is too short to feel hapless.

I love my son.

I was excited when he sounded so good, out of jail, He had two months to detox, recovering.

Alas, his disease is too powerful.

He did not go to a halfway house, he did not go to meetings, he did not get a sponsor.

He is back homeless on the street.

My heart...

I think I will make a broken heart potholder.

Red Pepper Quilts featured a new line:

Black and White by Cotton and Steel

Having the money and being a fabric addict, etc

I could be quite attracted to this new exciting fabric....

Alas, it would not bring Mr.O'Quilts back.

It would not make my son sober.

It would not bring my mother back.

Etc...You get the picture.
 I let be.... the blacks and the whites.

 Forestalling tears, I went outside for a bit, in the crisp Carolina Blue.

Then I sewed...as he said...making  something pretty to show.!!

Here, from Amy Ellis via Baby Lock site, comes a beginners Lucky Block
It just .took a second.  I never before have saved 2.5x2.5 inch blocks.  Now I will.
Memories are lifting me up.
Back outside.
I see the 50 year old Dogwood tree...blooming again, despite Himself being gone.

 Stray Azaleas beside my Grandmother's rusty table, rescued from the Arizona homestead.

 The large green Bradford Pear tree enhanced by Carolina Blue.
I bought that tree for $7 at Walmart 15 years ago.

 Yearly show begins with Clematis..

 And my Love's first rose of the season.
How could it not be blurry.. Wondering  How Can it Bloom at all????

My book and I will now visit with the millions of tiny green inch worms.
Life is still sweet.

One more... lucky to be alive... Friday..

We are getting a storm in Charlotte...tornado watches and dark skies...hopefully, it is all talk.  My favorite time is the breeze before the storm.  Sitting in the back yard with my Azaleas and my favorite Snowball tree, relaxing, just like you know who...!

I am reading a real book, since I cannot read an electronic book with my concussion symptoms.  This is one of my favorite authors...I love her command of language and her take on life.

Today's finish is once again orphan block potholders.  A random pinwheel and a Japanese "X" block.

 Since my fall, I have started using things I love...I have learned that life has it...here today, gone tomorrow...sometimes.  So, on the potholder below, I used one of my bakelite buttons.  It was hard...but a grown up girl just has to do the right thing!!!

 Also finished a cat food bag example to send on to Emily in Europe.  Now she will know how to make them herself.

 Spring in Charlotte is just stunning.  So very grateful for so very much.  Linking up to Finish it up Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts

My mother gave me this Azalea to remember her by!!  LOL..I took this picture to show her on my IPad when I go to visit.

One of several Clematis in our yard.