It's April and I have Spring Brain. I know that the number of low humidity, sunny days are numbered in western Pennsylvania and I find myself drifting out of my studio the minute I see a peek of blue sky.
I am making good progress on the wet felting, so I don't feel completely guilty, and it isn't as if I am sitting around sipping tea and eating bonbons, although I will admit to more than a few good hours with a book now and then.
This time of year as the wet felting is winding down, I am starting to contemplate all the needle felting and other embellishments. I have an annual trek to a three day antiquing extravaganza to find things to use for hats and for the dolls. The theme of my my search and for my musings tends to be botanical simply because my yard and garden are coming to life and I get genuinely excited about it. (Have you noticed how very many of my hats and scarves have flowers?)
My magnolia trees are big and bold as the daffodils are just beyond their peak, and soon I will see my dogwoods, fruit trees, lily of the valley, rhododendrons and azaleas. But, it is the peonies who I check on daily, guard from the dog, and daydream about as they push out of the ground and burst into such robust bushes, heavy with blooms. I love a vase of droopy, over-sized, fragrant blooms in as many rooms as I have flowers to spare.
I have stuffed my little greenhouse full of early herbs and greens and take several trips a day (or at night) just to take a whiff of "extreme green".
I have been adding and repairing small fences to keep Townsend out of our edibles, cutting dead wood for carving season and making additions to the ever-expanding patio and garden. I have sanded and oiled the table under the maple tree in the back yard in preparation for outdoor dining season! Townsend has had his spring haircut. The heavy coats have been washed and stowed. Our menu has been changing with our fresh perspective.
When I unpack the hats at my first show of the season in the fall, all this will come back to me and I will enjoy it all over again. When fall and winter arrive and I and my customers reach for our hats, I hope they refresh that little bit of excitement of a fresh spring day or add a bit of color to a dreary wintry day.
For today, however, enjoy the moment!