What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade. — Gertrude Jekyll
This is such a perfect explanation of June… fresh, green, and yes… young. The green of June is not the green of July or August … and it is a good invitation to immerse yourself into it!
When I look back to May (there was no welcome post) and think about how May began… re-entry to a deep refrigerator/freezer clean out thanks to a days long power outage. Being thankful that we just lost so little when so many others lost so much more. And all the May rain (we got nearly six inches of rain in May in the south hills of Pittsburgh!) And cold! Friends, I have not put away my winter coat yet and yes, I am wearing it more than I’d likel! All those cold rainy days made the end of May seem endless but here we are welcoming June… finally! (and dare I even hope for a bit of warmth? I do… but I am sure that will come back to bite me… I need to remind myself of this wish for warmer days when it is 90°F and the AC is running non-stop! Ha!)
But all aside… I am focusing on June and this month, I want to spend as much time as I can immersed in the “fresh young beauty” of June!
I need to find a good rhythm with Pilates… honestly, it is not the first thing on my mind most days and suddenly it is late afternoon and I have yet to even look at my mat! My hope is that this practice will become as special as my daily stitching is…
Happily, hand stitching is certain to remain a focus… I traced June onto my whole cloth and have begun. I also have a delightful plan for my stitched scroll and I am so excited about how this will all play out! And I took the Natalie Chanin class that MDK offered last week… it included a good sized pieces of fabric (stenciled and plain) and her new stitch book. Oh. My. Gosh!
Let me say it again… OH. MY. GOSH!!!!
It was a class with all sorts of lightbulbs going off left and right! The book included with the class, The Geometry of Hand-Sewing, has disbursed the cloud of mystery around some of the more mystifying stitches. Because maths… well, geometry really… and these insanely genius grids and it suddenly all clicked for me. I have rewatched the class recording a number of times and I have been working away on my sample swatch… and when I am not working on it, I am thinking about the next stitches I will try! This might be the best Rabbit Hole of the summer!
And I added one more thing to my list late last week when Krista Tippet shared that she is beginning a summer reflection on Hope, Imagination, and Remaking the World through a series of podcasts with accompanying journal prompts. If you’d like to join me, I would welcome the company!
What about you? What do you hope June holds?
Looks/reads like you are poised for a great June Kat! I had toyed with taking the Natalie Chanin class, but decided against it. Now I wish I had! I hope you will share your stitching swatches sometime. I have signed up for the Continental Knitting class with Lorilee Beltman at the end of June and am looking forward to that.
I am signed up for Lorilee’s class as well! She is a fantastic teacher!
I really hope we can put away our coats soon — I do not like seeing my breath on a June morning! The rain has been a bit much lately, but I do love how green and vibrant everything is outside, and of course I love the long days at this time of year.
may your June be full of fun and creativity, it already sounds like you are doing it!
I hope June is a wonderful month for you, Kat, and it certainly sounds like you’re off to a good start! I didn’t think your stitching could get any better, but it sounds like you are heading in new and exciting directions!
This weather is crazy – we had the gas fireplace on yesterday! On the first of June! But still, it’s my favorite month of the year and we’ll be celebrating our 28th wedding anniversary.
I am hoping to develop more independence in my new location. It has been tough giving up long term connections and membership roles that I had in Oklahoma.
On the creative front, I am again feeling inspired to work with my materials.
Thanks for writing about your creative life. Reading it helps me in mine.
As a long-time Alabama Chanin devotee, I heartily say WELCOME TO THE CLUB! (Several years ago . . . 2017 I think . . . Vicki and I went to a 3-day workshop at The School of Making. So much inspiration! (And we got that very stitch guide book when we were there; it was brand new at the time.) You’re going to have a great time! (And did you know that Lorilee used to own a yarn shop in Grand Rapids??? I used to shop there – and take workshops from her – before I moved to Kalamazoo and she moved to the Pacific Northwest! She is a great teacher. XO