22 April 2013

.grit.









As the snow falls here (and falls and falls and falls) I am tucked safely up in my gable room with a cozy candle to keep me company and a pile of embroidery floss on the table in front of me. Through the window I can tangibly see the snow accumulating on the roof of our neighbor's house. What was once a slate-colored asphalt roof is now fuzzy with snow and crisscrossed with squirrel tracks.

Luckily, I beat this snowstorm home from work - last week I sat in traffic for over an hour just trying to get home. Phew, I've been busy this weekend and I wonder if all of this creative energy isn't a result of my mind attempting to distance myself from the nasty conditions outside. My garden has been in my thoughts and it sprung onto paper yesterday afternoon as I was doodling a few pictures.

I've always been interested in the goings on under the soil. We always see the beautiful flowers above the earth, but it's what's beneath it that sustains all of that color and brilliance. The soil can be dark and wet and yucky, but it is also filled with rich nutrients, crawling insects and woven through with roots of all types. There are many riches buried beneath the plants in my garden.

Stitching the soil has been my favorite part of this project. I went and bought an assortment of embroidery floss. Matte, silk, variegated, metallic - I'm excited to work them all in.

If you can see the dirt in your neck of the woods, trust me - you're lucky!

6 comments:

  1. I love all of these images, Jill! They are so warm, and cozy, and delightful. The embroidery piece is coming along and your grilled sandwiches look scrumptious!

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    1. Thank you! Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup are a standby at our house - when we don't know what to make, that's what we cook.

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  2. What a lovely way to spend the hours after work,.... such a beautiful embroidery design you've created!!!

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    1. thanks so much! The entire process has been very rewarding - until I get get my hands in the soil I'll have to be happy with stitching it and imagining the seeds that I'm going to plant.

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  3. I bet you can't wait to get your hands into the real earth... I love the bugs and heart roots! Jen

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    1. You're right, I can't wait. This weekend the temperature may reach 70 degrees here and I'm going to try to get out into the garden and start preparing the soil.

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