Small Mindful Moments

It was such a beautiful day here yesterday, most especially in the early morning when I went out for my daily walk with J. It's a wonderful feeling to walk in the early mornings before many people are out and about and definitely worth the early alarm clock. I've got a great morning routine going at the moment and I'd like to talk more about it at some point in a separate post -  I've been meaning to update you on my wellness and give you some feedback on the SAD lamp and my HRT journey etc. I'm never quite sure how much of this personal stuff is appropriate for public bloggy consumption, but if there is a chance that my own experiences might help even just one other person, then I think it's worthy of a short chat.

Making time to walk in the early mornings has been a game changer for me and it's had a massive impact on my general health and wellbeing. Even in the winter months when we were walking in darkness I felt the good that it was doing me, and now that we are walking in daylight again it feels bloomin' amazing.

Walking with J does remove the opportunity to allow quiet thoughts and mental mindfulness and I miss that sometimes, but on the whole I feel lucky to have the company. I still find myself very aware of my surroundings and always practice what I call "visual mindfulness" when I walk with J. I often stop dead in my tracks to take in the beauty of the scene playing out in front of my eyes, I mean, how can you not stop and stare when the park looks like a beautiful watercolour painting?? 

I paused beside the canal yesterday morning to watch the reflections for a minute or two. I am quite obsessed with reflections in water, there is something so mesmerising about them that I find I just have to stop walking and appreciate them. Yes, it really was a lovely day yesterday, cold, sharp and bright, and I drank it in right down to my toes.

Today however, it was yucky out there and our morning walk was an unpleasant, drizzly-wet affair. I try really hard not to let the weather influence my mood but my goodness me it's hard work at times. I'm very affected by low light levels and I also really dislike it when I can't see my hill view, but living here in the north of England, this kind of weather comes along often. In a weird way I do think it's important to stop and lean into the discomfort from time to time - mindfulness doesn't always have to feel like rainbows.

I'm still experiencing major Blanket Bereavement now that I'm no longer crocheting my harbour blankets, gosh I do so miss those easy, therapeutic rows of ripply colour. I've been faffing with some bits for my Winter Garland during the past week, I made some frosty leaves and worked for a good many hours on the Snowdrop design over the weekend. It's so very nearly there, but still needs a bit more tweaking. I'll create a proper photo update to share with you very soon.

I went looking for some easy crochet therapy yesterday, and dug out my pile of little Harbour Sampler squares which needed 8 more making to complete the 15 colours in the palette.

This afternoon I sat with my needle and began the slow, methodical process of stitching them together which I actually enjoy very much. It's soothing work, a bit like hand stitching a patchwork quilt or working on a cross stitch design - there's an unhurried, methodical rhythm which is very meditative.  One day I'd love to make a whole blanket like this (a much bigger version of my Attic24 banner, do you remember that?). Maybe I should just start it right now, you know, crochet a few squares here and there and slowly stitch them together in a random patchwork of gorgeousness over a long period of time. A slow burn blanket which spans a year or two. What do you think? Should I? Should I really???!

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Comments

[Melanie Hinton]

If you write SAD stuff it helps make other people feel not alone. I loved your blog. Colour and texture and reflections. Memories of the beautiful UK. I live in New Zealand and am struggling to get started although I know, just do a bit and the wheels will start to turn

[Jackie Wright]

Yes do it, I'd love to watch it grow! And thanks for the mindfulness... my mindfulness places are usually in wild spaces out side in the Australian bush, on a ridge with views or of course the coast, always exploring...

[Geeha]

Sadly I don't have beautiful park or countryside to walk in every day but I make myself go out and enjoy the song of the birds and the seasonal changes in the gardens of the houses that have front gardens. What a lot of interesting ideas for scraps of yarn, I wouldn't know which one to choose but I've started a Dahlia pattern with Aria pack and have Coast and Woodland packs before I start to think about that.

[Carolyn Dietrich]

Yes you really should!

[Silvia Liliana Friera]

I think it will be a wonderful blanket!!! Thanks for the idea💜
And the water reflections are beautiful too!!
Nice weekend!

[Louise]

Slow burn blanket: yes. I have one. A C2C rainbow blanket that I'm gradually making using scrap balls. At the moment it is a large unfinished triangular octopus on my couch.
HRT and SAD lamps and perimenopause: yes. But only ever share as much as you feel comfortable. I am also enjoying the 'pause. OK not actually enjoying. The brain fog, the random aches, the everything that makes me feel like I'm quickly aging sucks. There's such that was never discussed by our mothers so for me all the weird seemingly unrelated symptoms are bewildering and annoying!
Foggy mornings: love them. They remind me of the cover of the Fleetwood Mac album Bare Trees.

[Hannah]

Of course you should :)
Another thing you could do is to create another blanket with solid granny squares in a colour of your morning walk. Even on dreary days there must be a colour in there you like. When you’ve finished you’ll have a morning walk blanket and you will see it was not too bad after all ;)

[Carly Orris]

You definitely should make one!

[Shelley Corcoran]

Hi Lucy, I am doing exactly that using Hydrangea leftovers as I have made four Hydrangea blankets so far and gifted all four. Each time I have used the leftovers to make your Solid Granny Squares. I have worked out I need at least 425 squares. I am hoping to use them to make a Battenberg blanket. I think you definitely should start one too!! 😘

[Helen]

I think make a color set of squares for each blanket and then sew each set into one row of what will eventually be a lap blanket. It would represent in one place all your blankets (don't know how well all the over all color look will be.)

[Wendy Featherstone]

Yes. Just do it. I am currently doing just that. Making squares from beautiful left overs from blankets. This is my second 'left overs' blanket, although I still like to choose a colour palette, usually autumnal! It's so therapeutic. You'll enjoy it. What's not to like ❤
P.S. I love your blogs and have been a fan for a lot of years

[Elizabeth]

Good morning, Lucy! Your posts always brighten my day and leave me with a sense of peace. I recently used all my leftover yarn to make not just one, but two blankets. I was bound and determined to get through all of my stash during COVID. This is what I did: Tied together all the yarn with Magic Knots (one blanket trimming the knots, and one blanket not trimming -- I kind of like the texture). If any color had more than 18 yards, I cut it into shorter lengths. I didn't want great big clumps of color. Wound the knotted lengths into balls. Chained for a length that made me happy and worked a blanket of spike stitches. I like that the spike "blends" the colors. Then I made a nice wide "frame" all around, ending with a crab stitch. I had to buy more yarn for the solid color border, but I just used any leftovers on the second blanket. I'm still working on that one. I can't believe how much I like these two scrap yarn blankets! So, yes, go for it. You'll feel good about diminishing your stash, and you'll have something useful and pretty to show for it!

[Sue Floyd]

Ahhh. Thanks again for another wonderful post! I so enjoy all your writing, words , photos, & colors.
Its balm for my spirit.
Thanks for being YOU!
Sue

[Nora McGrann]

Another lovely blog Lucy
Always enjoy " your walks"
Yes go for it!!
Thanks for all you give us! 🥀🥀🥀🥀

[Deb]

You definitely should.

[Jennyff]

Go with your heart Lucy. I am 72 and I wish I had done more of what I wanted instead of always being so bloomin sensible, particularly at this awful time in the world.

[Nicky Slade]

Yes, yes, yes! I think a slow & mindful 'postage stamp' blanket would be very therapeutic. I've just finished making a granny stripe Moorland double bed size blanket for a friend (in 6 weeks - really quick for me) and have a lot of leftovers. Was faffing with hexies last night but don't think I have the patience for all the ends - now I'm thinking a postage stamp blanket would be the perfect slow burn project and nicely portable.

[Julie]

Yes :)

[Frances Jones]

I had not thought about going for a walk each morning but when I considered it I realised I always do feel better when I get out of the house and go for a wander, even for a short while. I'm going to try and make the effort more often! I enjoy your blog, you were the reason I took up crochet quite a few years ago now and I've made a number of blankets since. I love your work, so thank you and keep writing the blog x

[CJ]

You know you should... I really love to start the day with a walk as well. I do a quick Joe Wicks workout first thing, then tidy the house and take the dog for a walk, so I feel all ready for things once I sit down to work. The dog is fundamentally opposed to going out in the rain, but I insist on it, so we zip round a bit quickly on a wet day like today. I think the cold wet days make the glorious sunny days all the lovelier and since leaving my office job and the commute I really do love them. And I like the cosy feeling of being back inside after going out in the wild weather. CJ xx

[Barbara]

That sounds like a lovely idea. I’m doing that with my four ply sock wool and it’s there to add to every time I have more sock wool.
Always love your posts Lucy whatever they are about. I had planned to post every day in March but my blogging mojo is a little muted at the moment. Maybe it will have to be blogapril instead. Meanwhile I read your posts with pleasure. B x

[Michele]

Thank you for the inspiration. I have been wanting to walk in the morning but have been saying "I'll wait until spring" but perhaps I just need to get out and be with whatever nature has to share for a bit.

[Mikki Ogle]

You are a rock star to get walking EVERY morning! I can't seem to get moving. I have such great plans in the evening, but when a.m. comes, I'd rather do anything else!(Usually a lovely mocha and croissant) I'd do a long term blanket of solid squares. Every shade of every color would be in mine!

[Jean Stein]

Here's what worked for me: After working several different blankets in Special DK I wanted to use the many leftovers in a project. Three years ago I found an interesting and challenging granny square, and when I'd finished a big project I'd also make a couple of my granny squares. I even weighed a finished square to figure out if I had enough leftover pieces of DK to finish a square. Three years later I organized rows and columns and did a dark crochet outline to connect the squares. It's on the back of my couch right now, the cats love it. And only tiny balls of leftover DK! PS I later found one of my Wool Warehouse organdy bags with three more quarter-skeins of DK in some unfavorite colors. I thought all my scraps were gone!

[Liz Hasler]

Doing a slow burn blanket would mean that you would always have something on the back burner to reach for when you just needed something to do! Go for it.
I also dislike cloudy days. I love a sunny day. I wish that had the views that you do not even if I did, I'm sadly unable to walk like I used to