Small Beginnings

Dreary days often come to Blueberry Barn. 

Clouds full of rain, dark gloomy seas...it's no wonder on days like those I hide under my quilts and don't want to venture out of bed. 

The other day was one such dreary scene when we awoke to the wind chimes outside making a clamoring noise from the wind and rain. On a day such as that one there was nothing to do but stay inside and busy one's self. 

And so, I started a new project:

I had been wanting to try my hand at English paper piecing for a while, and a sad rainy day was just the start I was looking for. 

Rummaging through one of my many craft bins, I found some fabric that had once been meant for a Christmas project (until Christmas came too quickly). My most favorite colors, aqua and bright red, made up the floral patterns, and I decided this would be the perfect fabric to use.

There's only one real downside to paper piecing, it takes quite a long time. Once I got the hang of the sewing it went more quickly, but I've worked on them for several nights now and I only have about sixty made. That doesn't bother me though, it is simply a small beginning. 

Before I know it I'll have little hexagons everywhere, just waiting to be made into a quilt!

Thankfully, the next day dawned bright and sunny. The fresh rain from the day before cast a luster on the trees and grass, making Greta especially wet as she went about roaming the yard.

Small beginnings are happening everywhere:

The blueberry bushes in the woods surrounding the Barn have lost most of their blossoms and instead sport tiny green berries. It will be a few months yet for the berries to be ripe, but the bears - and the rest of us - are excited.

We took Greta out for a walk and I took my trug and shears to clip some green blueberry brush for the kitchen. Stems of bright green leaves make it feel like Spring indoors, even if its pouring outside.

A new pitcher was the perfect thing for green branches. Greta agreed, of course!

From Emily's poetry book:

It's a time for small beginnings
in the garden of the world.

Where apple trees and blueberries

will soon have leaves uncurled.

The flowers too with buds anew

will one day open full.

And at home I'll start my quilting,

with a brand new thread to pull.