It happens every year. I’ve just retruned from a three week trip to visit friends and family for the holidays. The wacky, wonderful flurry of food, fun, and fellowship has ended, and the quiet descends on me like a blanket of winter snow. Post holiday blues? Fatigue? Too much of the wrong kind of food (and beverage) and not enough exercise and sleep? All of the above.
Through the years, I’ve learned the signs, and I know myself well enough not to panic. This year, I am inspired by the trees surrounding our holiday home in Indiana. Here are 4 things I’ve learned from winter trees:
When we moved to Arizona, I insisted we bring our Christmas tree with us… the artificial one that had been ours since our kids had grown and we stopped going to Tower’s Christmas tree farm to search for the perfect tree to bring home.
For several years now, we have assembled the tree and placed it in our Tucson home. But this year I decided not to. Ed and I are traveling back to our home town to celebrate the holidays with our family and it doesn’t make sense to drag everything out for a few short weeks. I thought I’d be OK with the decision, but around the first of December, I was feeling a little lost.
I played some Christmas music, plugged in my “Evergreen” candle warmer and set out a few of my favorite things like the nativity set I bought when our children were young. We started with the basic stable and Holy Family, then Ed bought a new figure to tuck in my stocking each year until we ended up with a full cast of characters. The kids used to fight about whose turn it was to arrange it on the mantle each year. We had to keep a post-it note in the box to keep track. One got the even numbered year, one the odd.
This year I also set out the ceramic Santa that belonged to my grandparents and the Boyd’s Bear figurines Ed bought for me each year.
And then I set out the music box I have displayed each year since 1973 when my mother gave it to me. It is a small red box splashed with golden stars and a Hummel painting of the Holy Family on the lid. The date, stenciled on the top, 1973, is significant. Ed and I announced our engagement that Thanksgiving, and on Christmas Eve, he surprised me with a ring.
The vintage music box is beautiful. The years have taken their toll on the delicate inner workings and it no longer plays Silent Night when you open the lid. But the real treasure remains inside where, 49 years ago, my mother tucked a note. The paper is yellowed and fragile, the lettering is faint with age and blurry through my tears, but I know the words by heart.
Dear Deb,
Just couldn’t resist this music box. The year 1973 will mean a lot to you and Ed and I wanted you to have something special. Mom and Dad
PS
May you always have as many happy years as we have had and hope to have in the future. We’re both real happy for you and Ed.
My parents had many happy years together. Sadly, Dad died just shy of their 50th wedding anniversary twenty-two years ago. Ed and I willcelebrate our 49th this summer.
I’ll visit Mom when I’m back in the Midwest. Short visits are best as her memory is fading and it is difficult for her to keep up a conversation for too long. This time, I’ll bring pictures of the music box and read her words back to her. Perhaps it will spark a glimmer of recognition, perhaps not. But I know I’m in her heart, the place where she keeps her most precious memories tucked away, like the words of love she placed in a special music box 49 years ago.
Threads of Thought
What items bring back special memories for you?
Have a wonderful Holiday season! Treasure memories from the past and make new memories to treasure for a lifetime.
Special thanks to you, my subscribers, readers, commenters, and followers! You are the heartbeat of this blog. I can’t wait to see what “seams” like a story in 2023!
As the weather turns cooler, even in Arizona, I think about layers of soft fabric.
“The experience of creative living argures that hobbies are in fact essential to the joyful life. There is the hidden benefit that they are also creatively useful. Many hobbies involve a form of artist-brain mulling that leads to enormous creative breakthroughs. …Sewing has a nice way of mending up plots.” -Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way
SEAMS Like a Story
My sewing/writing studio is designed to accomodate my creative impulses when they strike.
If you’re new to my blog, you might be wondering about the name. Why “seams”? Shouldn’t it be “seems?” In fact, when my son-in-law helped me secure the domain, he suggested I acquire both names.
When I first retired from teaching, I wanted to pursue my two passions/hobbies: sewing and writing, and my blog Seams Like a Story was born. I find my two passions to be compatable, both contributing to my creative process.
For this project I chose a pumpkin-colored flannel fabric to make up the simple Dress #2 from 100 Acts of Sewing
Both writing and sewing begin with a plan, an idea, a spark of inspiration. Where writing pieces together words to create stories, the act of sewing involves the extra senses of touch and sight, colors, and textures as I piece together a garment.
Problem Solving
Rushed through this seam on the neck facing. Sewed it at 1/2 inch instead of 1/4 inch. Fortunately, I caught it in time. Thank goodness for seam rippers!
I’m halfway through a story or a sewing project and something’s not working. Time to rip out seams, sentences, words. Edit, revise. Take time to make it better. Try it on for size.
Unblock Your Creativity
It happens. Somedays the words don’t flow or I just can’t face the blank page. The act of sewing activates a different part of my brain and gives me a fresh perspective. Often, getting the creative juices flowing while sewing will jump start my writing. “Creative breakthroughs” Julia Cameron calls them. (for more ideas on overcoming writer’s block see http://seamslikeastory.com/4-ways-to-move-through-writers-block )
My new flannel dress is comfy and cozy , perfect for a writing day, critique group meeting, or lunch out with friends.
Threads of Thought
Activities like sewing, painting, gardening, quilting, woodworking, writing, photography, interior decorating, cooking,….. contribute to living a joyful, creative life.
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Society of Southwest Authors book signing event in Green Valley AZ. Maybe you have attend such events as an author or as a customer. This is only my second book signing, so I’m still a novice but here are my tips from the SSA event this year:
Why Book Signings are Important for Authors
Whether you are a traditionally published author or self-published like me, this is your chance to meet your audience (readers) face to face. You get to make contacts with fellow authors, see what they are writing, and how they are marketing their books. For me, it is a way to become part of the literary community of writers and readers. Plus…you might sell some books!
How to Prepare for a Book Signing
Here are some basic items you will need:
Copies of your book (obviously)
Printed description of your book and a few published reviews
The back of the merchandise truck makes a great photo op.
November 11, 2022
Yeah, we did it! Elton was coming to Phoenix and we didn’t want to miss the chance to see him for the first (and probably the last time). We snagged a couple of tickets in the less expensive section of Chase Field, ordered the appropriate Elton John sunglasses, and we’re on our way!
Rockin’ the look
The stage is set
tiny stage, big music
We arrived about an hour before the concert and took our seats. Did I mention we were way up here? That amoeba-shaped stage is where teeny-tiny Elton and his piano will be. Good thing there are big screens and a huge sound system set up. From our vantage point we watched the crowd file in. Many were clad in Elton-inspired costumes.
The show begins
Philadelphia Freedom, I looove you, yes I do!
The arena lights dim and the stage lighting floods the space in red and blue. The crowd is quiet in anticipation, then breaks into cheers and applause as we realize Elton is on stage. He pounds out his first number Philadelphia Freedom and the show begins. The music vibrates through the space and resonates in my body.
My Gift is my song, this one’s for you.
Elton is dressed in a spangled tuxedo and wearing his trademark glasses. At 75, he doesn’t levitate off of the piano seat as he once did, but his voice is remarkable and he jumps up at the end of each song to wave and connect with the audience. He plays and sings for over two hours, with only a minutes-long interlude for a costume change.
We hop and bob to the Crocodile Rock , thrilled when the band stops playing and we get to do the la la la la laaaaa part. We tear up at Candle in the Wind and Don’t Let the Sun go Down on Me. We belt out the refrain to He shall be Levon and sway with the Tiny Dancer. At the end of the show, we cheer as Elton sings I’m Still Standing while clips of his life and career dance across the big screens.
Encore
He walks off the stage, but of course, we applaude him back for an encore. He takes a bow and thanks his fans for honoring him with our presence this night and throughout his career. He tells us goobye. We hold our phone flashlights high and sway as he plays his final number Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Farewell Rocket Man. Thank you for your gift of music. I think it’s gonna stay a long, long time. Yeah, I think its gonna stay a long, long time.
