I sent out my holiday gifts a couple of weeks ago–but just in time for Christmas in my own time zone! You don’t have to tell me, I know that the holidays were over way before that. And I also know that there’s no excuse. I’m home pretty much all the time, after all.
In my world, though, I’m right on time. (My wabi sabi world–sounds like a good title)
Holiday gifts just in time for my own, personal Christmas/Hannukah in January
This year, I avoided the holiday rush–if there was one. I sent out nice gifts. Handmade. My dear friend/housemate, Colby, wove some ties and scarves for my loved ones from my handspun, hand-dyed yarn. And then I made some Christmas ornaments with some more wool and my felting needle.
Ok–I felt a little bad about not getting stuff out on time for when most people celebrated the holidays. But in my new-ish attitude of not beating myself up, I just let it be. And I thought I’d share some photos of the bounty–and write a poem about living in my own time zone.
A little poem from my very own time zone–I call it:
Living on Susan Time Today it's Christmas-time somewhere in the world. It's not, you say? Don't be absurd. Still, everyone loves a holiday gift Even if it comes on January fifth. I planned ahead--back in early November But life got busy--with what? I can't remember. OK--that's not entirely true, But I don't want to talk about it, so this will have to do. Good intentions paved my way and took me where? Well, I'd rather not say. Now I've had enough of this silly rhyme-- The kind that only happens when you live on Susan time.
Making stuff in my own time
I find handwork very calming. I never learned how to weave, but I love the look of homespun looking yarns woven into a solid structure. It makes me think of poetry–all those wild words being ordered into a structure. Spinning and other handwork is calming in a different way than writing for me.
Sable’s tie
There’s that soothing whir of the wheel and the physical movement of feet and hands. Plus I always feel like I’m in a fairy tale. It’s such an archetypal kind of activity.
And here’s one last photo for you–I crocheted myself a tie from some odds and ends of hand-spun I had lying around. I’ve never worn a tie before–and it’s really fun to wear. I didn’t have a pattern, so I made this one and then washed it. When I looked at it in the morning, it had grown to almost seven feet long! I guess the yarn relaxed when I washed it. So I took out a couple feet–and now it’s just right–rustic and fun!
Poetry Friday
Thanks to Margaret over at Reflections on the Teche for hosting Poetry Friday today. Check out her nestlings–from her and her students–based on the poem “One Today” by Richard Blanco, a wonderful poem written for Obama’s first inauguration.
And thanks to all of you for stopping by–no matter what time zone you’re in!
xoxo
I LOVE the idea of living in your own time zone! I would never struggle to be “on time” again. I could make the rules instead of living by someone else’s. I’ll have to aspire to this…not possible just now…but soon. Soon.
It’s a lot easier to do now that I’m not teaching in a school. It was always hard for me to get places on time, although I managed it most of the time when I had to. But I do like being on my own time. Still, it would be nice to get gifts out on time. My daughters both have birthdays in February–so I’m going to at least try!
One gift I ordered from a company didn’t manage to arrive here until the new year, so my last gift hopefully is arriving today where it was supposed to be weeks ago. Oh, well, considering how January is going, a gift about now should be a big smile for them. I love it all, Susan, that seven foot scarf, the tree gnome, that getting yourself together means what you choose it to mean: “But life got busy–with what? I can’t remember.” Sometimes I believe it’s always Friday. . . Thanks for this very fun post! (sharing again because earlier the comment disappeared – don’t know if it went through?)
Hi Linda–and thanks! (and I didn’t get your earlier comment–but maybe it’s in its own time zone, too, and will come wandering along someday).
Beautiful work! I am finding comfort in working with my hands, too. I’ve been baking sourdough bread and learning to crochet. A long tiime ago, I took a few lessons on spinning yarn, but didn’t stick with it, but I remember the feeling the few times I was able to actually spin some yarn.
Thanks! There really is something comforting in working with our hands. My mom taught me to crochet when I was a kid, and I still enjoy it. I came to spinning about 12 years ago, but it really did stick with me! I don’t do it all the time, but I sure enjoy it when I do.
Susan time looks beautiful to me!
What beautiful gifts, and your poem made me laugh! Hey, if we can justify drinking at 8 a.m. (as we see people sometimes doing at our favorite breakfast spot, pre-pandemic) by saying, “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” then I think “It’s Christmas somewhere” works, too. Time barely exists in any mutually ordered way anymore!
Ha! I love how you have your own time zone. I think I need one too!
I think we are soul sisters! Or at least my sister is. Her gifts arrived this week. My grandson loved his gift and was able to spend focused time playing with it. There’s a lot to be said for Susan Time. I also love your funny poem. I am a crochet-er. I’m into making hats. There’s something so satisfying about creating something from nothing. I wish I could be disciplined enough to do it all year ans stockpile gifts.
Thanks, Margaret! For me, it’s this time of year that I think about starting gifts for the next holiday season so the same thing doesn’t happen again. So far, it’s never really gotten past the thinking stage, though.
My mother-in-law told us that she just got our Christmas card this week, even though we mailed our cards about a month ago…even when we weren’t operating in a different time frame, we kinda were anyway.
I love the care that you took with your gifts! Worth waiting for.
Gabi’s scarf is soo beautiful.
Thanks, Tabatha. Yes, I think there’s a lot of unpredictability this year–way more than usual. And part of it for me is that my friend was doing the weaving, so I had to wait for her. But I do think it was worth the wait–Gabi’s scarf is my favorite, too. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s really soft, too.
[…] have been doing some handwork. Two weeks ago (I think), I shared some of my recent work in my post “I feel like I’m living in my very own time zone.” I did manage to get […]
[…] yes, I sent Gabi’s present out on time. Much better than my holiday gift debacle–see I feel I’m living in my own time zone for my reflections on that. I have Rachel’s gift ready, too, but she may move sometime this […]