breakfast alone and thinking

All of my family was out this morning so I found myself relishing some alone time. I walked around in the front yard and felt the warm, stormy wind blow past me, I noticed again how rich the colors look outside after a rain. I watched my cat drink from a puddle and then laughed sympathetically when he started to climb the screen because I came in and accidentally left him out. I took the time to make myself a decent breakfast and ate while the only sound was the wind whipping through the trees. And I had time to think without a whole lot of other stuff going on around me. Bliss, really.

Creatively I've been venturing down a new path and it feels rather exciting. I was due for a change, a new direction to explore. I'll be sharing some of that with you soon, but for now I wanted to pass along something I've been pondering and am finding very inspirational. It comes from the book Applique Stitchery by Jean Ray Laury (a gem of a book I've mentioned here before) She says...

"To be significant, work must be personally meaningful. Speak only for yourself. You need not try to comment on the world, or on all mankind. Try, rather, to make a simple and honest statement about a single idea with which you are familiar. If you succeed in this, your specific comment is far more likely to contain a general element of truth. As I am neither a deep thinker nor a profound one, I make no attempt to be profound in my work. I can offer only a personal response, and if that response arrives at something basic, it will evoke a response in someone else."

Without rambling on why, I find her words very freeing. I think I might write them out and pin them up somewhere near my workspace.

(thank you for all the blanket kindness! some asked how i felted the wool, actually this is one time that i didn't. i didn't have much to work with so i didn't want shrinkage. i'll wash this in cold water and hang dry as i do all my wool that i don't want to shrink.)

Comments

[Annie]

I just LOVE time alone - and I love your sweater quilt. Beautiful.

[Kathie]

Love that breakfast photo! And the quote, well, just plain wonderful. Thank you so much for typing it and sharing it with us.

[simply]

I just came from the "simply breakfast" site...like there...one feels like they could just pull up a chair and have a seat...I love that!

~simply~

[Sarah Marie]

Hello there!

I just wanted to let you know that I've been reading your posts for a while now, and I always find them beautiful and encouraging! I love your style and perspective. Thank you!

[Kathe Kramer]

These lovely comments say a lot! This post evokes emotion.
Pondering it might be time for a change, sharing inspirational words, sitting down to a lovely breakfast alone ( I think those words come up after Bliss in the "Mothers Dictionary") you are a wonderful role model. Only in the past year have I come to understand role models can be younger than we are! It works just fine! So, thank you.

[Ouiz]

One, I love your sweater blanket!

Two, thank you for the quote you shared. I have been surrounded lately by the themes of take it slow, don't try to do everything at once, enjoy the process (not just the end result), and now this. I will keep this in mind as I start my week!

[Karin]

Thank you for sharing the quote, it made me stop and consider some things about my work :) Once again, Toni, I visit your site and come away with inspiration and something to ponder! Thank you.

[beki]

Toni, I too, have that book and think that it is marvelous. I hadn't read that quote, but then I haven't read a lot of the book, only oogled at the pages. Thank you for sharing. I think I'll ponder those words for a while...

[~Vicki]

I'm a huge JRL fan from WAY back...love her! Her statement is so true, and one to remember for sure. I'm enjoying your quiet moment here, boy can I relate! It's nice to take some time to do that. Looking forward to seeing what you're up to next. All in good time though!

[Cassie Kemp]

Lovely quote by Laury. Thank you for sharing such meaningful words.

[SierraMoon]

as for me, this (beautiful) picture brings one question : where were you when your took it ? stuck on the ceiling or hanging on a chandelier above the table ?!!! ;)

* in everything, just BE *

[Casey]

What a lovely quote... I think I shall have to print that off and tack it up next to my desk. I'm forever getting too caught up in the very things she said not to worry about! :)

[Renna]

Those words really spoke to me. I think I'll copy it off and put in somewhere visible as well.

I've begun a new blog (my first) and am struggling with what direction I want it to take. I found that passage very helpful. :-)

[ileana]

What a great quote. Thanks for sharing it!

[Shannon]

Oh, what a beautiful quote! Thank you for finding and sharing. I hope you don't mind that I shared that bit of your post on my blog as well - it is so applicable. Have a wonderful day!

[Morgan]

I loved the quote - thanks so much for sharing and gah- I love that photo!!

[Amber]

Wow, I love this breakfast photo! Perhaps it's the lines of the chair against everything else. Lovely.

Can I ask you... What are the shoes in your banner? Are they Keens? I think I'm suffering from a rather terminal case of infactuation with them!

[JoAnna]

Sounds like you had a lovely morning, and were able to cherish all of the details. I think finding that simple, one idea is inspiring, in an internet world full of wonderully inspiring sites with a multitude of ideas, it is sometimes hard to find that focus and just create what is "you" (or me) or to create to create, rahter than focusing on the end product. What a wonderful quote.

[Alicia P.]

That's the best quote about making anything I have ever read. That's just exactly it.

[Sonya]

I stumbled over here from a link from Maritza's blog and thank you for the quote. I need to write it down.