Laundry Line Divine

Monday on the Laundry Line has me looking ahead to this week.

Well, really, it has me looking ahead to dinner, which, as Janet likes to say, we had last night. But it seems everyone here is interested in dinner again, so turkey sloppy joes it is.

I baked these scones this morning, which redeemed me in the pantheon of “mothers who do things in the kitchen at odd hours to benefit those who pass though later”.

Today, my dear friend Sharon Pywell is our guest blogger in the ‘Out of the Mouths of Babes’ blog series. Her post is perfect Sharon, she catches you unaware of her trajectory until you land smack in the center of a great tale. We have known each other since Sharon’s big college girl was a newt and we would whisper though visits while that girl napped…or debated how to keep the house warm enough for that child who refused to wear clothes in deepest winter.

Sharon taught me about the real time facts of being a writer with a family. She was vigilant, before I understood why, about her writing time and boundaries. When we would visit her and her family, Sharon was always clear about when she would be writing and when we’d be visiting. I inhabit that vigilance now, as I have dedicated more of my time to endeavors that require solitude. Like right now, there is a 17-year-old filling my hearing with a loud phone call and I am tempted to go silence him, but, I will just close the door and cling to the barnacled surface of my concentration and keep working.

I have long admired Sharon’s sense of language and description. Her latest book, My Other Mother is a surprising journey and I was intrigued from the first chapter. I hope you will click through the links in her post to read that chapter for yourself.

This Friday evening the Festival presents an evening talk about self-publishing hosted by Carole Owens with Hester Velmans, Jana Laiz and Melissa Batalin. Here is where you can read the details. Hester’s ‘Out’ post is here.

And, if you’d like to learn more about the life of a self-published author, read my friend Joanne Tombrakos’ posts. Joanne appeared in our ‘Out’ blog series earlier this month.

And, finally, if you want to know how dinner turns out, come back later.

Until then, I am holding on to my concentration with a strengthening grip and shuttered vision. The dishes, the laundry and the noise can wait.

All my very best to you,
S

PS Have you registered for the ‘Out of the Mouths of Babes’ drawing yet? I have added my own recipe for Coconut Rice Pudding to the prize list. Just subscribe to the Laundry Line to register. Winners will be announced on April 1.

PPS Here is another of Lisa’s songs, The Bottle.

You can see I am mad about spirals. Yesterday in the garden, I investigated these with my 5 year old partner. We found all sorts of fiddleheads, pink ones, white ones and rather gritty looking ones.

Just like life, eh? Gritty and pink. As the days have passed since our discussion of “Who Does She Think She Is?” on Saturday evening, I cannot stop the constant question of measuring success in my day. Capturing these fiddleheads with my pal does not win me any awards or fees, but certainly fills my heart with joy. I hope you all will pitch in to this discussion of what makes success, for women and men in life. There is a tenderness and integrity in giving the gifts we are blessed to embody.

For the past 3 days I have been sewing.

Now, you could holler across the cyber waves at me and say, “Suzi- what else do you do? Sew? Make hats? For teenagers?” Fair enough. One day I am leading a workshop with Karen on the Daily-Ness of Art. One day I am lounging around thinking about that workshop. The next day I am kneeling in a sea of horsehair, organza and velvet while ruminating over how to make a 22 inch circle fit on a 22 inch lumpy noggin. Just this morning I completed the 6th hat and delivered them to the dress rehearsal of my son’s high school production of “St. Joan”. If you live in the Berkshires, you could come see it- for more than the hats. Teenagers doing Shaw is worth the ticket.

But, yes. I sew. I know how to make hats. I am fascinated with knots, thread and needles. I love to cut things in to shapes. It follows I guess, rather obviously, but worth noting, that I live the Daily-Ness of Art simply by being the parent I am. Does this measure up to success? By my measuring tape, I think it does.

Tomorrow I will be baking Sweet Amandine’s almond cookies. Until then, look at all the ways you measure success and keep me posted. Look for the whorling ferns and notice the next hat you see.

With all my love and a little bit of Rumi- Suz

Let yourself be silently drawn
by the stronger pull of what you really love.