Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Resting from Labor

I trust that you all had a very enjoyable Labor Day surrounded by friends, family, and food.  In the midst of a very busy time, the holiday was the perfect break for me.

Whenever my family gets together, you can rest assured that there will be food -- and lots of it!  During the summer months, Dad is often found outside, grilling all types of treats.  Yesterday's menu featured steak and chicken along with various sausages.  To complete the table, Mom added twice-baked potatoes, rolls, and a Heath Bar cake.  Our refrigerator is stocked to capacity with all the leftovers.

In an unexpected turn of events, I found myself with limited mobility due to some problems with my back.  Rather than spending time in the kitchen and at the piano, I parked it in Dad's recliner with the heating pad and Tylenol close at hand.

Since I was forced to sit still, there was little to occupy my mind.  I know myself.  If I think about things or begin to make plans, I become restless and irritated.  I did make use of my time though.  Since learning the art of cross-stitching as a third grader, I have always enjoyed creating pictures with needle and thread.  Normally I keep this information to myself since such activities are not considered masculine by many in the Bible Belt.  You can imagine the comments and teasing I have endured over the years.  Anyway, the movement of the thread through the fabric has always been relaxing to me and something to keep my hands busy when I need some time away from the piano.  I also like watching the image emerge from nothingness - a visual representation of a piano piece's development.

So -- just for the fun of it -- I am including a few images of some cross-stitch pieces I've completed over the years as well as a snapshot of the status of my current project.  Hope you enjoy looking at them half as much as I have enjoyed making them.

Here's my prized possession:  a Thomas Kinkade English garden.

My family is especially fond of this piece. Framed as a unit, I took photos of each half so you can see some of the details as well.



And now....for the moment of the truth.....the work in progress!  It's the beginning of a Thanksgiving sampler.  Not much to see at the moment, but you'll see where things are at the moment.

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