In a Bubble Wrap World

I'm going to try to play it as it's written, not the way I remember it. --Musician I listened to this afternoon

I haven't been all that productive recently with any of my creative endeavors. I've been extra weary these past couple of weeks, and I subscribe to the wise words of my friend, dkzack, who said, "Friends don't let tired friends knit."

Wise words, my girl. Wise.

Instead, I have been trying to look after myself with as much care as I can: enjoying music, watching videos that make me smile (puppy and kitten videos, in particular), resting on my yoga mat, breathing deeply... generally surrounding myself by things that feel good to me. Oh, and I also took this article to heart and stopped checking my emails at home so often. Really: there's no emergency that comes through email. If stuff is really falling apart, I'll totally know it...

... and if you've watched the news recently, there are some real emergencies out there.

So, I'm wrapping myself in a bit of bubble wrap these days. In the middle of my little bubble world, I roasted an eggplant from my veggie box to make some baba ganoush (I used this recipe). I haven't had baba ganoush in a while, so I couldn't really remember what it tasted like, but mine tasted a lot like my hummus recipe, which is a good thing because I make an awesome hummus. I was surprised at how well the eggplant roasted on my barbecue. I was sure I was going to end up with a charred mess:

Today, we made an impromptu trip to Westholme Tea Farm, which is one of my most favourite places in the world:

It was the last of the summer's "Jazzy Tea Sundays." The servers put reserved signs on the table to force people to come in to make sure they weren't ignored outside, which was an interesting tactic. So we got a "reserved" spot after all, which I thought was kind of nice, because it was like they had a spot saved just for me:

A pot of tea and a bit of cake were a great salve for my soul:

And the surroundings are always a great refreshment for my heart:

There are ceramics all around the place for purchase, made by Margit, the wife of the husband-and-wife team. I love the eggs hanging in the windows of the barn. I have designs of giving myself an afternoon to myself at the tea house so I can drink tea, gaze out the window, and maybe.... MAYBE... even knit. What a wondrous thought:

Meanwhile, at home, I have a few little bargain treats that I have been lucky enough to procure. I got these jam pots (jars?) for a steal at $2 a piece. I have no idea what I'll do with them yet, but the lids have rubber stoppers in them, so I could actually put some kind of jam in them. For the moment, they are sweet enough to put a smile on my face:

And this wondrous blue pot has been hanging around in my house for a while, and I just haven't gotten around to sharing it. It was also a bargain buy. I reasoned with myself that I really didn't need another decorative trinket in the house, but this blue was far too mesmerizing for me to pass up. I think it may become a receptacle for some of my yarn or some of my supplies... not exactly sure yet. For now, it lives on the ledge along the stairs in the house, so its main purpose is to make me smile each time I walk past, which I think is a very good purpose to have:

In the meantime, my bubble wrap world, while somewhat more comfortable, is not impervious to the stresses of life, work, and family. It has not been at all an easy time, and I sure would love a monotonous life right now, but alas, that is not what has been placed before us. As such, I am securely placing myself in the world of tea and yarn and vintage goodies until some of the storm passes... or maybe until I feel a little stronger to weather it. I have realized one thing for sure: the world really is what you make of it. Sometimes, it means pushing away what you think it ought to be and to be willing to take it for what it is.

Like the musician I listened to at the Tea Farm today, "I'm going to play it as it's written, not the way I remember it."

Happy Sunday.

P.S. There is knitting happening now. It's a beautiful piece. I'll share more next time.