Short Days

I am relieved the holidays are over and life can return to a somewhat normal, slower pace. From the late spring, through the summer and into the fall, we run, run, run to get everything done. From the Farmers Markets, to the sheep, to the sunflowers, to the library.... the days are long and it is easy to just keep running from chore to chore, venue to venue.

And then December comes and the days are frightfully short. It seems like it is impossible to get anything done before the sun is low in the sky and gone. I'm sure that is one reason the holidays happen when they do --- it gives us something to do here in the northern hemisphere when there is no sun shining or crops growing. A chance to catch up with family and friends.

January is a wonderful month for catching up. Catching up on the piles of magazines and books that have gone unread, watching those movies that have been recommended by friends, and knitting - lots and lots of knitting and ideas for projects germinating. Add to that the seed catalogs that come in and the dark days are filled. I'm even making myself sit down and read the NYTimes on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Those are my favorite days - Food and House and Home. This week's NYTimes had an article by Andre Aciman that made me cry - thinking of what is to come in a few years when Julia is off on her own. Read it if you have the chance.

Another gem I'd like to share (from the NYT) is this new find - Saffron Marigold, an importer of Indian fabrics made into bedspreads, shower curtains, table linens and more. There are some lovely patterns and some nice bright colors. I used to find lots of good Indian bedspreads at Urban Outfitters but sadly they have gone in another direction (most of the prints are way too hip (ok, just plain ugly for me). U.O. - bring back some nice prints PLEASE! I bought this bedspread last summer there and used it for the backdrop for one of my patterns. Sadly, it is gone now from their pages but at least I got it when it was available!


Over the years, I have amassed quite a collection of Indian bedspreads - some from flea markets, some new. The new ones fade to a lovely antique look in several washings. I find them incredibly useful as tablecloths. They go to all the Farmers Markets with us. I've made them into duvet covers (a different print on each side giving me two choices to rotate on the beds). I cover our daybed in a different design each week. And of course, they work great as props for photo shoots. Does anyone know of any other good sources on the web for Indian bedspreads? I'd love to hear!

We're expecting a smallish snowstorm here this weekend. Hope to get some nice sheep photos in the snow! Good weekend everyone.