28 August, 2017

Back To School...

...back to blog*. Where I live today is the first day of school again for public school. For all intents and purposes this day signals the end of summer. I have written about this before, but this day, that of school beginning once again, has always made me incredibly sad. I don't know where this emotion comes from-- does it have its roots in my own end of summer/ school starting memories? Does it emanate from sending my own little ones off to school again at the conclusion of happy summer vacations all those years ago? Is it a combination of both? Is it one more tangible marker of the passing of time?  It probably seems silly to most; this melancholy will pass, it does every year, but today's the day and my heart is heavy. As a way of mediating this "funk" I am choosing to focus on a positive outcome of today's first school day: once again my great group of sewing buddies, the "Miss Bee Haven" gals, have come through and piled up the nap blankets for PreK students at a local school. We have adopted a school and provide forty five blankets, three classrooms full, for the youngest students to claim and keep, not only at school, but forever when summer comes rolling around once again in 2018. I can only imagine their apprehension today-- embarking on new experience in a place where they've never been before, filled with faces of friends they've yet to meet. Then, a grace moment: they are given the opportunity to claim a blanket; something they can hold on to, wrap up in and feel safe, something that is theirs and theirs alone. I hope they can feel the love stitched in each and every one. 💗
Our "Bee" group gathered on Saturday at the barn studio of one of our members to have a Sew Day and pot luck lunch together, it was a gorgeous day. This has become an annual event and is yet one more end-of-summer signal for yours truly. As always, a good time was had by all and we'll all be marking our calendars for next year!
Life is Good!

* I have been woefully neglectful of this blog. I know-- you probably think that I have been consumed with cleaning after that last post over three weeks ago. No, I honestly can't say what has taken up my time or can even effectively explain my absence. I have been busy with many fun things and am making a concerted effort, starting today, to catch up and post again on a much more regular basis.

9 comments:

Quiltdivajulie said...

Welcome Back!! Post when you can and don't worry - we are here.

Janet O. said...

Your group name is so clever. Your project for the youngsters touches my heart. It is a good thing you do.
I, too, was always sad to see my children go back to school in the Fall.
Looking forward to future posts. They are always a delight. :)

Quilting Babcia said...

Your group's annual project is such a sweet gesture. I always looked forward to seeing the kids off on the first day of school - new classroom, new teacher, some new classmates as well as old friends, new adventures! I wonder if they felt the same. Much more nostalgia and heavy heart when my first set off for college, especially his second year when I realized he wasn't going to "live" at our home anymore but had made a new home at his campus, and sure enough his next few summers were spent there as well as he worked full time on the college maintenance staff while completing his degrees. It's all good!

jude's page said...

Well done to your group for your project. You were missed, I was hoping that life was ok for you, so welcome back.

NanaNor's said...

Hello sweet friend, I want to say that I always cried at the first day of school for my daughters, before we homeschooled them later on. My daughters now homeschool there kiddos, but I always feel a bit sad because it means I won't get to spend as many days together at the pool or park.
What a wonderful group and a wonderful project! Well done!
Hugs,
Noreen

cityquilter grace said...

so glad you are back...thought you might be traveling or having fun elsewhere...glad to know you weren't ill...

Anonymous said...

It's good to hear you'll be blogging again. You've been missed!! :-)

Little Penpen said...

Back to school makes me sad too, but you have an awesome group of friends to play with!! That barn studio is wonderful!

Teresa said...

The idea of cuddle quilts is a great one. What size do you make them?