No Excuses

For the same reason I was up until midnight, I have no farm topic for today's entry.  Done with barn chores, milk buckets washed, and the day stretching ahead, I was struck by the "need" to start a beading project yesterday.  When these urges hit, there's nothing for it but to give in because they niggle like a splinter waiting under the skin.  Besides, it was too darned cold to sit outside and I'd already given three days over to reading.  I have a stash of beads collected over the years but, of course, couldn't locate the same ones required by the pattern that had caught my eye.  Aha, a challenge!  Innovation, substitution, tweaking the bead count here and there, trying, taking out, redoing; time flew by.

My niece in New Hampshire called in the afternoon, a welcome break.  She laughed when I told her we might get a flurry of snow here.  The coastal New England states are due for two to three feet of snow in the next couple of days.  Sure takes any excuse to snivel out of any complaints I might have about the drop in temperature or the heavy frost on the ground this morning (no snow).  We talked until sundown here.  Snow or not, it was cold and the chickens and barn girls were more than ready to get inside last night.

Back in the house, I stoked the wood stove and picked up the beads again.  I work with tiny seed beads and a single project can use thousands.  The photo from a couple of years ago is an example; it was an original design of mine.  These projects are totally engrossing; just one more row, what if I change this, will this color work.  It has become a nightly habit to fall asleep in the chair for a little nap before I go to bed.  I couldn't believe it when I looked at the clock and it was midnight.  Reluctantly, the beads were put down and Bess and I headed for the bedroom.  Frank had given up on me long before and went to sleep downstairs.  As the lights went out, he came up to join us, giving me grumbling what-for for not following the routine.  I really had no excuses.  I just got busy.