It’s back to school week! I missed “Meet The Teacher Night” with a horrible migraine and then 3 days later lost my voice. At 40-years-old, I still have not learned how to manage my back to school anxiety. The good news is, my 5-year-old came running out of her first day of kindergarten yelling “I love it! I love it!”
I’ve realized over the last few years that I have big feelings about a lot of things. I am, as some like to call it, “a deep feeler.” That would also explain why being chronically online as an influencer resulted in me having an existential crisis (among other things, but I digress).
Tuning into my daughter and her big feelings helped me recognize my own. I see and feel things deeply (which occasionally means people think I’m nuts). But I love that about me. For a long time it was something I pushed down rather than embraced because I felt embarrassed or ashamed (and because I was raised Catholic, IYKYK).
It’s a tough time to be human right now, so this is my way of reminding you that it’s ok to slow down, pay attention, and feel your feelings, even if it means crying at a quilt exhibition. Here’s some of the things that made me laugh, smile or cry this month. Feel free to share your own big feeling moments in the comments, I’m always down for a good laugh (or cry).
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Crying at a Quilt Exhibition
This one really takes the cake because I was simultaneously crying and laughing (at myself for crying). At the beginning of August we went to Billings Farm to visit their Sunflower House which is a massive outdoor “house” with thousands of sunflowers and other flowers you can walk through and explore. On the way out we wandered into the barn where there was a Quilt Exhibition. I was not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster I was about to embark on.
The amount of time, attention to detail, and skill required to create these works of art is absolutely mind-bending. Of course my photos can’t possibly do them justice, but I wanted to share a few of my favorites (just picture me sobbing while reading the placards, lol).
This was my favorite quilt in the exhibit with an insane level of detail. Each square was individually embroidered. It’s one of the most remarkable things I’ve ever seen. About the creation:
As a young woman I lived in New York City with no access to a garden. In 1974, American Home Crafts magazine featured this quilt, offering the embroidery pattern for purchase. I had to teach myself to embroider, and eventually with the support and encouragement of my sister Angela, a quilter, pieced the individual squares and then quilted it. It’s taken me 50 years to finish my first garden.
I didn’t think I’d find political statements at a quilt exhibition, but there were plenty (and quite frankly it feels insane to say that this is political, but here we are). This was one of my favorites:
I wanted to make a quilt featuring houses to donate to the Welcome Blanket Project. Welcome Blanket gathers quilts and knits or crocheted blankets to welcome immigrants to the United States. Each maker also includes a notecard sharing a meaningful family story about immigration, migration, or relocation. My father immigrated here from Germany, and most of us in this country have family that at one point immigrated here to start a new life.
Paying it Forward
There’s an alpaca rescue about 15 minutes from us, and we stop by from time to time. The dispensers located outside the fence have pellets for 25 cents so you can feed the alpacas. Watch any kid pop a quarter in, turn the knob and catch the pellets as they fall out, it makes their day. The last time we went, my 5-year-old noticed that someone had left a quarter at both dispensers. I got to teach her about paying it forward, and we left quarters behind for the next person. Small gestures in kindness can have a big impact.
Signs
One of my best friends had to say goodbye to her soul dog of 12 years, Tito. Anyone who’s had to make that decision knows how gut-wrenching and heartbreaking it is, especially when it comes quickly and unexpectedly.
Saying goodbye to my soul dog Nora was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done in my life. I still have a hard time looking at photos or videos of her 4 years later. The day after she passed, I received my first sign from her, a family of deer in my yard. On the morning Tito was going to euthanized, a deer appeared in my backyard. I poked my head out and we made eye contact. I walked to the front yard to leave for the day and there was the deer again. It stood there for several minutes while we looked at each other. I know it was Nora letting me know she was there to help Tito cross over the rainbow bridge. Always look for the signs.
What do you call a pay phone that’s free?
I never thought I’d live to see the day pay phones came back. Seriously though, how often do you see these things in the wild? This “pay phone” is actually free, for students and community members. It’s located at our middle/high school, as a result of tireless work and advocacy from parents, students, and community members to make our school district phone free from bell to bell. This engineer is also voluntarily installing free pay phones around Vermont. Vermont passed legislation to ban cell phones in schools statewide and prevent schools from communicating with students using social media. If you’re interested in getting your community/school district involved, check out the Phone-Free Schools Movement. Love to see it!
Return of the Monarchs
Speaking of things you rarely see in the wild, when is the last time you saw a monarch butterfly? Their populations have been in decline since the 1990s, but they are not federally protected or listed as endangered. Climate change, insecticides and destruction of their natural habitats threaten the species. Safe to say whenever I see a monarch butterfly it makes me happy. They are an amazing species with an incredible migration every year from Canada to coastal California and central Mexico. Monarchs love goldenrod and it’s blooming everywhere right now in Vermont. The other day while we were at the river a monarch butterfly landed on my chair. It flew around us for a while and followed us all the way to our car as we left. When we got home I looked at my Animal Spirit Guidebook and opened the page to the Butterfly. Here’s what it said:
The energy of the Butterfly is with us during periods of transition. Since Air is the element of the heart, this change usually involves relationships (or perhaps your career). Since transition is accompanied by some amount of discomfort, be extra patient and kind during this time, especially if the Butterfly is you. Let solid friends and activities support you like a “cocoon.” Committing to one daily routine (a meal, practice or prayer) done at the same place and time will do wonders for lifting a Butterfly’s spirit.”
Note to self: commit to one daily routine.
Grow up
They were installing speed humps when we were in Rhode Island. Why did this make me laugh every time we drove by? Maybe I need to get out more.
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