A late winter reprieve at the library

The afternoon is waning. I should really get going home soon. It's been good here, in this library chair. Quiet, purposeful, peaceful.

This morning I prepared breakfast and put a vegetable medley in the crockpot. Packed up my box (I tote around more than just veggies in the wooden apple boxes from the farm), said my goodbyes, kissed the kids and kissed them again. Thanked my husband and walked out the door into the beautiful spring-like day of early March.

First stop, the LYS (local yarn store - I'm learning the lingo). With pattern in hand I browsed, asked for advice, hemmed and hawed while choosing yarn but ultimately settled on this Maine dyed beauty. I'm a sucker for local. And green, yellow, purple and red all swirled together.

Then off to the library to try and actually follow the instructions and make something beautiful. This part of the day was not so successful but it was very, very relaxing. I sat, cross legged on the padded chairs in the sunlit windows. No children interrupting me for craft help, sibling squabbles or meals. I did each stitch at my own pace and in my own time (slow). Sure I unraveled everything because I made some mistakes but the peace and quiet was well worth it.

Time to find a book for myself. I checked my Goodreads list on the library computers, finding the list of titles I want to-read (any recommendations to add to this list?). I searched them out and found some in our local library and others are now on their way from other libraries. Library time all to myself - so lovely.

Starting to get hungry, I walked down the street a little ways to a deli. I spent lunch with the folks of Port William in Wendell Berry's A World Lost while I ate my decidedly non-vegan meal of bacon & cheddar macaroni salad and regular Caesar salad. Tea and cookies for dessert.

Satisfied I walked back to the library to settle down with my seed catalogs and garden plan. After a couple hours with pencil, paper, catalogs and internet access to answer the pressing questions like "when exactly do I need to plant the chard so I can harvest it by mid summer to clear that space for the winter lettuce?" the kitchen garden gets planned and seed orders prepared. Sunflowers, peas, swiss chard, lettuce, kale, greens and carrots. Colorful catalogs, anticipate harvests and productive planning in the afternoon sunlight.

And all too soon it comes to an end. My time to myself. But I feel so relaxed from all the quiet, energized by my new knitting project, anticipating the good books I have in hand and satisfied with the garden plan.

It's been a good day.