My aim today was to capture whatever and wherever I was around/at 2:26 pm on Z- day, as I’ve dubbed the 26th day of the month. This month, February, I am at home.
About 12:45 pm: I was at an artist’s art/craft supply store, looking at the selection of journals for my Zibaldone. It isn’t that I can’t shop my stash – which is a common reminder to/for scrapbookers, memory keepers, designed to keep us mindful of our ever present/growing collection of whatever the “must have” item is and to pause, take stock and inquire: Do I really NEED this? 10 of 9 times the answer is a RESOUNDING: NO! Rather, the motivation is want – surely the perfect journal is out there waiting for me to find it… and perhaps you wonder, just what does or will make this elusive, to be discovered book , so perfect? Well, I’m not sure I can answer that question and I may not know til I find it…but rest assured, when I do, you’ll be the first to know!
No luck in finding a new journal – I’ll use what I have- but I did find some fun stickers and managed to spend $25, give or take a penny…
About 1:50 pm: Before heading home, I decided to go in search of a latte… remembered – a coffee shop several blocks away from the Arts & Crafts store, actually near the building where I first worked for the library system, 1974… a long time ago. Originally, the building was a firehouse, then it was turned into a library branch that also housed my office and now, it houses loft apartments.
I found a metered parking lot – 50 cents an hour, all automated. Punch in your license plate number, insert a credit card and presto, you’ve paid for at least one hour. Your receipt is texted, if you wish. The coffee shop – super busy. Coffee is served in cups that are 100% biodegradable * compost-able… Beans are roasted on site and the coffee was good tho’ expensive. C’est la vie…
2:35 PM… Just arrived home
2:56 PM … My coffee is all gone. I’m debating about taking a walk – it’s sunny tho’ a tad chilly. Well, I just checked my daily Health activity stats and I’m a tad beyond the 50% mark from closing all 3 rings – so, that decision is made! Out and Off I go! To be continued…
Just as I stepped out the door, my sister called…so, she joined me on my walk …. I was delighted by signs of Spring: crocus; a flowering tree; warmer temps… My outing and walk were envigorating ( I had to make a quick trip around a couple blocks in order to close the Exercise ring!) but I’m not ready to abandon my mask, just yet…
I think the biggest lesson/connection to Zibaldone this first time out is the role contemporary technology has played in my life on this day, even tho’ I was on a quest to find a paper journal…and that I can/do comfortably transition between analog and digital platforms. To be continued …
Earlier this month, I shared my word Zibaldone, 14th Century Italian for “commonplace book,” a journal or diary, etc, about “a heap of things.” This definition brings to mind today’s tools and resources : diaries, journals, sketch books, random note catchers -think sticky notes or any available piece of paper < my bad habit – waiting to be scribbled on or quick digital notes made on one’s smart phone via both text and voice. If you’re like me, you have a bright idea or vague memory of something seen, heard – bits and pieces of your daily life that have made their way into your brain, that vast storage tool – and if you’re also like me, you also can’t remember where you placed your pen that you just had in your hand a minute ago or your keys (hopefully not in the refrigerator <remember that commercial of the lady who absent-mindedly did so?). In many ways, the Internet, is a humongus Zibaldone. On a more conservative level, think diary; your planner; doodle pad; drawings; scrapbook; photos on your smart phone tagged place/time/date and subject; sketches …
My goal/plan this year, 2022, using the tools mentioned in the preceding paragraph, is to document and create my own Zibaldone: an artistic record of each 24 hours, each week, month, quarter, season. Some may call the resource I create a scrapbook; planner; diary; journal; word, photo collage, and they are all correct descriptors.
In my 2022 Zibaldone, I will combine: words, pictures, art explorations; connections with friends and family; desires; wishes, grace notes, thoughts, inspirations, experiences, learnings, “22 in 22 lists,” books read, to be read or not; STORY- about me, family, friends, things, places, pictures, artistic and creative expressions, feelings, practices, wins, etc…and tools I use at the beginning, during and end of my days; memory keeping; collage and my own art play expressions.
I don’t have a vision of a final product other than it will be a Zibaldone of 2022 as lived, learned, experienced. Stay tuned. To be continued…
Snow: Today we have S-N-O-W! Easily 5 inches, maybe more.The snow has now stopped; the sun shines; the sky is blue and it’s a tad cold : 28 degrees. All lovely – a welcome surprise on this 3rd day of the new year! Perhaps this is Mother Nature’s way to curtail the spread of Omicron, at least for a bit here on the east coast. T’is a nice thought…
Words: My one little word for 2022 is Zibaldone, Italian for occasional thoughts, notes, quotations, lists, etc ~ all the things we manage to capture in notebooks, journals, on index cards, bits and pieces of whatever piece of paper might be in an arm’s reach or a note, jotted on our smart phones, via type or verbally or photo. All designed to capture a moment, a fleeting thought, idea, quote, task, memory, weather event such as S-N-O-W…
Zibaldone:Why? I like the word – it has often intrigued me and has been on my bucket list to explore since 2018. The choice came to me out of the blue, about December 15, 2021. I’d recently ordered and received the book – a mean 2502 pages of tissue thin paper. As I picked up the book and examined some of those 2502 pages, the thought went off like fireworks: “This is it! My word for 2022!”
I have absolutely no idea, preconceived thoughts or expectations as to how the word will show up, shout out, over these next 362 days of 2022… based on my experiences with previous words, there will be all sorts of surprises. Just as today’s snow!
In a way, and this may be a stretch, I see Zibaldone as a quilt patchwork, made of bits and pieces of fabrics that hold all sorts of experiences, meaning and herstory .
I look forward to experiencing and sharing my Zibaldone adventures in 2022. Hopefully most will be as surprising as today’s snow.
Cheers~
In just 3 days, a new year is about to be ushered in, give or take a few minutes or so. last year, we had such hopes that thevirus would be gone and we would all magically return to life as it was…little did we know. events – both health and political – have yet again, made 2021 an unprecedented year – which is probably an understatement.
As I prepared to “pen ” this post on my 2021 one little word: color, I looked over my entries and was buoyed by the colors ~ gifts from Mother Nature ~ of the trees, flowers, sky and some human-created things, too. As I move through my house, I see all the colors that bring me comfort and joy, noting that the walls on the first floor need a fresh coat of paint – it’s been a few years – and thinking how long color had been a very integral part of my life with one, yellow, always the piece de resistance.
I end this year’s one little word journey so very thankful for the colors that have provided me comfort and solace during this year, 2021. I plan to share my 2022 word next week Monday, January 4, 2022!
Have a joyous end to 2021 and may 2022 be our best year, ever! Joining Carolyn and friends here.
This morning, about 8:45 am, we had a very light dusting of S-N-O-W! Or maybe a combination of sleet. T’was exciting and interesting, considering the season we’re entering once the clock rolls over at midnight. Of course, the snow/sleet melted just as it hit the deck, ground…
On my walk earlier this afternoon, I was struck by the colors of this autumn day. Mother Nature has done a magnificent job of commemorating my 2021 word: color, this season. Plus, the addition of several holiday-themed yard decor adds to the ambience. Tomorrow we embark on the Christmas holiday season; ‘t’will be interesting to see how the season’s colors are revealed.
Joining Carolyn and friends for November’s One Word roundup.
Today, the 31st of the month: Halloween and the absolute. last. day/date of the month. Slowly but surely over the course of this month the season has brought autumn’s vibrant colors and delightful Halloween displays in folks’ yards. This photo I took October 4…
Today, I had planned to take an early afternoon walk and just as I prepared to step out, Mother Nature decided to move in a few dark and stormy (looking) clouds…think I’ll wait a bit and see what’s next in store.
In the meantime, I’ll continue with my game of playing with colorful Post-it Notes – both analog (actual paper, sticky notes) and digital (on the new Post-It app) <the latter I’ve yet to try>.
Another quick look out: still dark and stormy. So I’ll hit publish and move onto the next item. Hmm, wonder what color sticky note I’ll choose next.
..already, signs of meteorological autumn/fall are beginning to display in the trees and of course the flowers in my and neighbors’ yards – my crazy azalea is blooming yet again. Black-eyed Susans, mums, add their pop of color to the landscape. This morning I saw a yellow school bus making its way to or from a school – yes! Kids in DC started school yesterday. (Chris, my 7 years’ old great grand nephew, starts Tuesday – he lives in MD- and will also be going to school, virtually, yet again. I noticed Sunday – on a Target run – all the children were wearing colorful masks.)
Yesterday’s mail brought a colorful collection of scrapbook papers, an order from The Paper Curator (how could I resist?) and an acrylic stamp set, depicted by the colorful geometric shapes on the left side of the picture. (The stamps are made by Ali Edwards and Laura Wonsik; more info here ). The colorful pencils I picked up from Barnes and Noble and the mini composition books from Walgreens – I couldn’t resist. Occasionally I use a composition book for a specific project’s notes. I am still making colorful Confetti Quilt blocks…and tho’ I’ve yet to master the process of foundation paper piecing, I do like the final result. I’ve decided to make my final quilt a wall hanging – approx 24” x 36 .“ Which means perhaps I’m half-way there? I plan to share a progress photo before the week’s end.
We’re slated for fallout from Hurricane Ida; slowly yet surely the sky is turning from blue to grey as the rain clouds start to move in. At least it will be cooler and that’s always welcomed!
Joining Carolyn and others for another look at our 2021 One Little Words.
Today’s weather : redH-O-T! Not as hot as that on the west coast but still H-O-T! Too hot to go out and ever so thankful that the A/C is functioning – just about a year ago, new AC/Heat Pump installed at ruinous cost. This summer’s contribution to the local economy: new copper* pipes to the upstairs bath. Even the neighborhood black + white cat – yep, still around – is lying low.
All day, the sky has been that summery bluecolor, almost crystal like – making a lovely backdrop for dramatic white/grey clouds. Evidence of the changing season on the oak trees’ green leaves – some have already turned brown and on the opposite end,pink blossoms have begun to bloom on the crepe myrtle. Too hot for my afternoon walk so I browsed through my photos from recent walks and was greeted by that gorgeous clump of bright yellowday lilies.
My word for 2021 is color and I’m having a lot of fun with it…amazed at how frequently ROYGBIV colors on the wheel show up – not only in print, magazines, fabrics – and also our natural lives. Joining Carolyn for this month’s One Little Word share.
A sampling of the colorful items in my craft studio ~
Today is sunny, perhaps a tad cooler than yesterday but lovely, all the same. Mother Nature continues to amaze; flowers, trees, the sky are a cacophony of colors. Throughout the house, especially in my craft and sewing studios, bits, pieces, dabbles of color grab my eye. I’ve come to realize that color has always been a central part of my life, ever since the yellow dress with green Daschund buttons I wore in the second grade… a long time ago.
Watching Spring’s sunrise and mornings unfold have been a colorful treat. My words are also colorful – sometimes, not so repeatable. Oh well, c’est la vie. I write on paper that has a colorful striped border. My life’s domains are loosely arranged by color:
red – STOP – important things to do
orange – household/life chores and tasks
yellow – Honoré /moi and my life’s stories; my TBR, etc…
green – $$ expenses/money matters
blue – Norman’s color (boy = blue?!)
violet – notes/ideas for the blog
white/black – planning, notes, etc
I’m really delighted with my 2021 word; I think it’s just the perfect choice for these still very much challenging times. Joining Carolyn and others for the March One Little Word update.
Morning Glory Studio 