We've had it all

We've had it all today. There was rain, and hail stones, flashes of blue sky, gale force winds and then there was also the snow. At first only intermittently but at the moment it's snowing in earnest. Due to that wind the flakes are almost horizontal and very hard to avoid unless you cover up your face completely.

Even the birds aren't that keen to venture out and eat at our multiple feeders.

And yet, my mood has lightened considerable. If only I could figure out why, my life would be so much easier.But even after all my years on earth I have no inkling why on some days all the burdens of the world seem to be on my shoulders when on other days nothing can get me down. Although I do occasionally mention these mood swings here,  I do try very hard indeed not to take my down moods out on other people (or dogs!) as I know how horrible that is for them having experienced such behaviour from someone else as I was growing up. So outwardly I can still appear happy and contented while trying to fight against the black demons. And that role playing does in fact help me. And today, despite the dismal conditions, I'm back on the up.

The fact that out of nowhere I suddenly had a great idea for a journal quilt on the theme of Sweets, the new theme for this month on the Sketchbook Challenge site, was certainly a factor too, assisted by the fact that I found just the right thing in the shape of an old piece of Japanese kimono in my stash. I didn't know I wanted it till my eye fell upon it and it then provided the answer to a question I had not yet thought to ask! You'll see it in due course!

It involves a lot of hand stitching and that for me is one of the best ways to make me feel calm, happy and relaxed. Making something as beautiful as I know how, fulfils one of my deepest desires as an artist.