Diversions

I need to get away from the news. Yes, of course we must be informed but I can only handle so much and then I'm seeking relief.  Getting outside for a walk or hike is always a great diversion, as is visiting with friends and eating and drinking.  But what about other activities?

How about quilting?  Always good!  In January I made three quilts tops that will eventually get quilted and given away to various local charities, including this one which features African animals wearing cool sunglasses.   I found zebra striped flannel for the back, which is cool looking and cozy.

Taking a quilting class is always good and around here there are lots of opportunities to learn from great teachers.  Seeing free-motion guru Angela Walters in person for a day last month was a real treat.

And then there's trying to put into practice what you've learned in a class.  Right now I'm messing around with a little landscape using some of the techniques that I learned in Melody Randol's workshop last month.   

One of the most diverting activities is meeting with other quilters.  I'm in five different groups but my fav is the six-person art quilt group which meets once a month.  We show each other what we're working on, get suggestions and inspiration, and occasionally challenge each other to a specific project.   Recently we showed each other the results of a "circles" challenge.  I loved how differently everyone tackled this challenge, using different techniques to make the circles, using different colors, and made completed quilts of different sizes.

Making small changes to your home is a fun diversion.  We recently added these stools from Target for the bar between the kitchen and dining room.  I love how they look and they are very sturdy, giving me a handy place to perch while chatting with Ben as he makes us coffee in the morning.  

We also recently bought this rack which we first saw at our friend Ray's house.  It's made by Yamazaki, which Ray described as the "Ikea of Japan," and is sold through Amazon.  It's billed as a spice rack but serves us well as a place to contain salt & pepper, oil, and other things we like to have handy in the kitchen.

And then there's watching TV.   Several series have captivated me lately and I'm glad for it.  A friend recommended "Young Sheldon," and it surprised me by getting me laughing during each episode.   "The Good Place" was also surprisingly funny and engaging.  "Big Little Lies" was not funny but it was definitely engaging.  How can you resist watching four fabulous actresses in beautiful oceanside Monterey, California?  Great escapism.  "Ozark" is dark, dark, dark, but also engaging.  And what a season finale!  Sure sets you up for a super second season.

A classic escape is to read and I always have an e-book going on my Kindle for bedtime reading and another in hard cover or paperback for bath time reading.  Recently I discovered a local writer, Peter Heller, and finished two of his books, "The Painter," and "The Dog Stars."  I liked both of them but especially "The Dog Stars" which is set right here in the Front Range.  The main character is a small plane pilot and it was interesting to know exactly the air field he used and the places he flew.  As the Denver Post wrote, "It's one of the things that makes Heller's books so fun to read for Coloradans.  It's like being in on the secret: 'Hey, I know that neighborhood' or 'I've fished that creek."

Not so much fun is imagining the world Heller paints, which is a post-apocalyptic Colorado after most of the population has died from a flu.   But engaging and diverting?  Definitely.

And sometimes that's just what we need.


Joining my friend LeeAnna's "I Like" Thursday, at Not Afraid of Color.