New tops, winter and fallow years

First things first.

I have completed my sixth top for the six top-four bottoms-one jacket SWAP challenge. I am pretty pleased with myself as I have done these six tops this month more or less when I should have been doing other things.

Operating like this takes discipline.

This one is my only knit of the bunch and is the Ada knit top from StyleArc.

For a start it really is a boxy T-shirt, just like they said and just like the knits that are now appearing in the stores. Sort of the kind of look that reminds me of my dad and not a way I have dressed in a while, but I will get used to it.

When I have this whole wardrobe done and the pictures taken you can decide for yourselves if I am looking like I am wearing my dad's shirt or not.

It is a really useful top. 

Apart from being suitable for work around the house a la dad, it has these really nifty side pockets that would be useful for picking things up as you go - you know those pennies that are about to be discontinued and pins that you are glad you got before someone, who hopefully isn't pulling it out of a foot, holds it up and says "guess what I found on the floor" not understanding that pins on the floor are to be expected, part of the territory really, when you are living the sewing life.

I think I am going to start talking like that. Living the sewing life. As if that explains something to someone other than myself. Makes things clear to me.

Anyway it's a pretty good top and very wearable and not all the time do you want to be wearing something that is snappy but not that comfortable.

Some days are not snappy days and this would be part of a good outfit for days like that.

I have had a busy two weeks getting my students organized and getting to know the ones I haven't taught before. (FYI if your child's name is Tara would you mind not spelling that Terrah - took me 10 minutes to sound that out).

I think it should be a pretty good term. Good kids, interesting topics.

And I do appreciate your best wishes for my impending trip to Florida. I am embarrassed to say however that I will be leaving the week of April 8 even though I am counting now - you would probably have to be here in Nova Scotia in January to completely understand why.

It will be fair to say I will be ready come April to drive south and do that marvellous thing where every day you drive the trees get bigger and then there are little leaves and then big leaves and then cherry blossoms in DC and then Florida (we go to St. Augustine) and it's palm trees and time to go to Winn Dixie for mangos to start canning.

Now it is these thoughts, and the time I have spent looking at the shelves and shelves of disorganized fabric in my sewing room, that has me naturally thinking of Jerusalem.

A couple of years ago owing to some administrative mistake I ended up on a work trip to Israel and that in turn landed me in the market in Jerusalem.

Extremely cool.

Anyway when I was talking to our highly educated guide about how fantastic the produce was he told me that the farmers observe the biblical practice of leaving the fields fallow every seven years for one year (remember the seven good years and seven lean years part).

This means that for one year every seven they don't plant and in fact have to live off and sell what they already have.

Just think this through.

It made me wonder how many areas of my life could I live off of if I had to for one year.

What if I didn't buy one pattern or any fabric for a year and knew no matter what that I had 12 months until I could? What if I knew I was having a year like this every seven years?

You know I could do it. Of course I could do it. But I am not sure if I have enough nerve to even try.

How about you?