It's FALL! My favorite season and another turning point in the year. I love the cooler weather, the changing leaves, and almost everything about fall. It's a special time of year for me. I have a lot of memories from this time of year as well as a lot of meaning.
Growing up on the farm, it was all about the harvest. The growing season ending and getting the crops in for the long winter. It was also about canning, freezing, and doing other prep for our own food. Grocery store shopping was for things we couldn't grow or make ourselves.
Flash forward to now. I'm no longer canning food as I'm not able to grow my own. There are some years my husband is all about canning but most years we don't. Since I can't do the work, it's up to him. This means fall has to take on new meaning for me.
This year I've started my holiday gift making earlier than normal. I've made my list, gathered some of the material, and made a start. In the last couple weeks, I've made an afghan, several scarves and started a kitchen set which includes dish cloths, dish towels, coasters, hand towels, pot holders, and a trivet. I'm down to just needing to do the pot holders on this set. Next up on my to do list is crocheting edging around fleece material to make a blanket. My sister has given me about sixteen of these she wants done for holiday gifts. I have about thirteen or fourteen of my own to do.
The harvest isn't passing me by. I'm creating a new way to harvest and contribute. I may not have hundreds of quart jars in my pantry but I do have a positive outlook and positive energy I can put into projects for other people. My hope for this harvest is when the people get their gifts, they love them and use them for years to come.
With the weather turning cooler in Wisconsin, I work on the larger projects. While I work, I think about how the person will use the items, what I hope for them, and the positive energy I hope goes with the item. My intent is to give them a gift which will last them years, give them joy or happiness. It's my belief this is part of the making of the item.
This is my harvesting. My crafting projects are my crops. Food isn't scarce and I don't have to preserve my food with grocery stores all around me. However, I still feel the need to harvest, to finish things for a purpose. My purpose is put into my crocheting with my intent to provide a positive gift.
While it isn't a matter of survival as it would have been for the ancient people, it helps me feel fulfilled to have a purpose during the harvesting time of year. The purpose helps me with motivation and even self worth. Being handicapped, it's difficult to accept the things I can no longer do. By creating something special for others, I'm still contributing through things I can do.