While the temperature and the snow keep falling, I amuse myself indoors. The earliest morning hours are reserved for writing.   First I shuffle around the kitchen at 5:30, making tea. Then I go to my desk and work on a story.

When daylight comes, I like to sew.

Piecing a quilt is an up-and-down activity. Standing, I measure, cut and pin. I sit to sew, then stand to iron. In between, I arrange the pieces, or blocks, on the flocked side of a vinyl tablecloth tacked to the wall. This is my “design wall” where I can plan how the quilt will look as a whole.

Quilting is satisfying in so many ways. The colors and patterns of fabric please my eye. My hands know the movements of measuring, cutting, and pinning so well that it’s like a dance with familiar steps. I enjoy the smell of freshly ironed fabric, and the sound when the sewing machine cuts the thread.

And when the quilt is finished, I have the pleasure of having created a useful blanket for someone to cuddle up in on these winter days.