A Little R&R

 On Wednesday, my family traveled to our vacation home in the Poconos at Masthope Mountain Community.  We've been spending July 4th there for years and it's become kind of a tradition.  Last year there was a whole crowd of people at the house, but this year it was just us, so we got in some much needed R&R and family time.  We spent time relaxing at the pool and swimming in the lake.  Usually the crowds this time of year are horrendous, but it didn't seem as bad as usual, maybe because the 4th fell on a Wednesday and the crowds came more on the weekends.

 Part of my R&R included reading (nothing better than digging into a juicy novel on the screened-in porch after a day in the sun!) but I also brought along some hand stitching.  I added some highlights and details to my seahorse tee shirt.  It's kind of hard to tell in the photo, but I think the metallic thread adds just the right amount of definition and sparkle.  Can't wait to wear it to work this week (I can't believe my summer programs begin on Tuesday, as does camp for the girls!).

 I also brought along some rectangles of fabric and pre-fused prints to make a Prayer Flag.  These are a variation on the traditional Buddhist prayer flags, which are solid-colored fabric flags symbolic of the 5 elements (yellow-earth, green-water, red-fire, white-air, blue-space).  These flags are hung outside to help bring harmony and balance to the world as the wind blows through them and the weather eventually wears them down and carries them away.  Vivika Hansen DeNegre took off on this idea to start the Prayer Flag Project in June of 2011.  "She invited people from around the world to join her in making Prayer Flags.  Each flag is created in the artists' own style, then hung outside for a while, its words and sentiment dissolving into the wind and being spread to all whom the wind touches. They are a living, breathing, kinetic journal of our hopes, dreams and concerns."  I made one for my FANE group a while back, (see it here)  but hadn't made any more.  I thought a small, hand stitched project like this might be a good thing to do while away; I came up with this Independence Day-themed flag, below.

More and more to me, it seems our country is being pulled apart by too much selfish dissension.  While I value and respect all our differences, as Abraham Lincoln said, "a house divided cannot stand," so during this week of celebrating our independence and many freedoms, I will hang up my flag praying for Unity.