09. warm things
it's cold out, so here's a list to warm ya up. and some quilts and thoughts.
into 2025
it’s cold here on the east coast, so here is a list of some of my favorite things that are warm, as well as some quilts that are for sale to make room for some new projects.
hot hot coffee; candle glow early in the morning; fresh bread; quilting a double batting quilt; the library lends out medical equipment like walkers and crutches (c is for community); the bees vibrating in their hives all winter; the silly hat that i made; full family sunday dinners; an apartment full of new friends on new years eve; the sun shining on your face at the top of a mountain after it snowed on the way up; the time area coffee lent their espresso machine to camp kingston when theirs broke (c is for community); the feeling in your legs when your skin is so cold it stings; the warm spot on the couch/bed after kb gets up; bathtub; sweatshirt fresh out of the dryer; the desert (where we will be in a few weeks!); talking on the phone to someone who makes you laugh really hard while you’re driving; frank sinatra; hot chocolate with peanut butter whiskey; toast with melty butter; keeping single serving tupperwares of soup in the freezer; slate steps in the evening that have been warmed in the summer sun; finishing a notebook; hot fudge on ice cream; hot water bottles; sand on the beach in the summer; melty butter to dunk chunks of lobster into; cookie skillet with ice cream; belly laughing; hot toddy; the freakin SUNSET; murmurations of birds; the smell of hay ferns; farmers market tomatoes; mom hugs; sleeping with the windows open.
Angelina’s post about wintering is a nice reminder to embrace this season. i am a fall/winter person, but i do find it helpful to be reminded to use this time to slow down, restore, turn inward, and recharge. and the cold really does help me appreciate the summer and vice versa. i’m grateful to live in a place that experiences all the seasons.
on keeping time
time has felt especially made up lately, as the holidays offered a little break from the normal routine. instead of looking at the clock, because i had nothing to do and nowhere to be, it was more like one more episode/ chapter or waiting for the kettle to boil before i moved onto the next thing. i recently started doing morning pages for the length of a birthday candle. it ends up being about 30 minutes, which is longer than i’d typically sit down and dedicate that time to writing, but it felt good and the little wisp of smoke signaling that my time was done was a lot more peaceful than an alarm on my phone. try it for yourself, it’s fun to be free of minutes and seconds for a while.
quilts for sale
do you want one of these for your couch / bed? free shipping. email me at laurenzallo@gmail.com or reply to this newsletter to claim :-)
they’re crinkly, soft, and made with love and magic. they will survive the washing machine and are made to be loved and snuggled under. the last one is almost finished, so if you want to claim it first you can now.
what keeps you warm?
the sun is staying up a little longer every day.
take good care of yourself and each other and be kind.
🕯️LZ