One of my new year intentions was to try doing my daily stretching in the morning after breakfast and blog reading. So far mornings seem to be working much better than afternoons, when I’m often involved in doing something (or nothing) and talk myself out of it.

My routine is a series of modified Pilates moves that keeps me relatively limber and my back pretty much pain-free. It hardly qualifies as exercise as I take it very easy, but paying attention to my breath, I find it can be meditative.

Inevitably, as I start with long, slow stretches, my breathing recalls the rhythm of ocean waves breaking and retreating. With eyeglasses off and hearing aids out, I close my eyes and imagine being on the beach in Avon.

Progressing to somewhat quicker movements, I’m transported to Shelter Island and the Peconic Bay, with the soft lap-lap-lap of tiny wavelets and the shushing of shifting shells.

But maddeningly, with the tap-tap-breath, tap-tap-breath of the final moves, I find myself “walking” through the imaginary world of Myst, complete with soundtrack.

Seriously? Not what I’d choose, but my mind will go where it will.

Anyway, choosing an indigo linen patch and some variegated Deb thread for a series of watery waves was an easy call. Likewise, the sandy tan for the next patch.

The Procrastination patch was inspired by Dee’s blog post, aptly titled Avoidance and Chores. After reading it, I sent her this poem by Billy Collins …

which in turn inspired me to consider long rows of ants. Like this maybe? Ewwww …

I couldn’t quite bring myself to stitch life-like ants. So I read the poem again, focusing this time on the phrase “cover pages with tiny sentences” to find my way to rows of Jude’s glue stitches …

Much better.

Addendum: Or not … in the end the Procrastination patch was revised to include one silken ant.