Flux

Have you noticed how time is, yes it is, going faster all the time? When you were 7 years old, one year was one-seventh of your life. When you're 59, a year is one-fiftyninth of your life. The years are scientifically shorter as you get older! Yikes!

As I'm on the cusp of a major life change and moving to another country - for the last time - I can't help but think about the passage of time and my passage through places on this earth. I'm thinking about how the years seem to have disappeared in ordinary days of work and watching TV. I'm wondering what my future life in Great Britain holds and how much the country has changed since I last lived there. And I'm still wondering why the British don't rinse the soap off their dishes.

pondering, 2010

When I started blogging a few years ago, I joined in with other 40+ and 50+ fashion bloggers, taking selfies and trying out new outfits. I had just bought some new clothes and cut my boring bob, I was ready to take the plunge, so I started blogging at Late Blooming Sparkle.

 

January 2013

People who knew me were surprised that I was suddenly taking an interest in fashion, and many of my friends and acquaintances still don't know I blog because I've felt self-conscious about it.

March 2013

I had fun trying new things, writing up silly posts and taking photos, but it wasn't really me.

September 2013

I'm impressed, though, by the camaraderie and wide network of lovely women worldwide who keep up with each other's blogs, offering encouragement and advice and humor. I don't want to give that up, but I have cut down on my blog-reading lately.

March 2014

I decided to blog as Muse Fondue to widen the scope of my blog. Now I'm more likely to post about crafts or my attempts at photography. I love to get lost in creating little things, mostly dioramas in tins. I know that's a pretty narrow-interest niche, but it's my narrow-interest niche.

my latest, sort of an experimental piece

tiny railroad model figures on a bench with a Parisian background

For the next few months, I'll also blog about the changes in my life. I don't want to bore you with stories of cleaning door jambs or sorting through old socks. I plan to write about some of the profound but universal stuff churned up in such a major change: looking at past and future, learning to change compass points in life, and saying meaningful goodbyes to people and places, maybe for the last time.

with my mom and cousins in Florence, Oregon, 2013

Whew, got myself choked up there.

Anyway, thank you for your lovely felicitations on my last post about my 20th wedding anniversary. I hope you'll keep reading about my wild ride!

Val

Grab a fork and a hunk of bread

Welcome to Muse Fondue! I'm so glad you came.

I really am glad you came - it's just too cold to smile!

Muse Fondue is picking up where Late Blooming Sparkle left off - a new name, but the same old me.

I know it's a weird name - I kind of like that - and I don’t mean to suggest that I want to melt my muse in hot cheese. It's more like I want to dip into my muse, share a warm snack with her. At its core this blog is a creative endeavor for me, so maybe Muse Fondue will unleash even more creativity! 

I thought through lots of other names, as you can see on the tab "Other blog name ideas." Some of those names were really good, and you're free to steal one if you want. But Muse Fondue just felt right. The words are rhythmical and lyrical. They're fun and flavorful. They're gooey and chewy. 

When I said "Muse Fondue" to Mr. S. I couldn't help but laugh – it's wacky! And it's not specific to any one subject, so who knows where it'll take me. 

Brrrrrrrrrrrr!

I already had a Google profile as Val S., so I'm using that and retiring Val Sparkle. (My last name really does start with S as in Sparkle.) I'll visit Late Blooming Sparkle from time to time to post links to here, but please add Muse Fondue to your Google+, Bloglovin', or whatever you use. 

jacket and teal top - JCP; Levi jeans - thrifted; scarf - local art museum; Tom's booties from local shop Shoe-A-Holic

I'll be linking up to 52 Pick-me-up at Spy Girl. The prompt this week is to pick a scarf and then dress to match. I picked my favorite scarf, which has my favorite colors - peach, red, turquoise. Throw in a teal top, blue jeans, and my new Tom's booties (squeeeeee!), and I'm ready to go. 

Even Wonder Woman agrees.

Val