Sittin On A Porch

Sittin On A Porch
Our little back porch

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Weaving the hours together

Life is a little more quiet again.  The Interview behind me, the wedding joyfully enjoyed, the first two rehearsals for The Fantasticks done, and now, it is quiet again.  Clear forever blue sky and so much green.  Last week it was warm and muggy.  Muggy as a summer day.  In January.  Nature is so magical and fascinating, and science, all rolled into a warm winter with grass and green leaves and daffodils in January.

daffodil
 And the camellias, and Japanese Magnolias, even azaleas and red buds are all blooming right now. 

azaleas

The Japanese Magnolias are as splendid as ever.  Most of the others are a spot of color  here, a tree there.  It is so much fun watching all of these different plants blooming  in January. 

Today is absolutely glorious.  So was yesterday.  I have spent most of these two days weaving.  Standing and sitting, moving up and down the loom,  watching the patterns magically appear as I move from the outside inward, bringing the two sides of the shawl together.

getting closer to the end of the weaving on the shawl
I have to take a break every once in a while to rest my shoulders and to stretch out my back.  I get up and walk around the yard looking at all the plants, up and moving.  Sometimes I just do some stretches in the living room.  At rehearsal on Thursday night when the part comes in the play where I am the wall, I struck a warrior pose.  The Director liked the idea of it, so we will see how it works out.  I think I need to do a lot more practicing so I can hold that pose long enough during the performances.

It has been just the most enjoyable days.  Weaving, walking, stretching, watching cooking shows as I weave up and down the yarn, fingers moving in and out, in and out.  The peacefulness of the drama of the past two weeks, seems all the more precious and dear.  Giving me time to let me wander and weave and dance through the last few weeks.  Time to smile over happy moments, playing like movies in my head and heart. 

Sometimes my mind wanders forward as I think about my Dad's cousin's  great granddaughter (whew!) bringing her daughter down to spend a week with me.  They will come during Ellie's spring break.  This is the same week that Rob, JongAe, Jessica and Dad are coming up.  Yes, that will be a lot of people.  But Jessica and Ellie are within a year or so in age of each other, and won't it be nice for Jessica to meet one of her cousins.  Even if removed or something like the 6th degree or however it is figured out.  We have a small family and I believe this will be the first American cousin that Jessica will meet.  I think about how much fun it was last summer having Christopher here for those weeks and the places that we went that he enjoyed the most.  We will probably do some similar trips this spring, like to the Museum of Natural History and to the Tallahassee (Jr) Museum.  Maybe Mission San Luis, we will see.  It will be fun to have time here at the house and to spend time crafting with the girls.  JongAe and I love to craft together, we will see how Jamie enjoys it.  I am sure that we can find things for all of us to enjoy. 

My mind just floated from moment to moment, passing through time like riding a time machine, as I move forward and backward. The air almost danced between the quiet and the weaving, the dreaming and the sitting and staring out the door.  Outside into a yard that needs attention.  But for right now, I want to get this shawl done first.  The sooner I can finish the scarf, the sooner I can move on to a new project.  Once I finish the weaving, then I have to tie fringe to two of the sides and then crochet off the top row.  Still lots of work, but I am enjoying honing my new skills on this just learned craft.  I can not help but see other colors and wonder about what patterns might emerge if I used this yarn or that.  My mind running through the bags of yarn of not started or partially finished projects.  Yarn that I can now maybe weave another shawl.  But first to finish this one.

Bob and Ednarose walk with me when I take my walks around the yard to stretch out.  Bob chasing after the ball.  Edna insisting on walking directly in front of me.  Harry barking from the porch.  Time with my kids.  Today the chickens insisted on walking just behind us until I chanted, "Here chicken, chicken, chickens.  Here chicken, chicken, chickens" and they ran to me as I threw out handfuls of scratch.  I love to watch chickens run.  There is something so joyfully slap stick about chickens running.  Here they are eating.

here chicken, chicken, chickens

pretty chickens


It is just perfect winter weather.  Sigh, it has been so lovely.  Tonight it will get colder and tomorrow it will be below freezing.  I loathe the cold.  But if the sky is blue and the green shimmers in the winter sun, it doesn't matter how cold it is outside, I will just keep working on my shawl.  I have a couple of scarves started that I want to finish, but I am getting so close to finish the weaving, and anxious to see what it looks like done.  So I have to get busy on the fringe, and well, I love working step by step watching the craft come together. 

Moffitt and I need to see her with my own eyes.

I am not sure what all will happen this coming week.  I am just enjoying Chinese takeout and movies on the TV and my fingers dancing up and down my loom, in and out, magic appearing, like this glorious time of peace and joy.  The weather perfect for a picnic.  Hmm, that sounds like an excellent idea.  I just might see if a picnic can be added in sometime this coming week.  If not, I can always just take my lunch out on the porch, to take a break from bending and weaving and tying.  To enjoy this glorious winter.

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