Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Hope

Gentle rain fell during the night and early this morning. The moisture, although scant, is welcome. Out my window, a female cardinal tears small pieces of birch bark for her nest. I hope she is building near by. Even though we won't be standing on the pedestrian bridge with hundreds of other watchers, I know thousands of sandhill cranes feed and rest along the Platte River in a migration almost as old as time. In my mind, I hear their ancient music and my spirits lift.


Small buds are visible on the lilacs and the maples sport the red fringe of new leaves. Yesterday after my walk, I noticed these tulips in our front yard. Last summer we reworked this area, covering it with ground cloth and several inches of river rock. I thought the bulbs were a lost cause but somehow they found a way through the rocks. These are four tough tulips.


So ever hopeful, I knit on. Never in all my days have I been so happy to have a stash of yarn and a bookcase of books. I knit a tea cozy for my two-cup teapot and learned a new stitch, the mistake rib. I like the texture and wonder if it would make a good hat. I may try. I ripped out an Icicles hat that is knit from the top down. I set out to learn a new-to-me technique and learned I didn't like it one bit. I don't swatch for hats. I just knit the bottom edge and check the fit. Of course, this didn't work with top-down construction. I didn't discover it was too small until after I fiddled with the cast on and knit the increase rounds. Well, maybe I knew after a few rounds but ignored that wise knitting voice in my head. Anyway, I didn't want the hat enough to try again with other yarn and larger needles. 


The Soft Sunday Shawl is perfect knitting for listening to a mindless mystery. I cast on this pullover sweater three times. I blame the corona virus for a preoccupied mind. Now that I have finished the short rows and can see the lines of wide raglan shaping, it will be a good project for these indoor days. The yarn, needles, and pattern have a nice hand.


I am currently reading A Writer's Diary by Virginia Woolf. After her death, Woolf's husband culled through years of her diaries and published one volume of entries pertaining to her work. She is witty and this little volume is one view into her intelligent mind. It is easier reading than her fiction but tempts me to read some of her other work. I'm also enjoying Joy Harjo's American Sunrise. Our current poet laureate is deserving of her honor.

I will link this post to Kat and the Unravelers as a way to knit us together through these days.

To all the medical people on the front lines and the school personnel making sure kids have online learning opportunities thank you, thank you. To the grocery, big box, and drugstore clerks facing a never ending line of customers, garbage haulers on the road, first responders, and child care providers trying to keep children safe and sound, and many other helpers thank you, thank you.

While we put one foot in front of the other, may we be as tough and tender as tulips.

9 comments:

  1. Those tulips are amazingly tough! There is a lesson in those bulbs. I've never heard sandhill cranes, but hope that I get the opportunity someday. Your Soft Sunday Shawl looks just that - lovely and oh-so-soft. Thank you for your reminder that we really are all connected and so grateful for all those working so hard.

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  2. I have that same teapot. It's even the same color. Maybe I should knit it a cozy. LOL

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  3. I am keeping all those front line super heros in my thoughts and prayers for safety and continued strength to keep on taking care of those in desperate need! You lines about the Sandhill Cranes makes me ache with longing to someday see that spectacular sight! Stay safe and be well!

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  4. Thank you for a beautiful, gratitude-filled post, Jane. And . . . like Dee . . . I have that exact same teapot in that exact same color, too! I think I need a cozy for it, too. Thanks for the inspiration. One of my "goals" for the year was to spend a bit of time reading Virginia Woolfe. Although I've read bits and pieces over the years, I've never read one of her books full through. Would you recommend I begin with A Writer's Diary? Enjoy your day, Jane

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  5. I feel calmer just reading your words ... thank you! We saw a heron gliding just over the lake on our Tuesday morning walk. So graceful. Stay safe and well!

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  6. Such a beautiful and hopeful post Jane. Like others, once again your words have a soothing and calming effect on me. Merci! Love that cute little tea cozy and your shawl is coming along so nicely. Take care and stay well and safe!

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  7. Lovely lovely words and post. Hope is a wonderful thing. We saw the cranes have come back to lower Wisconsin this week! There is at least one hyacinth trying to push up and some daffodils. I bought clover seed to support my feed and seed store. I bought it on the phone and drove there and they just came out and put it in the truck bed! Yeah!

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  8. hm, I haven't heard of that V Woolf book, I'll see if the virtual library has it ( probably not..it's limited but you never ever know). I'm gearing up for a new knit on the needles, something toothy and mind engaging. Not sure what as of yet but I do need something!!

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  9. There was something so calm about this post. I believe I have seen a hat pattern with the mistake rib stitch. And now a tea cozy and Virginia Woolf are on my list.

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